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BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION.

W. LINDSAY ALEXANDEB, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh.
JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh.
THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University, Edinburgh.
D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh.
WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church History, Eeformed
Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.
ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.
(Btrnxul (fbitcrr.
THOMAS SMITH, D.D., Edinburgh.

cv

AN EXPOSITION

UPON THE

EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS:

BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF

NEAR SEVEN YEARS' WEEK-DAY SERMONS.

BY

NICHOLAS BYFIELD,
LATE ONE OF THE PREACHERS FOR THE CITY OF CHESTER.

EDINBURGH: JAMES NICHOL.
LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO. DUBLIN: G. HERBERT.

M.DCCC.LXIX.

edinburgh :
ballantyne and company, printers,
Paul's work.

NICHOLAS BYFIELD.

THE author of this volume was a man of note, and a member of a notable family. His father
was minister of Stratford-on-Avon ; but it appears that his incumbency there began several
years after Shakespeare had left the town. As, however, Nicholas is said to have been born
in Warwickshire seventeen years before his father's settlement in Stratford, it is not im
probable that the father may have been curate there, or in some neighbouring village, in which case
the poet may have been one of his hearers. The life of our author was comparatively short, so that
even Anthony a Wood acknowledges with astonishment the amount of work that he did in so
short a time. The facts of his life are given with sufficient detail in this author's account of him.
We, therefore, content ourselves with merely subjoining it : —
" N. Byfield, son of Bichard Byfield (who became minister of Stratford-upon-Avon in January
1596), was born in Warwickshire, became a batler or a servitor of Exeter College in Lent Term,
anno 1596, aged seventeen at least; continued under a severe discipline more than four years, but
never took a degree. Afterwards, entering into the sacred function, he left the University, and had
intentions to go into Ireland to obtain preferment in the Church, but at Chester, in his way thither,
he was, upon the delivery of a noted sermon at that place, invited to be pastor of St Peter's Church
there; which invitation being esteemed by him as a great providence, he willingly accepted; so
that, continuing there several years a constant preacher, was much followed and admired by the
precise party, who esteemed his preaching profitable and his life pious. He was a strict observer
of the Lord's-day at that place, and preached and wrote for the sincere observance of it, which
caused some pens to be active against him, particularly that of Edward Breerwood, who, being a
native of that city, was sometimes his auditor. At length, being called thence, he had the benefice
of Isleworth, in Middlesex, conferred on him, where he remained to his dying day. He was a
person, in the opinion of the zealots, of profound judgment, strong memory, sharp wit, quick inven
tion, and of unwearied industry ; also, that in his ministry he was powerful, and that unto all turns
and upon all occasions, not only at Chester, but at Isleworth, where his preaching and expounding
were very frequent. The books that he hath written are these : —
Assurance of God's Love and Man's Salvation.
Exposition of Colossians : Substance of near Seven Years' Week-day Sermons at Chester.
Directions for Private Reading of Scripture.
How a Godly Christian may Support his Heart with Comfort.

NICHOLAS BYFIELD.

Beginning of Doctrine of Christ.
Marrow of the Oracles of God.
Sermons on 1 Peter ii.
Principal Grounds of Christian Religion.
Sermons on 1 Peter iii. 1-10.
Afterwards on whole of 1 Peter.
Answer to Mr Breerwood's Treatise of Liberty.
Exposition of Apostles' Creed.
Light of Faith and Way of Holiness.
Signs of God's Love to us.
Practice of Christianity ; or, An Epitome of Mr R. Roger's Seven Treatises.
Several Sermons.
" It is commonly reported that this person died at Isleworth, before mentioned, in 1622, wliich, if
true, his writings and works shew him (being not then above 44 years of age) to have been a person
of great parts, industry, and readiness. He left behind him a son, named Adoniram Byfield, a
most zealous and forward brother for the cause, of whom I shall make mention in R. Byfield in
another part of this work.
" In an Epistle to the Christian Reader, by William Gouge, prefixed to Commentary on 1 Peter,
we have the following character of the author's account of his acute sufferings : — ' He was a man
of profound judgment, strong memory, sharp wit, and true piety. Preached twice on the Lord's-
day, and in summer on Wednesday and Friday. This course he kept on till about five weeks
before his death, when the pain came so violently upon him as it wasted his vital vigour, yet did it
in no way weaken his faith, but, as the outward perished, then was the inward man renewed in
him. He earnestly prayed that the extremity of the pain might not make him utter or do anything
unbecoming his vocation and profession, but withal he advised his friends to consider that he was
but as other men, and thereupon to judge charitably of his carriage in that case.' "
From this Epistle of Gouge we learn that for fifteen years or more he suffered intense pain from
stone in the bladder, which makes it all the more remarkable that he should have accomplished so
much. The present Commentary is a fine specimen of Puritan exposition, indicating an extensive and
intensive knowledge of the Word of God, and great soundness of judgment, and great faithfulness
in dealing with the hearts and consciences of men. There is no eloquence in it, but a serious,
earnest desire is manifest to keep back nothing of the counsel of God ; and we are much mistaken
if ministers do not find it profitable, as suggestive of many hints which may enrich their own expo
sitions of this Epistle.
T. S.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
EDWARD LORD RUSSELL, EARL OF BEDFORD,
AND
THE LADY LUCY, COUNTESS OF BEDFORD,
GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED, WITH INCREASE OF ALL HONOUR AND HAPPINESS FOR EVER.

AND MY VERY HONOURABLE

Most noble Lord,
good Lady, —
rilHIS Epistle to the Colossians contains an excellent
-*- epitome of the doctrine expressed in the rest of
the books of the Old and New Testament, as will
appear by a brief delineation or adumbration of the
proportion and parts of that sacred body of truth,
paralleled with the several parts of this epistle,
using the benefit of this commentary upon it.
The whole word of God may be divided into two
parts : the first concerns faith, or what we must
believe ; the second, love, or what we must do. So
the apostles divided it, as may appear by the pat
tern used in their times, which stood of two parts,
faith and love, 2 Tim. i. 13. And so is this epistle
divided ; for in the two first chapters he tells them
what they must believe, and in the two last what
they must do.
Now faith looks either upon God or upon the
world. In God two things are to be believed : first,
The attributes of the essence ; secondly, The trinity
of the persons. The attributes unfold the nature
and proprieties of God, such as are his power, glory,
knowledge, and the like. Of the power of God ye
may read, chap. i. 11, and ii. 12; of the glory of
God, chap. i. 11, and iii. 17; of the knowledge of
God, chap. iii. 10.

The persons are three, the Father, the Son, and
Holy Ghost. Of the Father, chap. i. 2, 12, and iii.
17; ofthe Son, chap. i. 2, 13, 15, &c. ; ofthe Holy
Ghost, chap. ii. 19. Thus of God.
In the consideration of the world, faith is taken
up especially about the creation of it, and the
government of it. In the creation it views the
mighty workmanship of God, making all things of
nothing, even the very angels, as well as men and
other creatures. Of the creation, chap. i. 1 6 ; of
angels, also chap. i. 16 ; both good, chap. ii. 9 ; and
evil, chap. ii. 15.
The government of the world is two ways to be
considered : first, In the general disposing and pre
servation of all things ; secondly, and principally,
Faith is taken up about the consideration of the
government of men in the world ; of the general
providence, chap. i. 16, 17.
The providence of God over man may be considered
according to his fourfold estate : first, Of innocency ;
secondly, Of corruption ; thirdly, Of grace; fourthly,
Of glory.
In the estate of innocency faith chiefly beholds
and wonders at the glorious image of God, in which
man was created. Of this image you may read,
chap. iii. 10, by analogy.
In the state of corruption, two things do offer
A

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

themselves to our doleful contemplation : first, Sin ;
secondly, The punishment of sin. Sin is both
original and actual; of original sin, chap. ii. 13; of
actual sins, chap. ii. 11, 13, iii. 5, 6 ; of the punish
ment of sin, chap. iii. 25, and ii. 13, and iii. 6.
In the state of grace, faith views three things :
first, The means of grace; secondly, The subject;
thirdly, The degrees. The means is either before
time, or in time ; before time, it is the election of
God, of which chap. iii. 1 2 ; in time, the means
chiefly is Christ, and the covenant in him. In Christ
two things are to be considered — his person, and his
office. The theory concerning Christ's person is two
fold : first, Concerning his two natures ; secondly,
Concerning his twofold estate in those natures. The
natures of Christ are two, human and divine, joined
in the bond of personal union ; of the human nature,
chap. i. 22; of his divine, chap. i. 15, 16, &c. ; of
the union of both, chap. ii. 9. The state of the
person of Christ is twofold : first, Of humiliation ;
secondly, Of exaltation. His humiliation compre
hends : first, His incarnation, as the antecedent ;
secondly, His obedience to the law of Moses ; thirdly,
His passion ; of his incarnation and obedience, im
pliedly in divers places ; of his passion, chap. i. 14,
20, 22 ; xiv. 15. His exaltation comprehends his
resurrection, ascension, and session at the right
hand of God ; of his resurrection, chap. ii. 12 ; of
his sitting at God's right hand, chap. iii. 1.
Thus of the person of Christ.
The office of Christ is to mediate between God
and man. The parts are three : first, His propheti
cal ofiice ; secondly, His priestly office ; thirdly, His
regal office. His prophetical office stands in pro
pounding of doctrine, and in making it effectual by
his Spirit. His priestly office standeth in two things :
first, Expiation of sin ; secondly, Intercession for us
to God. His regal office is partly in the government
of the church, as the head thereof, and partly in the
subduing of the enemies of God and the church ; of
T,he treasures of wisdom in Christ as a prophet,
chap. ii. 3 ; of the sacrifice of Christ as a priest,
chap. ii. 14; of the headship of Christ over the
church, chap. i. 18, and ii. 19.
Thus of Christ.
The covenant followeth, which is considered both
in itself and in the seals of it. Though the covenant

of works be accidentally a means to drive us to
Christ, yet the proper effectual means is the covenant
of grace, which God hath made with the elect in
Christ ; this being recorded in the word of the gospel,
both in the Old and New Testament is the ordinary
means, by the power of Christ, to convert souls to
God by the preaching of it in the ministry of his
servants; of this, chap. i. 6.
The seals of this covenant are the sacraments,
both of the Old and New Testament : of the
Old Testament was circumcision and the rest, of
which chap. ii. 11; of the New Testament are
baptism and the Lord's supper ; of baptism, chap. ii.
12. Thus of the means of grace.
The subject of true grace is the church, the body
of Christ united to him by mystical union. The
church consists of two sorts of men, ministers and
people ; of the church in general, with her union with
Christ, chap. i. 18-20, and ii. 19 ; of ministers and
people, with their duties, chap. i. 25, 28, and ii. 1,
and in divers other places.
Thus of the subject also.
The degrees of grace in the third estate are :
first, Vocation ; secondly, Faith ; thirdly, Remission
of sins ; fourthly, Sanctification ; of vocation, chap.
iii. 15 ; of faith, chap. i. 4, 23, and ii. 12 ; of remis
sion of sins, chap. i. 14, and ii. 13 ; of sanctification,
in both parts, both mortification, chap. iii. 5, 8 ; and
vivification, chap. ii. 13, and iii. 10.
Thus of the estate of grace.
The fourth and last estate of man is the estate of
glory, which stands of three degrees : first, Resur
rection ; secondly, The last judgment ; and thirdly,
Life eternal ; of resurrection, chap. i. 18 ; of the last
judgment and eternal glory, chap. iii. 4. And thus
of the first part of the pattern of wholesome words,
and that is faith; now followeth the second, and
that is love.
Love comprehends all the duties we owe to God
or men, as being 'the bond of perfection' which
ties together all holy services. Love must be con
sidered both in the adjuncts and in the sorts
of it.
The adjuncts are constancy, wisdom, zeal, care to
avoid offences, and the like. Of love in general,
chap. i. 4, ii. 2, and iii. 14; of constancy, chap. ii.

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

6 j of zeal, chap. iv. 13; of wisdom, and care to
avoid offences, chap. iv. 5. Thus of the adjuncts.
The sorts of works comprehended under love
are two chiefly : first, Works of worship ; secondly,
Works of virtue. The works of worship are either
internal only, or external and internal also. The
internal are, the acknowledging of God, the love of
God, the fear of God, the trust or hope in God, and
which floweth from thence, patience ; of the acknow
ledgment of God, chap. i. 9, 10 ; of the love of God,
chap. i. 8 ; of the fear of God, chap. iii. 22 ; of the
hope in God, chap i. 5 ; of patience, chap. i. 11.
The works of worship that are both external and
internal are prayer and thanksgiving; of prayer,
chap. iv. 2, 3 ; of thanksgiving, chap. iii. 1 7.
Thus of works of worship.
Works of virtue either concern ourselves or others ;
the works that concern ourselves are chiefly two —
the study of heavenly things, and temperance.
Temperance contains chastity and sobriety in the
use of -all sorts of earthly things ; of the study of
heavenly things, chap. iii. 1, 2 ; of chastity, chap.
iii. 5 ; of sobriety, chap. iii. 2.
Thus of virtue that concerns ourselves.
Works of virtue towards others are chiefly nine :
mercy, courtesy, humility, meekness, long-suffering,
clemency, peaceableness, thankfulness, and justice ;
of the first eight of these, chap. iii. 12-16. Now
justice is either public or private ; public justice is
in magistrates, of which, chap. ii. 5 ; private justice
is either commutative, in bargaining, or distributive,
in giving that which is right to every one according
to his degree, and so distributive justice is either
civil or economical. Private justice in civil conver
sation with men abroad, is either to magistrates, of
which, chap. i. 5, or to all men, and so consists of
truth and faithfulness, with sincerity and observ
ance. Economical justice is that which concerns the
household, and so contains the duties of husbands
and wives, children and parents, servants and mas
ters; of which, chap. iii. 18, to the end, with the first
verse of chap. iv.
Thus also of love.
Thus I have shewed the excellent completeness of
this worthy scripture. It remains that I declare
some of the reasons that have emboldened me to
make choice of your Honours' names for the dedica

tion of my exposition upon this scripture. Three
things, swaying godly men in like case, have com
pelled me — protection, observance, and thankfulness.
The preaching of this doctrine, as by the mercy of
God it wrought abundant consolation and comfort
able reformation in many hearers, so did it seldom
rest from the assaults and calumnies which one
while profaneness, another while envy, poured out
upon it. Great cause there is, therefore, that it
coming out now to a more public view, should seek
shelter ; and of whom should I seek it or hope for it
sooner than of your Honours, who are pleased, by
your daily countenance, to assure me a just patron
age 1 For the second, — to omit the high reputation
which the religious eminency of both your ancestors
hath set your Honours in, and the praises of many
singular endowments and gifts, in which you do
worthily excel ; — there are two things wherein your
Honours daily win a great increase of observance —
the one is piety towards God, the other is mercy
towards the poor. The loins of the poor daily bless
your Honours, and their mouths daily pray for you.
Your piety is many ways expressed ; to omit many
undoubted proofs of it, your Lordship hath much
confirmed the persuasion of your religious disposition
by your daily and affectionate respect of the word
of God and prayer in private, since the Lord hath
made you less able to resort more frequently to the
public assemblies. And, Madam, what thanks can
we ever sufficiently give unto God for that rare and
worthy example with which your Ladyship doth com
fort and encourage the hearts of many in your care
of God's Sabbaths, and in your never-failing attend
ance upon the ordinances of God with the congre
gation, morning and evening, not only in your own
person, but with your whole family. For the third,
I do ingenuously profess before God and men that I
hold my obligation unto your Honours in the just
debt of service and gratitude to be so great, as the
labour here employed is no way answerable to a
meet discharge, no, though it had been taken only
for your Honour's use ; for to omit the debt which I
am in for a great part of my maintenance, and that
singular encouragement I reap daily in your Honours'
respect of my ministry, what thanks can ever be
sufficient, or what service can ever be enough for
that incomparable benefit which I have and shall

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

ever esteem the greatest outward blessing did ever
befall me ; and which, Madam, by your Honour's
singular care and furtherance, after an admirable
manner I obtained ; I mean the clearing of my
reputation from the unjust aspersions of my adver
saries, and that by the mouth and pen of the Lord's
anointed, my most dread sovereign, whom the God
of heaven, with all abundance of royal and divine
blessings, recompense in all earthly felicity and
eternal glory. And the same God of peace, and
Father of mercies, ' sanctify your Honours wholly,
that your whole spirits and souls and bodies may be
preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.' ' Faithful is he that hath called you,

who also will do it.' And I doubt not but God
that hath enriched your Honours with the true grace
that is in Jesus Christ, will daily win unto you in
crease of honour from your perseverance in well
doing ; so as thanksgiving for your sakes shall be
abundantly given unto God by many. Thus, in
most humble manner, craving your Honours' accept
ance and patronage of this work, I end, and shall
rejoice to remain,
Your Honours' Chaplain,
To be commanded in all service,
NI. BYFIELD.

THE ARGUMENT

OF THIS

EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS.

THERE are four principal parts of this epistle :
first, The proem; secondly, Doctrine of
faith ; thirdly, Precepts of life; fourthly, The
epilogue, or conclusion. The proem is expressed
in the first eleven verses of the first chapter ; the
doctrine of faith is expressed in the rest of the
verses of the first chapter and the whole second
chapter. The precepts of life are set down in the
third chapter, and in the beginning of the fourth.
And the epilogue is in the rest of the verses of the
fourth chapter.
1. The proem contains two things : first, The
salutation, ver. 1, 2 ; and secondly, A preface, affec
tionately framed to win attention and respect,
wherein he assures them of his singular constancy
in remembering them to God, both in thanksgiving
for their worthy graces and the means thereof, ver.
3-8 ; and in earnest prayer for their increase and
comfortable perseverance in knowledge and the
eminency of sincerity in holy life, ver. 9-11.
2. The doctrine of faith he expresseth two ways :
first, By proposition ; secondly, By exhortation.
In the proposition of doctrine, he doth with singular
force of words, and weight of matter, set out both
the work of our redemption, ver. 12-14, and the
person of our Redeemer ; and that first in his rela
tion to God, ver. 15 ; then in relation to the world,

ver. 15-17; and thirdly, in relation to the church]
both the whole in general, ver. 18-20 ; and the
church of the Colossians in particular, ver. 21, 22.
And thus of the proposition. Now his exhortation
follows, from 23 of chap. i. to the end of chap, ii.,
and therein he both persuades and dissuades ; he
persuades by many strong and moving reasons, to
a holy endeavour to continue and persevere with all
Christian firmness of resolution, in the faith and hope,
[which] was already begotten in them by the gospel ;
and this is contained in the seven last verses of the
first chapter, and the seven first verses of the second
chapter. He dissuades them - from receiving the
corrupt doctrine of the false apostles, whether it
were drawn from philosophical speculations, or from
the traditions of men, or from the ceremonial law of
Moses ; and he proceeds in this order ; first, He
lays down the matter of his dehortation, chap.
ii. 8 ; then secondly, He confirms it by divers
reasons, from ver. 9 to 1 6 ; and lastly, He concludes,
and that severally, as against Mosaical rites, ver.
16, 17 ; against philosophy, ver. 18, 19 ; and against
traditions, ver. 20, and so to the end of that chapter.
Thus of the second part.
3. Thirdly, In giving precepts of life, the apostle
holds this order : first, He gives general rules that
concern all, as they are Christians ; then, he gives

THE ARGUMENT.

special rules, as they are men of this or that estate
of hfe. The general rules are contained in the first
seventeen verses of the third chapter, and the special
rules from the eighteenth verse of the third chapter,
to the second verse of the fourth. The general
rules he reduceth into three heads, viz. : first, The
meditation of heavenly things, ver. 1-4 ; secondly,
The mortification of vices and injuries, ver. 5-12 ;
thirdly, The exercise of holy graces, a number of
which he reckoneth, both in the kinds, means, and
ends of them, from ver. 12-18. The particular
rules concern principally household government ;
for he sets down the duty of wives, ver. ] 8 ; of
husbands, ver. 19; of children, ver. 20; of parents,
ver. 21 • of servants, ver. 22-25 ; and of masters,
chap. iv. 1.
4. The epilogue, or conclusion, contains in it
both matter of general exhortation, as also matters of

salutation. The general exhortation concerns prayer,
ver. 2-4 ; wise conversation, ver. 5 ; and godly com
munication, ver. 6. Now, after the apostle hath
disburdened himself of those general cares, then he
taketh liberty to refresh himself and them. And
first, he makes entrance by a narration of his care
to know their estate, and to inform them of his.
To which purpose he sendeth and prayeth Tychicus
and Onesimus, ver. 7-9. The salutations then fol
low ; and they are of two sorts ; for some are signified
to them, some are required of them. Of the first
sort, he signifies the salutations of six men, three
of them Jews, and three Gentiles, ver. 10-14. The
salutations required, concern either the Laodiceans,
ver. 15, 16, or one ofthe Colossian preachers, who
is not only saluted, but exhorted, ver. 17. And
then follows the apostle's general salutations to all
in the last verse.

THE PLAIN LOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST CHAPTER.

THIS chapter stands of three parts— * a proem, a
proposition of doctrine, an exhortation to
constancy and perseverance. The proem is con
tinued from ver. 1-12, the proposition from ver.
12-23, the exhortation from ver. 23 to the end.
The proem is intended to win attention and
affection,, and stands of two parts — the salutation
and the preface. The salutation is contained in the
two first verses, and the preface in the third verse
and those that follow to the twelfth.
In the salutation three things are to be observed :
first, The persons saluting ; secondly, The persons
saluted ; thirdly, The form of the salutation itself.
The persons saluting are two, ver. 1, 2 ; the
author of the epistle and an evangelist, famous in
the churches, who is named as one that did approve
the doctrine of the epistle, and commend it to the
use of the churches. The author is described : first,
By his name, ' Paul ;' secondly, By his office, ' an
apostle,' which is amplified by the principal efficient,
'Jesus Christ,' and by the impulsive cause, 'the will of
God.' The evangelist is described : first, By his name,
' Timotheus ; ' secondly, By his adjunct estate, ' a
brother.' Thus of the persons saluting.
The persons saluted are described : first, By the
place of their abode, and so they are citizens and
inhabitants of ' Colosse ;' secondly, By their spiritual
estate, which is set out in four things : 1. They are
'saints;' 2. They are 'faithful;' 3. They are
'brethren ;' 4. They are 'in Christ.'

The form of the salutation expresseth what he
accounteth to be the chief good on earth, and that
is, ' grace and peace,' which are amplified by the
causes or fountains of them, ' from God our Father,
and from our Lord Jesus Christ.' Thus of the
salutation. In the preface the apostle, ver. 3, demonstrateth
his love to them by two things, which he constantly
did for them ; he ' prayed ' for them, and he ' gave
thanks' for them ; and this he both propounds gener
ally, ver. 3, and expounds particularly in the verses
following. In the general propounding three things are
evidently expressed : first, What he did for them — he
'gave thanks,' 'he prayed;' secondly, To whom — even
to ' God the Father of our Lord Jesus ;' thirdly, How
long — ' always,' that is, constantly from day to day.
Now, in the verses that follow he expounds and
opens this : first, His thanksgiving, ver. 4-8 •
secondly, His prayer, ver. 9-11. In the thanks
giving he shews for what he gave thanks ; which he
refers to two heads : 1. Their graces ; 2. The means
by which those graces were wrought and nourished.
The graces are three, faith, love, hope, ver. 4, 5.
Their faith is amplified by the object, ' your faith in
Jesus Christ : ' and their love by the extent of it,
' your love to all the saints ;' and their hope by the
place, ' which is laid up for you in heaven.'
The means of grace was either principal, ver. 5, 6,
or instrumental, ver. 7, 8. The principal ordinary

8

THE ANALYSIS.

outward means was the word, which is described
and set out six ways : 1 . By the ordinance in which
it was most effectual, viz., hearing, 'whereof ye have
heard ; ' 2. By the property that was most eminent
in the working of it, viz., truth, 'by the word of
truth ; ' 3. By the kind of word, viz., the gospel,
'which is the gospel;' 4. By the providence of God in
bringing the means, 'which is come unto you ;' 5. By
the subject persons upon whom it wrought, viz., 'you
and all the world ; ' 6. By the efficacy of it, ' it is
fruitful and increaseth ; ' which is amplified by the
repetition of the persons in whom, and the con
sideration both of the time, in those words, ' from
the day that you heard,' &c, and also, of the
adjunct cause, viz., the hearing and the true know
ledge of the grace of God, from the day that you
heard of it, and ' knew the grace of God in truth.'
Thus of the principal means, the ministry of the
word. The instrumental, or the minister followeth, ver.
7, 8, and he is described : 1 . By his name, ' Epaphras ; '
2. By the adjunct love of others to him, ' beloved ; '
3. By his office, 'a servant;' 4. By his willingness to
join with others, 'a fellow-servant;' 5. By his faithful
ness in the execution of his ofiice, ' which is for you a
faithful minister of Christ;' and lastly, By his delight
in his people, which he shews by the good report he
cheerfully gives of them, viz., 'who also declared
unto us your love in the spirit.' Thus of the thanks
giving. Now in the opening or unfolding of his practice
in praying for them : first, He affirms that he did pray
for them ; and then, Declares it by shewing what he
prayed for. The affirmation is in the beginning of
the ninth verse, and the declaration in the rest of
the words to the end of the eleventh verse.
In the affirmation there are three things : first, An
intimation of a reason, in those words, 'for this
cause ;' secondly, A consideration of the time, ' since
the day we heard of it;' thirdly, The matter affirmed,
' we cease not to pray for you.'
In the declaration he instanceth in one thing he
principally prayed about, and that was their ' know
ledge ;' which he sets out : first, By the object of it,
'the will of God;' secondly, By the parts of it,
' wisdom and understanding ; ' thirdly, By the end,
viz., ' that they might walk worthy,' &c. ; fourthly,

By the cause, ' his glorious power ; ' and fifthly, By
the effects, ' patience, long-suffering, and joyfulness.'
In setting down the object, he expresseth also the
measure he desired ; he would have them filled with
the knowledge of God's will, and that he addeth in
the second part, when he saith, 'aU wisdom and
understanding.' The end of all their knowledge he
expresseth more largely, ver. 10, which in general
is the eminence of holy life, which he expresseth in
three several forms of speech, viz. : 1. To walk
' worthy of the Lord ;' 2. To walk ' in all pleasing ;'
and 3. To be 'fruitful in all good works;' unto the
fuller attainment of which he notes the means to be,
an 'increase in the knowledge of God.'
Hitherto of the proem.
The proposition of doctrine containeth excellent
matter concerning our redemption ; where he pro
ceeds in this order : first, He considers the work of
our redemption ; and secondly, The person of our
Redeemer. The work of our redemption, ver. 1 2-1 4 ;
the person of our Redeemer, ver. 15 and those that
follow to the 23; and all this he expresseth in form
of thanksgiving.
The work of our redemption he describes two
ways, after he hath touched the first efficient cause
of it, viz., God the Father; for in the twelfth verse
he seems to shew, that in respect of inchoation, it is
a 'making of us fit;' and in respect of consummation,
it is a causing of us to enjoy an immortal happiness
in heaven, better than that Adam had in paradise
or the Jews in Canaan. And therein he expresseth :
first, The manner of tenure or title, in the word
' inheritance ;' secondly, The adjunct praise of the
company, viz., the saints; and thirdly, The perfec
tion of it, it is ' in light.'
Now, in the end of the 13th ver. he seems to
shew that our redemption stands of two parts : first
' Deliverance from the power of darkness ;' secondly!
' Translating into the kingdom ofthe Son of his love,'
one of the many exceUent privileges of which estate
is noted in the 14th ver., to be 'remission of sins
through the blood of Christ.' And thus ofthe work
of our redemption.
The person of our Redeemer is described three
ways, ver. 15-17 : first, In relation to God; secondly,
In relation to the whole world ; thirdly, In relation
to the church.

THE ANALYSIS.

First, In relation to God, he is described in the
beginning of the 15th ver. ; and so he is said to be
' the image of the invisible God.'
Secondly, In relation to the whole world, five
things are to be said of Christ : first, He is ' the first
begotten of every creature,' in the end of the 15th
ver. ; secondly, He is the creator of all things, ver.
16. Where note the distinctions of creatures : 1.
They are distinguished bytheir place, some 'in heaven,'
some ' in earth;' 2. They are distinguished by their
quality, seme are 'visible,' some 'invisible;' 3. The
invisible are again distinguished by either titles or
offices, some are ' thrones,' some are ' principalities,'
&c. ^ thirdly, ' All things are for him,' this is in the
end of the 1 6th ver. ; fourthly, ' He is before all
things,' in the beginning of ver. 1 7 ; lastly, ' All
things in him consist,' ver. 1 7, the end of it. Thus
the Redeemer is described in relation to the whole
world. Thirdly, He is described as he stands in relation
to the church ; and so either to the whole church,
ver. 18-20, or to the church of the Colossians, ver.
21, 22.
As he stands in relation to the whole church, he
is said to be ' the head of the church,' in the begin
ning of the 18th ver., and this he proves, by shew
ing that he is a head in three respects.
First, In respect of the dignity of order towards
his members, and so, in the state of grace, he is their
beginning ; and in the state of glory he is ' the first
begotten ofthe dead;' that both among the living
and the dead ' he might have the pre-eminence.'
Secondly, In respect of perfection in himself, in
that 'all fulness dwelleth in him;' which is ampli
fied by the cause, viz., 'the good pleasure of the
Father,' who made him head of the church, ver. 19.
Thirdly, In respect of efficacy or influence through
the whole body ; for from him flows ' peace ' and
' reconciliation,' ver. 20, concerning which recon
ciliation there are eight things to be noted : 1.
The moving cause, which is to be supplied out ofthe
former verse, as the conjunction 'and' importeth,
viz., ' it pleased the Father ;' 2. The instrument,
'by him,' viz., Christ, the head; 3. The benefit
itself, viz., 'to reconcile;' 4. The subject, persons
in general, 'all things;' 5. The end, 'to himself;'
6. The effect, 'making peace;' 7. The means,

'through the blood of his cross ;' 8. The distribu
tion of the persons, who, in those words, ' things in
earth and things in heaven.' Thus of his relation to
the whole church.
In the description of his relation to the church of
the Colossians, he urgeth them with two things, ver.
21, 22: 1. Their misery without Christ; 2. The
remedy of their misery by Christ.
Their misery stands in two things : first, They are
' strangers;' secondly, They are ' enemies,' and both
are amplified : 1. By the subject wherein, viz., not
outwardly only, but in ' their minds ; ' 2. By the
cause, viz., ' wicked works,' ver. 22.
In setting down their remedy he notes : 1. The
means ; 2. The end. The means is, the ' death of
the body of Christ's flesh.' The end is, that ' he
might present them holy and unblamable, and with
out fault in God's sight,' ver. 22.
Thus of his relation to the church of the Colos
sians ; and thus, also, of the second part of this
chapter, viz., The proposition of doctrine.
The exhortation follows, ver. 23, where is to be
considered: first, The exhortation itself, and then,
The reasons. The exhortation is to perseverance,
both in faith and hope.
In the exhortation to perseverance in faith, there
is worthy to be noted : first, The manner of pro
pounding it, which is with an 'if;' secondly, The
duty required, ' continue ; ' thirdly, The manner of
the duty, ' grounded and stablished ; ' fourthly, The
object grace, ' in faith.'
In the exhortation to perseverance in hope, two
things are to be observed : first, He sets down the
evil to be avoided, viz., unsettledness or revolting,
in the words, ' be not moved away ; ' secondly, He
quickens them by remembering the cause and foun
tain of their hope, viz., ' the hearing of the gospel
preached.' Thus of the exhortation ; the reasons follow.
There are seven reasons to enforce this exhorta
tion to perseverance. The first is taken from the
consent of God's elect, ' which are through the world,'
who have, in the preaching of the gospel, received
faith and hope as their common portion.
The second reason is taken from the testimony of
Paul himself, and that is twofold : the first is, The
testimony of his ' ministry;' this is that he preacheth,

10

THE ANALYSIS.

and therefore it should be that they should keep
fast ; the second is, The testimony of his 'sufferings ;'
he hath endured much for the doctrine of faith and
hope, and therefore they should continue in it ;
and to stir them the more concerning his sufferings,
he sheweth that he suffered with great joy, which he
confirmeth by expressing the reasons of his joy :
first, Because they were ' the afflictions of Christ ; '
secondly, Because he had his part allotted him by
the decree of God ; and it was his joy that he had
almost finished what was left for him to suffer ; there
was but a little remaining ; thirdly, Because they
were but ' in his flesh ; ' fourthly, Because they were
' for them,' and the good of ' the church,' ver. 24.
The third reason is taken from the testimony of
God, who enjoined unto Paul, and other ministers,
this dispensation of the doctrine of faith and hope,
with a charge that they should see his word fulfilled
herein, ver. 25.
The fourth reason is taken from the excellency of
the gospel, which is set out : first, By the nature of
it, it is ' a mystery ; ' secondly, By the antiquity of
it, it was, and was ' hid since the world began, from
ages and generations ; ' thirdly, By the time of the
revelation of it, ' now,' in the new world ; fourthly,

By the persons to whom it is revealed, viz., only
' the saints,' all which should move to care and
constancy in keeping of it, ver. 26.
The fifth reason is taken from the excellency of
the subject ofthe gospel, which is no less nor worse
than Christ revealed by the preaching of the gospel.
In this revelation of Christ in the gospel, consider:
first, Who reveals him, God ; secondly, The cause of
his revelation, the will of God, ' he would;' thirdly,
The manner, viz., ' in a rich and glorious mystery ; '
fourthly, The persons to whom, viz., the miserable
' Gentiles ; ' fifthly, The effects or fruits of it, which
are: 1. The ' inhabitation of Christ;' 2. The ' hope
of glory,' ver. 27.
The sixth reason is taken from the end, ver. 28,
which is the ' presenting of them perfect in Jesus
Christ ;' which is amplified by the means to bring to
this end, which is preaching ; and that is amplified:
first, By the parts of it, which are ' teaching ' and
' admonishing ;' and secondly, By the manner, ' in all
wisdom,' ver. 28.
The seventh reason is taken from the holy strife of
the apostle, to bring men to this ; which is ampli
fied by the great success which the Lord had given,
ver. 28.

A METAPHRASE

UPON THE

FIRST CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS.

VER. 1. Paul, the messenger or ambassador-
general for all the churches of the Gentiles,
by commission from the promised Messiah, now
come in the flesh, the Lord anointed ; separated here
unto, not for his own worthiness, or by any private
motion of his own, or by commandment of any man,
but by the express will of God, according to his
everlasting counsel ; as also Timotheus, a reverend
brother, an evangelist of Christ, with full and free
testimony approveth this epistle written.
Ver. 2. To the citizens and inhabitants of the
city of Colosse, that are separate from the world,
and sanctified with true grace, and faithfully walk
in that holy calling in brotherly communion one
with another, and indissoluble union with Christ
your Saviour, grace be with you, and peace, even
the free favour of God, with all internal, eternal,
and needful external blessings, from him that both
will and can, even God our Father, through the
merits of the Lord our anointed Saviour.
Ver. 3, 4. We give thanks unto God, even that
God that by an eternal and unexpressible generation
is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, remembering
you earnestly and constantly in our daily prayers,
being exceedingly fired and inflamed since we heard
by continual and true report of your precious faith,
by which you have with firmness and steadfastness
of assurance laid hold upon Jesus Christ, for life
and righteousness ; and the rather, because we like

wise heard of your holy affection to such as have
separated themselves from the profaneness of the
world to the service of God, especially considering that
you have not the glorious faith of Christ in respect
of persons, but love all the saints as well as any.
Ver. 5. And as a people not destitute of any saving-
grace, we rejoice to hear of that lively hope by
which you have laid hold on the promise of eternal
glory, which God the Father hath prepared and laid
up in heaven ; and the more are we confirmed in
this resolution constantly to praise God for these
excellent graces, because they are not sudden
fancies or presumptuous conceits, raised out of the
forge of your own brain, or conceived for some
corrupt or carnal ends, but were indeed begotten
in you by. the mighty working of the most sweet
doctrine of reconciliation, proved in itself, and by
effect, to be a word of truth ; even that word of the
Lord, long foretold, now truly revealed and accom
plished also, begetting the true form of piety in you,
with constancy and true uprightness, both of heart
and hfe.
Ver. 6. This is the word of reconciliation which
is come unto you, as by incredible power and swift
ness it is now to the greatest part of the world,
even to people of all sorts and nations, causing them
to shew the soundness of their conversion by the
daily fruits of amendment of hfe ; and this increaseth
continually in all places, as it doth and hath done

12

THE METAPHRASE.

with you since the very first day that you truly
heard and effectually believed this rich doctrine of
the grace of God.
Ver. 7. And this very doctrine, which you have
heard of Epaphras, is the self-same divine truth
that is gone all abroad the world; of Epaphras,
I say, whom we all reverence as our dear fellow-
servant, being assured that he is for your best good,
a faithful and most humble minister of Jesus Christ.
Ver. 8, 9. He hath with great contentment boasted
of you in reporting to us your spiritual and heavenly
affection to God and godliness, and one towards
another ; and for the same cause since the first time
we heard of your praises in the gospel, we have
been importunate without ceasing, praying for you,
and beseeching God to increase in you, and make
complete your knowledge of His revealed will, not
only for contemplation, but for practice also, with a
gracious experience of the working of the Spirit.
Ver. 10. That ye might carry yourselves in a holy
eminency of godly conversation, striving to propor
tion your obedience in a greater degree than or
dinary, as might become the great measure of God's
mercies of aU sorts towards you, expressing a lively
kind of pleasingness, both in carriage towards God
and man, being refreshed with the sweetness of
acceptation in your services ; and that you might ex
tend your carefulness to bear fruit, not in one kind,
or some few, but in all kinds and sorts of good works,
daily increasing in a holy acquaintance with the
sacred nature of God, which is both the effect and
cause of all comfortable progress in holy life.
Ver. 11. That so growing up to a ripe age in
Christ, in the sanctification both of soul and body
and spirit, in all the graces and duties of Christ and
Christian life, through the assistance of the glorious
power of God, in the use of all means and helps ap
pointed by God, ye might accomplish your most holy
profession, with singular comfort and contentment,
being able cheerfully and with all patience and
long-suffering to bear the crosses, temptations, in
firmities, persecutions, and whatsoever wrongs or in
dignities might befall you, waiting for the promise of
God, being never weary of well-doing.
Ver. 12. And as we have thought good thus to
let you understand our love towards you, and our
rejoicing for the prosperity of your souls, so we

thought good to write unto you, both to put you in
mind of the most holy doctrine of Christ, as also to
exhort and beseech you to be constant in the faith
and hope you have received, without listening to the
enticing speeches of false teachers, which, as wicked
seducers, would beguile your souls of that high prize
of your most holy calling.
What thanks can we ever sufficiently give unto
God, the Father of Christ and Christians, that of
his mere grace and free love hath, by a holy calling,
made us, in his account, meet to have a lot in that
heavenly Canaan ; in that sweet and eternal fellow
ship with the spirits of the just, not only revealed
unto us in this light of the gospel, but to be enjoyed
by us in the light of heaven ; —
Ver. 13. And hath also already dehvered us from
that woeful estate in which the darkness of Gen-
tilism and sin, and ignorance and adversity, and
death and damnation had power over us, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the
Son of his love, enrolling our names among the living,
and accounting us as subjects of this kingdom of
grace, and heirs, even co-heirs with Christ, of the
glory to be revealed ?
Ver. 14. And howsoever our sanctification be as
yet unperfect, yet are we not only bought with a
price, but effectually and truly redeemed, and in
some sort fully too ; for in our justification we are
perfectly reconciled, and all our sins absolutely for
given us, as if they had never been committed,
through his merits that shed his blood for us.
Ver. 15. Who is a most lively and perfect image
of the invisible God, not only as he works God's
image in man, or because he appeared for God the
Father, to the fathers in the old law ; or because as
man, he had in him the likeness of God in perfect
holiness and righteousness; or because he did by
his miracles, as it were, make God visible in his
flesh ; but as he was from everlasting the very essen
tial natural image of God, most absolutely in his
divine person, resembling infinitely the whole nature
of his Father, and therefore is to be acknowledged
as the begotten of God by an eternal generation ;
so the first begotten of every creature, as he was
before them, so is he therefore the principal heir of
all things, by whom, and in whose" right, all the
saints do inherit what they have or look for.

THE METAPHRASE.

13

Ver. 16. For by him all things in heaven or earth,
whether visible or invisible, were created ; yea, the
very angels themselves, of what order or ofiice
soever, whether thrones or dominions, principalities
or powers, were all made by him of nothing ; and
therefore he, and not they, are to be worshipped ; in
short, all things were created by him, yea, and for
him too.
Ver. 17. And he was from everlasting with God
the Father, before all angels or other creature was
made, and still all things are preserved and con
tinued as consisting in him ; yea, the very angels
have their confirmation from him.
Ver. 18. And he is that glorious and alone
mystical head of the church, which, in a holy order
and relation, by the admirable work of the Spirit,
as a bond uniting together, is a true body unto
Christ ; and worthily is he to be acknowledged a
head unto the church, for three great reasons :
first, In respect of dignity; for he alone hath the
primacy, and ought to be acknowledged to have
pre-eminence in all things ; for if we respect the
estate of grace, he is the beginning of all goodness,
and if we respect the estate of glory, he is the first
born of the dead ; not only because he is risen
himself in his body from the grave, but also because
by his only power all his members shall rise at the
last day ; and also, because that in the death of all
the righteous, he doth still continue to and in the
very last gasp his assistance and holy presence.
Ver. 19. Secondly, He is fittest, yea, only fit, to
be the head of the church, because it hath pleased
the Father, that in him should all fulness only dwell,
so that he is a head in respect of plenitude, for the
behoof of the members.
Ver. 20-22. And thirdly, He is a head in respect
of influence ; for from him only comes down to the
members all peace with God, and all the fruits of
that reconciliation ; for it is he that made peace, by
the blood of his cross, and that hath estated happi
ness upon all the saints, reconciling them to God ;
I say, all the saints, both those that are in heaven
already, and those that being yet on earth, hope for
that glory in heaven hereafter. And that this is so,
you are able out of your own experience to avouch ;
for whereas by nature you were strangers from God
and the life of God, you were very enemies to God

and all his goodness ; and this alienation and enmity
was apparently seated in your very minds, through
the evil works of all sorts which abounded in your
lives ; yet you know that Christ taking our nature
upon him, and in that nature suffering death for
you, hath reconciled you to God, and by the gospel
anew created you, that he might present you to
God, as holy and unblamable, and without fault in
his sight, covering your wants and hiding the evil
of your works, through his own intercession, and
allowing you the benefit of the covenant of grace,
through which uprightness will be in him accepted
instead of perfection.
Ver. 23. Now what remains, but that seeing we
have such precious doctrine, you should be exhorted
to hold out with all Christian perseverance, settling
and establishing your hearts in the behef of the
truth, suffering yourselves not to be carried away
with any contrary wind of doctrine, from the con
fidence of that hope of your reconciliation with God,
which hath been propounded and wrought in you,
by the preaching of the gospel; and the rather,
because unless you do so persevere, you cannot have
sound comfort in your right to the benefits before
named. Besides, there are many reasons may in
duce you to the resoluteness of perseverance in the
doctrine you have already believed and hoped in :
first, It is the doctrine which all God's elect, with
one consent, have received throughout the world,
and upon it have founded their faith and hope ;
secondly, The consideration of what ye see in me
may somewhat move you, and that if you either
consider my ministry or sufferings ; for my ministry,
I have so thoroughly informed myself concerning
the doctrine which Epaphras hath taught you, that
I see it in all things, for the substance of it, to be
the same which I myself have taught in every place.
Ver. 24. Now for my sufferings, it is apparent to
all sorts of men that I have endured my part of all
kinds of troubles for the gospel, which I would not
have done if I had not had full assurance of the
truth of it, neither do I repent me of my afflictions,
but rejoice in them rather, and that for divers
reasons : first, Because they are the afflictions of
Christ, that is, such as he accounts to be his ;
secondly, Because I know that in God's decree I
have my part of troubles assigned me ; and it is my

14

THE METAPHRASE.

joy fo think, that in so good a cause I have almost
fulfilled them; thirdly, Because these afflictions
extend but to my flesh and outward man; and
lastly, Because it is for your good I suffer, even for
the confirmation of your faith, and for the good of
the whole body of Christ, which is the church.
Ver. 25. Thirdly, I have received this commission
concerning the gospel immediately from God him
self, with strict charge that for your good I should
pursue the execution of it, till not only faith and
hope were wrought, but till we saw the work and
word of God even accomplished and fulfilled.
Ver. 26. Fourthly, What can there be more ex
cellent and worthy to be believed and trusted in,
than this gospel of Jesus Christ, and our reconcilia
tion in him, seeing it is that dreadful mystery which
worlds of men have wanted, as being hid from whole
ages and generations hitherto, and now by the
unspeakable mercy of God is revealed by preaching
unto the saints, as a peculiar treasure intrusted to
them? Ver. 27. And fifthly, The rather should you here
upon settle, considering the admirable subject of the

gospel ; for it is the good pleasure of God in this
rich and glorious mystery of the gospel to make
known to the poor Gentiles Christ Jesus himself,
and that by giving him therein to dwell in your
hearts by faith, and as your assured and only hope
of immortal glory.
Ver. 28. Sixthly, Neither should you ever cast
away the confidence of your assurance and hope, or
grow weary herein, seeing it is the drift and end of
all our preaching, wherein we either admonish or
instruct you, leading you through all sorts of wisdom
in the word of God. I say, the end of all is, to
present you at the length, perfect and complete
every one of you, in Christ Jesus, in some acceptable
measure of sincerity and knowledge in him.
Ver. 29. And seventhly, Being encouraged with
that success which the Lord hath given to my min
istry, I will labour as I have laboured, and still
strive with all possible diligence and endeavour in
this glorious work ; hoping that this also may prove
a motive among the rest to persuade with you to
keep faith and hope to the end, with all constancy
and holy perseverance.

AN EXPOSITION

UPON THE

WHOLE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS.

VER. 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will
of God, and Timotheus, a brother.
Ver. 2. To them which are at Colosse, saints and
faithful brethren in Christ, grace be with you, and peace
from Qod our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Two things are worthy our consideration in this
epistle, the author and the matter. The author
was Paul, concerning whom memorable things are
recorded. He was an Hebrew of the Hebrews ; of
the tribe of Benjamin, Phil. iii. 5 ; a pharisee, the
son of a pharisee ; born in Tarsus of Cilicia, circum
cised the eighth day, brought up in the knowledge
of the law and pharisaical institutions by Gamaliel,
a great doctor among the Jews, Acts xxiii. 6 ;
acquainted also with the language of foreign nations,
as his quoting of the authorities of Greek poets
shews, Acts xxii. 3 ; Titus i. 12. And in his youth,
for the righteousness external, which was after the
law, he was unrebukable and full of zeal, but withal
a violent and blasphemous persecutor, Phil. iii. 6 ;
Gal. i. 13, 14. His calling was exceeding glorious,
his office unto which he was called was great and
honourable, viz., to be legate of Christ, 1 Tim. i.,
the doctor of the Gentiles, the minister of God, of
Christ, of the Spirit, of the New Testament, of the
gospel of reconciliation and of righteousness, Acts
ix. 15, xxvi. 16. He was famous for his labour in
the word,.by which he caused the gospel to run from
Jerusalem to Illyricum with admirable swiftness,
as also for his faithfulness of mind, for his pure

conscience, for his affection to the faithful, for his
humanity and courtesy, for his continency, for his
humility, for his care for the churches, for his
honest conversation, innocency, and constancy, he
was of nature earnest, acute, and heroical, 1 Tim. ii. ;
2 Cor. vi., xi., and iii. ; Eph. iii. ; 2 Cor. v., iii. ;
1 Cor. xv. ; Rom. xv. 19 ; 2 Cor. i. 12.
Add unto these the praises of his sufferings, what
reproach, what stripes, what imprisonments, what
beating with rods, and such like wrongs did he
endure ! Five times of the Jews received he forty
stripes save one, once was he stoned, thrice he
suffered shipwreck, night and day was he in the
deep sea; in journeying often, in perils of waters,
of robbers, of his own nation, of the Gentiles ; in
the city, in the wilderness, in the sea, and among
false brethren. How he was daily pressed with
weariness, painfulness, watchings, hunger, thirst,
fastings, cold, and nakedness, besides the incum
brances and cares for the business of the churches,
2 Cor. xi. 22-30.
Finally, we may consider the testimony given to
his doctrine to prove it to be without all mixture of
error. And this testimony standeth of four
branches : 1. His immediate calling; 2. His imme
diate instruction and information; 3. The visible
donation of the Holy Ghost, which was not only
given to himself, but he also conferred it by imposi
tion of hands to others ; 4. His working of miracles ;
for so he saith of himself, ' The signs of an apostle

16

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

were wrought among you, with all patience, with
wonders, and great works.' He raised a man from
the dead, Acts ix., xix. 6; 2 Cor. xii. 12; Acts
xx. Neither could the miracles wrought by him be
small, when handkerchiefs were brought from his
body to the sick, and their diseases departed from
them; yea, devils went out of them, Acts xix. 12.
Lastly, this noble Jew, more famous among the
apostles than ever the great Saul was among the
prophets, was beheaded by the emperor Nero, the
29th of June, in the 70th year of the Lord. And
all this should cause us, with all reverence, both to
teach and learn the celestial doctrine delivered in
writing to the churches by him.
Thus of the author; the matter followeth. I
mean not to search after the descants and conceits
that some observe concerning the works of this
worthy, as that he should write ten epistles to the
churches, to answer the number of ten command
ments; and four epistles to particular persons, to
express his agreement with the four evangelists.
Only this in general ; for his hearers or auditory, he
had the Romans, the greatest in the earth for power ;
the Grecians, the most famous for wit and learning;
and the Jews or Hebrews, of greatest note for
divine understanding of the law of God. But to
leave this, I come to the matter of the epistle, and
observe three things :
1. To whom he writeth.
2. Upon what occasion.
3. The treatise itself.
For the first, Colosse was a city in Phrygia, in
Asia the less, near to Laodicea and HierapoHs.
The church in this city was not first gathered by
Paul, but, as some think, by Epaphras, whom they
take to have been one of the seventy disciples, and
an evangelist. Some say they were first converted
by Archippus, who is mentioned, chap. iv. 17, and
that Epaphras, one that was born amongst them,
being instructed by Paul, was sent thither to build
them up further.
For the second, the occasion of this epistle was
this : After that there was a church here gathered
by the power of the gospel, Satan, after his wonted
manner, stirred up corrupt teachers, who by cross
and contrary teaching did mightily labour to dis
grace the ministry, and hinder the efficacy of the

doctrine of their faithful minister. These men
taught philosophical positions and vain speculations,
urged the ceremonies of the Jews, and brought in
praying to angels and such like infectious stuff.
Epaphras hereupon being oppressed with the mad
ness and fury of those imps of Satan, resorts to
Paul, who lay in prison at Rome, and acquainting
him with the state of the church, procures him to
write this epistle.
Thirdly, The treatise itself stands of five parts :
first, An exordium, chap. i. 1-12 ; secondly, A pro
position, lively expressing the doctrine of Christ
and his kingdom, from ver. 12-23; thirdly, An
exhortation, containing a persuasion, from ver. 23
of chap. i. to ver. 8 of chap, ii., and a dissuasion,
from ver. 8 of chap. ii. to the end of chap. ii. ;
fourthly, An institution of manners, giving rules :
first, In general, chap. hi. 1-18; secondly, In special,
from ver. 18 of chap. iii. to ver. 2 of chap. iv. And
lastly, A conclusion, from ver. 2 of chap. iv. to the
end. Or briefly thus, setting aside the entrance
and the conclusion, the apostle treats of matters of
faith in the first two chapters, and of matters of life
in the two last.
And thus in general of the whole epistle, with the
persons to whom, and the occasion thereof. The
first part of the epistle is the exordium ; and it
stands of two members, a salutation and a preface.
The salutation, ver. 1, 2, and the preface from ver.
3-12. In the salutation I consider three things : first,
The persons saluting ; secondly, The persons saluted ;
thirdly, The form of the salutation. The persons
saluting are an apostle and an evangelist ; the
apostle is described by his name, 'Paul;' by his
office, ' an apostle ;' by the principal efficient that
preferred him to that office, and both appointed him
his service, and protected him in it, viz., 'Jesus
Christ;' and lastly, by the impulsive cause, viz.,
' the will of God.' The evangelist is described :
first, By his name, ' Timothy ;' secondly, By his ad
junct estate, ' a brother.'
First, Of the words that describe the apostle ; and
here first tho moaning of them, and then the doc
trines to be observed of them.
Paul. The apostle at his circumcision was called
Saul. For, being of the tribe of Benjamin, it seems

Ver. 1.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

17

the men of that tribe did, in honour of their king
Saul, who was the first of all the kings of Israel ;
and by a kind of emulation to retain the first glory
of their tribe (more respecting the outward honour of
Saul, in that he was a king, than the curse of God
in his rejection) did use to give the name of Saul
to their children very often as a name of great
honour. And not unfitly did this name light upon this
Benjamite, both if we regard him as he was before
his calling or after : before his calling, as the old
Saul persecuted David, so did this youngling Saul
(coming freshly out of the mint of a pharisee) perse
cute Christ, who came of David. And after his
calling, as it was said of old Saul, by way of pro
verb, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?' so may
it be said of this Saul, by way of honour, ' Saul is
among the apostles ; ' and that not the least of the
apostles, for he ' laboured more abundantly than
they all.'
Concerning this other name Paul, writers are
diversely minded. Some think that thirteen years
after Christ, by the condict of the apostles, he re
ceived both his apostleship over the Gentiles, and
this name. Others think that he took unto himself
this name of ' Paulus,' to profess himself the least of
all apostles. Others think the name was given him
for some eminent praise of some quality or action,
as Peter was called Cephas, and James and John
called Boanerges, and Jacob called Israel. Some
think he had two names, as Solomon was called also
Jedidiah, and Matthew called Levi, and these should
seem to be given by his parents, to profess his in
terest amongst both Jews and Romans ; among
Jews by the Hebrew name ' Saul,' and among the
Romans by the Latin name ' Paulus.' Some think
it is but the varying of the language, as John,
Jochanan, Jehan, and Johannes, all are but differing
in several languages. Lastly, it is most likely he
was called Paul for memory of the first spoils he
brought into the church of Christ, not the head but
the heart of ' Sergius Paulus,' that noble Roman, Acts
xiii. 9 ; and this is more probable, because in all the
chapters before he is never called Paul.
Apostle. This word in the general signification
importeth one that is sent, and so Epaphroditus is
called an apostle, Phil. ii. 19 ; but the etymology of

the word is larger than the usual application of it,
for it is usually given to the twelve principal dis
ciples, and to Paul and Barnabas ; and so it is used
as a term of distinction from other church officers ;
for, for the body, they had widows for the sick, and
deacons for the poor; and for the soul, they had
pastors and doctors for exhortation and instruction.
And these were standing and ordinary officers. Now
there were extraordinary, viz., apostles and evangel
ists. The apostles were men immediately called by
Christ, and had general charge over all churches for
planting and governing them : the evangelists were
called most by the apostles, and sent with spiritual
charge whither the apostles saw most convenient.
Jesus Christ. These titles given to the Messiah are
not in vain used, or joined together; for by these
names both his office and his work are described.
In the one name 'Christ,' shewing what he undertook
to be; in the other, shewing what he, was, viz.,
' Jesus,' a ' saviour.' The one name, viz., ' Jesus,' a
Hebrew word, is for the Jews ; and the other name,
' Christ,' a Greek word, is for the Gentiles, — the one
shewing that he was God, for, ' besides me there is
no Saviour,' Isa. xiv. 21 ; the others shewing that
he was man, viz., Christ, the anointed. For in
respect of his human nature chiefly is this anoint
ing with graces or gifts attributed to Christ.
Again, Christs were of two sorts, viz., false
Christs, Mat. xxiv., and true Christs. The true
were either typical — and so the prophets, priests, and
kings were anointed ; hence in the Psalm, ' Touch
not my Christs,' &c. — or essential, and so only the
son of Mary.
By the will of God. These words are expounded,
Gal. i. 1 , where he is said to be an apostle ; ' not of
men,' as princes send civil ambassadors, or as the
Jews sent false apostles ; ' nor by men,' as Timothy,
Titus, Luke, &c, who were ordained by man, and
as Titus did ordain elders, Titus i. 4. Or else not by
the commendation, pains, or instruction of any man.
Doct. 1. Paul an apostle. Here three doctrines
may be observed : first, Great sinners may prove
great saints ; a great enemy of sincere religion may
prove a great founder of churches ; a great oppressor
of God's servants may prove a great feeder of God's
flock, — in a word, a persecutor, as we see here, may
be an apostle. C

18

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

Use 1. This doctrine, as it doth excellently sample
out God's unsearchable mercy, so it teacheth us not
to despair of any, but to continue to pray for even
the vilest and most spiteful adversaries, and the
most open oppugners and usual traducers of God's
cause and people ; and to wait upon God to see if at
any time he will give them repentance to build that
they have destroyed, and to gather that they have
so much striven to scatter.
Use 2. Secondly, This doctrine is of singular use
in the cure of the hardest of diseases, viz., affliction
of conscience ; for in some of the dear servants of
God, that have appearing upon them some signs of
effectual calling, a right evidence of hope from God's
promises, sweet pledges, and signifying seals of God's
favour, by the witness of the spirit of adoption, yet
there ariseth some scruples about either the multitude
or greatness of their sins. Now the healing of their
errors and uncomfortable mistakings doth most an
end arise from the right application of such ex
amples as this. I say a right application, for the
most men do dangerously and damnably mistake in
alleging the instances of the great sins of God's
servants. But if thou observe these four rules thou
canst not mistake or misapply : first, If thou bring
not in the examples of David, Peter, Paul, or any
other, to patronise thy sin, or to defend or nourish
thyself in a sinful course ; secondly, If thou allege
them not to wrest God's promises, as to make the
promises of mercy general when they are restrained
with their several limitations ; thirdly, When they
are not brought out to fortify a profane heart against
the ordinances of God, as reproofs, either public or
private ; fourthly, When thou dost as well urge
upon thyself the necessity of the repentance was in
them, as seek the comfort of the remission of so
great sins committed by them. These rules being
observed, the example of Paul's sins may, with
comfort, be applied, as he himself testifieth, 1 Tim.
i. 16. Doct. 2. Secondly, The apostle, to bring his doc
trine into greater request, doth in the entrance of
the epistle insinuate himself into their respects, by
setting down the authority and praises of his office
and person; which sheweth unto us that usually
where the persons of the ministers are not regarded,
their doctrine worketh little. The doctrine is not

long in credit where the person and function itself
is contemned. And this yields us one reason why a number of
profane men get so little by the doctrine they so
ordinarily hear : and the cause is, they are con
temners, and scoffers, and reproachers of God's
ministers, and therefore God will give them no
blessing by their ministry. Again, It shews how
heavy and hurtful a sin it is to detract from the name
and good esteem of ministers, by tales, hes, and
slanders ; for, though men believe thee not in thy
slanders, yet it is the property of most defamations,
that they leave a kind of lower estimation many
times where they are not believed. Thirdly, It
serves to teach all ministers, and others that are in
government, to preserve by all lawful and holy en
deavours the authority and credit both of their per
sons and callings. There is no doubt but the base
carriage and indiscreet and sinful courses of many
ministers have brought a contempt and barrenness
upon the very ordinances of God ; they can do no
.good with their doctrine, they are so wanting to that
gravity and innocency that should shine in the lights
and lamps of Christ.
Doct. 3. Lastly, Here may be observed, that he
that will bear rule over other men's consciences,
must be an apostle; less than an apostohcal man
cannot prescribe unto other men's consciences ; and
therefore it is a profane insolency in any whatsoever
to urge their fancies and devices, and to press them,
master-like, upon the judgments or practices of their
brethren, when they are not warranted in the writings
of the prophets and apostles.
Doctrine of Jesus Christ. No knowledge can be avail
able to salvation without the knowledge of Christ,
and therefore the apostle in the very forefront of
the epistle professeth to teach the doctrine of Christ,
and to aim at such a course of framing of doctrine,
as above all things Christ Jesus may sound in his
instructions, and be received into honour, application,
and practice. And he doth in the very entrance
intimate what the corrupt teachers must look for from
him, viz., that he will batter the whole frame of
their building, that have led men from Christ cruci
fied, to vain traditions, philosophical speculations,
Jewish observations, and given his glory to angels.
By the will of God. That is, by his approbation,

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

19

direction, protection, but especially by his singular
vocation. The apostle then holds his calling from
God, and therefore believes God's protection and
blessing, because God had called him to his function.
And as the apostle, so every member of the church,
holds his particular standing and function from God ;
he is ranked into order by the special providence and
calhng of God.
And it is to great purpose that men should know
it in their own particular. For, first, It enforceth
diligence. If God have set thee in thy calling, then
it stands thee upon to discharge the duties of thy call-
ingwithaUheedfulnessandpainfulness. Secondly, It
may teach men not to pass the bounds of their calling ;
for seeing they are in their places by God's will, they
must take heed of going beyond their limits, either
by using of unlawful ways and courses, or byintruding
into other men's functions. Thirdly, It doth plainly
appoint the particular calling to serve the general.
Every Christian hath two callings : the one is the
external designment of him to some outward service
in the church or commmonwealth, and this is his
particular calling ; the other is the singling of him
out by special sanctification to glorify God, and seek
his own salvation in the things of the kingdom of
Christ, and this is a calling general to him, with all
believers. Now it is manifest, that God's command
ment is; that men first seek the kingdom of God,
and the righteousness thereof. And therefore he
never meant that men should so follow their out
ward business and employments, as to omit the
means of knowledge and grace, prayer, reading,
hearing, conference, and such like. Lastly, the con
sideration of this, that we hold our particular callings
from God, should teach us contentation in the willing
undergoing of the daily molestations or troubles and
crosses that do befall us, and to be content with our
kind of life, seeing we are thus set and placed by
God's will.
Thus far of the apostle. The evangelist is de
scribed : first, By his name, 'Timothy;' secondly, By
his adjunct estate, ' a brother.'
Doct. 1. Three things briefly may be observed
here : first, That consent in doctrine is a great means
and effectual to persuade both to incorruption in
faith, and integrity in living. This made Paul to
join Timothy with him; and the consideration of

this, as it should teach all faithful ministers to make
themselves glorious by a brotherly harmony in
matters of opinion, so it doth give occasion to bewail
that great sin of wilful opposition and cross-teaching,
which doth in many places too much abound, a
course that is taken up by some of purpose to hinder
the growth of knowledge and sincerity; some of
these instruments of the devil, having for the most
part, no life or heart either in study or preaching,
but when envy and malice and a desire to be con
trary doth instigate and prick them forward. These
are like them of whom the apostle complained, that
were ' contrary to all men, and forbid us to preach
to the churches that they might be saved, and fulfil
the measure of their sins always : ' God they please
not, and the wrath of God is come on them to the
uttermost,' 1 Thes. ii. 15, 16.
Doct. 2. Secondly, Here we may learn that spiritual
alliance is the best alliance, for it is a greater honour
to Timothy to be a brother, than to be an evangelist ;
for he might have been an evangelist, and yet have
gone to hell when he had done, as Judas, an apostle,
did. And this cannot but be exceeding comfortable,
seeing there is not the meanest child of God but he
may attain to that which was Timothy's greatest
title. Doct. 3. Thirdly, The apostle doth intimate by
the taking in of Timothy's assent, that the most
glorious doctrine of God doth need the witness of
men, such a vanity and secret sinfulness doth lodge
in men's hearts. Which should teach ministers, with
all good conscience and needfulness, to weigh well
and consider thoroughly of their doctrine before they
deliver it, because there is a weakness too commonly
found in the very dear children of God, namely, to
receive doctrine upon the trust and credit of the
messenger, without searching the scriptures as they
ought to do.
Thus far of the persons saluting : the persons
saluted are described, both by the place of their
habitation, ' at Colosse,' and by their spiritual estate;
in which he describes them by four things : they are
' saints,' they are ' faithful,' they are ' brethren,' and
they are ' in Christ.'
Before I come to the particular handling of each
of these, I consider four things in the general : first,
Here we see the power of the gospel. But a little

20

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

before, if Colosse had been searched with lights, as
Jerusalem was, there would not have been found one
saint nor one faithful man or woman in the whole
city ; and now behold by the preaching of the word,
here are many saints aiid faithful brethren to be
found in her. Secondly, We see here who be the
true members of the church ; the apostle acknow
ledgeth none but such as are saints, faithful, and in
Christ. Thirdly, We see here that a church may
remain a true church, notwithstanding gross cor
ruptions remain in it unreformed, as here these
titles are given to a church much poisoned with
human traditions and vile corruptions in worship.
Lastly, It is to be observed that the apostle joins all
these together, to note that one cannot be without
the other, one cannot be a saint unless he be faithful,
and in Christ, and so of the rest. The last clause
cuts off the Jews apparently from being saints or
true behevers, seeing they receive not Christ ; and
the first clause cuts off the carnal protestant, so as
he cannot be a believer or in Christ, seeing he cares
no more for sanctity ; and the two middlemost cut
off the papists and all heretics and schismatics, see
ing they have with insolent pride made a rent and
apostasy from the true apostolical churches, by ad
vancing themselves with their ' man of sin ' above
their brethren, nay, above all that is called God,
2 Thess. ii. 4, &c.
Thus far in general, the first thing particularly
given them, is, that they are saints.
Saints. This word is diversely accepted in scripture.
Sometimes it is given to the angels, and so they are
called saints, Deut. xxxiii. 2 ; Job xv. 15. Secondly,
Men are said to be holy by a certain legal or cere
monial sanctity, Lev. xi. 44. And in this sense the
superstitious are holy. This is the holiness and
sanctity of papists and popish persons, which place
all their holiness in the observation of rites and
traditions, and superstitious customs. Thirdly, All
that stand members of the church, by the rule of
charity, or in respect of outward visibility and pro
fession, are called saints, and so all that covenant
with God by offering sacrifice are called saints,
Ps. 1. 5. Lastly, and properly, It is a term given to
men effectually called : the children of God truly
converted are called saints, not because they are
perfectly holy without all sin, but in four respects :

first, In respect of separation, because they are
elected and gathered out of the world, and joined
unto God's people, and dedicated to holy services
and uses, and thus the word is often taken ; secondly,
In respect of vocation, and therefore the apostle,
1 Cor. i. 2, when he had said they were sanctified,
he said by way of explication, they were saints by
calling ; thirdly, In respect of regeneration, because
they are now new creatures; and lastly, In
respect of justification or imputation, because the
holiness and sanctity of Christ is imputed to
them. Doct. The sense being thus given, the doctrine is
plain, that men may be saints in this life ; there are
saints in earth as well as in heaven. This is ap
parent also in other scriptures, as Ps. xvi. 3 ; 'To
the saints that are in earth.' And Ps. xxxvii. 28,
' He forsaketh not his saints.' And Ps. cxxxii. 9, 16,
' Let thy saints rejoice.' So in the Epistle to the
Ephesians, chap. ii. 20, ' Citizens with the saints,'
and, chap. iii. 8, Paul calleth himself ' the least of
all saints,' and, chap. iv. 12, ' For the gathering
together of the saints,' with many other places.
The use of this serves : first, To confute the gross
folly of the papists, that acknowledge no saints till
three things come to them : first, They must be
canonised by the pope; secondly, They must be
dead first; thirdly, It must be an hundred years
after their death. This last proviso was well
added, lest their treasons and most vile practices
should be remembered. Secondly, This serves for the
severe reproof of numbers in our own church, that
live as if there were no sanctity to be looked after,
till they come to heaven. Thirdly, The scripture is
not without singular comfort to the poor despised
saints. I will take them in order as they lie, Deut.
vii. 6, 7. If we be sure we be a holy people to the
Lord, then this is our comfort, that God accounts
of us above all the people upon the earth, and no
man loves his pearls or precious jewels, so much as
God loves the meanest saint. David saith, Ps. xvi.
3, these are the nobles of the earth ; and Ps. xxx.
4, 5, these are willed with all cheerful thankfulness
to laud and praise God, and that before the re
membrance of his holiness — as they before the ark
so we before all the tokens and pledges of God's
love, both the word and sacraments, and sweet

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

21

witnesses of the spirit of adoption, and all other
blessings as testimonies of God's favour.
Object. Oh, but it seems the saints have little
cause of joy or praise, for they are much afflicted,
and that by the judgments of God too, either in
their consciences within, or in their bodies, or estates,
or names without.
- Sol. The prophet answers, that ' the Lord en
dureth but a while in his anger, but in his favour is
life, though weeping may abide at evening, yet joy
cometh in the morning.' And in the 37th Ps. 28th
ver., a charge is given to ' fly from evil and do good,'
in which words a saint is described by his practice.
Object. Oh, but what shall they get by this pre-
ciseness ?
Sol. They shall dwell for ever; no men have so
certain, sure, and durable estates as those that make
conscience of their ways, hating the infection of all
sin, and delighting themselves in well-doing.
Object. Oh, but we see they are much maliced and
hated, disgraced and wronged in the world.
Sol. ' The Lord loveth judgment ; ' if men right not
their wrongs, God will ; nay, it is a delight unto the
Lord to judge the righteous, and him that contem-
neth God every day, Ps. vii., those spiteful adver
saries of sincerity shall never cseape God's hands.
Object. Oh, but we see not only wicked men, but
God himself, smiteth and afflicteth those that be holy.
Sol. Though God afflict and chastise his people
as a father his beloved son, yet 'he forsaketh not
his saints.'
Object. Oh, but the saints themselves are fulLof
great doubts, whether they shall persevere, or God
will change.
Sol. It is God's unchangeable promise, ' they shall
be preserved for evermore.' Again, in the 85th Ps.,
though the church be in great perplexities in respect
of outward afflictions, yet this comfort the saints have :
first, That though God's strokes seem to be the strokes
of war, yet God's words are the words of peace ; the
word and Spirit of God are sure fountains of rest and
peace to the heart and conscience of God's afflicted
people ; secondly, When God smites his people, he ever
hath a regard to this, not to smite them so long as
they should be driven to ' turn again to folly ; ' by
folly he meaneth sin, for all sinful courses are foolish
courses. The Lord by crosses intends to bring

them out of sin, not to drive them in ; and if men
find not these privileges true, it is because either
they do not hearken, that is, observe and mark the
word, Spirit, and works of God, or else because
they are not his saints. In the 149th Psalm, there
is an ' honour given to all the saints,' viz., that they
should with a two-edged sword, ' execute vengeance
upon the heathen, and corrections upon the people ; '
they should ' bind kings with chains, and nobles
with fetters of iron ; ' thus should they ' execute upon
them the judgment that is written.' So forcible and
powerful are the public threatenings and censures of
the saints assembled in their holy ranks, as also
their private prayers, that all the swords of great
princes cannot so plague the enemies of the church,
as do the saints by these weapons. So fearful are
the corrections and judgments which the saints by
prayers and censures may bring upon whole troops
of wicked men, as no swords or fetters in nature can
be comparable to them.
When Daniel had described the greatness and
glory of the princes, potentates, and mighty states
in the four monarchies, at last he comes to speak of
a kingdom which is the greatest under the whole
heaven ; and that is ' the kingdom of the saints of
the most high.' So glorious is the state of the poor
despised servants of God, even here in this world,
in the kingdom of grace, Daniel vii. 27. And if
there be such suing on earth, to become freemen
of great cities, especially to live in the courts of
great princes, how great is the felicity of every child
of God, who is no more now a ' foreigner or stranger,'
but a ' citizen with the saints, and of the household
of God,' Eph. ii. 19.
To conclude, This may be a great refreshing to
every child of God against all the discomforts of
this present transitory life, that in that great and
last and terrible day Christ wiU be 'glorified in
them, and made marvellous in the saints,' 2 Thes.
i. 10. And last of all, though the saints be here
despised and trodden under foot, judged and con
temned by men, yet the time will come when ' the
saints shall judge the world,' 1 Cor. vi. 2.
Oh, but some will say, all the difficulty lieth in
this, to know who are saints.
Ans. To this end,besides the four things generally
laid down before, I will for trial allege two or three

22

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

places of scripture. First, In Deut. xxxiii. 3, when
Moses had praised the love of God to the Jewish
nation, he specially commendeth God's special care
towards the saints of that nation, whom, as most
dear to him, he had always in his hands, and giveth
this sign to know them by, viz., they are 'humbled
at his feet, to receive his words.'
Secondly, David having spoken of the excellency
of the saints on earth, Ps. xvi. 3, 5, 6, to prove
himself to be one of the number he yieldeth his
reasons from four experimental signs. First, The
Lord was his portion. Though he had hopes or
possession of great things in the earth, yet God's
favour was that he did most prize, and spiritual
things were unto him the fairest part of his inherit
ance ; and though he had many crosses, yet ' the
line was fallen unto him in a fair place,' Ps. xvi.
5, 6, so long as he could see grace in his heart, and
the God of grace to love him freely. Secondly, He
could as heartily praise God for spiritual blessings,
viz., counsel, knowledge, and direction out of the
word of God, as wicked men could for temporal
honours, riches, pleasures, and such things as they
love best. Thirdly, His reins did teach him in the
night, ver. 7. Something can wicked men learn
by the word without, but God did never honour
any with the feelings of the spirit of adoption, but
only the saints.
Object. Oh, but might not David be deceived in
that sign by illusions, &c. ?
A ns. David gives two reasons why he could not :
first, His feelings did not make him more careless,
presumptuous, and sinful, as illusions do wicked men ;
but they taught him, that is, he learned by them many
worthy lessons, and directions, and encouragements
to holy life, and never did he conceive a greater hatred
against his sin than when his reins taught him ;
secondly, He shews that he had them in the night,
— that is, when he was alone, and withdrawn from
company, and the things of the world, and worldly
occasions. Fourthly, His last sign is, that he did
set the Lord always before him. He could be con
tent to walk ever in God's presence, and to have
him the witness of his actions. He was not careful
only to approve himself to men, as wicked men may
do, but his chief care was to walk in all good con
science before God.

Lastly, In the 4th of Isaiah the prophet foretells
of men, that under the gospel they should be called
' holy ' or ' saints ;' and these he describes by their
happiness, 'they shall be written among the hving
in Jerusalem ;' and by their holiness, which will
discover itself by these signs : first, They are not
acquainted with the damnable and hateful extenua
tions and qualifications of sins ; they are not heard
to say it is a little sin, a small fault ; no, their sins
in their eyes are filthiness and blood ; secondly,
They are men that have felt the power of God in
the practice of mortification ; they are new creatures,
they are washed and purged ; thirdly, The Spirit
of God in them hath been a ' spirit of judgment,
and a spirit of burning :' a spirit of judgment, not
only in respect of knowledge and illumination, but
also because it hath kept an assize in the soul of the
sinner — he hath been arraigned, indicted, and hath
pleaded guilty, and been condemned ; a spirit of
burning, both in respect of the inward purifying of
the heart from the dross that cleaves unto it, as also
in respect of zeal and ardour for the glory of God.
And thus far of the first thing given unto the
people of God, they are saints. Now foUoweth the
second —
Faithful. This wTord is diversely attributed in
scripture. It is given to God, 2 Cor. i., and God
is said to be faithful in the accomplishment of his
promises. It is given to Christ, Rev. xix. 11, and
he is called ' faithful and true.' It is given to the
sun in the firmament, Ps. Ixxxix. 37, because it
keepeth its certain course. It is given to the word
of God, Ps. xix. 7 and cxi. 7, so as whatsoever it
promiseth or threateneth men may certainly bind
upon it, for heaven and earth may fail, but one jot
of it shall not fail. Lastly, It is given to men,
especially and most ordinarily to such men as are
true believers and walk in all good conscience both
before God and men ; and as it is thus taken, the
words of the Holy Ghost, Prov. xx. 6, may be taken
up, ' Many men will boast, every one of his own
goodness, but who can find a faithful man ?' These
are they that David so earnestly searcheth for, and
having found them, doth so steadfastly set his eyes
upon them, and entertaineth them into his court,
Ps. ci. 6. The names of these we do for the most
part take upon ourselves, but the signs of these are

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

23

but sparingly found amongst us. That we may
examine ourselves, I will consider what is required
of us that we may shew ourselves faithful.
The Christian man's faithfulness ought to shew
itself : first, In spiritual things ; secondly, In tem
poral things. Unto faithfulness in spiritual things
five things are requisite : first, Faith in Christ, to
get sound reasons from the word and Spirit of God,
and a sure evidence for the particular persuasion of
the heart, that God in Christ is graciously recon
ciled with the sinner. He cannot be a faithful man
that hath not a justifying faith. All that time of
a man's hfe only receiveth he this honour, to be
accounted faithful, when above all things he travels
after the sense of God's favour in the forgiveness of
his sins ; secondly, Faithfulness stands in the per
formance of all those promises, purposes, and vows,
which men in their distress, inward or outward, do
make unto God. And, therefore, the Israelites are
charged, Ps. lxxviii. 31-38, not to be faithful,
because, when ' the wrath of God turned upon
them,' and the ' strongest of them were slain,' and
' their chosen men were smitten,' and that ' their
days did consume in vanity, and their years hastily,'
then ' they cry unto him, and seek him in their
distress,' ' they return and seek him early ; they
acknowledge that God is their strength, and the
Most High their Redeemer.' But when the Lord
had been merciful unto them, forgiven their iniquities,
so as ' he destroyed them not, and called back his
anger,' then they ' returned and provoked the Lord '
again, they ' flattered him with their tongue, they
tempted God, and sinned still;' and therefore they
are censured thus, — ' Their heart was not upright,
neither were they faithful in God's covenant,' ver.
37 ; thirdly, It shews itself in constant sincerity in
God's worship, when men will worship God accord
ing to the rules of his revealed will, without mix
ture of men's inventions, or the customary sins of
profaneness and hypocrisy. And thus, Hosea xi. 5,
Judah is said to be faithful with God's saints, be
cause as yet the worship of God was preserved
amongst them in the ancient purity in which the
old patriarchs and saints did sincerely worship the
God of their fathers. He is a faithful man that will
worship God no .otherwise than the saints have done,
— that is, precisely according to his will revealed in

his word ; fourthly, Faithfulness is exercised in
the conscionable enjoyment of the gifts, graces, and
talents received in our general calling to God's glory,
the increase of our gifts, and the enriching of our
souls with true spiritual gain. And thus he is said
to be a good servant and faithful, that having re
ceived five talents, hath gained with them five more,
or two talents, and doth gain two more, Mat. xxv.
21-23 ; and this we do when, having received know
ledge, faith, love, hope, patience, spirit of prayer,
&c, we do by a constant and daily practice bring
them out into exercise for ourselves and for others.
Thus doing, two commodities we shall reap : first,
It is a sign of our faithfulness ; secondly, The gifts
will increase, and to him that hath such gifts to use
them shall be more given. Lastly, Faithfulness
shews itself in men's sincerity, diligence, constancy,
and care to promote and further the causes of God
and the church, with the conscionable discharge of
all such duties as belong unto such service. Thus
Timothy is praised to be ' faithful in the Lord,' 1
Cor. iv. 17. And thus the apostle and apostolical
men were ' faithful ' when they could ' do nothing
against the truth, but for the truth,' 2 Cor. xiii. 8.
And thus men are faithful that can patiently bear
and willingly take up the cross of Christ, and that
daily, Luke ix. 23, so as they may further the build
ing up and edification of God's people. Those, then,
are not faithful that ' do the works of the Lord
negligently,' that ' set their hands to the plough
and look back,' that ' mind their own things,'
honours, pleasures, profits, and preferments, and
those that ' in the time of temptation fall away.'
These specialties of faithfulness receive a great in
crease of praise if two things come to them : first,
That men's hearts be faithful, — that is, that though
they have many wants and infirmities, and fail much
and often in well-doing, yet the desire, delight, en
deavour, resolution, and affection is ' in all pleasing,'
and firmness to walk before God, without either
hypocrisy or presumption. This was Abraham's
praise, Neh. ix. 8 ; secondly, That men continue
' faithful unto the death,' with all constancy and
holy perseverance, believing in Christ, and worship
ping God, even to the end of their days ; this is called
for, and crowned, Rev. ii. 11. Thus of faithfulness
in spiritual things.

24

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

Faithfulness in temporal things stands in three
things. First, In the sincere, diligent, and careful
discharge of the duties of our callings. It was a
singular praise in Daniel, that when his enemies
sought occasion against him, they could find none
concerning the kingdom, he was so faithful and
without blame, and therefore they must take him,
if ever, ' concerning the law of his God,' Daniel
vi. 5. Then doth the glory of God's people shine,
when together with their constant zeal in matters
of religion, they are found carefully diligent and
faithful in their callings ; then whatsoever befalls
them for the law of their God, they may bear it
with all comfort and constancy, as did Daniel. But
how doth it blemish the glory of profession, when
men can say and see that professors are idle, deceit
ful, busy-bodies, and careless in their places and
callings ! They cannot build so much by profession, as
they destroy by their scandalous and careless courses.
Secondly, In the right use and profitable dispos
ing of our riches, even the outward things God hath
given us. This lieth upon us, as one of the tokens
of our faithfulness ; nay, this is necessary to the
being of this praise. In the 16th of Luke, Christ
exhorts to the wise and liberal bestowing of our
riches unto the necessities of the poor, and for other
holy and needful uses. And because there lie in
the hearts of carnal men many objections against
this exhortation, therefore he forceth it with reasons
that meet with men's carnal conceits.
Object. 1. And first, Whereas men, out of an over-
great estimation and liking of these earthly things,
do easily object that they must be careful of the
saving, and sparing in the use of their riches, for
they are all the comfort they have in this world ;
he answereth that men should not so much love
these earthly things : for they are ' riches of
iniquity,' — that is, sin, that makes a man miserable
and accursed, is most an end mixed with riches :
either they are wrongfully gotten, and sinfully kept,
or they are causes of much sinning against God, or
men, or himself.
Object. 2. Oh, but what good shall a man get by
parting with his goods ?
Sol. ' They shall receive him into everlasting habi
tations,' — they, that is, either the angels, or the poor,
or thy riches shall let thee into heaven; even to sure

dwelling-places : and this should move the rich, be
cause the time will come when thou shalt want, and
all the riches in the world cannot help thee.
Object. 3. Oh, but a man may be saved and enjoy
these everlasting habitations, though he do not part
with his riches.
Sol. He cannot : for a man cannot be saved with
out grace, and God will never trust him with grace,
' the true treasure,' that is not faithful in bestowing
riches, ver. 10, 11 : and good reason; for if God gave
a wicked worldling grace, he would never be faithful
in using it ; for ' he that is unjust in the least,' that
is, riches, would be ' unjust in much,' that is, grace.
Object. 4. Oh, but our goods are our own, and there
fore why should we give them to others ?
Sol. Ver. 12. That is false, for grace only is a
man's own, but riches are another's ; for God is the
Lord of the whole, Ps. xxiv. 1 ; and the poor is the
owner of a part, Prov. iii. 27.
Object. 5. Tush, but a man may have a good heart
to God, and yet not deliver out his goods to other
men's uses, nor leave his content that he hath in the
fruition of them.
Sol. That is false too : for ' a man cannot serve
two masters' — one man cannot serve God and riches,
ver. 13. And thus our Saviour meeteth with the
objections of worldly men. The words also contain
notable reasons to persuade to faithfulness, whieh
lieth in this good use of riches : first, They are riches
of iniquity ; secondly, The right use of them makes
way for heaven ; thirdly, He is like to be a godly
man in the use of grace, that is a faithful man in
the use of riches ; fourthly, God else will not trust
us with grace ; fifthly, He will else be a very unjust
man, and his riches wicked ; sixthly, Grace only is
his own goods, and to be wdthout grace is to live
and die a beggar ; lastly, Thou canst never serve
God and riches.
Thirdly, In temporal things faithfulness shews
itself in the uprightness and harmlessness of our
carriage towards others ; as in keeping of promises,
Ps. xv., in the honest discharge of the trust laid
upon men, cither in church or commonwealth, Neh.
xiii. 1 3 ; Prov. xiii. 1 7 ; in witness-bearing, Prov.
xiv. 5, 25 ; in just gains and lawful means used for
profit in our dealings with others, Prov. xxviii. 20 ;
and such like duties of justice.

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

25

Thus then we see who is a faithful man, even he
that knoweth his own reconciliation with God by
faith ; that performeth his vows to God ; that
sincerely worships God, and laboureth the increase
of holy graces ; that will do nothing against the
truth, but for the truth ; that is diligent in his
calling ; that is serviceable with his riches ; and
lastly, that is just in his dealing.
Now, if we be such, then is our estate most com
fortable : for first, God will be faithful to us in the
accomphshment of all his promises ; secondly, The
word will be faithful, even a sure fountain of com
fort and help in all distress ; thirdly, Christ will
be a faithful, both high priest in heaven, Heb. ii. 1 7,
by his intercession making request for us to God,
and both in earth and heaven he wall be a faithful
witness, so as while we live, we shall find the testi
mony of Jesus in our hearts, and when we die he
will not be ashamed of us before his Father and the
holy angels ; and lastly, We shall be sure to have
a faithful reward, Prov. xi. 18. And this of the
second title given to God's children.
Brethren. The children of God are said to be
brethren in a fourfold relation : 1. To Christ ; 2.
To the apostle ; 3. To the saints abroad ; 4. To the
saints at home. For the first, Are we brethren to
Christ ? Then it should teach us two things : first,
To hve comfortably, for a higher estate of, excel
lence canst thou not have ; secondly, To live nobly,
like the sons of the Most High, not basely, like the
sons of the earth. Why wallowest thou in base
and filthy pleasures ? Why dotest thou upon un
certain and sinful profits? Why doth thy heart
degenerate to regard, and so aspire after, worldly
preferment 1 Remember whence thou art descended,
and with whom allied, and walk as becomes the
' co-heir of Christ,' Rom. viu. 17.
Secondly, Are they brethren to the apostles and
other great governors of the church ? It should
then teach ministers, magistrates, and masters of
families, so to rule as to remember that they rule
their brethren : neither to neglect their good, (for
' why should thy brother perish V) nor with proud
insolency or tyranny, either in correction, or severe
carriage, to lord it over them.
Thirdly, Are they brethren to the saints abroad,
and are they of the same family with them ? Then

it should teach them to pray for them, and to lay the
distress of other saints and churches to their hearts ;
for though they be removed in place and carnal
knowledge, yet are they near in the mystical union,
if it be considered that the same mother bare them,
and the same Father begat them.
Lastly, Are they brethren to the saints at home 1
Then they should learn to converse brotherly, to live
and love together, as becometh saints and brethren.
Oh that it could sink into men's minds, or that this
were written in men's hearts ! Then could there be
nothing more glorious and comfortable in this earth
than this communion of saints, especially in the fel
lowship of the gospel.
In Christ. Men are said to be in Christ three
ways : — First, As the plant in the stock, John xv. ;
secondly, As the member in the body, 1 Cor. xii.
12 ; thirdly, As the wife is one with the husband,
Eph. v. 25.
Dost thou ask, then, how thou mayest get into
Christ ?
Ans. Observe three things :
First, Before thou canst be ingrafted into Christ,
thou must be cut off the old tree ; either a new man
or no man; either lose the world, or never find
Christ ; either disarm thyself of all vain confidence,
love, delight, and support from the world and worldly
men, or the arm of the Lord will never bear thee
up and nourish thee.
Secondly, A true member is not but by genera
tion in nature, nor canst thou be a true member of
Christ but by regeneration. Great odds between a
wooden leg, though never so exquisitely made, and
a true leg. All members in creation be begotten,
and in grace begotten again.
Thirdly, As they are not man and wife where there
is no sure making by contract or marriage going
before, so neither can any be in Christ unless he be
received into tbe covenant of grace ; and as it is a
mad thing in nature for any woman to say, Such a
man is my husband, for he is a kind man, and did cast
his eye upon me, or did me a pleasure at such a time,
&c, so it is as great spiritual madness for any soul
to plead interest in Christ when they can allege no
more but his general love to man, or that he offered
grace to us in the word and sacraments, or that we
together with the gospel received outward blessings,

26

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I'.

or such like, when men can show no contract, no
mutual intercourse between Christ and the soul, no
manner of evidence for their hopes, no witnesses
from the word, Spirit, or children of God, for their
spiritual marriage.
Again : Would a man know whether he be in
Christ ? These comparisons likewise resolve his
doubt by a threefold answer : First, He is in Christ
if he blossom, grow, and bear fruit, even such fruit
as is to eternal life. If a man be abundant in the
works of the Lord, and grow in such graces as are
communicated only to the faithful, he is certainly a
true plant in this stock ; for, by growing and fruit is
the plant that is ingrafted known from the sprig
that is lopped off, and lieth by and is withered. A
life barren and void of the works of piety and mercy
is a manifest sign that the person is not in Christ.
Secondly, If there be in our souls the sense, and
feehng, and motion of spiritual life, then are we
members ; for in a wooden leg is there no sense nor
natural motion. When men have as much sense
and feeling, savour and delight in the things of the
Spirit, as the word, prayer, fellowship in the gospel,
with the exercises of holy graces in the duties of
God's worship, or things otherwise belonging to the
kingdom of Christ, as the carnal man hath in the
profits, pleasures, and fleshly things of this world,
these certainly are men ' after the Spirit,' Rom. viii.,
and by the Spirit mystically united to Christ, the-
head. And, on the other side, a more plain and
palpable sign cannot be given to prove demonstra
tively that a man is not in Christ, than when a man
finds no taste, hath no feeling, can take no delight in
spiritual meats, graces, or persons, and yet is easily
affected with the least profits and delights of the world.
Thirdly, It will appear by the holy communion
between Christ and the faithful soul ; by his cohabi
tation and spiritual intercourse ; when Christ meets
a Christian with holy comforts, with heavenly re
freshings, with sacred answers, with spiritual direc
tion, and other sacred signs of the presence of Christ,
in the use of the means, sporting himself with the
Christian soul ; this intercourse, I say, this secret
and chamber-meeting, these inward and hearty feel
ings, wrought by the word and sacraments, by
prayer and fasting, by reading and conference, are
certain and sure signs and seals to prove a marriage

going before. And thus far of the four titles given
to the children of God, and also of the second thing,
viz., the persons saluted. Now followeth the saluta
tion itself.
Grace and peace be unto you, from God the Father,
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
It hath been an ancient custom, both in the Jewish,
Christian, and Pagan world, to begin letters and
epistles with salutations, and in these they were
wont to wish to their friends that which was ac
counted the chiefest good. Hence the heathen, as
they were opinionative about the chief good, they
did differently wish good things to their friends in
their salutations. Some wished health, rb Lyiamw ¦
some wished welfare or safety, rb xa'ii,v > some to do
well, rb thir^array ; some joy and a merry life, as they
were either stoics or epicures. But the apostle,
finding that true felicity was in none of these, doth
religiously wish that which in the kingdom of Christ
was in greatest request, viz., ' Grace and peace.'
Gi'ace. This word is diversely taken : For kind
ness, 2 Sam. xvi. 17; for ability to affect or per
suade, Ps. xiv. 2 ; for the happiness that is had from
Christ in this world, and so it is opposed to glory,
Ps. Ixxxiv. 11 ; for the preaching of the gospel,
Rom. i, 4, Titus ii. 12; for approbation from God,
Prov. xii. 2 ; for the spiritual hberty that we have
from Christ, and so it is opposed to the law, Rom.
vi. 14. Lastly, it is taken for the love and favour of
God, receiving the sinner into covenant in Christ,
as it is an ever-flowing spring of celestial grace to
the soul justified ; and so it is taken here.
Peace. This word also is diversely accepted, for
rest and ease from pain, Ps. xxxviii. 3 ; for famili
arity, so ' the man of my peace,' Ps. xii. 9 ; for con
cord, Eph. iv. 3 ; for prosperity in general, 1 Chron.
xii. 18, Ps. cxxv. 5, Jer. xxix. 11 ; for all that
felicity we have by Christ, Luke xix. 42 ; for glory
in heaven, Isa. lvii. 2, Luke xix. 38, Rom. ii. 10,
Luke i. 79; for reconciliation itself, Luke ii. 14,
Isa. Iiii. 5 ; for the means of reconciliation, Eph. ii.
14; for the signs of reconciliation, Isa. lvii. 19, Ps.
lxxxv. 8 ; for tranquillity of conscience, Rom. xiv.
17, and v. 2. Lastly, it is also taken for all that
rest of conscience within, and synecdochically it
signifieth all those blessings spiritual which, either

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

27

in this world or that other better world, we receive
from Christ, together with God's favour and grace ;
neither is temporal prosperity excluded, though not
principally meant ; and so I think it is taken here.
The meaning being thus found, I consider the
observations first generally.
First, In that the apostle doth in the very saluta
tion sow the seeds of the whole gospel, we might
learn, even in our ordinary employments, to mind
God's glory and the salvation of others.
Secondly, We may hence see that it is lawful to
draw abridgments of holy things, and commend
them to ordinary use, as here these graces to an
ordinary salutation from man to man ; and so I
think of teaching the Lord's Prayer and Command
ments, with other scripture, to children or servants,
that yet understand not, and that for such reasons as
these : first, That so they might have occasion much
to think of the things [which] are so much and com
monly urged; secondly, That if any time of extremity
should come, they might have certain seeds of di
rection and comfort to guide and support them ;
thirdly, That their condemnation might be more
just, if having grace and peace, and other principles
of catechism so much in their mouths, they should
not get them into their hearts.
Thirdly, A question may here be moved, how the
apostle can here in these words wish unto them
their chief good or fehcity, seeing these are not all
the graces or blessings needful to our happiness?
I might answer this diversely: 1. Here is a synec
doche, all are understood, though not all named ; or
thus, these are the beginnings of all graces and
blessings ; or thus, one or two graces is worth a
world besides ; or thus, these are chiefly above others
to be sought ; but lastly, it is certain these cannot
be had without the most of saving graces ; as for
example, true peace cannot be had without Christ,
nor without godly sorrow, confession, knowledge,
meekness, desires, faith, humility, love, and the like ;
as men may easily see, if they will be informed
either by scripture or experience.
Doct. But the main doctrine which generally I
observe* out of these words is this, that spiritual
things from God in Christ are the best things, and
most to be sought, and desired, and wished, both
for ourselves and others. The reasons are : 1. They

serve for the excellentest part, (viz., the soul;) 2.
They serve for eternity, and these outward things
but for this life ; 3. Spiritual things are given by
God in Christ, the other by God without Christ ;
4. They only are able to satisfy the soul; 5. In
respect of continuance, for outward things can last
but till death, but then their works will follow the
faithful into the grave, yea, into heaven, and there
fore much more these graces; 6. Spiritual things
are only proper to the saints, temporal things are
common both to good and bad; 7. These are to be
had by virtue of an absolute promise, the other but
conditionally assured ; 8. These are more pleasing
and acceptable to God — God's acceptation proves
them best ; lastly, ' What shall it profit a man to
win the whole world, and lose his own soul?'
Mat. xvi. 26.
Use 1 . The use is first for the just reproof of the
wonderful carelessness and strength of folly that
hath possessed the most people, in the profane
neglect, nay, contempt of spiritual things, with the
means of them. Indeed, if men could be rid of
death, the grave, hell, and God's curse, or if these
things could be had without seeking, it were to some
purpose for men to sleep still and never wake.
Many are the sleights of Satan. Some are stubborn,
and will not regard ; some with very prejudice run
wittingly to hell ; some confess it to be meet that
the best things should be chiefly sought, but forget ;
some purpose, but give over for difficulties in the
beginning ; some no sooner rid of terror, but as soon
of care for the life to come.
Use 2. Secondly, This doctrine may be a singular
comfort to us, if we can find grace and peace in our
hearts, however it be with us in our bodies or estates
otherwise. Use 3. Thirdly, It should teach parents to be
more careful to leave grace in their children's hearts,
than treasures in their chests for them ; and friends
should more endeavour to help one another in the
comforts of a holy fellowship in the gospel, than in
the civil furtherances they do so much engage
themselves to.
Use 4. Lastly, It should teach us to learn the
lesson given by our Saviour Christ, Mat. vi., neither
to enlarge our affections to the immoderate desires
of superfluity in outward things, nor yet to rack our

28

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

hearts with the faithless and fruitless care of things
necessary. This latter branch is urged with eight
or nine worthy reasons ; but of these in another
place afterwards. And this much generally.
Gi'ace. If grace, that is, God's favour, and the
graces spiritual that flow from thence, be of so great
worth and excellence, divers things may be inferred
by way of profitable instruction for our use, out of
several scriptures : First, If it be so great a privilege
to obtain grace from God, we should strive to be
such as are within the compass of the promise of
grace, especially we should get humble and lowly
hearts ; for God gives grace unto the humble, but
resisteth the stubborn, wilful, and proud sinner,
James iv. 6. Again, if God's love and Christ's
grace be jewels of so great value, it should teach
us, when grace is offered in the means, or any way
bestowed by God's Spirit, never to ' receive it in
vain,' 2 Cor. vi. 1, so as it should be tendered with
out effect, or kept without advantage ; but especially,
let it ever be far from us to ' turn the grace of God
into wantonness,' Jude 4, to abuse either the
promises of grace, or the pledges of God's love, to
become either bawds for perseverance in sin, or
props to secure and bold presumption. And above
all things, we should with all watchfulness take
heed of wronging the Spirit of grace, either by
resisting, tempting, grieving, quenching, or despis
ing it, Heb. x. And further, we should learn by
all good means, as constant hearing, prayer, reading,
conference, and meditation, to ' stir up the grace
given us,' 2 Tim. i. 6, to labour for spiritual strength
in grace, 2 Tim. ii. 1, and to search so carefully
into the evidence of faith for what we have, and
hope for what we want, as never to give over to
examine ourselves by the signs and promises of
God's love, till our hearts were settled and established
in grace. Lastly, God's children should solace
themselves in the feeling and experimental know
ledge of God's grace, so as their hearts should never
carry them away to make them account the consol
ations of God small, or to despise the grace given
them, Job xv. 11, 12 ; but rather in the midst of
all combats with temptations within, or afflictions
without, to support their souls with that gracious pro
mise, ' My grace shall be sufficient for you, and my
power made known in your weakness,' 2 Cor. xii. 9.

Peace. The second thing here wished for, and to
be desired of all that love their own good, is peace,
that is tranquillity of heart, with other spiritual
blessings accompanying it, with outward things also,
so far as they may further our happmess ; but the
scripture lays a restraint upon the getting of this
peace, and gives rules for the use of it. For if ever
we would have peace, we must first be righteous
persons, that is, men that are broken in heart for
our sins, humbled at God's feet for forgiveness ; and
such as hang upon the word of God, to receive the
certain means of our soul's reconcUiation, and the
righteousness of Christ imputed unto us ; such as
to whom ' there is a wray, and their path is holy,'
Isa. xxxv. 8. But, on the other side, ' unto the
wicked is no peace,' Isa. lvii. 21 ; and they are
taken by the prophet for wricked men that are never
humbled in the duties of mortification for sin, that
in the hardness of their hearts frustrate the power
of God's ordinances, so as they cannot work upon
them : these have no peace, neither with God,
angels, men, the creatures, or their own con
sciences. Again, hast thou gotten peace and tranquUhty of
heart, even rest and ease from Christ, then let this
peace 'preserve thy heart and mind,' Phil. iv. 6,
and let it 'rule,' Col. hi. 15. Be careful to reject
all matters in thoughts or opinion, in affections or
desires, in words or actions, that might any way
interrupt thy peace ; but by all means nourish it,
delight in it, and let it guide to all holy meditations,
and affections, and gainful practices and endeavours.
Let the peace of thy heart and God's spiritual
blessing be a rule for all thy actions. And lastly,
with all good conscience and holy conversation hold
out, that when Christ shall come, either by particular
judgment to thee in death, or by general judgment
to the whole world in the last day, thou mayest be
'found of him in peace,' 2 Pet. iii. 14, so shall
Christ be unto thee a 'Prince of peace,' Isa. ix.
6, 7, and ' guide thy feet for ever into the way of
peace,' Luke i. 79.
And thus far of the good things he wisheth unto
them: now follow the efficient causes, viz., From
God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Divers things may be here observed.
First, A proof of the Trinity, or, at the least, a

[Ver. 3.

BYFIELD ON COLOSSTANS.

29

plain proof of two persons, the Father and the Son,
united in one essence.
Secondly, God is here plainly affirmed to be a
Father, and that he is in divers respects : first, To
all by creation; secondly, To all the faithful by
adoption ; thirdly, To Christ, by the grace of union
as man, and a natural Father, as God.
Thirdly, Here we may observe that grace and
blessings must not be looked upon without some
honourable meditation of God and Christ, the givers.
Fourthly, Seeing believers have a God, a Father,
a Christ, a Saviour, a Lord, they are sure to be in a
happy case, and may have what is needful, if they
will seek for it.
Fifthly, We may observe, we can have no comfort
in the enjoying, or hope, or any favour, or blessing,
spiritual or temporal, unless, first, God be our
Father ; secondly, We be in Christ.
Lastly, If God be a Father, and Christ a Lord, it
stands us upon to look to it, that we perform both
honour and service. And thus of the salutation.
The preface followeth.
Ver. 3. We give thanks to God, even the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, always praying for you.
The salutation hath been handled already, the
preface followeth, and is contained in this verse
and those that follow to the twelfth verse ; in which
the end and drift of the apostle is, to win affection
to the doctrine afterwards to be propounded ; and
this he doth by showing his exceding great love to
them, which he demonstrates by two things which
he did for them, viz., he both gives thanks unto
God in their behalf, and also made many a prayer
for them; which spiritual duties are better kind
nesses and signs of true affection and respect than all
civil courtesies or outward compliments are or can be.
These things in the preface are first generally set
down in this verse, and then particularly enlarged
in the verses afterwards : first, The thanksgiving,
from ver. 4-9; secondly, Prayer, ver. 9-11. In
this verse he doth two things : first, He gives
thanks ; secondly, He prays. In the thanksgiving,
consider, first, what he doth in these words, ' We
give thanks ;' secondly, to whom he doth it, in these
words, ' To God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.' Thus far of the order of the words.

The doctrines follow, which must be considered
generally from the whole verse, and specially from
the several words.
The first general doctrine is this, that it is not
enough to salute others kindly, but we must do and
perform the sound duties of love : this is from the
coherence, and condemns the sinful barrenness of
many that know a necessity of no duties of love
unless it be to salute courteously.
Secondly, We see here that tyrants may take away
the benefit of hearing, reading, conference, and such
like, but they cannot hinder us of praying. Paul
can pray and give thanks in prison, for himself and
others, as well as ever before. Let wicked men do
their worst, God's children will stiU pray unto God.
And look how many promises are made in scripture
to the prayers of the saints, so many consolations
are inviolably preserved unto them, against the rage
of whatsoever extremity wicked men can cast upon
them : this is a singular comfort.
We. Doct. Misery breedeth unity. The apostle
that in more prosperous times jarred with Peter and
Barnabas, can now hold peace and firm unity with
meaner men; and therefore he saith 'we,' not 'I.' And
thus we see it was in the times of persecution in
Queen Mary's days, the bishops and pastors that
could not agree when they were in their seats and
pulpits, willingly seek agreement when they are in
prison, and must come to the stake. And so it
many times falls out in common judgments, as the
sword and pestilence ; in such times the words of
the prophet are fulfilled, ' Like people like priests,
like servant like master, like buyer like seUer, like
borrower like lender, like giver like taker of usury,'
Isa. xxiv. 2. Great and prevailing judgments take
away all that vanity of conceit and swelling of pride
which difference of gifts and places bred before.
The Lord for his mercy's sake grant, that at the
length there may be found some remedy to cure the
wound and heal the breach which proud contention
hath made, and continued, with effects prodigious
and unheard of, lest the Lord be at length provoked
to plague with more fierce and cruel judgments, and
work union, at least in one furnace of common
calamity ; the same God, for his Son's sake, work in
all that anywise love the prosperity of Jerusalem,
on all sides, that they more regard the glory of God

30

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

and the good of the church than their own great
ness, either of place or respects among men, and
that they may more seek the truth than victory.
And as for those that neither love the truth nor
peace, the Lord open their eyes and convert them,
or else give them to eat of the fruit of their own
ways. Doct. It is not safe to put over good motions.
When Paul findeth fitness to pray and give thanks,
he doth not omit the occasion. In spiritual things
delay is always dangerous, but in sinful motions,
the only way many times is to defer the execution.
Many sins arefprevented by the very benefit of taking
time enough to execute them.
Give thanks. Paul gives them to understand, before
he comes to dispraise their vices and the corruptions
crept into the church, that he takes notice of their
praiseworthy virtues. He reserves his taxation to
the second chapter ; and this course he holds with
them for divers reasons : First, To assure them of
his love, and that he did it not of malice, a thing
especially to be looked to in all admonitions, in
family, or elsewhere, as well to praise for virtue as
dispraise for vice. Secondly, He holds this course
to let them see that he did account them as Chris
tians, though they had their infirmities. It is a
secret corruption in the affection of the reproved to
conceive that the reprover likes them not at all.
They are not fit to reprove others that cannot love
them for their virtues at the same time that they
dispraise their faults ; and therefore they are far
short of holy affections that say, I never liked him
since I saw that fault by him. Thirdly, He did
thus that they might the more hate sin, seeing it
did darken their graces, which else would more
appear. Fourthly, That they might be made thank
ful themselves for their own graces ; a shame that
others should praise God for his mercies to us, and
we never praise God ourselves. Lastly, It carrieth
with it a secret taxation of unthankfulness, as the
cause of their fall; for had they been more
thankful for the sincerity of the preaching of
the gospel, and for the riches of the grace of Christ
offered, the honourable opinion of the excellency
and sufficiency thereof to give all sound content
ment, would have preserved them from mixing the
worship of God with men's traditions, or admitting

contrary doctrine, and from dishonouring the media
tion of Christ with angel-worship. Then did popish
traditions overflow, when the scriptures were con
temned, and the light of them suppressed ; and, in
general, an unthankful man is ever a vicious man.
More especially in the duty here mentioned two
things are to be considered :
1. What they do : ' We give thanks.'
2. To whom : viz., ' To God, even the Father,' &c.
We give thanks. Eucharist is sometimes appro
priated only to the sacrament of the Lord's supper ;
but most commonly is general to all holy thankful
ness, especially to God.
There is a flattering thankfulness to men, Acts
xxiv. 3 ; and a pharisaical, proud, conceited thanks
giving to God, Luke xviii. 11.
Concerning the spiritual man's thankfulness to
God, I propound three things only in the general
briefly to be noted : first, Reasons to incite us to
the practice of continual thankfulness to God ;
secondly, For what things we are to be thankful;
thirdly, What rules to be observed for the manner
of performance of it.
1. There are many reasons scattered in scripture
to incite us to thankfulness : first, Because it is a
special part of God's worship, or one way by wliich
we yield worship to God. Hence that the apostle
accounts it a great loss if the people cannot say
Amen when the teacher blesseth in the spirit, or
giveth thanks, 1 Cor. xiv. 16. Again, when he
would exhort them to liberality, he urgeth them
with this reason, that the supplying of the necessities
of the saints would cause much thanksgiving to God,
2 Cor. ix. 12, 13. And in 2 Cor. iv. 16, he
sheweth that the thanksgiving of many would
breed both a plenty of grace and an abounding of
much praise to God. Secondly, The apostle having
dehorted the Ephesians from fornication and all
uncleanness, and covetousness, filthiness, jesting,
and foolish talking, he addeth, but 'rather use
giving of thanks,' Eph. iv. 3, 4 ; as if he would
note, that thankfulness for God's blessings and
graces duly performed would preserve them from
the filth and power of these base vices ; besides, it
is a thing that 'becometh the saints;' nothing
better. Thirdly, It is a sign of three worthy things,
wherein it behoveth every man to be well assured :

Ver. 3.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

31

first, It is a sign of a heart that hath rightly
received Christ, and is firmly 'rooted, built, and
established in the faith,' Col. ii. 6, 7 ; secondly, If
men ' in all things let their requests be showed unto
God with givings of thanks,' it is a sign of the peace
of God, even that 'the peace of God, that passeth
all understanding, will preserve their hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus,' Phil. iv. 6, 7; thirdly, It
is a sign, nay, a very means, of a contented mind.
He that can pray unto God for what he wants, and
is able thankfully to acknowledge what he hath in
possession or promise, he will in nothing be careful,
as it appeareth in the same place to the Philippians.
Lastly, It is one of the six principal means to make
a man 'rejoice always,' as the apostle writeth,
1 Thes. v. 1 8. Thus of the reasons.
2. Secondly, We must consider for what we must
give thanks : first, For spiritual things as well as
temporal, as for the word, 2 Cor. iv. 16; for mer
cies in prayer, Col. iv. 2 ; for victory over a sin,
Rom. vii. 25 ; for knowledge, Rom. i. 21 ; secondly,
In adversity as well as in prosperity, and that in all
sorts of afflictions ; in danger, Acts xxvii. 35 ; in
wrongs ; thirdly, In outward things we must be
thankful, Col. iii. 17, 1 Cor. x. 3, not only for great
things done, for our states or names, but even for
the lesser and more daily favours, as for our food,
and the creatures for our nourishment. And in
special manner have the saints in aU ages bound
themselves to a set course of prayer and praise over
and for their food ; and therefore their gross
swinish profaneness is so much the greater that sit
down and rise from their meat like brute beasts,
without any prayer or thanksgiving. If any ask
whether there be any express scripture for grace
before and after meat, I answer, there is, and
allege these three undeniable and plain places of
Scripture : 1 Tim. iv. 3, 4, John vi. 23, Rom.
xiv. 6.
3. Thirdly, For the manner of thanksgiving, it may
be found in that phrase used by the prophets in the
Old Testament, of sacrificing the calves of their
lips, Ps. v. ult., Hosea xiv. 1, 2. For here four
things may be observed : first, It must be a dead
calf, to note that all thanksgiving must proceed from
humble and mortified minds; and therefore the
pharisee thanks did not a whit justify them, Luke

xviii. 11, 14; secondly, It must be a sacrificed
calf. Now in the sacrifice three things were
required : an altar, fire, and to lay the hand upon
the head of the beast. An altar ; for not only our
prayers must be made in the name of Christ, but
our praises also must be tendered to God in his
mediation, or they will never be accepted, no more
than a calf not laid on the altar. Neither is it
enough to lay the calf on the altar, but fire must be
put to it, to note that the bare throwing out of
words of thankfulness, though in the name of Christ,
will not serve, unless we do also get some feeling,
ardency, and zeal to burn the sacrifice; thirdly,
We must lay our hands on the head of the calf,
that is, in all humility we must confess our un
worthiness of all the blessings or graces we give
thanks for. Again, in that they offer a calf, it
signifieth that we should not offer our thankfulness
to God of that that costs us nothing. We should
desire to express our praise by doing something to
further God's worship, or relieve the necessities of
others. If God bless us at home, we should carry a
calf to the temple ; lastly, We must not sacrifice
to a strange god when we give thanks, and that
men do when they sacrifice to their nets, as the
prophet speaketh, Hab. i. 16; that is, when men
attribute the glory and praise of God to the means
or second causes.
Thus of thankfulness in the general.
But that which is here intended is, that we should
give thanks for others as well as for ourselves, which
is not a courtesy but a duty. This duty of praising
God for others grows exceeding commendable, if we
can exercise it in these particulars : first, If we can
give thanks for those blessings upon others which
the wrorld accounts shameful to enjoy, as zeal for
God's glory, religious sincerity, and uprightness of
heart, the cross for Christ his sake, and such like ;
secondly, If we can first give thanks, that is, be
more apt to praise God for the virtues of others,
than be forward to tax their faults and frailties ;
thirdly, If we can do it for all sorts of men, 1 Tim.
ii. 1, even our enemies ; fourthly, If we can be
thankful for the true joy we have had in other men's
prosperities, 1 Thes. iii. 9.
To conclude this point, if we would have others
to give thanks for us, we should labour to be such

32

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

as for whom thanks may be given. And thus of
what they do : now, to whom 1
To God. These words having been used in the
very verse before, teach us two things : first, That it
is no cloying to a sanctified mind to be much and
often, yea, upon every occasion, in the honourable
mention and lauding of God, ascribing in everything
glory to God : so in heaven they shall never be
weary of God's praises, no, not unto all eternity.
And certain it is, that the more men grow in sancti
fication, the more easy and apt are their hearts to
entertain all occasions of communion with God, with
out weariness or deadness.
Secondly, ' To God ' shuts out the praises of them
selves or of men. It is fit our rejoicing and praise
should be directed thither from whence the blessing
came. The Father. These words are considered in the
former verse. Thus much of his thanksgiving.
Praying for you. First, in general, from the join
ing together of these two duties, two things may be
observed : first, That a child of God never gives
thanks but he hath cause to pray ; for if it be for
temporal things, he must pray both for their sancti
fied use, that they become not occasions of sin, and
for their preservation according to God's will ; if it
be for spiritual things, he hath reason to pray for
increase, strength, and preservation against falling,
and such like; secondly, On the other side, I say
also, that a child of God doth never pray but he
may find reasons to give thanks ; we may find mercies
in any misery ; yea, it is a singular mercy to have a
heart to pray, and to have so many large promises
made to them that caU upon God in their distress.
But the main particular doctrine is, that we ought
not only to pray for ourselves but for others. And
the apostle, 1 Tim. ii. 1, seems to make four sorts
of prayers for others, viz., deprecations, requests,
intercessions, and giving of thanks. Deprecations
are prayers for help against hurtful things ; requests
are prayers for profitable things ; the word rendered
intercessions, is by some taken to signify complaints
unto God against such as wrong them for whom we
pray, or else it is a more set or serious imploring of
God's aid with the united forces of the godly ; and
lastly, Giving of thanks stands in the lauding of
God for blessings or graces ; and in the 6th of the

Ephesians, and in the 1st of Tim. ii. the apostle sets
down rules to be observed in prayer for others : in
the Ephesians, chap. vi. 18, he requires that they
pray : 1. At all times ; 2. With all manner of
prayers; 3. In the spirit; 4. With watching;
5. With perseverance; 6. With spiritual importunity;
and lastly, For all saints. And in 1 Tim. ii. 8, he
requires that they pray: 1. Everywhere; 2. With
pure hands; 3. Without wrath; 4. Without doubting.
Always. To pray always is to consecrate every
day and night to God by prayer, and besides, to
pray upon all occasions, with lifting up our hearts
unto God, or by using short prayers, which they
have been wont to call ejaculations. Neither was
it the duty of Paul only to pray always, that is, to
keep a set order of prayers, but it is our duty also
to set apart time every day, evening and morning,
to pray unto God ourselves, and our households.
And because these exercises of rehgion are by the
most whoUy neglected, and in room of it, vile pro
faneness stains men's houses, I wUl here set down,
by the way, some few reasons to warrant a daUy set
course of praying : first, Our Saviour Christ, Mat. vi.
11, teacheth us to pray for the bread of the day,
every day ; as God will not promise us bread for a
week, a month, a year, so neither wiU God accept of
a prayer for the necessities of a week, month, or
year beforehand, but will have us to make as much
conscience to pray daily, as we have sense of daUy
wants ; secondly, We are commanded to ' pray con
tinually,' 1 Thes. v. 17 ; now what sense can be pro
bably given of these words, if that a daily set course
of prayer be not included? thirdly, The saints
prayed every day, an ancient practice some thousand
of years ago ; David prayed seven times a day, and
Daniel three times a day. Let wicked and profane
people say, What needs all this prayer? But let us
be assured that as holiness and grace grows in any,
so are they more abundant in this worship of prayer.
The holiest men have ever prayed most, for though
they have not most need, yet they have always most
sense of their own needs and others' too. Fourthly,
If our food must be every day sanctified by the exer
cise of the word and prayer, 1 Tim. iv. 2, then much
more have we need to sanctify ourselves, our house
holds, our callings, and our labours by daily prayer.
Lastly, Prayer is called incense and sacrifice, Ps.

Ver. 4.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

33

cxli. 2, and li. 17. Now the Jews held it an abomi
nation of desolation if the morning and evening
sacrifice were wanting : neither do we less need to
seek daily the benefits of the atonement made by
the sacrifice of Christ and his intercession, than did
the Jews ; and we are every way as much bound as
often to profess our faith in Christ slain as they did
in Christ to be slain.
And thus of the demonstrative and undeniable
signs of the apostle's love to the Colossians, as they
are generally set down in this verse.
Ver. 4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,
and your love towards all saints.
Ver. 5. For the hope's sake which is laid up for you
in heaven.
In these words, and the rest that follow to the
12th verse, he doth particularly explicate the two
signs of affection : first, He sets down his thanks
giving to ver. 9 ; secondly, He prays, ver. 9-12. In
the thanksgiving he gives thanks for their graces in
these words ; secondly, For the means of grace in
the rest of the words to the 9th verse.
Their graces are three : faith, love, and hope.
Of faith. In the handling of the doctrine of faith,
I consider it : first, In the coherence, as it stands in
the text ; secondly, As it is in itself, apart from that
which went before or comes after. From the general
consideration of the coherence I observe : first, That
we can never be reconciled to God, or attain the
chief good, without faith. ' Without faith it is im
possible to please God,' Heb. xi. 6 ; therefore it is
good for us to ' prove ourselves, whether we be in
the faith,' and to know whether ' Christ be in us,
except we be reprobates,' 2 Cor. xiii. 5.
Secondly, This faith is not natural ; we are not
born behevers, we are aU ' concluded under sin,' and
' kept under the law, and shut up to faith afterwards
to be revealed,' Gal. iii. 22, 23. It is ' the work of
God ; ' yea, of ' the power of God,' 2 Thes. i. 1 1 ;
it is ' the gift of God,' Eph. ii. 8 ; all men have
not faith,' 2 Thes. iii. 2 ; it must be gotten with
much striving, 1 Tim. vi. 12 ; as not by nature, so
not by natural means, and therefore we must seek
for better grounds than I have been always thus :
neither will it avail thee to show thy education,
civility, moral virtues, outward holiness, &c.

Thirdly, Whatsoever we gain by the word of
God, if we gain not faith and love, all is vain —
knowledge is vain, zeal is vain, &c. Therefore it
behoveth us to gather in our thoughts, and to
mind that one thing that is necessary.
Lastly, Though nature deny strength to bear, or
power to give this grace, yet there is power in the
word of God preached to beget even faith, as well
as other graces: 'Faith cometh by hearing,' &c,
Rom. x. 17; and Gal. iii. 2-5, he saith, 'They re
ceived the Spirit by the hearing of faith preached,'
&c. ; ' Hear and your soul shall live,' Isa. Iv. 4.
Thus much of the doctrines from the coherence.
That the nature of this grace may appear, the
several acceptations of the word, the sorts, objects,
parts, and degrees of it must be considered. Faith
is in scripture diversely taken ; sometimes it is
given to God, and signifieth his faithfulness in his
promises, as Rom. iii. 3, ' shall their unbelief make
the faith of God of none effect.' And when it is
given to man, it is taken : first, For fidelity, as it
is a virtue in the second table, Mat. xxiii. 23 ;
secondly, Sometimes it is taken for the doctrine of
faith, Rom. xii. 6, ' according to the analogy of
faith ;' thirdly, Sometimes for profession of religion ;
thus Elymas is charged to have ' laboured to turn
the deputy from the faith,' Acts xiii. 8 ; fourthly,
Sometimes for Christ himself, by a metonymy, who
is both the object and cause of faith, Gal. iii. 25 ;
fifthly, For knowledge ; only thus the devils are
said to believe, James ii. ; sixthly, For the gift of
working miracles ; ' If I had all faith, so as I could
remove mountains,' &c, 1 Cor. xiii. 2 ; lastly, For
that grace by which felicity and the chief good is
applied ; and thus it is called ' the faith of God's
elect,' Titus i. 1, and by divines, justifying faith.
Secondly, There are divers sorts of faith. I will
not speak of faith general or special, infused or
acquired, formed and unformed, but leave them to
the troublesome schoolmen; only I rest in the
usual distribution, which hath ground in scripture ;
thus faith is historical; temporary; of miracles; and
justifying. First, Historical faith is to believe the doctrine
of the word of God to be true, and therein is super
natural, and differeth from all human knowledge
whatsoever; neither is it in the power of nature
E

31

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

alone to persuade men that the scriptures are God's
word, further than the remnants of God's former
image do give a glimpse of it, and is cleared by the
spirit of general illumination.
This historical faith doth both understand the
doctrine, and give assent that it is true, yet doth
not justify ; and therefore their case is so much the
more fearful, that have not so much as their igno
rance any way redressed, nor gotten so much as any
knowledge by the word of God.
Secondly, Temporary faith goeth yet further, for
such as have that faith do not only get knowledge,
and yield assent to the truth, but also profess the
truth with some earnestness, not sticking at it, to
give their names in some more special manner than
others to a respect of religion ; yea, they rejoice
inwardly in the doctrine of the word ; and lastly,
bring forth some kind of fruit, and amend some
faults, only because the word of God would have
them so to do, Luke viii. 13, Heb. vi. 4, 5. There
fore is this faith unprofitable, because they never
had the particular assurance of God's favour in
forgiveness of sins, nor will be brought to dislike,
much less to humble their souls for, those special
sins wherein they have transgressed, but nourish
some one particular presumptuous sin or sins, which
reigning in them, doth wholly engross and take up
that inward worship which is due to God only.
And this is the faith of our better sort of
people. Thirdly, Faith of miracles was that faith by
which many in the primitive Church were able to
work miracles, and was of two sorts, either faith to
heal, or faith to be healed. This faith may be in
such as are reprobates, as Mat. vii., ' some shall
say, Have we not cast out devils by thy name 1 ' to
whom Christ shall answer, ' Depart, I know you
not.' Fourthly, But that faith in the enjoying of which
is comfort for evermore, is justifying faith. The
nature of this faith will appear if we consider :
1. The objects ; 2. The parts of it ; 3. The
degrees. 1. First, of the objects. This faith may be per
ceived by that which it carrieth the mind unto, and
from which it seeketh the comfort of the chief good ;
and thus the object is threefold.

(1.) The merits of Christ ; (2.) The promises of
God; (3.) The providence of God.
So that, wouldst thou try thy faith ? Consider
then what it is that thou makest thy refuge, and the
foundation of thy comfort. What is it that thou
most'labourest after? Is it the assurance of God's
favour, by the application of Christ? Is it the
distinct applying of such and such promises of life
in scripture ? Dost thou live by thy faith in the
course of life ? If so, thou hast met with the right
faith. Without Christ it is not possible to attain the
chief good, neither is it enough to believe that
Christ died for sinners, &c, unless we labour in the
day of our visitation, for the certain and particular
apprehension of the efficacy and merit of Christ's
righteousness, for the particular assurance of God's
favour in remitting such and such our transgressions.
And because it is not easy at all times to discern by
the working of the Spirit of adoption, the imputa
tion of righteousness from Christ, therefore hath
the Lord discussed the cases of conscience so com
fortably in scripture, that if men examine themselves
before the conditions of God's promises, they may
find in divers of them, the clear determining of their
estate. Here may be justly taxed the gross over
sight and security of many, (otherwise the dear
servants of God,) that are no better acquainted with
the promises of life, upon the truth of which depends
their happiness, and both present and future com
fort. And lastly, by the same faith whereby the
just are saved, by the self-same they live in the
course of life in this world ; the ground of his faith
for his preservation, is the providence of his God,
while the men of this world wonderfully please
themselves in sacrificing to their nets, ascribing, in
their affections, the stay of their maintenance unto
their labour, friends, inheritance, itc.
2. Secondly, That the nature of this faith may
yet be further opened, the parts of it must be con
sidered. Faith is either in the mind, or in the
heart ; and by the change of both, it may be dis
cerned. In the mind, it shows itself in two things : know
ledge, judgment.
There is something in the very illumination of
the understanding of the saints which is of the
nature of faith. Hence it is that the prophet Isaiah

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

35

saith of Christ, Isa. Iiii. 11, 'By his knowledge he
shall justify many,' that is, make just.
Judgment is either of truth or of goodness.
Judgment of truth is when we give glory so far
forth to the way of life, and the means of reconcilia
tion, that our hearts being convinced, our under
standings do clearly resolve that this is the way to
be happy, and no other.
Judgment of goodness is when we do not only
believe the doctrine of happiness to be true, as before,
but to be the only good tidings our hearts can rest
upon. Faith, as it shows itself in the heart, stands in
three things : — desires ; fiduce, or confidence ; per
suasion, or apprehension and application.
It may not be dissembled that there are in the
world many definitions or descriptions of faith, such
as do not comprehend in them that only thing
which is the chief stay of thousands of the dear ser
vants of God, and that is, desires, which may not be
denied to be of the nature of faith. I express my
meaning thus : — that when a man or woman is so
far exercised in the spiritual seeking of the Lord his
God, that he would be willing to part with the
world, and all the things thereof, if he had them in
his own possession, so that by the Spirit and pro
mises of God he might be assured that the sins of
his former life, or such as presently do burthen his
soul, were forgiven him, and that he might believe
that God were now become his God in Christ, I
would not doubt to pronounce that this person (thus
prizing remission of sins at this rate, that he would
sell all to buy this pearl) did undoubtedly believe,
not only because it is a truth (though a paradox)
that the desire to believe is faith, but also because
our Saviour, Christ, doth not doubt to affirm, Mat.
v. 6, that ' they are blessed that hunger and thirst
after righteousness, because they shall be satisfied,'
and, Rev. xxi. 6, ' to him that is athirst I will give
to drink of the water of hfe freely;' and David
doubteth not to say,Ps. Ixix. 33, ' The Lord heareth
the desires of his poor.'
Fiduce, or confidence in the heart, is a part of
faith, and shows itself in this : when the soul resteth
upon Christ and the promises of God as the only
ground of all that happiness which he must ever get
unto himself.

Persuasion, or an apprehending application, is the
last thing in faith, and that, in the beginnings of
faith, is more in the power of the Spirit than in the
sense and feeling of the conscience ; yet herein it
appears, that though the soul be tossed with many
temptations, and fears, and terrors, yet more or less,
one time or other, they are much refreshed with a
sweet joy, arising they know not how, from the very
persuasion that they belong to God, in and for
Christ. So that, if we would try our faith, we must ex
amine what knowledge we have gotten, what judg
ment of the way of life, what desires we have of
remission of sins, how our hearts are settled, and
what it is that supports us.
3. There are two degrees of faith : a weak faith,
bXiyoitiSua, and a strong faith, irXrioofo^'ia. A weak
faith is described before, for all the former parts of
faith are found in the weakest faith that is : a strong
faith hath in it a certain and full assurance of God's
favour, in remission of sins, so as doubts and fears
are stilled and overcome ; and such was the faith
of Abraham, commended Rom. iv. 1 8-2 1 ; and this
faith may be attained unto by all sorts of the ser
vants of God, if they live and may use the benefit of
the ordinances of God. Yet a gross fault in the
definition of faith, as it is made by many, must
be carefully shunned, and that is, that they make
the genus to be a full assurance, which is only
proper to a strong faith, and is not usually found
in the weak faith ; and yet that faith is such as doth
justify for the present, and will save for ever.
And that we may be affected with a holy desire
after this necessary grace, two things are further
to be considered:
1. The benefits men might have by faith.
2. The woeful estate of those that want it.
1. The benefits may be ordered into five ranks :
(1.) What faith delivereth us from.
(2.) What it preserves us against.
(3.) What the weakest faith getteth.
(4.) What we might get if we laboured for a
greater growth in faith.
(5.) How it fits us for heaven.
(1.) For the first : Faith doth deliver us —
First, From the darkness and blindness we lived
in before. ' Whosoever believeth in me shall not

36

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

abide in darkness,' John xii. 46. We no sooner, by
faith, taste of the bread of life, but the veil of igno
rance, which naturally covereth all flesh, is torn and
rent, as the prophet Isaiah sheweth notably, Isa.
xxv. 7.
Secondly, It delivers us from those woeful evils,
which, as so many abominations, do defile both the
understanding and affections. Faith purifieth the
heart, Acts xv. 9. No wonder though men be continu
ally surcharged with evil thoughts, and most vile
affections, and strange evils within, seeing we are so
hardly gotten to set about the earnest labour after
spiritual apphcation of the merits and righteousness
of Christ ; which righteousness never can be imputed
by faith, but grace is infused by the Spirit of sancti
fication at the same time. Neither is there any
more clearer testimony of the want of justifying
faith than the continual prevailing of evil thoughts
and affections.
Thirdly, It delivers us from the law, not only from
the ceremonial law, and other ' beggarly rudiments,'
but also from the moral law in two things only : first,
From the curse of it, which is wholly taken away by
the imputation of Christ's passion ; secondly, From
the rigour of it ; so that, as it is commanded in the
gospel, it may not exact of believers an impossible
perfection, but only an evangelical and accepted up
rightness. We are not now under the law, but under
grace, Rom. vi., as the apostle shews in the Epistles
to the Romans and Galatians at large. And hence
it is that the same apostle saith, 1 Tim. i. 9, that
' the law is not given unto a righteous man, but
unto the lawless and disobedient,' meaning that so
long as we continue in our natural estate, so long
we have this, as one part of our miseries, that we
are liable to the curses and impossible exactions of
the most righteous law; but from the time that we
are effectuaUy called, and gathered unto Christ, we
are not under this law in these two respects, which
is an admirable mercy.
Fourthly, Faith delivers us from the power of the
first death, John v. 29, being by nature 'dead in
sins and trespasses,' Eph. ii. 2, having no more
sense of the things that belong unto the kingdom of
Christ, than a dead man in nature hath of the bene
fits of life. By the power of faith, eternal life is
begun here, which is called, while we live here, the

' life of grace,' and after death is styled by the name
ofthe 'life of glory.'
Lastly, It delivers men from eternal destruction,
for ' whosoever believeth in him shall not perish,'
John hi. 16.
Thus of the first sort of benefits. ,
(2.) Secondly, Faith hath a power to preserve us,
and that in three things :
First, It preserves us from many fearful spiritual
diseases in the soul; hence cometh that metaphorical
speech of being sound, or whole, or healthful in the
faith, Tit. i. 13. Hence, that he saith, ' we foUow
faith unto the conservation of the soul,' Heb. x. 39.
Secondly, It preserves us against the use of ill
means ; for ' he that believeth maketh not haste,' Isa.
xxviii. 16. Herein is a special trial of faith, and is
a worthy testimony of uprightness, when men can
so rest upon God, that they wUl not be entangled
with those profits that either the time makes un
seasonable, as the Sabbath, or the means make sin
ful, as deceit, lying, &c, but can cheerfully beheve
that the same God that now tries him with the
occasions of profit in such time and manner, can
give him as much profit at a lawful time, and by
lawful means. It is most difficult for an unsanctified
mind to forbear either time or means when profit
and pleasure entice.
Lastly, How miserable is our life here many times
in respect of the temptations with which Satan doth
fire us ! Now if there were in us conscionable re
spect of certain application of God's favour, there is
a secret power in faith, as a shield, not only to keep
off, but extinguish ' the fiery darts of the devU,'
Eph. vi. 16. And the true reason why our life is
continually assaulted, and wdiy the world lieth
vanquished under a thousand miseries, is only be
cause men do not labour for a particular assurance
of God's love in Christ, which being once had, we
should soon see a happy victory over the world, hell,
and death, in respect of the beginnings of many
heavenly contentments.
(3.) In the third place, we are to consider the
benefits which the weakest faith obtaineth ; and
they are especially six :
First, It justifies and gives us a portion in the
most meritorious intercession of Christ at the right
hand of God ; it is not sooner had but it makes

Ver. 4.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

37

the sinner just before God. This is everywhere
proved. Secondly, It gathereth men into the family of
Abraham, and that as sons : yea, the least faith
makes a man ' blessed with faithful Abraham,' Gal.
iii. 7-9 ; so that if Abraham's case were happy, then
is every child of God so.
Thirdly, It makes men not only the sons of Abra
ham, but the sons of God also by adoption. ' As
many as received him, to them he gave power to be
the sons of God, even to them that believe in his
name,' John i. 12.
Fourthly, By faith the Son of God, by an unutter
able presence, doth dwell in the hearts of the sons
of men, Eph. iii. 16.
Fifthly, The meanest faith, that is a true faith,
doth ever come attended with many holy graces ;
and therefore to dispute of faith, is to dispute of
temperance, righteousness, &c, Acts xxiv. 25.
Lastly, Faith according to the measure of it, is the
foundation of all the hope that makes men happy ;
therefore it is called ' the ground of the things
which are hoped for, and the evidence of things not
seen,' Heb. xi. 1.
(4.) Fourthly, If men would labour for the in
crease of faith, and once get a certainty concerning
God's favour, they might enjoy many blessings more
than they do, even in this life.
First, It might be unto us according to our faith,
Mat. ix. 29 : what greater indulgence can be desired
from God ?
Secondly, Men might ' live by their faith,' Heb.
ii! 5 ; that is, they might have from their faith con
tinually arguments both of comfort and direction,
even in their carriage about the things of this life.
Thirdly, We might have the sense of peace with
God, access unto grace, wherein we might stand,
and be filled with joy in the hope of the glory of
God to be revealed, yea, to be made able to hold
up their heads, and rejoice in afflictions, &c, Rom.
v. 5.
Fourthly, There is a power in faith to put such
life into the sacred scriptures, that they would be
able to make us wise, even to salvation, 2 Tim.
iii. 15.
Fifthly, How hard a thing it is for the creature to
have access unto the Creator with any boldness or

confidence, the lamentable experience of the world
shews ; insomuch that the apostle saith, we are
naturally ' without God in the world,' able to mind
anything, and to affect anything but God. But
now this which is impossible to nature, is become
possible to faith, as the apostle shews, Eph. iii. 12.
And how unspeakable a mercy it is to have a com
fortable communion with God, and easy access for
our prayers, the saints may conceive but not utter.
Sixthly, By faith we might be able to overcome
the world, 1 John v. 4 ; so as we might easily con
temn the glory of earthly things, the mUlions of
evil examples and scandals, the thousands of temp
tations, allurements, dissuasives, lets, and impedi
ments, which the world casteth in our way, and
with which we are often entangled, ensnared,
and many times most shamefully vanquished,
to the dishonour of God and our religion, the
wounding of our profession and our consciences,
&c. If men had that power of faith which the
ordinances of God were able to give, how might
they astonish epicures, papists, and atheists, which
now differ little from them !
Seventhly, Faith would even make our friendship
and mutual society a thousand times more comfort
able than now if is, as the apostle intimates, Rom.
i. 12. Eighthly, By faith we might ' work righteousness,'
and attain to innocency of life ; we might ' receive
the promises,' with all those sweet comforts con
tained in them, which are matters of as great
wonder as to 'subdue kingdoms, to stop the
mouths of lions,' &c, Heb. xi. 33, 34.
Ninthly, Faith would make us to contemn the
pleasure of sin, and account affliction with God's
people better than perfection of pleasure for a
season, as it is observed in Moses, Heb. xi. 25 ;
whereas now every base delight is able to captivate
our affections, and we have scarce strength to stand
against one temptation.
Tenthly, Faith, by continuance in the word of God,
would ' make us free,' even God's spiritual freemen,
John viii. 32 ; so as we should clearly see that no
natural prentice or bond-slave could find so much
ease and benefit by his release, as we might by
faith. Lastly, We might have the clear apprehension of

38

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

the remission of all our sins past, as is manifest,
Rom. iii. 25, Acts x. 43 ; only for sins to come,
God gives no acquittance before there be a debt,
and the discharge sued out.
(5.) And as faith furnisheth, or would furnish,
men with these wonderful benefits in this life, so it
provideth an assurance of an immortal inheritance
in heaven for all eternity, as these places shew :
Acts xxvi. 18, John vi. 47, 1 Pet. i. 9, 1 Thes. i. 10,
with many other.
Thus much of the benefits by faith.
Object. Oh, but what if men do not beheve ?
Ans. First, I might answer that it is yet a comfort,
that though thousands neglect faith, yet ' their unbe
lief cannot make the faith of God of none effect,' Rom.
iii. 3 ; though the whole world contemn the doctrine
of faith, and please themselves in their spiritual
security, yet God knows how to shew mercy to
his servants that desire to believe in him and fear
before him.
Secondly, I read in St Mark, chap. vi. 6, that
Christ ' marvelled at their unbelief,' and justly.
They were affected with his doctrine, it was con
firmed by miracles, and yet they believed not : we
miserable men are a wonderment to God, Christ,
and angels, and an astonishment to heaven and
earth for our incredible incredulity.
Thirdly, I read in St Matthew, chap. xiii. 58,
that ' he did not great works there for their unbe
lief's sake.' Surely we are justly debarred the benefit
and comfort of many of the works of God, which
might discover the glory of his goodness to us, only
because of our unbelief.
Fourthly, If the Jews were cut off for their un
belief, being natural branches, Rom. xi. 20, and such
as God had reason to favour as much as any people
under the sun, how fearful then is the case of many
of us,' that can have no other standing than by faith !
Fifthly, Nothing is pure to the unbelieving, Titus
i. 15. Sixthly, If we believe not we cannot be estab
lished, Isa. vii. 9.
Seventhly, If men refuse to believe when they
have the means of faith, their sentence is already
gone out : ' He that believeth not is condemned
already,' John iii. 18.
Eighthly, It is a matter of ease and profit and

pleasure to live in sin, especiaUy some sins; but
what is it to die in them ? ' Except that ye believe
that I am he, ye shall die in your sins,' John viii.
24. Ninthly, Consider the contrary to the benefits
before; if we get not faith we abide in darkness,
we are under the rigour and curse the law, subject
to the dominion of heart pollutions, dead in sin, full
of spiritual diseases, hasting to evil means, pierced
through with fierce temptations, wicked in God's
account, not justified, neither the seed of Abraham
nor of God, without Christ, without hope of im
mortal bliss, without peace with God, comfort in
afflictions, without grace, without communion with
God. The scriptures (while we are in this estate)
are but as a dead letter ; we are easUy overcome of
the world, unconstant in friendship, without the
covenant of promise, entangled with every pleasure
and bait, and as bond slaves abiding in the guilt and
power of sins past.
Lastly, How fearful are those threatenings : Mark
xvi. 16, Rev. xxi. 8, Heb. hi. 12.
There remain yet four things to be considered :
1. The encouragements to believe.
2. The lets of faith.
3. How faith may be known.
4. How far short the faith of the common pro
testant is.
1. For the first, we have many encouragements to
believe. First, Because we have a Saviour, in respect of
merit, both in suffering and dying, able to deliver
us, his redemption being both precious and plenti
ful. Secondly, He is ready to make intercession for us,
at the right hand of God, when we set ourselves in
any measure to seek God's favour.
Thirdly, We have certain and sure ordinances,
unto which if we seek we may find.
Fourthly, What greater joy to angels or saints
than the coming home of the lost sheep? None
greater in the house of the Father than the prodigal
son returned.
Fifthly, There is no difficulty so great, either in
respect of sin, or the means, &c, but it hath been
overcome by every one of the saints, to shew that
we may be cured and get faith.

Ver. 4.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

39

Sixthly, God maketh a general proclamation, with
out exception of any in particular that will believe,
but he may be saved : Isa. Iv. 1, John iii. 16.
Seventhly, Christhimself most graciously invitesmen.
Object. Oh, but he doth not call me.
Ans. He calls all, therefore he excepteth not thee ;
but lest men should encourage themselves in sinful
ness, he addeth a limitation, ' All that are weary
and heavy laden,' Mat. xi. 28-30, Rev. iii. 18,
John vii. 37. If we can once find that sin is the
greatest burden that ever our souls bare, and that
once we could come to be weary of them, we might
have comfort in Christ.
Object. Oh, but if I should take that course, I
should lead a dumpish and melancholy life.
Ans. It is a false imputation cast upon religion
and Christ, for the promise is, ' I will ease you.'
Object. Oh, but to exercise such a communion
with God and Christ, requires so many graces that
I can never get them.
Ans. ' Learn of me, that I am lowly and meek ; '
as if he should say, Get this one grace which I
myself have laboured in, and thou mayest continue
in the case1 and comfort once had from Christ
without interruption. If men still think this im
probable, he wiUs them to put it to trial, and they
should certainly 'find rest to their souls.'
Object. Oh, but to be thus yoked is a most irksome
and impossible servitude.
Ans. This he rejects as most false, and saith,
' My yoke is easy, and my burden light,' both in
respect of the power of the means, and the secret
comforts of God, able to support the soul.
Eighthly, We are commanded to believe, and
therefore it is a heavy sin to disobey, 1 John
iii. 23.
Ninthly, God doth ' beseech men to be reconciled,'
2 Cor. v. 20. Wonder at this admirable clemency
in our God. Nay, then perish, and that justly, if
so great and infinite goodness cannot persuade.
These things should the rather affect, if we consider
who it is that proclaimeth, inviteth, commandeth,
beseecheth — namely, God, who is able to do it, and
speaks out of his nature. If a covetous man should
offer us any great kindness, we might doubt of per
formance, because it is contrary to his nature; but it
1 Qu. ' ease ' ?— Ed.

is not so with our God; his name is gracious, and
his nature is to be faithful in performance where he
hath been true in offer or promising.
Thus much of encouragements.
2. The hindrances of faith follow to be considered
of. The lets of faith are sometimes in the minister,
sometimes, in the people.
Ministers are guilty of the want of faith in their
hearers : first, When they teach not at all, because
faith cannot be had without hearing, Rom. x.;
secondly, If we teach not faith, and that plainly;
if they intend not the chiefest part of their labours
to inform men in the doctrine of faith, (under which
is contained the whole doctrine of the sinner's con
version with his God,) though they inform manners
both for piety and righteousness, and busy them
selves in other contemplative divinity, yet have they
not answered their calling, but are woeful hindrances
of faith in the hearers.
Secondly, In the people faith is letted three ways.
(1.) By errors in their judgments.
(2.) By corrupt affection in the heart.
(3.) By certain things that befall their conver
sation. There are five especial errors, with any of which
whosoever is infected, faith is letted :
First, When men think they are bound to follow
their caUings, and to mind their worldly employ
ments, and therefore cannot spend the time about
thinking of sermons, &c. Our Saviour, Luke xiv.
16, in the parable, shews, that though men give
heaven fair words, yet they take not a course to get
it ; but what lets them ? Is it whoredom, drunken
ness, idolatry, murder, breach of Sabbath, &c. ? No
such matter, but only the abuse of lawful profit and
pleasures. What more lawful than a farm? what
more honourable of all pleasures than marriage?
Only observe that the voluptuous person saith
flatly, he ' cannot come,' and the worldly man, ' I
pray you have me excused.'
Object. Oh, but I confess it were a great fault to
leave minding heavenly things to get superfluity,
and more than needs, as farm upon farm. But I
want necessaries; if I had but sufficient, my mind
should not be so taken up, &c.
Ans. Our Saviour shews that this is no sufficient
excuse, by bringing in the man that had bought his

40

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

five yoke of oxen, than which what could be more
needful, seeing he could not follow his husbandry
without oxen 1
Secondly, A second error letting faith, is a close
opinion of merit, which sticks fast in our nature.
Thirdly, Faith is hindered when the mind is fore
stalled with an opinion that an outward serving of
God will serve to bring them near enough to God.
If they hear service and sermons, and receive the
sacraments, &c, they have done so much as they
think is enough, Ps. L, Isa. i.
Fourthly, Many therefore never labour to get
faith, because they think it is impossible to take any
such course, that they should get any assurance of
the remission of their sins in this life, or if it be
possible for others, yet it is not for them.
Lastly, Others think it possible to be had, and it
is good to be humbled so far as to seek it with tears
and prayers ; and they think they do well that will
not give over till they have comfort that way, but
yet they think all this ado unnecessary, and that
they may be saved without it.
(2.) In the heart faith is letted five ways :
First, When men nourish the secret evils of their
hearts, both in thoughts and affections, and make
not conscience to repent for them. An evil heart is
always an unfaithful heart ; therefore men are ex
horted to ' take heed of being hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin,' Heb. iii. 12, 13.
Secondly, Worldhness is a great let of faith, when
men suffer their thoughts and affections to be con
tinually taken up with minding of things here be
low, though they cannot be charged with any great
covetousness. Thirdly, There is in men's affections an unwilling
ness to part with worldly pleasure and delights, and
they are loath to lose their credit with their carnal
friends, which they say they must do if they take
this course.
Fourthly, The world is full of common hope and
presumption of God's mercy : men say, God is mer
ciful, when they have neither comfort from the pro
mises of God, nor ground of assurance, nor witness
of the spirit of adoption.
Fifthly, Faith is letted, and men are kept from
using the means to get faith, and to seek God while
he may be found, only through a fear lest if they

should examine themselves, and search whether they
had a true faith or not, they should find they had
none, and then they should be troubled, and driven
into melancholy despair, &c.
(3.) Lastly, There are some things in men's car
riage which greatly let and hinder faith.
First, A profane contempt of the word of God.
Either men will not hear, or but by starts, or they
attent not, or not apply it to themselves, or not
meditate of the doctrine afterwards, or not labour
for the power of it in practice, &c.
Secondly, The example of the multitude hinders
much, Mat. vii. 13, 14, Luke xui. 23, 24, especially
the example of wise men and great men in the
world, John vii. 45-50.
Thirdly, Some when they go about the duties of
mortification and faith, they are turned off before
they get faith, either because they find hardness of
heart, or are overcharged with temptations or doubts
of audience and acceptance, and that God wiU never
look after such broken desires, &c, or else, because
they have not comfort presently, they grow des
perate, and say they shall have none at aU, or else
are vanquished with thoughts of atheism injected,
which many times prevails so strongly, that they
can hardly be recovered again to any care to labour
for faith, till either bitter crosses, or fear of death,
or hell awaken them.
Lastly, Closeness is a great cause of want of faith,
when people will not discover their doubts and
fears, especially to their pastors, being wise and
merciful, and yet know not what to do, and cannot
get information from public hearing. Here may be
taken up a just complaint of the strangeness be
tween the shepherds and the flocks : the one think
ing he hath done enough if he preach to them, and
the other if he hear him.
There remains two uses of this doctrine of faith.
3. First, Seeing there are divers sorts of faith,
and that many benefits may be had by a true faith,
and seeing that, on the other side, there are woeful
effects of the want of faith, Sec, it should teach us
to try whether we have faith or no, and that this
may be known, we must first understand :
First, That before faith can be wrought, the
heart must be mollified by afflictions, by the con
tinual dropping of the word of God, by the know-

Ver. 4.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

41

ledge of our misery, by legal fear, or lastly, by
terrors from God.
Secondly, Before faith can appear, repentance will
show itself, and that especially in two things :
First, In godly sorrow for sin past.
Secondly, In the change of the thoughts, affec
tions, and life.
As for godly sorrow, it may not be denied but
that it may be without terrors in some, but never
so easy in any but these three things are true: 1.
That they grieve because they cannot grieve. 2.
They hate their special sins. 3. They reform both
inwardly and outwardly.
Thirdly, Faith, after the softening of the heart
and repentance, shews itself in six things : first, In
an honourable opinion, ready to believe all the
word of God, though it make never so much against
our pleasure or profit ; secondly, By the combat
between the flesh and spirit ; thirdly, By the holy
desires after remission of sins and holiness of life,
witnessed by constant prayers and diligent use of
the means ; fourthly, By a fixed resolution reposed
upon the way of God, though they find not comfort
presently ; fifthly, By the forsaking of the world
and pleasures of sin, Heb. xi. 25 ; lastly, By the
purging out of the evils of the thoughts and affec
tions, Mat. v. 7, Acts xv. 9. As for joy, peace,
thankfulness, admiration, love, and desire to con
vert others, &c, they belong to faith grown, not so
apparently to faith begun.
4. Lastly, Here might justly be taxed the de
fects and wants that are found in the common pro
testant. The faith of the protestant at large is
faulty : first, Because he knows no time of spiritual
birth, and yet he can tell to a day when he was
born in nature ; secondly, They seek not unto the
means spiritual to get faith ; thirdly, They rest in
other things instead of faith, as knowledge, hope,
&c. ; fourthly, Their faith is commonly either his
torical or temporary, for either it is enough to be
lieve that Christ died for sinners ; or else, if they
believe the articles of the Creed to be true, and be
no papists, but sound in the matter of justification,
and receive the sacrament, especially when they are
sick, all is well ; or if they believe the word of God
to be true, or especially if they can be willing to
hear sermons, &c. ; fifthly, They regard not God's

promises to apply them, nor to live by faith — they
hold both to be absurd ; sixthly, They want the
judgment that divines call the judgment of good
ness ; lastly, They do not believe that application
is of the nature of faith.
Heard of. In that their graces are heard of,
and by several relation the fame of them is spread,
four things may be observed :
1. It is hard to have any saving grace, but it
will be perceived and observed, and that for divers
causes :
First, Grace cannot be without fruit external, and
' by their fruit ye shall know them.'
Secondly, God doth not ordinarily give saving
grace, but it is gotten in or after some great affliction.
A man may get much general knowledge, and go
far in a temporary faith, wdthout any great pain or
perplexity, but the pains of travail do usually accom
pany the birth of any saving grace. Neither is there
any such hearkening after a child born in nature as
there is after an afflicted conscience now ready to be
delivered of any eternal grace.
Thirdly, Grace cannot be received but it works a
great change and alteration of disposition and prac
tice of affection and carriage; it will work an alter
ation general, inward and outward. Now all this
stir in reforming is liable to observation.
Fourthly, The devil usually lieth still while men
please themselves with the effects of historical and
temporary faith, because they feed presumption ; but
so soon as justifying faith is got in the least measure,
and works by purifying both the heart and life from
beloved sins, (though it work never so weakly,)
he bestirs himself and his agents, by carnal counsel,
temptations, reproaches, slanders, difficulties, and a
thousand devices, to make this birth painful, and, if
it were possible, abortive ; the flesh boils, the devil
darts fire by injection ; the world hatefully pursues,
and wonders at the sudden restraint and retiring, if
' men run not into the same excess of riot,' 1 Pet.
iv. 4 ; ' He that restraineth himself from evil maketh
himself a prey,' Isa. lix. 15.
Lastly, The graces of God are like lamps on a
hill in a dark night, and hke shining pearls, and
therefore cannot be hid.
Use is, first, for confutation of their resolution
that wUl serve God, but it must be secretly ; they
F

42

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

will be sincere, but they like not to do it so as every
body may note them; they will go to heaven, but
for ease, it must be in a feather-bed, and for close
ness, it must be out of their closets. These men mean
to steal their passages, and these kind of people
commonly think, that the true cause why others are
so talked of is their indiscretion, and rash and
needless thrusting out of themselves into observation.
But in the whole business they deceive themselves,
for it is not possible to be friends with God and the
world, to have God, his word, people, and Spirit to
witness to us, and to have the world to praise and
applaud us. And for indiscretion, it is a prejudice
let fall by the devil, and taken up by carnal men,
without considering that reproachful observation
hath been the lot of the wisest and holiest saints
that ever hved, yea, the portion of the Prince of the
saints. Secondly, It may be an especial comfort to
all the servants of God that find their names en
countered with strange reports, and the world
suddenly bent against them round about, (when yet
many times they rather find purposes than practices
of grace,) I say, they may gather comforts diversely :
first, It is the portion of all God's people ; secondly,
It is a sign they are now no more carnal persons,
for ' if they were of the world, the world would not
thus hate his own,' John vii. 7; thirdly, Their
praises are with the saints', and as now they taste of
the cup of their affliction, so they shall reap the
incomparable privileges of their communion.
Quest. A question, in the second place, may be
propounded, and that is, How their faith can be
heard of? seeing it is an inward grace, how it can so
outwardly be known ?
Ans. Faith, in itself hidden and secret, doth in
people converted make itself known by certain
demonstrative effects of it, as by confession in
time of persecution, when the defence of the truth
in any part of it is required ; by constant profession,
notwithstanding the scorns and disgraces of the
world; by victory over the world, when men
retire themselves, and will not live by example,
contemn all earthly vanities, and use the world as
if they used it not ; by their love to the word of God
more than their appointed food ; by the reformation
of their own lives ; by the exercise of faith in their
callings, not hasting to use ill and unlawful means,

not sacrificing to their own nets ; and lastly, by their
love to God's people.
Seeing grace and fame are companions, we may
learn that the surest way to get a good name is to
get grace ; for then their ' names are written in
heaven,' Phil. iv. 3 ; they are known of angels,
Mat. xviii. 1 0 ; they are imprinted in the hearts of
God's people. A good man ' honoureth them that
fear God,' Ps. xv. 4. And David saith, ' They are
the only excellent ones, and all his dehght is in
them,' Ps. xvi. 3. And of the same mind is Solomon,
even of the poor child of God, Prov. xix. 1. Yea,
they have a name in the very conscience of wicked
men, yea, their very enemies ; which appears in this,
that they spend more thoughts about them than the
greatest potentate, and would gladly die their death,
yea, a faithful man is honoured when he seems con
temned. And on the other side, a wicked man is
ever at the greatest in his own eyes, and is not able
to conceive that they that so much depend upon
him, and crouch to him, should contemn him, as
certainly they do ; for every sinful person is a shame
ful and vile person. Yea, so sovereign and sure a
means is grace for the attaining of a good name,
that it causeth the stains and blemishes of former
infamous sins to be blotted out. When God takes
away sin in the soul, he wiU take away rebuke from
the name, Isa. xxv. 8. And this God (that hath the
hearts of all men in his hands) works both wonder
fully and secretly. Who doth not honour David,
Peter, Magdalene, and Paul, notwithstanding their
great sins and faults ?
The last thing here to be inquired after is, whether
it be not vainglory to seek fame and estimation,
and to be heard of among men ?
Ans. It is not simply a sin to seek an honest report
amongst men ; let them contemn their names that
mean to be allowed to live in presumptuous sin. ' A
good name is better than riches,' Eccles. vii. 1. And
Christ commandeth that ' our light should shine that
men might see our good works,' Mat. v. And the
apostle wills them to ' hold forth the light of the
word of truth in the midst of a crooked and froward
generation,' Phil. ii. But glory is then vain : first,
When it is sought in vain things ; secondly, When
men seek praise for the show of that that is not ;
thirdly, When they make it the chief end of their

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

43

actions ; fourthly, When it makes men proud and
vicious — otherwise it is an honest joy that comes of
a good name, and a reason to bear many crosses in
other things patiently, where men may support
themselves with this comfort of a good name.
And of your love to all saints. Hitherto of faith,
by which we embrace Christ, the head. Now it
remains that I entreat of love, by which we embrace
the saints, the members. By the one we are joined
to Christ, by the other to the members of Christ.
Love is either in God, John iii. 17, or in man.
In God it is an attribute, in man an affection, or a
quality in the affection.
Love in man is either a vice or a grace. It is a
vice when it is set upon a wrong object, or is dis
ordered,' and that three ways : first, When we love
things unlawful, as sin ; secondly, When we love
things lawful, but too much, as the world ; thirdly,
When love is turned unto lust, and so is the mother
of fornication, adultery, incest, and such like.
As love is a grace, (for I omit bare natural affec
tions,) it is only in the saints, and so they love,
first, God and Christ, as the fountains of all natural
and supernatural blessings ; secondly, They love the
means of communion with God and Christ, and
thus they love the word of God, Ps. i. 2, and thus
they love the second appearing of Christ, 2 Tim. iv.
8 ; thirdly, They love man, and so their love is"
either to all men. to their enemies, or to the saints.
Of this last here.
Concerning this love to God's chUdren, if the
coherence and the general consideration of the words
be observed, seven things may be noted :
First, That the love to God's children is a grace
supernatural, as well as faith ; ' Hereby we know
that we are translated from death to life, because
we love the brethren,' 1 John iii. 14. And again,
'Let. us love one another, for love cometh of God,
and every one that loveth is born of God,' 1 John
iv. 7. Hence it is called ' The love that God hath
in us,' 1 John iv. 16. Yea, it is derived from that
precious love wherewith God loved Christ, John
xvii. 26.
Secondly, We must first be joined to Christ by
faith, before we can get any sanctified affection to
man. All human affections in carnal men want their
true comfort, profit, and constancy, because they are

not seasoned by faith in God. Till a man do labour
for his own reconciliation with God, he can never
get a sound affection to God's children, nor reap the
heavenly privileges of communion with saints.
Thirdly, To love God's children for any other
respects than because they are saints is a mere
natural affection, not a spiritual grace. A wicked man
may love a child of God for his profit, pleasure, or
credit's sake, for his company's sake, or for his amiable
qualities, in conversing and such like; but the right
love is to love them as they are sanctified, as they
are begotten of God, 1 John v. 1, and for spiritual
respects; and thus ' he that giveth a disciple a cup of
cold water in the name of a disciple, shall not lose
his reward,' Mat. x. 41, 42.
Fourthly, Nothing can make more to the praise
and credit of men than faith and love. The highest
praise of a man's good estate is to be able to shew
that he believeth his own reconciliation with God,
and that he loveth God's children. He doth not say
he was glad at heart when he heard of their riches,
honours, &c, but when ' he heard of their love to the
saints,' and their faith in Christ. The good tidings
of the faith and love in the Thessalonians was a great
consolation to Paul in his affliction, and all his
necessities, 1 Thes. iii. 6. No better news can be
brought him, and therefore he prays the Lord to
increase them, not in riches and the pleasures of this
life, but to ' make them abound in love one to
another.' Fifthly, Whosoever doth actually believe, doth
actually love, they are inseparable companions;
' faith worketh by love,' Gal. v. 6. Hence he wished
the people not barely love, but ' love with faith,' Eph.
vi. 23, 1 Tim. i. 14; so as commonly they are to
gether in the same degrees also. If no faith, no
love; if a show of faith, but a show of love; if but a
purpose of faith, but a purpose of love ; if a weak
faith, a weak love; if an interrupted faith, an inter
rupted love; if often at odds with God, often at jars
with men; they are begotten by the same seed,
given by the same God; received by the same saints,
and lodged in the same heart.
Sixthly, There is no hope of heaven if no love to
the brethren. ' He that saith he is in the light, and
hateth his brother, is in darkness until this time,'
1 John ii. 9, 10. And 'whosoever hateth his brother,

44

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

. [Chap. I.

is a man-slayer : and we know that no man-slayer
hath eternal life,' 1 John iii. 15.
Seventhly and lastly, He that loves one saint truly,
loves any saint; and therefore the apostle, in the
praise of their love, commendeth it, for that it was
towards ' all the saints.' To love God's children in
respect of persons, is not to respect them at all
aright; he that cannot love grace anywhere, loves
not any for grace.
The uses of all these observations briefly follow:
first, Here is reproof, and that first of such wicked
wretches as can love any but the saints — these are in a
woeful and damnable case, whatsoever their estate be
in the world; secondly, Of such as allow themselves
liberty to hold God's children in suspense ; they do
not hate them, but yet they will be better advised
before they be too forward to join themselves with
them ; but let these be assured, that till they be
loved, God will not be loved, 1 John v. 1.
Secondly, Here we may make trial by our love to
God's children, both of our faith and hope; as also
of our love to God; and lastly, the manner of our
affection, viz., for what we love others. For natural
affection hath his natural rewards. Lastly, The doc
trine of love is a comfort two ways : first, If thou
begin to love God's children, it is a comfortable sign
thou art not without love to God and faith in Christ;
secondly, It is a comfort against slanders, reproaches,
and molestations from wicked men; thou hast as
much credit with them as God; if they loved God,
they would love thee. It is a great comfort when a
man's enemies be enemies to religion, sincerity, and
holiness of life.
Thus far of love in general. In particular I pro
pound four things to be further considered : first,
The nature of this grace; secondly, The reasons to
persuade us to the conscionable exercise of it; thirdly,
The helps to further us; and lastly, What defects are
in the love the world commonly boasteth of.
1. For the first, That the nature of this sacred
grace may be the better conceived, two things would
be weighed : first, What things ought to be found in
our love; secondly, In what manner love is to be
expressed. And for the former of these two, true Christian
love hath in it these seven graces or duties : first,
Uprightness in our own things, both in respect of

right and truth; secondly, Peaceableness in the quiet
order of our conversation; thirdly, Courtesy in need
ful and loving compliments; fourthly, Tenderness
in the things that befall others, so as we can rejoice
for them as for ourselves ; fifthly, Liberality; sixthly,
Society; seventhly, Clemency. Concerning these
three last duties or branches of love, it will be ex
pedient to add something for further exphcation of
them. Liberality is required, and it standeth of two main
branches: first, Hospitality, and then the works of
mercy. Hospitality is required in these places : Rom.
xii. 13, 1 Tim. iii. 2, 1 Pet. iv. 9, Heb.xih. 2. But
this duty stands not in the entertainment of drunk
ards and vicious persons, or in keeping open house
for gambling, and such lewd sports and disorders,
or in feasting of carnal men ; for this is so far from
being the praise of great men, as it is a most shameful
abuse, and one of the crying sins of a land, able to
pull down the curse of God upon such houses, and
such housekeeping; but hospitahty stands in the
kind entertainment of strangers that are in want,
Heb. xiii. 2 ; and in welcoming of the poor that are
in distresses ; and lastly, in the friendly, and Chris
tian, and mutual exercise of love, in inviting of God's
children to our houses or tables.
Works of mercy are the second branch, and those
are required of us as the needful duties of our love;
and these works are either in temporal things, and
so are alms-deeds, or in spiritual things. Love must
shew itself in alms-deeds, that is, in ' distributing to
the necessities ofthe saints, 'Rom. xii. 13 ; in reliev
ing those that are impoverished and faUen into
decay, Lev. xxv. 26; by giving or lending, though
they should not be paid again, upon the hope of
a reward in heaven, Luke vi. 35 ; and this to be
done both to our power and without compulsion, for
that will shew the naturalness of our love, 2 Cor.
viii. 3, 8. Thus being ready to distribute and com
municate, men may ' lay up in store for themselves
a good foundation against the time to come,' 1 Tim.
vi. 18, 19 ; and that that is well given will be a
greater help in time of need, than that that is
spared and kept.
There are works of mercy also in spiritual com
passion over the souls of men, and thus the poor may
be merciful to the rich, viz., in labouring to win

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

45

them to religion and sincerity, in praying, admoni
tion, encouragements, and such like needful duties;
and these are the best works of mercy that we can
do for others whom we love or pity.
Thus of liberality. Another thing required unto
the exercise of Christian love, is society. It is not
enough to wish well to the saints, or salute them
kindly, or relieve them according to their occasions,
but we must converse lovingly and daily with them,
make them our delight, company with them, and in
all the mutual duties of fellowship in the gospel to
solace them, and ourselves with them. This is that
that Peter requires, when he chargeth that we should
'love brotherly fellowship,' adiXiporrira ayairare, 1
Pet. ii. 17; we should not live like stoics, without
all society, nor like profane men, in wicked society .
but we should both entertain a brotherly fellowship)
Rom. xii. 11, that is, society with the brethren, and
love it too. This was their praise in the primitive
times, that they ' continued in the apostles' doctrine,
and infellowship, and breaking of bread, and prayers,'
Acts ii. 42 ; making conscience, as well of Christian
society, as of hearing, praying, and receiving the
sacraments. The holy apostle, St Paul, blesseth God for the
PhUippians, chap. i. 5, ii. 1, that they did not only
make conscience of receiving the gospel, but also of
fellowship in the gospel, and that from the very first
beginning of their entrance into religion. This
was the comfort of their love and fellowship of the
Spirit. The last duty of love is clemency, and this stands
in the right framing of ourselves in respect of others ;
and unto the practice of clemency divers things are
required of us :
First, To cover the faults of others; 'Love covereth
the multitude of sins,' 1 Pet. iv. 8. Secondly, To
avoid the occasions of stirring the infirmities of
others. And here we are bound to forbear our
liberty in indifferent things, Gen. xiii. 8, rather
than we should offend our brother : ' If thy brother
be grieved for thy meat, now walkest thou not
charitably,' Rom. xiv. 15. It is to be observed,
that he saith, thy brother; for it matters not for the
cavUs and reproaches of idolatrous and supersti
tious persons that never regarded the sincerity of
the gospel. Thirdly, To take things in the best

part; 'Love believeth all things, it hopeth all
things,' 1 Cor. xiii. 7. Fourthly, In our anger,
both to be short, ' Let not the sun go down upon
your wrath,' Eph. iv. 26 ; and also to be more
grieved for their sin with whom we are angry than
kindled against their persons ; as it is said of our
Saviour, Mark iii. 5, ' He looked round about upon
them angrily, mourning for the hardness of their
hearts.' Fifthly, To appease the anger of others,
and that either by soft answers, Prov. xv. 1, or by
parting with our own right, 1 Cor. vi. 7, or by over
coming evil with goodness, Rom. xii. 21.
Lastly, Clemency stands in the forgiving of tres
passes done against us ; 'Be tender-hearted, for
giving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
forgave you,' Eph. iv. 31. So that unto Christian
love is requisite a peaceable, courteous, and tender
carriage, hospitality, and a liberal distributing to
their wants, both in temporal and spiritual things,
a covering of their faults, avoiding of occasions of
scandal, a loving composing of ourselves in matters
of wrong, and a daily and cheerful association with
them. Thus far of the gracious branches of Christian
love. Now, the manner how we should love God's
children is to be considered : first, in general, we
should love them as ourselves, and therefore in
all our dealings to do as we would be done by,
Mat. xix. 19, and xxii. 39 ; we are to love man in
measure, viz., as ourselves, but God above measure.
But to consider of the manner of our love more
specially, the particulars may be referred to the
four heads mentioned, 1 Pet. i. 22. First, we
must love brotherly, that is, not as we love our
beasts, or as we love strangers, or as we love our
enemies, but as we would love our dearest natural
brother, with all tenderness and naturalness of our
affection. Secondly, We must love without feign
ing, without hypocrisy, avvwoxgtru;, Rom. xii. 9 ; and
this is explicated to be, ' not in word and tongue,
but in deed, and in the truth,' 1 John ii. 18; not
only truly, for it cannot be a true love unless it
.arise from a holy agreement in the truth. Thirdly,
It must be with a pure heart, lx xaSagqe xagdia;, and
then we love with a pure heart : first, When our
affection is grounded upon knowledge and judgment,
Phil. i. 9 ; secondly, When it is expressed in a spirit

46

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

of meekness, 1 Cor. iv. 21 ; thirdly, When it is free
from WTath, or aptness to be offended, from envy,
from pride, and swelling and boasting, from self-
love, when men seek not their own things, and from
evil suspicions, 1 Cor. xiii. 4, 5 ; fourthly, When it
is exercised in holy things, so as no affection can
make us rejoice in the wickedness of them we love,
1 Cor. xih. 6 ; fifthly, When it is manifested in long-
suffering, and all-suffering, when we 'believe all
things, and hope all things,' 1 Cor. xiii. 7.
Lastly, We must love fervently, ixriviag, and this
hath in it speediness, Prov. iii. ~ 28, diligence,
(called labour in love,) 1 Thes. i. 13, cheerfulness,
Heb. vi. 10, earnestness, 2 Cor. ix. 17, and heat of
affection, (and this is to foUow after love,) Gal. v. 1 3,
1 Thes. hi. 12 ; and to the end it is without inter
ruption, Eph. v. 2, 3.
2. Now, because these are the last days, wherein
the most have no Christian love at all, and many
have lost the affection they had, so as their love is
grown cold, Mat. xxiv., and the most even of the
children of God in all places are exceedingly want
ing to their own comfort and spiritual content, in
the neglect of the duties of love one to another, but
especially in the duties of a holy fellowship, and
mutual society in the gospel, and the rules of clem
ency ; and that men might be kindled with some
sparks of desire to redeem the time, and gain the
comforts they have lost, and seek the blessings of
God in a holy society, I have thought good, in the
second place, to propound out of the scriptures
motives, as they lie here and there scattered in the
holy writings, to incite and persuade all sorts of
men, especially professors, to a more conscionable
respect of this mutual love.
The first motive may be taken from example, and
that both of God and Christ. God made his infinite
love apparent to us in ' that he sent his only-be
gotten Son into the world, that we might believe on
him, and he might be a reconciliation for our sins,
and therefore ought we to love one another, yea, so
to love one another,' 1 John iv. 9-11. Shall the most
high God fasten his love upon us, that are so many
thousand degrees below him ; and shall not we love
them that are our equals, both in creation and regene
ration ? Shall the Lord be contented to respect with
an appearing love ; and shall we think it enough to

carry good affections to our brethren, without mani
festation of the outward signs and pledges of it?
Was there nothing so dear unto God as his Son,
and did he give us his Son also to assure us of his
love ; and shall the love of the saints be ever by
us any more accounted a burthensome and costly
love ? Hath God sent his Son out of heaven into the
world, and shall we stay ourselves up, and not daUy
run into the company of the members of Christ ?
Was Christ sent that we might have the life of
grace in holy and heavenly and mystical union, and
shall not we, as fellow-members in aU the duties of
a Christian society, stir up, nourish, and increase
that life so given ?
Note. — As sincerity is the life of rehgion, so society
is the hfe of sincerity. Was Christ given a recon
ciliation for our sins ; and shaU not we strive to
overcome one another in the religious temper of our
affections, and the free and wUhng covering or for
giving of trespasses and wrongs? Our Head, our
Saviour, our Lord, our Prophet, our Priest, our
King, that we might perceive his love, ' laid down
his life for us,' 1 John iii. 16 ; and should not we
imitate so incomparable an example, though it were
' to lay down our lives one for another?'
The second motive is from commandment. It is
not a thing arbitrary for us to love our brethren, as
is before expressed. Courtesy, peaceableness, liber
ality, society, and clemency, are not things we may
shew, or not shew, at our pleasures, but they are
necessary ; such as if they be wanting, a sin is com
mitted, nay, grievous sins, even against the com
mandment of Christ, John xiii. 34 : ' As I said to the
Jews, whither I go can ye not come, so to you also
I say now, a new commandment give I you, that ye
love one another, even as I loved you.' He shews
here that whereas they might be grieved that they
should lose Christ's bodily presence, he had ap
pointed them a course for their solace, and that was
instead of Christ, as fellow-members in Christ's
absence in the world, to strive by all means to de
light themselves in loving society one with another.
And this commandment he calls a new command
ment, not in respect of the matter of the duty, for
that was always required, but in respect of the form
of observing it ; for the old general rule was, that
thou shouldst love thy neighbour as thyself; but

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

47

now that form ('as I have loved you') hath in it
something that is more expressly, and for the incom
parable sufficiency of the precedent is matchless, and
more full of incitations to fire affection. Again, the
person that gives it, and the time, is to be considered :
' I now give this commandment.' Men are used,
that have any sparks of good nature in them, to
remember, and carefully to observe the last words
of their dying friends, especially if they charge not
many things. Why, these are the last words of
Christ the night before his death; even this one
thing he doth especially charge upon us, namely,
while we abide in this flesh, and are hated of this
world, and want those glorious refreshings would
come by the presence of Christ, to unite ourselves
in a holy bond of peace and love, to be kept and
strengthened by mutual endeavours in the perform
ance of all the duties of holy affection, and that till
Christ shall gather us unto the glory that he hath
with the Father, John xvi. 12.
The third motive may be taken from the benefits
that may be gotten by love ; and these are divers :
First, There is much ' comfort in love,' Phil. ii. 1.
The Lord doth usually and graciously water the
society,* conferences, prayers, and other duties per
formed mutually by the saints, with the dews of
many sweet and glorious refreshings, by which they
are daily excited, inflamed, and encouraged to a
holy contentation in godliness.
Secondly, 'Love is the fulfilling of the law,' Rom.
xiii. 10. Not only all the duties belonging to human
societies, of which he there entreats, are compre
hended under love, as by that great band that tieth
all estates and degrees, but also is the fulfilling of
the law by effect, in that, first, It causeth abstin
ence from doing evil to our neighbour ; secondly, It
causeth men to make conscience of fulfilling the law ;
and that which is there generally spoken, if it be
applied to the love of the saints, may have his special
truth in this, that there is nothing in outward
things doth more fire the heart of a man to the love
of, and labour after a godly hfe, then a daily loving
society with God's children, in whom we see godli
ness, even in an experimental knowledge, hot laid
before us in precept, but described unto us in prac
tice, with the rewards and fruits of it. Yea, love
may be said to be ' the filling up of the law,' wr.y-

gojfia too vo>ou, as the word seemeth to import in
this, that it clotheth the duties of the law with the
glory of a 'due manner,' and seateth them upon
their due subjects, with the unwearied labours of
constant well-doing.
Thirdly, The due performance and daily exercise
of the mutual duties of love, would be a great
testimony and witness unto us for the satisfying of
our consciences in the knowledge of such great
things as otherwise are exceeding hard to be known :
as first, It is not everybody's case to have the Spirit
of grace, or, when they have it, to discern it, yet,
by this love, it may be discerned, for it is one of the
inseparable fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22 ; secondly,
Many men follow not Christ at all, and among the
followers of Christ a great number are not true
disciples. Now, John xiii. 14, 'By love may all
men know that we are Christ's disciples; thirdly,
'The wind bloweth where it hsteth,' and, 'that
which is born of the flesh, is flesh,' John iii. ; and
¦therefore great .masters in Israel and teachers of
other men may be ignorant of regeneration ; yet
thereby ' may we know that we are born of God and
do rightly know God, if we love one another,'
1 John iv. 7.
Fourthly, If we would seek God to find him,
behold, ' If we go to the east, he is not there ; if to
the west, yet we cannot perceive him ; if to the
north, where he worketh, yet we cannot see him ; he
will hide himself in the south, and we cannot
behold him,' Job xxiii. 8, 9. How much more is
the way of God in the heart of man unsearchable ?
And yet, though 'no man hath seen God at any
time,' ' if we love one another, God dwelleth in us,'
1 John iv. 12.
Fifthly, The election of man before time is like a
boundless gulf, and the making of man blameless
and holy in heaven is a dreadful mystery ; and yet
those two glorious branches, whereof the one sprouts
forth even beyond time, and the other reacheth up
to heaven, nay, into heaven, are both fastened upon
this stock of love in respect of one way and manner
of coming to know them, Eph. iv. 1-4.
To conclude, salvation itself, even our own salva
tion, is known by the love to the brethren, as is
clear, 1 John iii. 14, and in divers other places of
that epistle.

48

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

Lastly, The day of the Lord is a terrible day, a
day of trouble and heaviness : the strong-hearted
man shall then cry bitterly, Zech. i. 14 : then the
heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved and pass
away with a noise, and the elements shall melt with
heat, 2 Pet. iii. 10, 11 : the Lord himself shall de
scend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice
of the archangels, and with the trumpet of God,
1 Thes. iv. 16 : then shall all the kindreds of the earth
mourn, and they shall see the Son of man come in
the clouds of heaven with power and great glory,
Mat. xxiv. 30. And who shall be able to stand in that
great and fearful day 1 even all such as have finished
their course in the love of God and his children ;
as certainly as we now find love in our hearts, so
surely shall ' we have boldness in the day of judg
ment,' 1 John iv. 17.
The fourth motive may be taken from the miser
able state of such as find not in themselves the love
of God's children : first, It is a palpable sign they
abide still in darkness, and under the bondage of
the first death, and in danger of the second death.
Secondly, A man can never enter into the king
dom of heaven without it ; for every man can say, a
murderer shall not be saved, so continuing. Now
it is certain God hates a man that loves not his chil
dren, as well as he doth murderers : ' He that loveth
not his brother, is a man-slayer, and we know that
no man-slayer can inherit eternal life,' 1 John iii. 15.
Thirdly, Till we love God's chUdren we can
never know what the length, breadth, and depth of
the love of God and Christ is to us, Eph. iii. 17.
God shews not his love to us till we shew our love
to the saints. Lastly, for want of love in the heart,
and the duties of love in conversation, the mystical
body of Christ is exceedingly hindered from growing,
both in the beauty and glory which otherwise would
be found in the Church of Christ, Eph. iv. 16.
Lastly, To incite us yet more to the exercise of
love, I propound three places of scripture more :
The first place is, Eph. iv. 12-17, where may be
observed four things, gotten by a holy union with
the members of Christ, and Christian society and
affection. It furthers ' our gathering into the body.'
It is an exceeding great help in the beginning of
our effectual vocation ; secondly, It furthers our edi
fication in the building, and fits us for our room

among the saints. Godly society doth frame us and
square us, and many ways fit us for our place in this
building ; thirdly, Loving affection to the members
of Christ and mutual society doth much profit us,
in respect of our growth in the body, and that till
we become perfect men, and attain to the age of the
fulness of Christ; fourthly, This holy love is a great
fence to the judgment against false and deceitful
doctrine : he is not easily carried with every wind
of doctrine, nor unsettled with the vain deceits of
men, that can follow the truth, and the means
thereof, in a settled and well grounded love to
God's children. But, on the other side, how easily
are such men deluded and thrown off from their
purposes and comforts, that did never join themselves
to God's children !
The second place is 1 Peter iv. 7, 8, where the
apostle exhorteth to sobriety in the use of the profits
and delights of the world in meats and drinks,
riches, recreation, and apparel, and withal to spend
their time here in spiritual duties, especiaUy prayer,
watching thereunto, both to observe aU occasions
and opportunities to pray, as also noting the mercies
of God we find in prayer, with our own corruptions
in the manner, and the glorious success of prayer in
prevaUing with God. But ' above aU things,' he
wills them to ' have fervent love :' and yieldeth two
reasons or motives : first, ' The end of all things is
at hand,' and therefore it is best loving and making
much of those that after the dissolution shaU be
great heirs of heaven and earth ; secondly, ' Love
covereth the multitude of sins,' it hideth the
blemishes of our natures, and fitteth us for the
comforts of society. Notwithstanding the infir
mities accompany even the saints whUe they are in
this vale of misery.
The third place is 2 Peter i. 7, &c„ where he
largely persuadeth men to get holy graces into their
hearts, and to express holy duties in their lives :
among these, as chief, he instanceth in 'brotherly
kindness and love ; ' to this end he bringeth divers
reasons : first, It will set our knowledge a-work,
which else would be idle and unfruitful ; and where
should we unload ourselves of the fruits of know
ledge which men get in God's house better than in
the houses of the people of God ? Secondly, He that
hath not these things ' is blind ;' or if he have sight

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

49

and wit enough for this world, yet he is purblind,
ix\jtona,lpn, so as ' he can see nothing that is far-off,'
as eternal things are, but only things near, such as
are carnal things : the want of love to God's people
is a palpable sign of a purblind carnal man ; thirdly,
The want of love, and the other graces there named,
is a sign of a spiritual lethargy, even that a man is
fallen into a ' forgetfulness of the purging of his old
sins;' that is, it is a sign that a man lieth under the
guilt and filth of all his former sins, and never feels
the weight of them, or considers the danger of them ;
fourthly, Love, with the fruits of it, do ' make our
calhng and election sure ;' fifthly, Loving society
and brotherly kindness is a great means of persever
ance — 'if ye do these things ye shall never fall;'
lastly, By this means ' an entrance shall be minis
tered unto us abundantly, into the everlasting king
dom of our Lord Jesus Christ,' both because it
mightily furthereth faith and hope, as also, be
cause by these means eternal life is begun on earth,
in respect of communion both with God and the
saints. 3. Thus far of the motives ; helps follow. These
helps are such as serve, both for the begetting and
nourishing of a holy love, to and with God's
people. There are eight things that are great furtherances
of holy life :
First, The conscionable hearing of the word of
God ; for in God's house doth the Lord fire the heart
and holy affections, and teach the right ordering of
them. How came those Colossians by their love to
the saints ? No otherwise but by ' hearing the word
of truth,' which discovered unto them who were
God's children, and did daily fence them against
the scorns and reproaches which the world laded
them withal.
Secondly, We must get faith and hope, as the co
herence shows : for till we be soundly humbled to
seek God's favour, and find our hearts possessed
with the care for and hope of a better life, we can
not receive God's children aright into our hearts.
But no man was ever truly touched in conscience,
and had unfeigned desires of remission of his sins,
neither did ever a man seriously seek after the
things of a better life, but he did love God's children
above all the people of the earth : and it is true of

the measure, that as we grow in faith and hope, so
we should grow in love and in the comforts of God's
favour. Thirdly, Would we love brotherly, without feign
ing, and fervently ; then we must get our ' souls
purified, through the Spirit, in obeying the truth;'
we must make conscience of the duties of mortifica
tion, as of so many purges, to cleanse our thoughts
and affections of dwelling and reigning lusts and
evils ; for secret sins entertained and delighted in
within the affections and thoughts do exceedingly
poison affection both to God and man : this is that
the apostle meaneth where he saith, 'love must
come out of a pure heart,' 1 Tim. i. 5.
Fourthly, We must stir up the spirit of love, 2
Tim. i. 6. The Spirit of God is a spirit of love, and
we must stir it up by nourishing the motions of the
same, putting courses or ways of expressing love
into our minds, and by prayer, meditation, or any
other means that may inflame our hearts to a holy
affection. Fifthly, It profiteth much hereunto to get and
keep in our minds a pattern of faith and love, even
a draught of the things that concern faith in God,
and love to the saints, that we might always have
a frame of all holy duties that concern this holy
affection. This was their care in the primitive
times, as appeareth, 2 Tim. i. 13.
Sixthly, To be found in these three things, faith,
love, and patience, requires most an end experience,
and a daily acquainting ourselves with the things of
the kingdom of Christ. When we are driven by
often crosses to seek comfort in God's children, and
by much observation to find the worth of the com
forts that arise from holy society with them, many
are the incredible weaknesses that discover them
selves in the hearts of younger and weaker Chris
tians ; but it is a shame for the elder men, if they
be not ' found in love,' Titus ii. 2.
Seventhly, We must by all holy means strengthen,
and encourage, and set ourselves upon perseverance
in the profession of our hope, for if once we give
over profession, it will be easy to see love vanish.
A wavering profession is inconstant in love, Heb,
x. 24.
Lastly, If we would never forsake the fellowship
we have one with another, as the manner of some
G

50

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

wicked hypocrites and damnable apostates is, then
we must, with all Christian care, ' consider one
another's ' weaknesses and wants ; and be con
tinually ' provoking,' inciting, and encouraging ' one
another to love, and to good works,' Heb. x. 25.
Thus of the helps.
4. In the last place I propounded to be con
sidered the defects that are found in the love that
is abroad in the world, with which the common
protestant pleaseth himself. I will not here com
plain that love is turned into lust, and that that
damnable infection hath stained heaven and earth,
and polluted our houses, brought a curse upon our
assembhes, and debased our gentry, dishonoured our
nobles, corrupted our youth, and made heavy our
elder age, or shew how it hath brought upon us
famine and pestilence ; but, to let this pass, I will
speak of the honester love. And wherein think you
standeth it ?
First, In the civiller sort — in compliments : never
more compliments and less love. Secondly, In free
dom from suits at law and quarrelling. They are in
charity with all the world, if they can shew that
they never were quarrelsome, or that they are
friends again. Thirdly, In the baser sort it is mere
ale-house friendship. Their love stands wholly in
going to the ale-house together. These are the only
fellows and good neighbours ; and commonly here
is set up the devil's bench, and proclamation made
of free pardon for filthy ribaldry, for drunken spew-
ings, and viper-like slanders belched out against
good men. Fourthly, Many out of their ignorance
know none other love than of themselves, or for
themselves of others. But yet more plainly the de
fectiveness of the common protestant's love appears
diversely :
First, By the usual sins which are rife amongst
them, even such as batter the fortress of love. How
can they please themselves in their charity, if we
consider how malice, revenge, anger, slandering,
backbiting, and all sorts of provocations to anger,
are everywhere abounding ? What more usual than
self-love ? What more common than envy ? Shall
I instance ? The tradesman, while he is rising, is so
flushed with success, and stuffed with the greedy
desire of profit, that he cares not whom he wrongs,
nor how much he becomes prejudicial to other men's

trade. But this man is not so filled with self-love,
but the declining tradesman that hath over-lived his
prime, is every way as well filled with envy. And
thus men are not in charity, neither fuU nor fasting.
Secondly, It appears to be defective in the objects
of love, in a chief companion of love, in the parts of
love, and in the manner of loving.
For the first, the only men that are chiefly to be
loved, and our affections to be spent upon, are the
saints, that is, such religious persons as make con
science of all their ways. But are these the men the
common protestant loves 1 Oh times ! oh manners !
What men find worse entertainment in the world
than these ? Is not the least endeavour after holiness
chased and pursued with open hates, dishkes, slan
ders ? Can a man refrain himself from evil and not
be made a prey ? Doth there any live godly, and
they persecute him not ? Away, false wretch !
sayest thou thou art in charity with all men, and
yet canst not bear the image of God in a chUd of God ?
For the second, all true love ought to be accom
panied with faith, yea, it ought to be founded upon
faith ; and therefore herein is the common love of
the world defective, that a communion with men is
not first sanctified with a union with God. These
men, that boast so much of their charity, never made
conscience of seeking the assurance of God's favour
in Christ, neither ever travailed under the burden of
their sins, so as to seek forgiveness as the true
blessedness. Thirdly, The common protestant is exceedingly to
blame in the very main duties of love. No tenderness
of heart, no true hospitality; and for mercy to the
poor, the old complaints may be taken up, ' There is
no mercy in the land,' Hosea iv. 1 ; ' Merctful men
are taken away,' Isa. lvii. 1. We may now-a-days
wait for some Samaritan to come and prove himself
a neighbour ; and for society and fellowship in the
gospel with God's people, it will never sink into the
understanding of these carnal men, that that is any
way expedient ; and finally, in all the branches of
clemency before expressed, where is the man that
makes conscience of them J
And for tho last, it is easily avouched that the
love that is found in the most men is neither brotherly,
nor without gross feigning and hypocrisy, nor pro
ceedeth it from a heart in any measure purified ; and

Ver. 5.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

51

lastly, it is so far from being fervent, that it is stone
cold. Thus of love.
Ver. 5. For the hope's sake which is laid up for you
in heaven.
In these words is mentioned the third grace, for
which the apostle gives thanks — and that is hope.
Hope is here taken both for the thing hoped for,
viz., the glory of heaven, as also the grace by which
it is apprehended, but especially the latter.
Heaven is diversely accepted in scripture. Some
times it signifieth the air, Deut. xxviii. 12, Mat.
xvi. 1 7 ; sometimes it signifieth the whole upper
world that compasseth the earth, Gen. xlix. 25,
Mat. iii. 16; sometimes for the kingdom of grace
and the means thereof, Mat. iii. 2, and xi. 11; but
most usually for the place of the blessed, and the
glory thereof; and so it is taken here.
Hope, as it is here considered by the apostle,
looks tw# ways : first, By relation to, and coherence
with, faith and love, ' for the hope's sake ; ' secondly,
By a full aspect upon the object of it, which is
intimated in the metaphor laid up, and expressed
in the word heavens.
First, Of hope, as it is to be considered in the
coherence :
Obser. 1. There is an admirable wisdom and mercy
of God in the very manner of dispensing of his
graces, for he makes one grace crown another, and
become a recompense and reward to another, as here
for hope's sake God's children break through the
difficulties of faith, and the impediments and dis
couragements of love. When God sees how many
ways the heart of man is beset in the spiritual com
bat, about the getting and exercise of those two
graces, he is pleased, by his word and Spirit to
trumpet out victory by shewing the glory of heaven,
and to set on the crown of hope, as the assured
pledge of full and final victory. It is hope that plucks
up the heart of man to a constant desire of union with
God by faith, and of communion with man by love.
And the true reason why so many men utterly
neglect the care to get a justifying faith and an
inflamed affection to God's children, is because they
have no taste of the comforts of the evidence of a
better life by hope.

Obser. 2. Secondly, Faith and hope are two dis
tinct things. Faith believes the promise to be true,
with particular application ofthe promise to one's self;
and hope waits for the accomplishment of it. Faith
usually is employed about reconciliation and a godly
life. Hope, for the most part, is taken up with the
retired and affectionate contemplation of the glory
of heaven, the coming of Christ, the resurrection of
the body, and temporal blessings, and deliverance,
as they are shadows and types of the last and great
salvation. Obser. 3. Thirdly, Hope is no more natural than
faith and love. The carnal man is ' without hope in
the world, ' Eph. ii. 1 2. Not that wicked men are clean
without all profession of hope, for few men are so
vile but they possess and stoutly avouch their hope in
God ; but this hope is vain, empty, without evidence
or promise, such as can never profit them ; and there
fore, in the 8th of Job he saith, that ' the hypocrite's
hope shall perish, his confidence also shall be cut off,
and his trust shall be as the house of a spider,' Job
viii. 13, 14. It is to be observed, that he calls
wicked men (even all carnal and unconverted people)
hypocrites, and that fitly, for every sinner is a
hypocrite in some degree ; and if there were nothing
else to prove it, their very hope and wilful confidence
in the mercies of God, without all warrant from the
word, or testimony of God's Spirit, or their own
conscience, would undoubtedly prove it; and for
the vanity of their hope, it is fitly expressed in the
comparison of the spider's web. The silly spider,
with many day's labour, weaves herself a web, in
appearance able every way abundantly to cover her,
and fit her turn ; but at the end of the week, the
maid with a besom sweeps all down. This poisonful
spider is every unregenerate man or woman ; this
web is their hope, in the framing of which they
daily busy themselves, and in the coverture of which
they vainly repose themselves ; but when any servant
comes out of the Lord's army to sweep with the
besom of judgment or death, the whole building of
these imaginary hopes comes suddenly and totally
down. In the 1 1th chapter of Job, and the 20th
verse, it is said, ' The eyes of the wicked shall fail,
and their refuge shall perish, and their hope shall
be sorrow of mind.' In which words the Holy
Ghost shews that the time shall come when those

52

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

vain hopes shall be driven out of the souls of the
wicked, and instead thereof, they shall be filled
either with desperate sorrows on earth, or with
eternal sorrows in hell. ' What hope hath the
hypocrite, when he hath heaped up riches, if God
take away his soul ? ' Job xxvii. 8. Noting that if
carnal men (again called hypocrites) will not forego
their fond presumptions while they live, yet by too
late experience they shall find them vain when
death comes.
Object. But then they mean to pray God to forgive
them, and hope by their repentance then to find
mercy for their souls.
Sol. In the ninth verse it is answered thus, ' Will
God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him ? '
Quest. But will not God hear men's prayers in the
troublesome time of death ?
Ans. Not the prayers at that time made by such
men ; for they are hypocrites, having upon them but
the names of God and godliness, and will never in
sincerity ' pray unto God at all times,' neither in their
death do they pray unto God because they delight in
the Almighty. And therefore he shews, ver. 1 0, that
seeing they delight not in God and godliness, and will
not pray at all times — that is, as well in health as sick
ness, in prosperity as in adversity, while they might
yet sin as well as when they can sin no longer — there
fore their hope of mercy in death shall fail them.
Quest. But if true hope be not natural, what is the
difference between the hope of the faithful and this
common hope that so ordinarily goeth up and down
the world under the colours of it, or how may we
try ourselves whether we have a right hope or no ?
Ans. The true hope is described in several scrip
tures by divers properties, which are nowhere to be
found in carnal men.
First, The true hope lays fast hold upon the merits
of Jesus Christ only, and strives constantly to be
established and assured, Titus i. 2 ; Ps. xxxi. 24.
But the common hope is never emptied of carnal
confidence and presumption that God loves them
for some good things or parts that are in them ;
neither doth it brook assurance; for with one breath
carnal people are assuredly confident of God's
mercy, and encounter the doctrine of infallible
assurance. Secondly, True hope makes a man more humble,

Lam. iii. 29 ; but the common hope makes men more
wilful and obstinate against God and his ordinances.
Thirdly, True hope makes a man cheerful under
all sorts of crosses, by virtue of the very reasons
grounded upon hope, Rom. v. 2, 4 ; but the common
hope of itself will not yield a man's heart support
against any cross.
Fourthly, The faithful man can suffer for his hope,
Acts xxviii. 20 ; Rom. viii. 24 ; but a wicked man
can shew no chain, unless it be for his sin.
Fifthly, True hope rests upon God's promise,
though never so unlikely to be performed by out
ward and ordinary means, Rom. iv. 18 ; but wicked
men, with their common hope, are perhaps able to
believe they shall live well so long as they see and
feel means, but without means they are without hope.
Sixthly, True hope will acknowledge as well as
know, Titus i. 2; but the common hope cannot
abide profession of religion — it is enough there be a
good heart to God.
Seventhly, True hope is industrious in the use of
all means to come to the end hoped, Ps. xxxvii. 3 ;
but the common hope is singularly slothful; it boasts
of a sufficiency of knowledge, and yet neglects the
sincere use of all God's ordinances ; it affirms
deeply of going to heaven, and yet cannot tell of
one tear for sin, nor one hour truly spent in morti
fication — but ' trust thou in the Lord, and do good.'
Lastly, The true hope seeks God's presence, and
strives in sense to draw near to God, Ps. Ixxiii. 26 ;
but the common hope is then at best rest when the
heart is farthest off from the care, desire, or sense of
God's presence, either in God's house or abroad.
Obser. 4. The fourth thing that I observe from
the coherence concerning hope is the worth of the
grace. It is one of the three golden habiliments to
adorn a Christian soul. And this I note the rather,
because it should move us to use carefully and con
stantly all the means that serve to breed or increase
true hope in us, and to get, by prayers and practice,
all those things that cause hope. And that we may
get and increase our hope, we must labour for,
first, True grace, 1 Thes. ii. 16; secondly, Saving
knowledge, Ps. ix. 10, and lxxviii. 7; thirdly,
Experience, Rom. v. 4; fourthly, Patience and
comfort of the scriptures, Rom. xv. 4 ; fifthly, The
joys of the Holy Ghost, and peace of conscience in

Ver. 5]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

53

believing, Rom. xv. 13; sixthly, Above all, and for
all these, the Spirit of revelation, Eph. i. 18 ;
seventhly, The often meditation of God's promises.
Thus of hope, as it is considered in relation to
faith and love.
Which is laid up for you in heaven. In these words
hope is described in the object of it.
Laid up. Viz., by God in his secret coffers, as a
most worthy jewel. This metaphor gives occasion
to observe three doctrines.
Doct. 1. First, That grace and glory are a man's
best treasures, and therefore we should labour for
them more than anything else; and if we have a
comfortable evidence of them, to be contented
though we want other things.
Doct. 2. Secondly, That hope is no common grace,
in that, amongst many fair virtues which are common
to wicked men, he locketh up this grace of hope as
a special jewel he intends to keep only for his own
children. Doct. 3. Thirdly, That the evidence and grace of
God's children be in God's keeping, and laid up safe
in heaven, and therefore cannot be lost ; and, besides,
when they die, there is of theirs in heaven before
they come.
Heaven. Here I observe two things :
1. First, That there is a heaven for the saints
after this life. The doctrine of heaven is only
proper to religion. Nature hath but a dark glimpse
of immortality, or any being after this life, and is
full of stronger objections than answers ; and as
any are more lewd in life, they are more senseless
of immortality. But concerning the estate of the
blessed in heaven, nature is wholly ignorant, yea,
the doctrine hereof is so divine, that religion itself
doth not fully portray it out in this world to any ;
yet as any are more holy, it is more discerned.
The consideration of heaven may urge us to many
duties in general. If ever we would have heaven
when we die, we must get holiness both imputed and
infused while we live, Mat. v. 16; 2 Pet. i. 7 ;
Mat. vii. 21 ; 1 Pet. ii. 11, 14 ; Ps. xv. We must
be sure we be of God's family, Eph. iii. 16; and
that we are born again, John iii. 5, Luke xiii. 5.
In particular, we should therefore acquaint ourselves
with the laws and mysteries of God's kingdom, Mat.
xiii. 11, 52. And if we may come by the means to

be effectually instructed in the way to heaven, we
should account of this pearl, and rather than lose it,
sell all we have to buy it, Mat. xiii. 44, 45. And
we should above all things ' labour for the meat that
perisheth not, but endures to everlasting life,' John
vi. 27. Inasmuch as in the ministry of the word is
many times found the keys that open unto us the
kingdom of heaven, Mat. xvi. 19; Rom. x. 6. And
inasmuch as riches may prove a singular hindrance, "
we should take warning, and see to it that they do
not entangle us, Mat. xix. 23. And because in
heaven are our treasures, we should set our affec
tions there, Mat. vi. 20, Col. iii. 1 ; and prepare
for our change and departure, 2 Cor. v. 1, 2,
1 Thes. i. 10. Giving allowance to no sin, no, not
the least, Mat. v. 10-19 ; constantly professing and
confessing Christ before men, that he may not deny
us in that day, Mat. x. 32, 33, and v. 10. Yea,
where God means to bestow heaven, he bestows
heavenly qualities on men in this life. They are
poor in spirit, Mat. v. 3 ; they are eager after
heaven and the things thereof, Mat. xi. 12; they
are like chUdren, void of earthly carking and dis
tressful cares, Mat. xviii. 2 ; they are merciful, Mat.
xxv. 34-36 ; they love their enemies, Mat. v. 44.
Secondly, The meditation of heaven serves for
reproof, not only of atheists, that would deny it, or
papists, that claim so great glory for their base
merits, but also of the most protestants ; for are
not the most such as ' can discern the face of the
sky, and yet have no discerning of the season' to
get grace and heaven ? to say nothing of those that,
by their gross and horrible sins, have forfeited
over and over the claim of any interest in the king
dom of heaven, living in daily blasphemies, whore
doms, drunkenness, &c. Yea, do not the better
sort give heaven fair words, and yet have their ex
cuses why they will not come to God's feasts when
he invites them ? Luke xiv. 1 7. And thus, while men
bless themselves, God's curses usually devour them.
Lastly, It is a doctrine of wonderful comfort to
God's children, Heb. xii. 23 ; Lukexi. 20. Neither is
this the peculiar advancement of some principal
saints, as Abraham, David, &c, Mat. viii. 11, and
xiii. 31. Neither should the miseries of this life
before we come to heaven trouble us, seeing there is
no comparison between "the troubles of this life and

54

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

the glory of the world to come, where there shall
be no sin, sorrow, labour, weakness, disgrace, fear,
death ; where we shall enjoy the sweet presence of
God, Christ, angels, and just men, with unspeakable
joys, perfect holiness, exquisite knowledge, and a
total righteousness ; and all this for ever.
2. Secondly, From hence also doth plainly arise
this second doctrine, viz., that the hope of Christians
is in another world ; there is their stay and comfort.
When they seek by faith the comforts of God's
favours, and by love separate themselves to the
communion with God's children, they find presently
such a rent from the world, and all sort of carnal
men assaulting so their rest, that a little experience
learns them the knowledge of this truth, that in
this world, and from the men of this world, and the
things thereof, they must look for no peace or con
tentment, Rom. viii. 24, 25.
Use. The use is first, for instruction, to teach us
therefore to use the world as if we used it not, and so
to care for earthly things and persons as to resolve
that heaven is our portion, and there only must we
provide to find some rest and contentment ; yea,
therefore, as ' strangers and pilgrims we should seek
and provide for our abiding city,' Heb. xi. 13.
Secondly, This doctrine gives occasion to answer
that imputation that is cast upon many professors,
viz., that forwardness in religion makes them mind
less of their business, and much hearing, of sermons
makes them careless of their callings. Men may
here-hence inform themselves, that howsoever re
ligion ties men to honest cares and daily dihgence
to provide for their families, else the very scripture
brands such professors to be worse than infidels, that
make religion as a mask for idleness, yet seeing our
hope is not in the world, therefore God's children do
well first and chiefly to seek the kingdom of God and
the righteousness thereof, and so to mind an earthly
calling as it hinder not a heavenly, and provide
means for a temporal hfe as not to hinder the hope
of an eternal life.
Thirdly, This doctrine may much settle and com
fort God's children against the scorns and hates of
the world and all sorts of carnal people — ' the world
will love his own.'
Object. Oh, but why should they hate us ?
Ans. Because 'you are not of the world, and

Christ hath chosen you out of the world, therefore
the world hateth you,' John xv. 19. And therefore
both provide for it, and bear it when you find it.
Object. But we will not be so rash and indiscreet
to provoke men to hate and reproach.
Sol. Ver. 20. They have persecuted Christ, who
was the fountain of all wisdom ; and therefore it is a
vain persuasion for any child of God to think, by
any discretion, wholly to stUl the clamours and hates
of wicked men ; and those men are grossly deceived
and prejudiced that think the true cause of the
troubles of God's children is their own indiscretion.
Object. It is strange they should hate us so ; we
never did them wrong.
Sol. Ver. 21, 'All these things will they do unto
you for my name's sake.' It is not your evU doing,
but your holy profession of the name of Christ,
which is named upon you, that they hate.
Quest. But how comes it they should dare to be
so presumptuous and so palpably mahcious ?
Ans. It is because ' they have not known my
Father,' ver. 21. Their ignorance of the majesty
and justice of God is the cause of it.
Object. If it be of ignorance, it may be easily
pardoned them.
Sol. Ver. 22, ' If I had not come and "spoken
unto them, they should have had no sin, but
now there is no cloak for their sin;' that is, if
Christ, by the preaching of the word, had not dis
covered their sins, and set before them the way of
godliness, then it had been no such grievous and
monstrous sin ; but inasmuch as many men do lie in
wilful ignorance, and will not be informed of the
vileness of their course, therefore, before God, of all
sinners, they are without colour or excuse.
Object. But may they not have good hearts to God,
though they do thus intemperately and unjustly
malign and abuse the preachers and children of God ?
Sol. Ver. 23, He that hateth Christ in his minis
ters and members hateth the Father also, and
cannot have a good heart to God.
Object. But it may be that Christ and Christians
are hated the more securely by wicked worldings,
because they see nothing but their baseness and
humiliation. Sol. Ver. 24, ' If I had not done works among
them which none other did,' &c. By which words

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

55

our Saviour shews that no works of God for,
by, or amongst God's servants can be so great
testimonies of the undoubted certainty of the good
ness and holiness of their cause, but wicked men
will still, against all right, hate them. And, there
fore, we should so inform ourselves by this and
other scriptures, ver. 25, as to set down our rest,
that in the world we must have troubles, and in
Christ and heaven peace, and therefore lay up hope
in our hearts, as God hath locked up our treasures
in heaven.
Thus of hope. Thus also of the grace for which
he gives thanks.
Whereof ye have heard before by the word of truth,
ivhich is the gospel.
Ver. 6. Which is come unto you, even as it is unto
all the world, and is fruitful as it is also among you,
from the day that ye heard and truly knew the grace of
God. In these words, with those that follow to the
ninth verse, is contained the second part of the
thanksgiving, viz., his praise to God for their means
of grace.
The means is either principal, ver. 5, 6, or instru
mental, ver. 7, 8.
The principal means is the word ; and this is
described by six things : first, By the ordinance in
which it was most effectual, viz., hearing ; secondly,
By the property which was most eminent in the
working of it, viz., truth; thirdly, By the kind of
word, viz., the gospel; fourthly, By the providence
of God in planting it amongst them — is come unto you;
fifthly, By the subject persons upon whom it
wrought — you (the Colossians) and the ivhole world;
sixthly, By the efficacy — it is fruitful from the day.
Thus for the order of the words.
From the general I observe, out of all the words,
two things :
1. First, That nature directs not to the apprehen
sion either of grace or glory: 'the natural man
cannot perceive the things of God,' 1 Cor. ii. 14.
These Colossians had never known the face of God,
nor gained the grace of Christ, had not God sent
them the means. Briefly, this may inform us of
the lamentable condition of such as live in their
natural estate, only pleased with the desire or pos

session of the riches or gifts of nature ; and withal,
shews us the fountain of the want of sense or care
of grace, and holiness. In the most, sense comes
not from nature, but from the word ; and he is a
natural man that is stiU lapped and covered with
the veil of ignorance, whose wisdom is cross to
God's wisdom, that lieth in gross sins, like a dead
man without sense, that serves some particular gain
ful or pleasing sin, without using aright any ordin
ance of God against it, and is without the spirit of
adoption, his heart never broken for sin, and with
out desire of righteousness — Isa. xxv. 8, Rom. viii. 6,
Eph. ii. 1, Rom. vi.
2. Secondly, It is a worthy blessing of God to
any people to have the word of God amongst them.
This is that men should be exceeding thankful for
to God — Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20, Isa. U. 3. And by the
contrary, the want of the word is a terrible famine.
Use 1. For reproof both of men's profaneness in
neglecting and contemning of the word ; as also of
our great unthankfulness for such a mercy. 2. For
comfort to God's children that enjoy the word and
esteem it. The word should satisfy us whatsoever
else we want, both because it doth abundantly make
amends for all other wants ; and besides, it fits us
with strength, patience, and comfort, to make use
of other wants. 3. For instruction, not only to
such people as want the word to seek for it, and to
plant themselves where they may have it, but also
to such landlords and great men, and rulers of the
people, as would be thought lovers of their country,
to use all means to see the country and the parishes
under their power provided of this holy treasure.
Thus of the general doctrines out of the whole
verses. The first thing in special, is the kind of ordinance
in which the word was effectual, viz., hearing.
Whereof. That is, of which — heaven or hope. It
is a great mercy of God to hear of heaven, before
the time come it should be enjoyed or lost. If we
heard not of heaven till death or judgment, we
should continue still in our slumber, drowned in the
lust after profit or pleasures ; we should be so far
from finishing our mortification, as we should hardly
begin to set about the washing of our own unclean
ness both of hands and life ; we should look upon
grace and holiness with a dull and feeble eye ; yea,

56

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

it is good even for God's children to hear of it
before they have it, both to support them in then
crosses and discouragements, as also to pluck up
their minds to holy contemplation, and to wean
them from the love of base things ; yea, to inflame
them to a greater desire to magnify and glorify the
singular grace and mercy of God in these days of
their pilgrimage.
Ye have heard. No man can get eternal graces or
an enduring contentment, arising from the hope of
a better life, without the hearing of the word of
God— Mat. xvii. 50, Luke xvi. 29, 30, John viii. 47.
Quest. But tell us distinctly, what good shall men
get by hearing of sermons ?
Ans. Many are the singular benefits come to men
thereby : first, The Holy Ghost is here given, Acts
x. 44 ; secondly, Men's hearts are here opened, Acts
xvi. 14 ; thirdly, The fear of God doth here fall
upon men, Acts xiii. 1 6 ; fourthly, The proud and
stony heart of man is here tamed, melted, and made
to tremble, Isa. lxvi. 2 'rfifthly, The faith of God's
elect is here begotten, Rom. x. 14; sixthly, Men are
here sealed by the holy Spirit of promise, Eph. i.
1 3 ; seventhly, Here the Spirit speaketh to the
churches, Rev. ii. ; eighthly, Christ here comes to
sup with men, Rev. iii. 20 — let men teU of their
experience, whether ever their hearts tasted of the
refreshing of Christ, till they devoted themselves to
the hearing of the word ; ninthly, The painful dis
tress of the afflicted conscience is here or nowhere
cured — by hearing, the bones that God hath broken
receive joy and gladness, Ps. li. 3 ; tenthly, What
shall I say, but as the evangelical prophet saith, if
you can do nothing else, yet ' hear, and your souls
shall live,' Isa. Iv. 3. Live, I say, the life of grace,
yea, and the life of glory ; for salvation is brought
unto us by hearing.
Use 1. The use of this point is : First, For in
struction — 'let him that heareth hear,' Ezek. iii.
27 ; yea, let all rejoice in the mercies of their God,
that have tasted of this bounty of the Lord —
' blessed are your cars, inasmuch as you have heard;
many prophets and righteous men have desired to
hear the things that you hear, and have not heard
them,' Mat. xiii. 16, 17. Secondly, For humiliation,
under the consideration of the lamentable estate of
such people as have not the word preached unto

them. How do the thousands even in Israel perish
through the failing or wanting of vision ? Is there
not almost millions of men and women that have
scarce heard, by preaching, whether there be any
Holy Ghost? Oh the cruel torments that abide
those soul-murderers ! Shall I name them ? I wish
their repentance, that so they might have a new
name; but because lamentable experience shews
that the unsavoury salt seldom finds wherewith it
may be salted, therefore it is the duty of all God's
people to bow the knees of their hearts to God,
beseeching him to inflame the hearts of those that
are in authority with such bowels of compassion,
that they would in due time purge the church of
them, that so their names may no more be heard
amongst us. While men lie sick of the spiritual
lethargy in their own hearts, they are little troubled
with the distress of others; but if men would even
in God's sight duly weigh, without shifting and pre
judice, these propositions, viz., that the hearing of
the word is the ordinary means go convert men's souls
to God, Rom. x. 14, 1 Pet. i. 23, &c. ; and that
' except men be born again they cannot enter into
the kingdom of God,' John iii. 3 ; — if, I say, these
things be weighed, how should our bowels turn
within us to consider the case of some hundreds of
parishes in this famous kingdom, that in the midst
of this great light, in this respect, yet sit in dark
ness ? Thirdly, For the reproof of the disorders and
vicious dispositions of men in the hearing of the
word. Many are the sorts of evil hearers ; exceed
ing many are the wicked humours of men, by which
they sin against the word heard. The scripture
hath noted and taxed divers corruptions in men
in hearing, and fearfully threatened them. For
the better explication of this use I consider two
things : first, The sorts of evil hearers ; secondly.
Tlieir state in respect of it.
1. The sorts of evil hearers may be distinguished
into two kinds : some are openly impious and auda
cious, some more civil and restrained. Of the first
kind : First, Some are so wayward nothing can
please ihem ; either the preacher is too terrible, or
he is too comfortable. If John fast, he hath a
devil; if Christ eats, he is a glutton, Mat. xi. 16,
&c. Secondly, Some hear and are scandalised, Mat.
xv. 12. Men are so wedded to then own conceits,

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

and stuffed with prejudice, that they many times
wilfully study and strive to frame scandal and
offence out of the words of the teacher. Thirdly,
Some hear, and are filled with wrath and envy, and
that sometimes so as they cannot restrain the signs
of their rage and fretting, no, not in the sermon-
time, Luke iv. 28. They gnash with their teeth,
and their hearts are ready to burst for anger, Acts
vii. 54. And this comes many times, because men
cannot abide wholesome doctrine, but are given to
fables, 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4. Fourthly, Some hear, and
their mouths make jests, while their hearts go after
their lusts, Ezek. xxxiii. 30 ; they hear and mock,
Acts xvii. 32. Fifthly, Some make the auditory of
Christians the study of all manner of base filthiness ;
thither comes the adulterer, the covetous, the de
ceiver, the accuser of the brethren, &c, and there
they damnably frame their dogged and swinish ima
ginations. Sixthly, Some hear, and if they find any
power in the doctrine of the preacher, they inquire
whether he be not a Puritan ; for they have heard
so much evil of that sect everywhere, that that one
colour may serve to make them cautelous, and better
advised than to be much troubled with his doctrine,
Acts xxviii. 22. Seventhly, Some will hear if he
speak of this world, 1 John iv. 5. He is an excel
lent preacher that in their understanding gives them
liberty, and sows pillows under their fleshly and
worldly elbows. Eighthly, Some hear fearfully, as
loath to be drawn to the sermon of any that rebukes
sin, as the people of Israel were to come near the
mount, Heb. xii. 19. Ninthly, Some, like the chief
priests and pharisees, when they perceive that the
preacher rebukes their sins, seek to lay hands upon
him, Mat. xxi. 45, 46, and as far as the fear of the
people restraineth them not, they practise to remove
him. The civiller sorts of hearers are diversely sinful in
their several humours : first, Some hear, but it is to
be rid of their diseases, that is, to see whether by
hearing sermons, and coming to church, they can
assuage the trouble of their minds, and dull the
stinging cares of their hearts ; secondly, Some are
like the young man, for they go from the sermon
sorry that the word requireth such things as they
are not willing to do, Mat. xix. ; thirdly, Some
hear and say, God forbid, Luke xx. 16— it is

pity it should be so as the preacher says ; fourthly,
Some hear because a great report goeth ofthe teacher,
Mat. iii. 8 ; fifthly, But above all others, they are
strange hearers that are mentioned, Mat. xxii. 22 —
they hear and admire, and yet leave and forsake, for
any reformation or practice of what they hear.
Under this rank I may refer the three sorts of
hearers, Mat. xiii. The first sort suffer the devil
presently to take away the word. The second sort
choke it with cares and lusts. The third forsakes
the profession, and hearing, and liking of it, in the
time of temptation or persecution. Thus of their
sorts. 2. The state of men transgressing against the
word, by refusing to hear it aright, is exceeding
fearful ; if they could see their misery they would
do as the prophets require, they would cut their
hair and cast it away, under the sense of the horror
of God's indignation, Jer. vii. 22-29. The dust of
the feet of God's messengers will rise in judgment
against such hearers, Mat. x. 14. It shall be easier
for Nineveh, and Tyrus, and Sidon, and Sodom, and
Gomorrah, than for such hearers, Mat. xii. 41 ;
yea, all their suits for mercy are abomination in
God's sight, Prov. xxviii. 9. A heavy care is noted
for a singular judgment, Mat. xiii. 13, 14, &c. ;
Isa. xxx. 8, 9. Yea, because men will not hear the
word they must bear the rod, Mic. vi. 9 ; and their
ears (if they belong to God) must be forced open
by corrections, Job iii. 3. To conclude, if all this
cannot affect men, then I say, as the Lord said to
the prophet of such persons, ' He that leaveth off to
hear, let him leave off,' Ezek. iii. ult. Thus of the
first part of the description, viz., the ordinance in
which it is most effectual, viz., hearing.
The second part is the property of the word,
which is most eminent in the working of it, viz.,
truth. Word of truth. He meaneth not the personal
Word, which is Christ, but the enunciative word,
made known either singularly by revelation, oracles,
visions, dreams, or commonly by tradition of doc
trine, from hand to hand for two thousand years ; or
by a more excellent manner, afterwards by scripture.
The word of holy scripture is here meant.
There are many properties of the word of God
wherein it doth excel : first, It is divine, th e
H

58

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

testimony of God's mouth, wonderful, 1 Thes. ii.
13, Ps. cxix. 18, 88, 129; secondly, It is eternal
and incorruptible, a living word, or the word of life,
Ps. cxix. 89, 144, 152, Philip, ii. 16, 1 Pet. i. 22;
thirdly, It is swift, Ps. cxlvii. 15-18; fourthly, it
is powerful and terrible, Heb. iv. 12 ; the sword
of the Spirit, Hosea vi. 5, Isa. xi. 2, Heb. iv. 12,
Eph. vi. ; fifthly, It is nourishing and healing, it
hath a property to nourish and heal, Ps. cvii. 20 ;
sixthly, It sanctifieth both our persons and the use
of the creature ; seventhly, It is comfortable, joyful,
sweet, Ps. cxix. 14, 52, 143, 162 ; eighthly, It is apt
for generation, it hath a quickening power, Ps. cxix.
25-28, 1 Pet. i. 22 ; ninthly, It is preservative,
both from sin, Ps. cxix. 11, and from shame, Ps.
cxix. 22 — so will not gold and silver ; tenthly, It
is wise and exceeding large, Ps. cxix. 96, 98, 99,
100, 104 ; eleventhly, It is light, and pure, and just,
Ps. cxix. 105, 1.30, 140, 128, 138. But here the
word is commended for the truth of it, and that a
most eminent property in men's conversions.
Truth is taken diversely : for a virtue in speech, in
the second table ; for truth of doctrine, John v. 33 ;
for the substance of a type, John i. 17 ; for upright
ness and sincerity, John hi. 21 ; for the true form of
a thing, Rom. i. 28.
Here the word of God is said to be ' the word of
truth,' in regard of the use of the word in the con
version of a sinner ; and that, first, as it is appre
hended to be in itself ; secondly, as it is by effect in
the hearer. For the first, before a man can have
experience of the power of the word in the gathering
of his soul, he must know it to be a word of truth
four ways :
First, That it is the very word of God, and there
fore true : considering the admirable antiquity of the
story before all other histories ; the dreadful miracles
by which it was confirmed ; the certain event of the
vaticinies or prophecies ; the immutable and every
way sufficient frame of piety, righteousness, and
divine worship, contained init ; the durableness of
the wisdom thereof, which no punishments could
ever extort out the heart of the professor thereof;
and lastly, the dreadful judgments upon the enemies
of it.
Secondly, That it is true, whatsoever doctrine it
revealeth, though it make never so much against

our profits, or pleasures, or lusts. Till a man be
brought to this, the word never worketh soundly.
Thirdly, That there is an especial glory of truth
in the promises, both in the promise itself, and the
condition. Fourthly, That we acknowledge truth in the per
formance of what God hath promised, and so give
glory to his faithfulness ; and thus of the word as it
is apprehended in itself.
In the second place, the word is the word of
truth by effect, because it worketh truth in us,
and imprinteth itself in us, and fits us for godli
ness, Titus i. 2 ; and thus it worketh truth in us six
ways :
First, In that it worketh knowledge, and so truth
in the understanding. Secondly, In that it worketh
in us the truth of worship, John xiv. 23, 24.
Thirdly, In that it worketh in us plainness and
uprightness, in the exercise of grace and hohness,
and so it is opposed to hypocrisy, Eph. iv. 24.
Fourthly, In that it worketh truth of constancy, that
is, an everlasting resolution to hear and keep the
word of truth, John viii. 37, 1 John iv. 6. Fifthly,
In that it begets in us the sincerity and truth that
becomes our callings and behaviour in the world, as
we are free from lying, calumnies, perfidiousness,
slandering, boasting, flattery, &c, 1 Cor. v. 8.
Sixthly, In that it makes all our conversation virtuous,
and so guides us to do the truth, Job hi. 22, James
iii. 17.
Use is both for instruction and for reproof.
For instruction : therefore we should labour that
the word may be a word of truth to us; and to
this end : first, We should pray God to give us ' the
Spirit of truth,' John xvi. 1 3 ; secondly, We must
repent, that we may ' come to the knowledge of the
truth,' 2 Tim. ii. 25 ; thirdly, We may not rest in
the form of truth, Rom. ii. 20, Job iii. 32.
For reproof of four sorts of men : first, Such as
' will not receive the love of the truth ' — with these
'gain is godliness,' 1 Tim. vi. 5, 2 Thes. ii. 10, 12;
secondly, Such as strangle the light of the truth,
either of nature, conscience, or the word, and
' withhold it in unrighteousness ' — that strive against
the light of the truth in their hearts, that they might
sin the more freely, Rom. i. 18; thirdly, Such as
will not obey the truth which yet they admire, com-

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

59

mend, affect, &c, Gal. iii. 1, and v. 7 ; fourthly,
Such as by tlieir wicked lives 'cause the way of
truth to be blasphemed,' which truth they both
hear, and profess to obey. Thus of the second part
of the description.
Thirdly, The word of God is described by the
kind of word, viz., the gospel.
Which is the gospel. By the gospel is meant the
doctrine of the reconciliation of man with his God
after the fall. Concerning the gospel, we may in
the general here observe, that of all other doctrines,
the doctrine of man's reconciliation with God 4s
especially to be urged and explained by the preacher,
and to be most minded and inquired into by the
hearer. The knowledge and experience of this
point acquaints a man with the saving power of
God. Never do men indeed see the beauty of the
feet of God's servants, Rom. x. 15, till they have
travailed about the obtaining of their peace with
God. If ministers would bend the very force of
their ministries about the sound and daily enforcing
of the doctrine of man's particular assurance of his
peace and reconciliation, it would produce, by God's
blessing, singular fruit. This doctrine would judge
the very secrets of men, and give them a glimpse of
their last doom. It is a most prevailing doctrine, and
therefore extremely envied in the world. The high
priests and scribes, with the elders of the people,
many times shew they cannot abide it, Luke xx. 1.
Hence it is that hfe is not dear unto God's' faithful
servants, so they may in the comfort thereof fulfil
their course and ministration received of the Lord
Jesus, in testifying the gospel of the grace of God,
Acts xx. 24. Of all other doctrines, the devil
labours to keep the world ignorant of the necessity
and power of this, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. But woe is to
those preachers that teach it not, 1 Cor. ix. 16;
and horrible woeful shall the estate of those people
appear to be at the last day that obey it not,
2 Thes. i. 8. And therefore we should strive to
keep afoot the sparkles of light in this point ; and
whatsoever we lose in hearing, this doctrine should
never run out.
In particular, concerning the gospel, I inquire into
three things : first, Wherein this doctrine lieth ;
secondly, Who receive this doctrine of the gospel ;
thirdly, What are the effects of it.

1. For the first, the gospel, or the doctrine of it,
lieth in two things :
First, In our true repentance for our sins ; and,
secondly, In the infallible assurance of faith in God's
favour in Christ forgiving us our sins, Mat. iii. 2,
Mark i. 15. And this duly weighed : first, Reproves
those that dream of salvation and the benefits of
the gospel, without mortification ; and, secondly, It
should teach us to nourish faith by all means, by
nourishing of desires, by removing of lets, praying
for it, waiting upon hearing, beholding the faith of
God's children, and delivering up our souls to some
able and wise pastor.
2. The second question is, Who receive the gospel ?
Ans. We must consider : first, Who may receive
it; and that is answered, Mark xvi. 15, ' every crea
ture ;' that is, any man or woman, of what nation,
language, profession, calling, state, and condition
soever; and, secondly, we must consider who do
receive it ; and this may be answered generally
or more specially, Generally, none receive the gospel
but they find in it the very power of God to salvation,
Rom. i. 16. None but such as are begotten again
by it to God, 1 Cor. i. 16. If there be no change in
thy life, thou hast yet no part in the gospel ; with
out conversion, no glad tidings. In special, the
persons that receive this treasure are signed out by
divers properties in scripture : they are poor in
spirit, Mat. xi. 5, Luke iv. 18 ; they find such need
of it, that heaven suffers violence, and they press to
it, Luke xvi. 16, Mat. xi. 10; and they so highly
esteem the comforts of it, that they can be content
to lose liberty, friends, means, and life too, for
Christ's sake and the gospel, Mark viii. 35, and
x. 29. And it works so forcibly upon men's souls,
that they consecrate themselves to God, to sincerity,
and godliness, Rom. xv. 1 6 ; and learn conscionably
to practise the service of God in their spirit, mind
ing the reformation of their thoughts and affections
within, as well as of their words and actions with
out, Rom. i. 9.
3. And, thirdly, For the effects of it. Great are
the praises of the power of it : it begets men to
God ; it is the power of God to salvation ; it judgeth
the secrets of men. Of these before. It brings
abundance of blessings, Rom. xv. 19 ; it makes men
heirs and co-heirs with Christ ; it is a witness to all

60

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[Chap. I.

nations, Mat. xxiv. 14; and, lastly, life and immor
tality is brought to light by it, 2 Tim. i. 10.
The uses. The consideration hereof should much
encourage ministers to press this doctrine, and never
cease to preach it in the temple, and from house to
house, and make use of all opportunities when a
door is opened unto them, either in respect of
power in their own hearts, or in respect of tender
ness and affection, and desire in the people, Acts
v. 42, 1 Cor. i. 12. God's people also should so
labour for the assurance of God's favour, and peace
in Christ by the word, as they should store their
hearts with provision of that kind, not only for
their death-bed when they die, but renew the per
suasion of it in their hearts daily, the better to fit
them even in their callings and special standings.
This knowledge is not only a crown and shield for
their heads, but shoes also for their feet, against the
filth of the times, and thorny cares of the world, and
all the difficulties of a daily diligence in their stand
ings, Eph. vi. 15.
Thus of the third part of the description; the
fourth followeth.
4. The manner of providence in planting it
amongst them, in these words :
And is come unto you. Where we may observe, that
if the means of happiness find us not out to work
\ipon us, we would never look after it. If God
were not more careful to send it than we to seek it,
it would never be had. We see this by common
experience, that whole multitudes of people live
without any sense of the want of the word, and did
not God by some great providence send it them, and
persuade them to the use of it, it would never be
had. And this comes to pass because men are dead
in sin, and sick of a lethargy, in the very use of the
light of nature in matters of godliness ; and, besides,
there is an incredible inclination in our natures to
seek for contentment in things below, and to be
pleased with any condition rather than soundly to
digest a sense of the necessity of using the means for
happiness in better things. And lastly, this neglect
of seeking the word comes from errors about men's
estate, while they think that they may be in God's
favour, and like enough to be saved, without any
such ado.
Thus of the fourth part.

5. The fifth thing in the description is the subject
persons to whom the gospel came, viz., the Colos
sians, and all the world.
Unto you, as it is even unto all the world. Hence
we may note: first, The truth of God in his
promises ; he promised flourishing churches of the
Gentiles, and lo, it is effected; the word is gone out
into all the world ; secondly, That the true trial of
all doctrine is by inquiring whether it be agreeable
to that doctrine wherein the world was overcome to
God. Though an angel from heaven should preach
otherwise, yet his doctrine were to be detested as
accursed, 1 Gal. i. 8. And therefore we may justly
complain of the papists, and all popish men. that
chain men down to a necessity of looking upon the
hundreds of years near unto us, and will not bear it
that men should seek ground for their conscience, by
overlooking all the hundreds of years since Christ,
and minding only conformity to the doctrine that
first founded the churches of the Gentiles; all doc
trines since then, though in the purest times, are to
be received no further than they agree with the doc
trine of Christ and his apostles.
Thirdly, That men are bound to seek the word
wheresoever it may be heard; for if this had not been
so, how could all the world receive the light of the
gospel? And further, we may see that the want of
teachers was no warrant to commit the churches to
the care of such as could not teach; a necessity lieth
in the people to seek the word where it may be had.
And therefore those church governors sin grievously
that in this light create so many insufficient men, and
set them over the flocks of Christ. For if want of
able men had been a reason, the apostles should have
seen into this necessity, to ease the labour and care
of the churches ; but it is a more grievous sin to
admit, ordain, and place them, and yet see many
worthy and able men wholly want places.
Fourthly, We might here note the vanity of their
argument that would prove universal grace, because
Christ died for all men ; for in this place here is not
only the world, but all the ivorld; and yet here cannot,
in any reasonable sense, be meant all the singular
men and women in the world; for there wrere many
thousands of particular persons to whom the gospel
came not, and therefore by all the world (as here, so
in that question) may be understood all the elect

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

61

world ; or if the world universally, then it is true in
respect of offer, or not excepting out of any of any
nation; or by all the world is meant men of all sorts
and conditions in the world.
Fifthly, We might here note the incredible power
and swUtness of the gospel, that could overcome, and
that in so short a time; and the rather if that we
consider that the magistrates generally drew the
sword against it, and there were not wanting
ministers to oppugn it, even false teachers of <all
sorts; and besides, the people had been so long time
settled in their false religion; and lastly, if we look
upon the meanness or the fewness of those that were
God's ambassadors to the Gentiles.
Thus of the fifth part of the description.
The last thing by which the word of God is
described is the efficacy of it. And here the apostle
sheweth: first, What it doth — ' it bringeth fruit,' and
' it increaseth,' for so it is added in some copies;
secondly, Upon whom — 'as even in you;' thirdly,
When it began to be so, viz., ' from the day that you
heard,' &c. ; fourthly, What made it work so, viz.,
' the hearing and true knowledge of the grace of God.'
And is 'fruitful.' Concerning fruitfulness, required
as an effect of the word, I consider four things: first,
The reasons to move us to fruitfulness; secondly,
The sort of fruits we should bear; thirdly, The means
to make us fruitful; lastly, The uses.
1. For the first, there are many things might move
us to make conscience of glorifying God in our
places, by bearing the fruit of the gospel, even ex
pressing the power of it in our lives.
First, It is a special glory to God, and to our adop
tion and calling, John xv. 8; secondly, It is a testi
mony that we are indeed Christ's disciples, ibid.;
thirdly, The practising of those things which are
within the compass of God's promises (such as are all
the fruits of righteousness) is the very ground- work
of true prosperity, Ps. i. 3 ; fourthly, To this end did
God by election before time, and special vocation in
the gospel, choose us, and call and single us out of
the world, John xv. 16; fifthly, It procures unto us
an unstained and inoffensive glory, even until the day
of Christ, Phil. i. 21; sixthly, If aman endeavour to
bring forth fruit, and to walk as becomes the gospel,
he is sure to speed when he hath any suit to God,
John xv. 16; seventhly, Against such there is no

law, Gal. v. 23; eighthly, It shall be to us according
to our fruit, Jer. xvii, 8; ninthly, The fruits of
righteousness are better treasures for a Christian than
all riches, Jer. xvii. 10; tenthly, If we be not fruitful
we shall be cut off from Christ, and utterly for ever
remain frustrate of all his merits and virtue, John
xv. 2, 4, 6.
2. Now for the second, The fruits that we should
bear are such as these : — the forsaking of our par
ticular beloved reigning sins, (this is all fruit, Isa.
xxvii. 9 ;) the exercise of the true love and fear of
God in a conscionable both worship of God and
practice of life ; the fruits of zeal for God's glory,
humility, patience, and the exercise of the duties of
mortification — as prayer, sorrow, fasting, and the
rest; fidelity in the diligent discharge of the duties
required of us in our families and calling; sobriety
in the use of God's creatures, contentation, just deal
ing, and to be rightly ordered in matters of report;
finally, works of mercy, and all duties of love.
3. Thirdly, That we may be more fruitful: first,
We must labour for greater tenderness in our hearts,
and plough our ground deep with long furrows of
mortification — the seed will not grow if it fall upon
the trampled and smooth heart of man, Mat. xiii.,
the stones must be taken from the roots, Isa. lxii. 10;
secondly, We must learn to make God our trust, and
God's promise our treasure, else in many parts of
Christian fruitfulness, worldliness will teach us to
deny to obey, Jer. xvii. 8, 9 ; thirdly, We may not
neglect to send forth the leaves of profession, for, as
these leaves are of medicinal use, Ezek. xlvii. 12, so
they are good inducements to force a necessity of
more fruit — if no profession there will be little fruit ;
fourthly, We should labour to be abundant in storing
up of saving knowledge, for the wisdom that is from
above is full of good fruit, James iii. 17; fifthly, We
should seek the prayers of God's ministers for us, and
subject ourselves to be directed by their care and
pains, Luke xiii. 6, 7— though the ungrateful world
contemns God's messengers and vine-dressers, yet
the truth is, that U many times they did not rise up
in the gap, woe would be unto men for their barren
ness; sixthly, We should make use of our crosses, and
learn humility and acknowledgment of our sins by
them, breaking our hearts in God's sight, and be
seeching him for the compassions of a father to be

62

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

shewed to us, that so we might, after much exercise
under our crosses, ' bring forth the quiet fruit of
righteousness,' Heb. xii.; seventhly, We should im
portune the Lord, for our sakes, to visit the great
leviathan, the devil, and to receive us under his pro
tection, to watch us, and daily to water us, Isa. xxvii.
1-4, &c.
Lastly, In the first Psalm are divers rules : first, We
must not sit with wicked men; secondly, We must
privately and constantly exercise ourselves in the
word of God ; thirdly, We must seat ourselves under
the powerful ministry of the word, near the rivers of
these waters of life; and lastly, We must take heed
of procrastination, delay no time, but with great
heedfuln ess respect the season, or due time of fruit —
all the year is not seed-time or harvest.
4. The use is for bitter reproof of the barrenness
and perverseness of our hearts. Some men are so
ignorant that they know not that they owe any
things of necessity unto religion. Some bear fruit,
and more than enough of it, but it is only to the
flesh, Hosea x. 1, Rom. vi. Some hear the preacher,
with Herod, gladly, but they mend but what they
list. Some rest in the means of fruitfulness. It is
enough with them, for their praise,1 that they have
the means and frequent it. Some will bear fruit, but
they choose which fruit; for some wUl do somewhat
in civil righteousness in their deahngs with men, but
are little or nothing in sincere piety to God. Others
bear fair leaves of profession in the first table, but in
the second table bear such wild fruit as it is a shame
to behold it in this light, and a sorrow it ought to
be to them to hear God, with . disdain, expostulate
about it. Some are good abroad, but naught
at home; but at the hands of all these will the
Lord of the vineyard require fruit, and judge them
according to their works.
And increaseth. This also is added in some copies.
Here I observe two things : first, In what it in
creaseth ; secondly, By what means. For the first,
the word increaseth five ways ;
First, In the number of hearers, so Acts ix. 31.
Secondly, In the power of working, the efficacy of it
is, and is felt of godly minds, more and more,
Thirdly, In the fairness of the leaves of profession,
It is noted of a good tree that his leaves shall not
1 Qu. 'part'?— Ed.

fail; and it is certain that the word maketh the
glory of profession both more and more inoffensive.
Fourthly, In the goodness of fruit. It causeth men to
bring forth more and better fruit at the last than at
the first ; yea, Christians refreshed with the daily
comforts of God's word, bring forth new fruit every
month, Ezek. xlvii. 12. Fifthly, In the height of
growth. God's children are made every day more
heavenly-minded than another.
Secondly, That the word of God may increase by
making us to increase in fruitfulness, we must do
five things : first, We must labour to continue near
the waters of the sanctuary, Ezek. xlvii., Ps. i. We
should never, but in case of necessity, withdraw our
hearts from the directions and comforts of a daily
and settled effectual ministry. Secondly, We must
take root downward, and then the world will be
filled with fruit, Isa. xxvii. 6. The tree groweth two
ways, upward in branches, and downward by root
ing itself more and more in the earth ; so ought a
Christian to grow upward in the external fruits of
holy life, and downwards in the roots of faith, hope,
and other holy graces ; and it is certain if men be
careful to fasten their roots more and more, there
will be a happy increase in the outward life of man.
Thirdly, We must arm ourselves against the heat of
tribulations, or persecutions, as against the means of
failing, Jer. xvii. 8. Fourthly, We must abide in
Christ, John xv. 4, labouring to nourish the sense of
his presence, and the contentment arising from the
communion with his members, Sec. Lastly, We must
be much in the exercises of mortification. " Every
branch that beareth fruit the husbandman purgeth,
that it may bear more fruit,' John xv. 2, 3.
Before I pass from these words it is to be observed,
that he saith not they were fruitful, or increased ;
but the word is fruitful, &c. To note that when
men have given their names to the gospel, that which
befalleth them is said to befall the gospel; partly
because what good men do, they do it by direction
from the word, and assistance of the Spirit of Christ,
and partly because the world attributes what is
done by professors of the word to the word they
hear. If their lives be full of good fruits, the word
of God is glorified ; but if they be any way vicious,
the word is blasphemed, Rom. ii. 24. Then
they say, This is their preaching ; this comes of

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

63

gadding to sermons, and tossing of their bibles !
Sec. The use is both for instruction and comfort. For
instruction : therefore, God's children should ' work
out their salvation with fear and trembling,' and
labour to be ' filled with the fruits of righteousness,'
living inoffensively, and ' holding forth the word of
life' in all holy conversation, ' shining as lights in
the midst of a froward and crooked nation,' Phil. i.
11, and ii. 15, 16. For comfort also, because the
Lord is pleased to communicate the honour of his
word to his people, so as where the word is in credit
they shall be in credit ; and if they be despised they
are not despised alone, bufthe word is despised with
them. Thus of the first thing in the efficacy of the word,
viz., what it doth. The second thing is upon whom
it worketh, or the subject persons.
As it is also in you. Doct. It helps not us that
others, though many, be wrought upon by the word,
gathered, made fruitful, and increased ; unless we be
sure of the efficacy of it in ourselves. It had been a
small comfort to the Colossians to know that the
word was fruitful all over the world, if it had no
power amongst them. There is a windy vanity pre
vails in the heads of many hearers. They think they
do worthily when they commend the sermon, praise
the preacher, tell of the working of the word in such
and such, though they perceive not that unto them
it is but a dead letter. Many are full-mouthed, but
have empty hearts and hands ; but it should be our
discretion to labour the cure of this looseness and
wandering of heart, and not to suffer our souls to be
led aside from considering our own way by any such
smooth wiles of Satan. Thus of the persons ; the
time followeth.
From the day. Here I observe three things :
First, That there is a season for men to be fruitful
in. We are naturally dry trees or no trees. We
are but dead stocks ; neither if we should stand in
God's orchard to all eternity, would we of ourselves
bear the fruits of the gospel, or exercise ourselves in
those fair fruits that are unto eternal life. If before
this day the city of Colosse had been searched with
lights, there would had been found no true fruits of
grace or righteousness amongst them. Our season
to bear fruit is, then, when God calls for it. At some

time of our life, God, giving us the means, doth set
before us the way of life and death, affects us in
wardly with sense of our misery, or the glory of con
version, or the necessity of our repentance. Now
when the axe of God's word is laid thus near to the
root of the tree, it is then time to bear fruit, or else
we are in danger. The consideration hereof, as it
shews that the works of civil honest men are but
shadows or blasted fruit, so it should enforce upon
us a fear of standing out the day of our visitation.
Consider with thyself, God calls now for repentance
and the duties of new obedience. If now thou an
swer God's call, and pray God to make thee such as
he requires thee to be, thou mayest find favour
in his eyes ; for God is ' near them that call upon
him,' if they seek him in due time, while he
may be found; but if thou delay, consider, first,
That thy heart of itself, without dressing, wUl
never be fruitful ; secondly, That thou art not sure
of the means hereafter ; thirdly, If thou wert sure,
yet who can prescribe unto the Most High ? ' He
hath called, and thou hast not answered ;' therefore
fear his justice. Thou mayest call and he will not
answer. Secondly, That it is exceeding praiseworthy, and
a singular mercy of God, if the word of God work
speedily upon us, if we yield and stoop with the first,
if it make us fruitful from the first day. This lively
working of the word, first, Is a seal to the word
itself, for hereby it is out of all doubt that it is the
true word of God ; and this effectual work of grace
upon our consciences doth fence us against a thou
sand objections about the word ; secondly, It is the
minister's seal, — as soon as he seeth this power of
doctrine, he hath his seal from God — the fruitfulness
of the people is the preacher's testimonial, 2 Cor. iii.
2 ; thirdly, So soon as we find the word to be a
savour of life unto us, it becomes a seal to our own
adoption to life ; and therefore we should again, every
man, be admonished to take heed of delaying the
time, for not only we want the testimony of our own
happiness while we live without subjecting our souls
to the power of the word, but exceedingly provoke
God against us. We should consider that the Holy
Ghost saith peremptorily, ' Now is the axe laid to the
root of the tree, and every tree that bringeth not
forth fruit is cut down and cast unto the fire.' Not

64

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

that he requireth present fruit, or threateneth pres
ent execution, Mat. iii. 10, Johnxv. 2. Neither may
we harden our own hearts with presumption, because
we see not present execution upon this rebellion of
man against God, and the offer of his grace ; for we
must know that men are cut off by more ways than
one. Some are cut off by death, as an open revenge
of the secret rebellion of the heart, not opening when
the Spirit of grace knocketh. Some are cut off by
spiritual famine, God removing the means from them,
or suffering them to be their own executioners, by
withdrawing themselves from the means. Some men
are cut off by God's fearful judgment, being cast
into a reprobate sense. Some are cut off by church
censures, God ratifying in heaven what is done in
earth by the church.
Thirdly, Hence we learn, that if we would be
truly faithful, we must be constantly so ; not lose a leaf,
much less give over bearing fruit, Ps. i. 3, Ezek. xlvii.
12. Sudden flashes will not serve turn. The Lord
knows not how to entreat them whose goodness is
but like the morning dew, Hosea vi. 4. Either (from
the day) constantly, or not (upon the day) truly.
Thus of the time.
Fourthly, This efficacy is limited : first, By the
kind of doctrine which especially makes men fruitful,
viz., the doctrine of the grace of God ; secondly, By
the application of it, both by hearing and knowledge ;
and both are limited, in that they are required to
be in the truth.
That ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth.
In the opening of these words I consider : first, The
words apart; secondly, The doctrines out of the
whole. For the first, here are three things to be
considered: 1. What grace of God the gospel pro
pounds to men ; 2. What we must do that we may
have the comfort of this, that we do truly hear ; 3.
What it is to know truly.
1. For the first, the gospel requires of men a deep
sense of the singular grace or free mercy of God
towards men, and that principally in five things :
first, In giving Christ to mankind fallen, and find
ing out so happy a means of our deliverance ;
secondly, In accepting of the mediation of Christ in
particular for the believer, in the age that he liveth
in ; thirdly, In forgiving sins past, through his
patience ; fourthly, In blessing the means, for man's

sanctification ; and lastly, in allowing unto men their
lot in the inheritance ofthe saints in heaven.
2. Secondly, That we may have the comfort of
this, that we do truly hear the word, seven things
are to be done : first, We must deny our own carnal
reason, wit, parts, and outward praises, and ' become
fools that we may be wise,' 1 Cor. iii. 18 ; secondly,
We must fear God, jind set our souls in God's pres
ence, Ps. xxv. 14, Acts x. 33; thirdly, We must
come with a purpose and willingness to be reformed
by it, Ps. 1. 1 6 ; fourthly, We must labour for a meek
and humble spirit, mourning over pride, malice, and
passion, James i. 22, Isa. Iviii. 15, 1 Chron. xxxiv. 27;
fifthly, We must hear all, Deut. v. 27, both at all
times, that is, constantly, and all doctrines that con
cern the grace of God ; sixthly, We must hear with
faith and assurance, Heb. iv. 1, 1 Thes. i. 5 ; lastly,
We should especially in hearing wait for a blessing
from God, in the particular knowledge of God's
grace to us, else all hearing is to little purpose.
3. Thirdly, Men may be said to know, and yet
not truly : first, When they know false things, as, in
the Church of Rome, to know the doctrine of purga
tory, intercession of saints, image worship, the
supremacy of the Pope, or, in Germany, to know the
ubiquity of Christ's human nature, universal grace,
falling from grace, or that the sacraments confer to
all the graces they signify, and such like ; secondly,
When men have the form of words, and understand
not the meaning ; thirdly, when the notions of the
truth are entertained in the mind, and not let down
into the affections, when men have knowledge in
their heads, and no affections in their hearts— the
law should be ' written in their hearts ; ' fourthly,
When men know things by opinion, not by faith, as
the most men know the greatest part of religion ;
fifthly, When our knowledge is not experimental in
practice; sixthly, When men know other things,
but not the grace of God to themselves.
Thus of the words apart. The doctrines follow.
Doct. 1. First, Men may hear and yet not know.
Knowledge is not attained by all that hear ; and
this comes to pass either as a curse for men's home-
sins unrepented — where manners will not be in
formed, there faith cannot — or by reason of pride
and conceit of our own wits, and that we need not
be informed. Thus the pharisees are blind, though

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

65

they hear Christ himself. Or it comes to pass by
reason of men's faultiness in hearing ; they hear
carelessly, or without application, or with prejudice,
or not all ; or else it is because men smother their
doubts, and seek not resolution in private by con
ference, or seeking the law at the priest's mouth ;
and in many fruitless hearing is caused by want of
catechising, when people are not fitted for preaching
by information in the principles before.
Doct. 2. Secondly, The hearing and true know
ledge of God's grace to a man in particular doth
make fruitful. The salutary appearance of God's
grace in a man's heart works in a man a desire and
endeavour to shew all good faithfulness that may
adorn that doctrine by which he comes to know
God to be his Saviour. ' It teacheth men to deny
ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live godly,
righteously, and soberly ; ' it purgeth from iniquity,
and inflames the zeal for good works, Titus ii. 10-14.
When God's children have the tidings of grace given
unto them, it kindles in them a singular encourage
ment to go about God's work, and to hold out to
lay the very last stone with joy, Zech. iv. 7.
Doct. 3. Thirdly, As other doctrines, so especially
the doctrine of our reconciliation with God, or of
our particular assurance of God's grace to us, is ex
ceeding hard, and men are strangely turned off from
the right knowledge of it. This comes to pass
(where it is effectually preached) because it is
hindered by common hope, and by a resolution in
many to part with no sin for the attaining of it,
and by a natural darkness in the understanding of
man in matters of the kingdom of Christ, and by
the special mahce of the devil, and by pride in
other knowledges ; and lastly, by an incredible
averseness in our natures, that will not be brought to
set time apart to mind this point seriously, and to
apply ourselves unto the means that might further
us thereunto. Whereas if men were assured of
God's favour, and possessed of saving grace, the
profit of the knowledge of it would appear to be
exceeding great. Though the heart of man be ex
ceeding dull, yet it could not but marvellously refresh
us to think of the pardon of all our sins ; yea, if we
were sure of this point, and had travelled soundly
about the experience of God's grace to us in par
ticular, it would for ever settle us in the plerophory

of our religion. A man needs never care for dis
putes and the thousands of volumes about which
should be the true church or true religion ; for if a
man by sound reasons from the word and Spirit of
God, had gotten the assurance of God's love, he
would become as Mount Zion, that could not be
moved. This also would make a man able to con
temn all earthly mutations, and live in firmness of
heart, in some measure, out of the fear of any afflic
tions, or of death itself; and besides, it would
preserve us from the poison and infection of earthly
pleasures, and vain delights and profits. And to con
clude, it is to enjoy a kind of heaven upon earth, as
being an entrance into the first degree of eternal
life. When men get from under the law to live under
grace, it works not only a dissolution of the do
minion of sin, but a consecration of the members for
the service of righteousness, Rom. vi. 13, 14 ; of the
fulness of Christ do all the faithful receive, even
grace for grace, John i. 14-16 ; the truth of sancti
fication and new obedience, together with the per*
fection of redemption and justification. To conclude,
every faithful man may say as the apostle said, ' By
the grace of God I am what I am,' 1 Cor. xv. 10.
The use is, first, for instruction' : even to labour so
much the more earnestly for the certainty of assur
ance of God's grace and free favour to us in par
ticular, because it will make us abundant in the
work of the Lord, and enrich us with those things
that may further our reckoning against the last day.
But that we may speed in suing for God's grace,
and waiting for the tidings of his special love, we
must labour to be good men, and shew it by this,
that we be men of holy imaginations, Prov. xii. 2.
Our understanding will never be capable of this
knowledge till the evils of the thoughts be in some
measure purged out and subdued. Besides, we
must take heed of scorning and contemning the
means of grace, Prov. iii. 34, and labour for a
hatred of every sin ; for till then we never get any
sound experience of God's favour. So long as a
man makes a mock of anysin, and securely against
the light will commit it, so long he remains under
power of foUy and unregeneration, Prov. xiv. 6.
But especially we must labour to get and grow in
humility; for God bestows his graces on the humble,

66

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

1 Pet. v. 4, James iv. 6. And if God ever com
fort us with his graces, let us so learn to make it
our portion, and to trust perfectly upon it, 1 Pet. i.
13, as not to receive it in vain, 2 Cor. vi. 1, but
obey all the counsel of God, and his ministers, that
beseech us to express the power of it in our hves.
Secondly, The doctrine of the power of God's
grace doth bitterly reprove four sorts of men : first,
Such as neglect God's grace, and seek not any
particular evidence for it ; secondly, Such as fall
away from the -grace of God, and give over the use
of the means of grace, Gal. i. 6, which apostasy
many times befalls such men as will not wash off
the pollution, nor by mortification stay the spring
ing up of some bitter root or other within their
hearts, — such apostates, when they were at the best,
had in their hearts some imperious lusts and pas
sions or other, that they made not conscience of to
subdue, Heb. xii. 15 ; thirdly, Such as turn the
grace of Qod into wantonness ; men that before
they have any reason of comfort, upon the bare
hearing of the promises of the gospel, take liberty
to live licentiously, and follow their sins with pre
sumptuous abuse of God's mercy, — these are ungodly
men, ordained before to condemnation, Jude 4 ;
lastly, Such as cannot abide the doctrine of God's
grace, but despise and hate the very Spirit of grace,
— how sore shall their punishment be ! Heb. x. 29.
Thus far of the thanksgiving for the principal
means of grace. The instrumental follows.
Ver. 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our fellow-
servant, who is for you, a faithful minister of God ;
Ver. 8. Who hath also declared unto us your love,
which you have in the Spirit.
He hath given thanks for the ministry ; now he
gives thanks for the minister, who is here described
by his name, ' Epaphras ; ' by the adjunct love of
others to him, ' beloved ; ' and by his office, ' a
servant ; ' by his willingness to join with others,
b/j,6dovXo;, a fellow-servant ; by his faithfulness in
the execution of his office, ' which is for you a faith
ful minister of Christ ; ' lastly, by his love to his
people, which he shews by the good report he
thankfully gives of them, ver. 8.
From the general consideration of all the words I
observe :

Doct. 1. First, It much matters to the efficacy of
the doctrine what the ministers be. He that would
profit his hearers must be : first, Able to teach ;
secondly, He should be beloved, not a man against
whom the hearts of the people had conceived in
curable prejudice, or such a one as was scandalous ;
thirdly, He had need to be a fellow-servant, one
that will draw with others ; fourthly, He must
consecrate his service to God and the church ;
fifthly, He must- be faithful ; and lastly, One that
will love his people.
Doct. 2. Secondly, Ministers of greater gifts, or
places, or learning, may here learn how to carry
themselves towards their fellow-ministers. Paul
commends Epaphras, confirms and countenances his
doctrine, and gives him the right hand of feUow
ship ; which example much condemns the haughty
pride and arrogancy of many great clergymen, in
whose eyes their brethren are despised ; sometimes
swelling against them with envy ; sometimes openly
pursuing them with censures, especially if God bless
their labours with any good success ; easily setting
out with the foremost to detract from their just
praises for gifts, sincerity, or pains. Woe and a faU
will be to the great pride of clergymen.
Doct. 3. Thirdly, The apostle strives to win a
greater estimation to the minister, that so he might
the better fasten their respects to his ministry, — to
note that where the messenger is not in credit, the
message is easily neglected or contemned. And
therefore, as men would desire good success in the
ministry of the word, they should labour to get and
retain an honourable opinion of the ministers. And
to this end consider that they are called God's
coadjutors, ministers of the Spirit, God's stewards,
candlesticks, the mouth of Christ, stars, angels, and
have many otlier titles of dignity.
From these words, as yealso have learned of Epaphras,
I observe : First, That if men would be effectually
wrought upon by the word, they must plant them
selves under some settled ministry. They that hear
now one and then another, at one end of the
quarter hear a sermon of this man, and at the
other end of that man, have their knowledge much
like their pains.
Secondly, He is a true member of the church that
can shew sound grace and knowledge, learned of

Ver. 7, 8.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

67

the teachers of the church: It is neither the ac
count of the world, nor profession of true religion,
nor coming to church, demonstrates necessarily a
true member of the church, but the effectual sub
jection of the soul to be formed and wrought upon
by the ministry of the word.
Thirdly, It is an ordinary infirmity in the better
sort of hearers that in many points they receive
doctrine upon the credit of the teachers, yielding no
other reason but Epaphras taught so ; which should
awaken affection and conscience in ministers, out of
the fear of God, and sound and infallible knowledge
and premeditation, to deliver what they do dehver,
and to utter nothing for certain but the word of
God. From these words, the beloved, our fellow-servant, I
observe : First, That common affliction for the cause
of God works in men tenderness of love. The
prison makes a great apostle embrace with singular
love a poor and mean minister. The smell of the
prison and sight of the stake (if such times should
ever come again) would frame a better amity
amongst our churchmen ; ambitious men might then
lay down their personal and guileful eagerness of
haste and hate ; and humorous men would then be
ashamed to devise how to enlarge the dissension by
coining new exceptions and urging of peremptory
new scruples ; modest and humble men on both
sides, that have sought the peace of Zion, would then
have double honour.
Secondly, That he that is faithful is beloved ;
beloved, I say, of God and God's household. It is
an ill sign in a minister that he is not sound, when
he finds no tokens of God's love in his heart,
nor signs of respect with God's servants in his
life. Thirdly, That to be God's servant is a high
dignity. It is here the special glory of an apostle,
and was acknowledged and proclaimed to be the
best part of a king's title, Ps. xxxvi., the title of it;
which may serve for comfort to poor Christians.
They can get no wealth, offices, nor honours in the
world ; but here is their joy — they may get to be
God's servants, which is better and more worth than
all honour. Besides, it condemns the aspiring of
the clergy ; yet, when they have done aU they can
to make themselves great men, he is a better man
in God's books, that by faithful service can win souls

to God, than he that by his money or pains can only
purchase many livings and great dignities to himself.
Wliich is for you a faithful minister or deacon.
Concerning the word Aiaxong, rendered minister, it
is expressly a deacon ; and it is a title of office, ser
vice, or administration, given sometimes to Christ.
He is called theDeacon of circumcision, Rom. xv. 8 ;
sometimes to magistrates, Rom. xiii. 4 ; yea, some
times to women, Rom. xvi. 1 ; sometimes to a special
calling or sort of church officers, Phil. i. 1, 1 Tim.
iii. 8, 12 ; sometimes to the ministers of the gospel,
both ordinary and extraordinary ; so Timothy is a
deacon, 1 Tim. iv. 6 ; so Judas, Acts i. 17, 15. But
the doctrine I observe is :
That every faithful minister is Christ's deacon ;
and this may comfort painful ministers ; for to he
Christ's deacon is no base office, or to be called so a
title of disgrace ; for it is a title given to Christ
and the greatest magistrates. And concerning them
is that promise that he that receiveth one of them
in Christ's name shall not be without his reward,
Mark ix. 41. Besides, Christ saith of them, that
where he is, there shall his deacon or servant be,
and his Father will honour him, though the world
do not, John xii. 26. Further, it may refresh them
that they are said to be ' deacons, not of the letter,
but of the Spirit,' 2 Cor. iii. 6-8. Lastly, We may
see what power these deacons have, Mat. xxii.
They call, they persuade ; they are heard of the great
king, i£ they complain and inform ; and they bind
men hand and foot and cast them into utter dark
ness. Only, if ministers would have the privileges
of Christ's deacons, they must put on and practise
their properties : first, They must become as little
children, for humbleness of mind and confidence in
God's fatherly care and providence, and for freedom
from malice, Mark ix. 35, 36 ; secondly, They
must follow their master Christ, in doctrine, in life,
and in sufferings, John xii. 26 ; thirdly, ' Seeing
they have this deaconship, as they have received
mercy, they should not faint, but cast from them
the cloaks of shame, and not walk in craftiness, nor
handle the word of God deceitfully, but in declara
tion of the truth should approve themselves to every
man's conscience in the sight of God,' 2 Cor. iv. 1,
2, so as for the daily expressing of their doctrine
upon the hearts and lives of the people, their people
might be their epistle, 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3.

68

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

JChap.

Thus of the seventh verse. Out of the eighth
verse I observe clivers things.
First, From the word declared, as it is here used
and applied to reports, I note that those things are
to be reported and spoken that may give light to
the hearers. A good man's report tends to clear
things in the minds of them that hear him ; there
should be light and a lantern in our words, Prov.
vi. 23. To this end we should use wisdom and
truth and meekness when we speak ; wisdom, by
preparing ourselves to speak ; truth, to report things
as they are ; and meekness, to avoid passion ; for
anger is a great darkener. We should also take
heed of divers sins in both tables that greatly
corrupt the hearers, not only in the general, but in
this that they greatly darken and make muddy the
understanding of man. As in the first table, dis
courses or disputes of atheism against the word,
religion, or ordinances of God, apologies for idola
ters or idolatrous religion in whole or in part, the
very naming of vices or idols without disgracing or
hating of them, impatience or murmuring against
God, and such like, and, in the second table,
flattery, tale-bearing, false accusing, rash judgment,
answering of matters before they be heard, are great
darkeners of the understanding.
Secondly, In that Epaphras, intending to complain
of them for their corruptions in opinion and wor
ship, doth here first declare their praises and graces
of God's Spirit; it shews that it is a worthy grace to
be apt to express others' just praises, especially when
we are to speak of their faults ; for that will shew
that we are free from envy, ostentation, or disdain,
and that we seek not our own things, that we are
not suspicious, nor think evil, nor rejoice in evil.
Love in the Spirit. Love is either in God or in
man ; in God there is the personal love of Christ,
the love of the creature, i>i>.oxriaig, the love of man,
OiXavD-wma, and the love of goodness or good men,
<bi~/\a.ya8ia. In man there is both the love by which
he loves God, and the love by which he loves man.
I take it, here it is meant of whatsoever love the
Spirit worketh in man. Of love I have spoken at
large before; here only I note briefly two things in
general : first, The necessity of love ; secondly,
The trial of it ; both in the negative. For the first :
If the true love of God and God's children be not

in us, we have not faith, Gal. v. 6, nor the Spirit of
God ; for love is the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22,
2 Tim. i. 7 ; nor the seal of our election, Eph. i. 4 ;
nor a pure heart or good conscience, 1 Tim. i. 5 ; nor
strength to hold out against errors, 2 Thes. ii. 10.
And for trial : first, of our love to God. We must
know that he loves not God that will not come to
Christ for life, John v. 42 ; that keeps not his com
mandments, John xv. 10; that is ashamed of the
cross and profession of Christ, Rom. v. 5 ; that
loves not the word, so as to hide, as precious trea
sure in his heart, the instructions and comforts of
the word, 1 John ii. 6 ; that is not inflamed and
inwardly constrained to an ardent desire of holy
duties in that place God hath set him in, 2 Cor. v.
13, 14; that serves the lust or love of his profit,
sports, and carnal delight, 1 John ii. 15. And for
trial of our love to men, he loves not his neighbour :
first, That cannot do it in the Spirit, that is, in
spiritual things and from his heart, according to the
directions and motions of God's Spirit; secondly,
That doth or worketh evU to his neighbour, Rom.
xiii. 10 ; thirdly, That wilfully will offend his brother
in a thing indifferent, Rom. xiv. 15 ; fourthly, That
will not pray for his neighbour, Rom. xv. 30 ; fifthly,
That is not prone to shew mercy, 2 Cor. vhi. 8.
Quest. But how must I love my neighbour ?
Ans. As Christ loved us : and that hath four
things in it ; for Christ loved us first, and though
we were his inferiors, and for our profit, and with
an everlasting love ; so should we : first, We must
love with a preventing love ; secondly, We must
love, though they be meaner persons in place or
gifts than we ; thirdly, We must love them for their
profit and good, not for our own ; and lastly, We
must love continually and fervently.
Ver. 9. For this cause we also, since the day we
heard of it, cease not to pray for you, and to desire
that ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will,
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Ver. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord, in
all pleasing, being fruitful in all good works, and
increasing in the knowledge of God.
Ver. 11. Strengthened with all might, through his
glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with
joyfulness.

Ver. 9.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

69

These words are the second part of the preface,
wherein he sheweth that he prayed for them, which
he both generally affirms, and specially declares.
The general affirmation is in these words : ' For
this cause we also, since the day we heard of it,
cease not to pray for you.'
The special declaration is in the words that follow :
' And to desire that ye might be fulfilled with the
knowledge of his will ;' and so forward to the end
ofthe 11th verse.
In the affirmation are three things : first, An
intimation of a reason, 'for this cause;' secondly,
The notation of time, ' since the clay we heard of
it;' thirdly, The matter affirmed, 'we cease not to
pray for you.'
In general we may plainly observe that the
desires of our hearts and endeavours of our lives
ought not to be employed for our own good only,
but for the good of others. We are neither born,
nor born again, for ourselves. Sanctified and holy
men have been full of constant and ardent affections
and desires after the good of God's children : ' the
manifestation of the Spirit is given to every member
to profit withal,' 1 Cor. xii. 7. Religious love
seeketh not her own things, 1 Cor. xiii. We should
not seek our own things, as many do, but that
which is Jesus Christ's, 'viz., that which tends to his
glory, and the profit of his members, yea, Christians
should ' serve one another by love.' He is not of
God that hath not holy affections to promote, so
far as in him lieth, the good of God's children,
1 John iii. 10. 'Herein are the children of God,
and the children of the devil (usually) known : '
certainly that which any man is in religion, he is
relatively; if not fit to serve the body, then not fit
to be of the body ; he is not a saint, that seeks not
communion of saints.
Uses. This may serve : First, To shew the misery
of such as have no inflamed desires after the good
of God's children. Secondly, It may give us occasion
to examine ourselves what good the body of Christ
reaps by us. If any Christian of less power, gifts
and means in the world, ask, what good can I do to
Christians? I answer, if thou canst do nothing
else, thou canst pray to God for them, and desire
their good, rejoice in their prosperity, and mourn
for their miseries : neither let this be thought a

mean and unprofitable service to the body, for we
see here a great apostle employing himself about
such works ; yea, thou dost benefit the body by
keeping a holy order in thine own work, walking
inoffensively. If one stone fly out of the building
it may breed great annoyance to the whole.
Thirdly, This should teach us to avoid what lets our
desires or abilities to serve the brethren by love,
and what may wrong the body. Take heed of
worldliness, even these carking cares or plodding
thoughts about earthly things; use the world, but
serve it not. Take heed of irreligiousness, or the
common profaneness of th e world. Take heed of rash
censuring, and the customary liberty of speech to
judge, and masterlike to tax the actions of others.
Lastly, Take heed of presumptuous and scandalous
courses of life. And here also may be gathered a
comfort to afflicted consciences that are distressed
because they find not what they would in themselves.
They must know that one great way of trial of sin
cerity is by the constant uprightness of their heart in
the desires of good to the church and people of God.
And therefore, though they cannot speak so much
good of themselves as were meet, yet it is a great
grace of God, that they have inflamed affections to
wish all spiritual prosperity to God's people, and to
bless them in the name of the Lord.
For this cause. Doct. When we see the word of
God beginning to work effectually in any people,
and that they wax fruitful, it is the duty of all that
love Sion, to bestir themselves, and cry mightily to
God with incessant prayers for them. If it be
asked, what we should pray for, or wish unto thern ?
I answer, we should pray : first, That God would
restrain the devil and all wicked men, that profes
sion be not dishonoured in the birth of it by scan
dalous persons, for it is one of the first practices of
the devil to thrust up wicked men into profession,
that so the glory of sincerity might be darkened ;
secondly, That the word might have free passage
without interruption or hurtful opposition. Seldom
doth_ powerful preaching make a division in the
heaj>, but the devil and devilish men strive to wring
the fan out of Christ's hand, that the winnowing
may cease. The doctrine that separates the precious
from the vile, and without respect of persons yields
comfort to the gracious, and terrors as the only

70

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

present portion of the profane, is exceedingly
opposed of the world ; thirdly, That they may grow
in grace. But, to omit other things, the apostle
here shews, by his own example, that we should
pray : first, That they may truly ' know the will of
God ' in Christ ; secondly, That they be discreet and
'wise' in carriage, as well as in 'understanding;'
thirdly, That they may ' walk worthy of the Lord,'
&c. ; fourthly, That they may ' increase in know
ledge;' fifthly, That they might persevere, being
strengthened with God's might ; lastly, That they
may lead a 'patient and joyful' life. And we
should be thus careful of the good of others, both be
cause God requires it, and the saints have practised it ;
and besides, if thou have any grace, thou standest or
fallestwith others, in respect of the credit of profession.
Since that clay that we heard of it, we cease not to
pray for you. First, from the coherence of these
words with the words following, we may note the
great efficacy of prayer, how mightily it prevails
with God. It is a way by which a Christian may
exceedingly help himself, and pleasure his friends :
' the prayer of the righteous availeth much,' both
for helping of the body, and healing of the soul,
James v. 16. If two sound-hearted men agree in
earth in a suit to God the Father in heaven, they
prevail with incredible success, they get what they
would have, Mat. xviii. 19.
And that we may be encouraged to prayer, there
are divers things that might undoubtedly persuade
us to resolve of the efficacy of prayer. First, God's
commandment ; certainly God will not require
prayer but that he means to hear it, Ps. 1. 15.
Secondly, The nature of God ; he is a Father, and
hath the compassions of a Father. ' Though
Abraham would not know' his seed if they had
suits to him, 'and Jacob be ignorant of his posterity,
yet God will hear and redeem,' Isa. lxiii. 16.
Though a mother should forget her motherly com
passions, yet God will not forget his, Isa. xlix. 15 ;
and therefore, if earthly fathers, that have a great
deal of ill nature in them, can give good gifts to their
children, and that because their children ask them,
how much more shall God our Father, who is
perfectly compassionate, give good things, yea, the
best things, yea, the very fountain of all good, his
Holy Spirit, if we ask him ? Mat. vii. 9. Thirdly,

The'manner of God's presence of grace. When we
have any suits, he is not far off, or hard to come to,
as earthly princes are, and great men in the world
many times ; but he is ' near to all that call upon
him in truth,' Ps. cxlv. 18 ; yea, for more assurance
of this, that he is ready to receive petitions, it is
said, ' His ears are open to the cry of the righteous,'
he is so far from being absent, that there is not so
much as any little impediment in his ear. God is
ever ready to hear, if our hearts were ready to pray.
Fourthly, The property of God's liberality. He holds
it a great blemish and dishonour to his bounty,
either to deny when he is asked, or to reproach
when he hath given ; either to accept against the
person, or to stick at the greatness of the gift,
James i. 5. Fifthly, The assistance of the Spirit of
adoption ; ' The Spirit helps our infirmities, though
we know not how to pray as we ought,' yet that
shall not let audience ; for ' The Spirit itself will
make request for us, even in the sighs which cannot
be expressed,' Rom. viii. 26. Sixthly, The merits
of Christ and his intercession. He hath prayed for
us, so as ' what we ask the Father in his name, he
will grant it,' John xiv. 13, 14. Seventhly, The hate
God bears to the enemies of his people. God's
servants shall speed in their suits, even because of
them that rise up against them. Lastly, Our prayers
are furthered by the very faith and holiness of our
godly and spiritual ancestors ; the posterity speeds
the better for their sakes ; yea, without question we
speed the better in England because we are the
seed or successors of the martyrs.
Object. But I have prayed for myself and others,
and yet find not success.
Sol. First, If thou speed not, it is either because
thou art not a righteous person, Ps. xxxiv. 16,
cix. 7, or thou art disordered in thy carriage in the
family, 1 Pet. iii. 7, or thou didst not continue in
prayer, Luke xviii. 1-8, or thou dost ask amiss.
Quest. But howmay I know whether I did ask amiss?
Ans. Thou- didst ask amiss : first, If thou didst
pray and doubt, James i. 6, Job xxi. 15 ; secondly,
If thou didst make prayers thy refuge, but not thy
recompense, — when thou earnest to pray, thou con-
sideredst what thou didst want for thyself, not what
thou shouldst render to God — thou usedst prayer
to serve thy turn, but when thou hadst sped, thou

Ver. 9.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

71

didst not return by prayer to render unto God his
honour, Ps. cxvi. 12 ; thirdly, If thou didst not make
conscience of the use of otlier ordinances of God, for
Godwill not give all to any one ordinance; fourthly,
If thy prayers were ignorant, proud, hypocritical
prayers, Mat. vi. ; fifthly, If thou wast not in charity,
but broughtest thy gift, and didst not forgive, or seek
reconciliation with thy brother, Mat. v. ; sixthly, If
thou didst ask of God for wrong ends, or wrong
things, as to spend on thy lusts, James iv. 3, or for
temporal things only or chiefly, Hosea vii. 1 4 ; besides,
many times it comes to pass that men speed not be
cause they are not humble. We should so prize and
esteem holy things, as we should exceedingly rejoice
if we could get but the crumbs that fall from the
Father's table. This humility is ever joined with
great faith and wished success in aU suits to God.
Again, it is to be noted that men may be deceived
about the success of prayer, for the decree for our
succours may go forth at the very beginning of our
supplications, though the knowledge of it be not
revealed unto us till afterwards. Further, God
heareth prayers diversely ; sometimes he heareth to
grant the very thing we desire ; sometimes he hear
eth, and granteth, and giveth, not the very things
we desire, but that which he holds to be best for us,
and for the distress we are in ; so he was said to
hear Christ, Heb. v. Lastly, God doth hear and
grant, and yet defer to give, and that for our great
good many times. He defers that he may prove us,
that our faith may be the more kindled, that his
benefits may be more sweet when they do come, and
that we may know by the want that it is his gift
when they are bestowed, and that we may be more
careful of the good use of his graces, gifts, and bene
fits, when we have them. Thus of the coherence.
For you. Doct. We are bound to pray for others,
as well as ourselves. In this place I consider in this
point only two things : first, The kinds of prayers
for others ; secondly, The sorts of persons for whom
we must pray.
For the first, I observe here in the original two
worcls — TgoffEu^a/ and ahh/J,ara, in the translation,
prayers and desires. As I take it, all the sorts of
prayers for others may be referred to these two
heads," and these two differ not so much in the matter
as in the motives to prayer : w^oo^a/, prayers, are

such suits unto God as we are vehemently moved
to by the contemplation of God and his attributes.
The difference between iv^/i and irgo<siv%ri is some
what shadowed out by oration and adoration. K.hr\-
/ji.tx.ra, here rendered desires, are all suits unto God,
arising from the deep sense of man's estate, either
in dangers, wants, or blessings ; and under this kind
may be placed the three sorts of prayers in 1 Tim.
ii. 1 ; for our desires for others are either depreca
tions, in which we desire God to turn away or keep
from them some great evil ; or intercessions, which
are either complaints of wrongs, or most importunate
supplications unto God for their conversion and the
pardon of their sins ; or, lastly, thanksgivings for
God's mercies and blessings.
Secondly, To the question, for whom we must
pray. It is shortly answered, 1 Tim ii. 1, ' for all
men,' excepting dead men, or such as sin unto death,
or such concerning whom the will of God is revealed
for their perdition, as the Man of sin, 2 Thes. ii. ;
so as also by all men we understand all sorts of men,
not all the particular men of every sort, for we may
not desire salvation for all the men that God hath
made, (universally considered,) seeing the counsel of
God is unchangeably passed concerning reprobates.
But that which in this text is principal is, that
ministers and people must pray one for another.
Ministers must pray for their people ; thus do the
apostles in every epistle ; yea, Samuel saith, ' God
forbid I should cease praying for you,' as if he knew
it to be a detestable thing for a minister to be so
reckless or careless, as either not to pray or not to
continue to pray for his people. The people must
also pray for their ministers, and that especially for
these things : that God may deliver them from the
rage of the disobedient and the practices of their
enemies, Rom. xv. 30 ; that God would open their
mouths and give them utterance, Eph. vi. 19, with
a fitness to discover the secrets and mysteries of
Christ, Col. iv. 3 ; and that their gospel may run
and grow, both in efficacy and credit, 2 Thes. iii. 1,2;
yea, inasmuch as they labour about saving other
men's souls, the people should by prayers labour to
further the salvation of their ministers.
We cease not. Note, first, He that loves the peo
ple of God truly, loves them constantly.
Secondly, That a heart truly sanctified is much

72

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

in prayer, cannot give it over. It is a woeful thing
to neglect prayer, but how cursedly miserable is their
case whose hearts rise against prayer, and cannot
abide it, but persecute it in others !
Thirdly, The not ceasing in prayer hath in it con
stancy and perseverance in prayer, and teacheth that
as we are bound to pray, so are we bound to perse
vere in prayer ; yea, if we must not cease to pray, it
imphes : first, That we must pray in all places ; se
condly, That we must watch to pray ; thirdly, That
we must believe and hope we shall obtain what we
pray for ; fourthly, We must not appoint God either
time or means ; fifthly, That we must pray with all
manner of prayers ; for all these five things are
requisite, or, if any of them be wanting, there will
not be constant and faithful prayer ; yea, not ceas
ing, notes that there is singular comfort in prayer,
else men would never hold out.
Object. But not ceasing implies multiloquy, vain
babbling. Sol. Not so ; a man may pray earnestly and often,
and yet not use many words.
Object. But to pray without ceasing is to be tied
to use idle repetitions ; for how can men be fur
nished and find matter to pray so often and so
much? Sol. A Christian is furnished many ways with
needful occasions of continual prayer : first, He is
tied to a daily sacrifice, both morning and evening,
by prayer and praises ; secondly, He finds continually
new mercies, and those require new songs of praise
and prayer, Ps. xl. 4 ; thirdly, As his knowledge in
creaseth by the use of the means, he finds an increase
of matter to drive him to prayer, and make him
pray better ; fourthly, New infirmities breaking out
in himself and others, and that daily, gives an occa
sion to renew his suits to God ; fifthly, The creatures
and his calling must be ' sanctified by the word and
prayer ;' sixthly, Variety of crosses breaking in upon
him gives him cause to run to God for the sanctify
ing or removing of them.
Let such pray seldom as think they owe God no
sacrifice, or receive no blessing from God, or care
not for knowledge, or find no infirmities in them
selves, or have no crosses, or need no blessing upon
their callings and labours ; but let all that fear God
stir up themselves to pray without ceasing, because

God requires it, and hath made gracious promises, —
because they find daily necessities, and may hereby
exercise their faith, and shew their love to God and
to others, after the example of the saints, and by
the motion of the Spirit of adoption, which will not
be idle in them.
Thus of the affirmation, the declaration follows :
That ye might be fulfilled with the knowledge of his
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye
might walk, &c.
In this declaration he describeth the knowledge
he prays for by five things :
1. By the object of it, ' The will of God.'
2. By the parts, ' Wisdom and understanding.'
3. By the end, ' That ye might walk,' &c,
ver. 10.
4. By the cause, ' His glorious power,' ver. 11.
5. By the effects, 'Patience, long-suffering, joy
fulness.' The object is described in these words, fulfilled
with knowledge of his will.
And here is, 1. The object itself, ' will of God ; '
2. The means of apprehension, viz., 'knowledge;'
3. The measure, ' filled with it.'
Of his will. Will is a property in God. Proper
ties in God are either personal or essential. The
properties of the person are such as these : in the
Father, to beget and send forth ; of the Son, to be
begotten and sent forth ; and of the Holy Ghost, to
proceed. The properties of the essence are of two
sorts. Some note the essence, as they say, h priori ;
and these are such properties as are incommunicable,
that is, are so in God as they are in no creature, as
infiniteness and simplicity, free from all mixture,
parts, or composition. Some note out the essence
a posteriori; and these are such as are first and prin
cipaUy in God, but, in the second place, communi
cable to the creature ; and of this sort are power,
wisdom, and will in God.
The will of God is either the will of God's good
pleasure, or the will of his pleasure.
The will of God's good pleasure is in things where
the effect is good.
The will of his pleasure is in things where the
effect is evil, and so he wills in respect of the end,
but not in respect of the means to the end, as sin,
and some miseries.

Ver. 9.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

73

The will of God's good pleasure is here meant,
and this is secret or revealed. The revealed will is
here meant.
The revealed will of God is of four sorts. It is,
first, His determining wUl concerning us, what shall
become of us, Eph. i. 5 ; second, His prescribing will,
where he requires either obedience — and this is re
vealed in the law — or faith and repentance, and so
it is revealed in the gospel, Eph. i. 9, Acts xxii. 9 ;
third, His approving will, and that is that will by
which he graciously accepts, and tenderly regardeth,
those that come to him in faith and repentance,
Gal. i. 4, Mat. xviii. 14, John i. 23 ; fourth, His
disposing will, and this is the will of his providence,
1 Cor. i. 1, Rom. i. 10. The prescribing wUl of
God is whoUy revealed ; the other three but in part,
and by consequent.
Thus of the will of God.
Knowledge. This is the grace by which the will
of God is apprehended. The original word, Et/-
yxiiaig, is three ways accepted. Sometimes for know
ledge, so ordinarily ; sometimes for acknowledgment,
as it is translated in these places, Luke i. 4, 1 Cor.
xvi. 18, 2 Cor. vi. 9 ; sometimes tov knowing again.
All three senses may be here well considered of.
First, Of knowing God's wUl. Here I consider
three things : first, What we must know ; secondly,
Why, or the motives to persuade to seek for know
ledge ; thirdly, The means to be used thereunto.
For the first, We must know that God doth ap
prove of us in Christ — the approving will. And
this is so necessary that our hearts can never be rid
of the occasion of fear of our reprobation till we do
know it, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Secondly, We must know
what God hath determined of us — his determining
wUl. To this end hath God given us his word and
Spirit, that we might know what he hath prepared
for us if we love him, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Thirdly, We
must labour to know what he requireth of us — his
prescribing will. It is said of David, Acts xiii. 22,
that he did all the wUls of God ; and so should we
also labour to know, and by practice express, the
power of all God's wills ; and the rather seeing we
have fulfiUed not the will, but the wills of the flesh
from time to time, Eph. ii. 3.
For the second, There are many things might in
flame us to the desire of knowledge ; for this is the

glory of God's elect, not riches, not strength, not
carnal wit, Jer. ix. 24. It is the singular gift of
God's grace, and special portion of his chosen, Mark
iv. 11. It is a great sin and grievous curse to want
it, Hosea iv. 11 ; but a damned plague to contemn
it, Job xxi. 14. Knowledge ! Why! It is more ex
cellent than all things ; all but loss and dung in
comparison of it, Phil. iii. 9. Without it zeal is
little worth, Rom. x. 2, and sacrifice is in vain, Hosea
vi. 6. What shall I say ? ' This is eternal life, to
know God, and whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ,'
John xvii. 3.
Thirdly, What must we do that we may attain to
the knowledge of God's will ? I answer : first, We
must get to be true members of Christ, for ' no
man knoweth the Father but the Son, and they
to whom the Son revealeth him,' Mat. xi. 27 ;
secondly, We must conscionably practise what we do
already know by the light of nature or general
light of religion, and then Christ's gracious promise
lieth for the further revelation, even of saving know
ledge, John vii. 1 7 ; thirdly, Men never soundly
prosper in the attainment of saving knowledge till
they have been in the furnace of affliction of con
science, — after men have been wounded in spirit, and
their hearts smitten within them, they wUl then know,
and endeavour themselves to know, Hosea vi. 1-3.
But this question may be excellently answered out
of two places of the apostle Paul :
First, in Rom. xii. 1-3, the apostle shews that a
man must do five things if he would know what the
good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God is :
first, He must devote himself to a religious course
of life — this he calls sacrificing of ourselves to God,
ver. 1 ; secondly, He must no more follow the
fashions of the world ; thirdly, He must by prayer
and the use of all the means repent for the sins of
his mind, and get a new mind to put his knowledge
in, ver. 2 ; fourthly, He must be proving and try
ing, often examining himself, and trying his evi
dence concerning the faith of God's good will to him
as the hope of his glory, ver. 2 ; fifthly, He must
not be over-curious to pry into such knowledges as
concern him not, but be wise to sobriety, labouring
especially by hearing and practice to get within com
pass of the knowledge of his own justification, sanc
tification, and salvation, ver. 3. K

74

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

Again, in the 5th of the Ephesians, ver. 14 to 22,
to gain the true hght of Christ, and understand God's
will, the apostle shews that we must do nine things :
first, We should awaken ourselves out of the
spiritual slumber of our hearts, labouring, by prayer
and meditation of our danger, to force open the eyes
of our minds, — 'awake thou that sleepest,' ver. 14;
secondly, We must forsake the company of wicked
and carnal men, that have no taste or feeling of
tilings that belong to the kingdom of God, — ' stand
up from the dead,' ver. 1 4; thirdly, We must ' walk
circumspectly,' (precisely, axgi^Zg, the original word
is,) being resolved to make a conscience of all our
ways, or else in vain to go about to dig for know
ledge, ver. 15; fourthly, We must allow much time
for hearing, and reading, and conference, even as
men that mean to ' redeem ' all the time past they
have unprofitably spent, ver. 16; fifthly, We must
bring a mind willing and desirous, in all humUity, to
understand God's will, — a froward spirit cannot
prosper, or a man wise in his own conceit, ver. 17;
sixthly, We should in special take heed of ' drunken
ness,' or any kind of tippling, ' wherein is excess,'
ver. 18; seventhly, We must labour for a cheerful
spirit and a glad heart, and shew it by ' singing of
psalms, making melody in our hearts to God,' — a
heavy spirit is dull of apprehension, ver. 19;
eighthly, We must 'give thanks' for all things,
readily acknowledging every mercy, and rejoicing
for any success in the means, ver. 20; lastly, We
must ' submit ourselves one to another,' ever willing
to learn in anything of anybody, Eph. v. 21, — he
that scorneth information is a fool.
Thus of knowledge.
Secondly, It is not enough to know, but we must
acknowledge, the will of God : that is, by a constant
and open diligence in the use of the means, and
conscionable needfulness even in all things in prac
tice, we must hold forth the light of the truth, in a
religious profession of it, in communion with the
saints, and separate from sinners; this is required in
God's elect, as well as faith, Titus i. 1. Neither is it
a precise humour in some few, but God 'would have
all come to the acknowledgment ofthe truth,' 1 Tim.
ii. 4; not to hear it or to know it only. Without
this, I will not say absolutely a man cannot be
in Christ, but this I say, with the apostle, ' a man

cannot be perfect in Christ, and of ripe age,' Eph. iv.
1 3. By this acknowledgment we escape an exceed
ing great deal of filthiness that is in the world, 2 Pet.
ii. 20 ; and because that many men will by no means
be drawn to acknowledge the way of God, therefore,
by a just judgment of God, they are delivered up to
a reprobate sense, Rom. i. 28. Only two things are
to be urged upon professors herein : first, That they
do soundly repent of their sins before they make
profession, and enter upon acknowledgment, 1 Tim.
ii. 4, or else acknowledgment ¦will be a veU for filthy
hypocrisy ; secondly, That they take heed of sinning
presumptuously after acknowledgment, — fear the
curse, Heb. x. 26.
Thirdly, We must know again. This hath three
things in it : first, We must be often viewing and
looking over our evidence, to be sure of the whole
and every part of it, as we would do if we had as
surances for matters of the world; secondly, Because
sins after calling do greatly darken knowledge, there
fore we must not only renew our repentance, but
our knowledge also ; thirdly, We must know the
truth of God, not only in our minds, by understand
ing and thinking of it, but we must know it again
in the affections of our hearts, in respect of sense and
feeling; and again, after that, in the practice of our
life; for that is experimental knowledge, and the
very power of godliness.
Use. This doctrine of the knowledge of the will of
God reproves many sorts of men : first, Such as
desire not knowledge at all, Job xxi. 14, and so
perish for want of it, Hosea iv. 6, 2 Thes. i. 8;
secondly, Such as sometimes desire knowledge, but
they will not use the means, or not constantly, or
not all the means ; thirdly, Such as will know some
thing of the prescribing will of God, but never heed
his approving or determining will ; fourthly, Such as,
though they use the means for knowledge, yet will
at no hand abide acknowledgment; lastly, It reproves
the carelessness even of God's people many times,
neglecting to ' make their calling and election sure,'
by looking often over tlieir evidence, and renewing
their knowledge, and labouring the cure of their
natures from slumber and relapses. Thus of know
ledge. Filled, or ful /tiled. From the observation of the
measure I note four things: First, That we must not

Ver. 9.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

rest in beginnings, — we must be ' filled with all know
ledge,' Rom. xv. 14; not Only get grace and truth,
but be filled with it, John i. 14; so full of wisdom,
Acts vi. 3, 5, of faith and power, Acts vi. 8, of good
works, Acts ix. 36, of joy in God's favour, Acts ii.
28, of all hope, Rom. xv. 13, full, even with the ful
ness of him that filleth all things, Eph. i. 23. But
it is contrary with the most men, for we may com
plain out of divers scriptures, even of them that they
are filled, not with grace, knowledge, faith, works,
&c, but with the leprosy of all spiritual infections,
Luke v. 12, with all deceit, Acts xiii. 10, with
¦wrath, even when they hear God's word, Acts xix.
28, with worldly grief and passions, John xvi. 16,
with all kinds of unrighteousness, Rom. i. 19, with
drink, Eph. v. 1 8, with the measure of their fathers'
sins, Mat. xxiii. 32; yea, so wretchedly vUe are the
hves of many, that they shew themselves tobefilled
with the devil himself, Acts v. 3; but the works
almost of none are perfect, or filled before God, Rev.
iii. 2.
Secondly, That there is something in grace or
knowledge still wanting, — we ' know but in part.'
Man's heart may be compared to a vessel, the means
to a pipe, the Spirit of God to the wheel that beats
the water into the pipe, the minister is the servant that
opens the cock; and then the reason why we know
but in part is, either the cock always runs not, or
not always in the same measure; and sometimes our
vessels are filled with other things, as the cares and
lusts ofthe world, and so they run over; and usually
our vessels run out, and lose what we receive by the
means. Thirdly, The knowledge of the will of God and
spiritual things only can fill and satisfy the heart of
man, all else is mere vanity and Vexation of spirit,
Eccles. i. 2. Earthly things cannot fill, neither the
knowledge of them, nor the use or possession of
them, because they are not infinite nor eternal;
besides, there is nothing new, nor are they of a like
nature with the soul ; they are enjoyed with vexa
tion and much satiety, for our affections will not
love them stUl; yea, most an end the vanity of men's
minds so turneth devices, concerning their knowledge
or use, that death or loss takes them or -us away,
before they can find out that way of using of them
that could satisfy and fill the heart.

Lastly, Nothing but the will of God binds con
science. The apostle of purpose layeth the founda
tion in the preface, concerning the knowledge of and
resting upon God's will, that so he might the more
easily beat down their traditions and philosophical
speculations, of which he meant to entreat in the
next chapter. Now, if this doctrine be true, as it is
most true, then Apocrypha scripture, councils, fathers,
and princes' laws do not bind further than thej'' are
agreeable to God's will; and therefore much less
popes' decrees, traditions, and human inventions.
Thus of the object of knowledge.
In the next place it is described by the parts of
it, in the next words, ' in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding,' where the apostle shews that saving-
knowledge hath two parts, viz., understanding and
wisdom. Concerning the difference between the two
original words, in this place rendered wisdom and
understanding, there is a great stir amongst inter
preters. Some say that the one proceedeth out of
the principles of the law of nature, and the other out
of the principle of faith. Some take the one to be a
knowledge concerning the end; the other, of things
that are for the end. Some think by understanding
is meant apprehension; and by wisdom is meant
judgment or dejudication. Some think that synesis,
rendered understanding, receiveth the will of God in
the whole; and that sophia, ivisdom, conceiveth it in
the parts, and with weighing of all circumstances; by
the first they consider what is lawful, and by the
second what is expedient. Some say that the one of
them conceiveth the object of felicity; the other, the
means by which men attain it. Some think they
differ thus : that the one understands of God abso
lutely, by scripture, as he is; and the other considers
of God by relation, or comparison with the creatures,
by experience, as he is tasted to be good. But the
plainest and soundest difference is this : that under
standing is contemplative knowledge, but wisdom is
active knowledge ; the one gives rules for practice,
the other for judgment and contemplation. But
before I consider of them apart, I observe two
general doctrines :
First, That saving knowledge and wisdom is not
natural, but from above, and had only by Christ ;
here it follows faith and love. It is wrought by the
power of the gospel ; it is prayed for ; and lastly, it

76

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

is plainly said to be spiritual. See more, James iii.
17, 1 Cor. ii. 14, 2 Cor. i. 30, Titus iii. 3; and it may
serve for many uses.
First, It should enforce us to labour to become
spiritual men, as we would desire to have anything
to do with the knowledge of God's will ; for if we be
not more than natural men, it is certain we know not
the things of God. Be sure, therefore, thou be no
natural man.
Quest. How may a natural man be known ?
Ans. He is a natural man : first, That hath in him
only the spirit ofthe world, 1 Cor. ii. 12; secondly,
That knows not that wisdom of God that is in
a mystery, that is, his reconciliation and salvation
by Christ, 1 Cor. ii. 7, x. 14 ; thirdly, That loves
not God, ver. 9, as they do not that love not the
word, people, and way of God ; fourthly, That knows
not the things given of God by the Spirit, ver. 1 2 ;
fifthly, That accounts spiritual things foohsh
things, and rehgious courses foolish courses, ver. 14 ;
sixthly, That hates sincerity, and walks after his
own lusts, Jude 18, 19.
And it is worthy to be noted, that the apostle,
when he foretells of these wicked loose persons and
profane men living in the church, he saith, they
make sects. And it is most sure that not only
heretics and false teachers, that draw men out of
the bosom of the church, to divide them from our
assemblies, but even wicked men, that wallow in
sin, make sects and schism, and division in the
church, though they otherwise come to the word
and sacraments as the people of God do ; for the
word is seldom effectual in the working of it in any
place, but we may find the devil stirring up carnal
and natural men, that strive by all means to pursue
such as desire to fear God, lading them with re
proaches, and blowing abroad slanders, and wilfully
both disgracing them and shunning their presence ;
and when they have done, call them sectaries and
other heretical names ; them, I say, that excepting
their care and conscience to walk uprightly with
God and unrebukable amongst men, live in peace by
them ; but though men are deceived, God will not be
mocked. These are the men that God means to indict
for making of sects in the church, as well as heretics.
Secondly, Seeing true wisdom is from above, it
should work in us a dislike both of hellish wisdom

and earthly wisdom. By hellish wisdom I mean
such wisdom as was in the priests when they killed
Christ, 1 Cor. ii. 8 ; or that was in Pharaoh, who
counts it to deal wisely to oppress God's people,
Exod. i. 10. It is devilish wisdom to be cunning
or artificial in hiding the practice of sin; it is
devilish wisdom to have skill in defending sin ; it
is devilish wisdom that is used in the refining of
sin ; as, for example, drinking of healths began to
grow to that detested head, and was accompanied
with that filthy villainy and abomination, in respect
of the excess of it, that certainly the devil should
never have gotten the most men in a short time to
have had anything to do with such a damned beastli
ness. Now the devil, not willing to lose his homage
and sacrifice, inspires some men to bring in a liberty
to drink in less glasses, and with allowance of choice
of drinks or wines, and now the sin is refined, it
goes current.
Earthly wisdom is of two kinds ; for either it is a
skUl to get goods, or else it is human learning and
policy, both allowable in themselves, but neither to
be too much liked or trusted to ; for as for the skill
to get riches, ' what would it profit a man to win
the whole world, and lose his own soul ? ' And the
praise of human wit, learning, policy, &c, is much
curbed by certain terrible places of scripture. The
conceit of this wisdom makes the cross of Christ of
none effect, 1 Cor. i. 18. And a man may have a
great measure of it, and be famous, and j-et be
without God, without Christ, and ' without the
covenants of promise, and without hope in the
world,' Eph. i. 12; for 'not many noble, not many
wise, hath God chosen,' 1 Cor. i. 26, 27. Yea, God
many times hides the mysteries of the kingdom of
grace from these great wise men, Mat. xi. 27, and
sets himself of purpose to stain their pride, to
destroy their wisdom, and to infatuate their counsels.
Where is the scribe (learned in the scripture)?
where is the disputer of this world (skilful in human
learning and policy)? hath not God (to vex the
very hearts of these men) tied conversion of souls,
ordinarily, to the foolishness of preaching? 1 Cor.
i. 19, and ii. 6.
Doct. 2. It is not enough to get piety unless we
get wisdom also, 1 Cor. i. 24, 30, Acts vi. 3, Eph. i.
8, 17.

Ver. 9.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

77

Use is : First, For confutation of those that hold all
labour for the attaining of spiritual things to be
folly, of most men those to be fools that make such
ado about the use of the means of salvation. But
it is certain that Christ, that gives godly men
righteousness, gives them wisdom. Religion doth
not make men foolish, but gives wisdom to the
simple, Ps. xix. 7. Secondly, Professors should be
advised to make conscience of discretion in their
carriage as well as holiness ; and to this end they
should take heed : 1 . Of pettishness and peevishness,
a vice which should be only found in the bosom of
fools, Job v. 2 ; 2. Of conceitedness, a foul vice, to
be so wise in their own conceit that their own ways
should always so please them that they think better
of themselves than of ' seven men that can give a
reason,' Prov. xii. 15, and xxvi. 12, 16 ; 3. Of rash
meddling with other men's business, or prying into
their estates, Prov. xvii. 24, — men's eyes should not
be in every corner of the world ; lastly, Of un
advised openness in all companies, without respect
or heedfulness, to pour out all their minds, Prov.
xxix. 11.
Thus of the general doctrines.
The first part of saving knowledge is here rendered
understanding, and is contemplative knowledge.
Contemplative knowledge hath in it two things —
apprehension and meditation ; that is, the power to
discern doctrine, and the power to meditate of it.
Both are needful, and in both men are exceeding
wanting, especially in the power of meditation. If
you ask me what the object is about which we
should meditate, it is answered before ; it is the
will of God, determining, approving, prescribing,
and disposing. And it is no wonder that men get
so little knowledge, or are so unable for contempla
tion, because every one is not capable of it. ' The
scorner ' may, in a passion, ' seek wisdom, but he can
not find it,' Prov. xiv. 6. Besides, the means must
be used : especially in contemplation, it is exceeding
hard to hold any course constantly, but the ground
must be from matter of prayer, or hearing, or read
ing. Further, many things are required to fit a
man to capableness and power of holy contemplation :
First, Chastity of heart and affections ; for such as
are ' carried about with lusts,' are ' ever learning,
but never come to the knowledge of the truth,'

2 Tim. iii. 6, 7. Secondly, Meekness, or rest of
heart, from the hurry of disordered affections and
troubled passions. Hasty affections and a foolish
mind are inseparable. He that is passionate can
lift up no holy thoughts, but he can easily ' exalt
folly,' Prov. xiv. 29. Thirdly, A good mind, that
is, an understanding not exercised in imagining
and plotting of evil. Men of wicked imaginations
are utterly disabled for contemplation. Fourthly,
Humility, or a tender sense of one's own wants and
unworthiness. The proud conceited man, for matter
of meditation, is of an empty mind, unless it be that
they ' dote about questions,' or ' strife of words,' or
' vain disputations,' that tend to nothing but strife
or vain ostentation, 1 Tim. vi. 4, 5. Besides, a
heart fatted and fleshed with presumptuous hopes,
or profits and pleasures, and hardened through long
custom and practice of sin, is almost wholly blinded
in the things that belong to the kingdom of Christ :
' These men have eyes, and see not ; and ears, and
are as if they heard not,' Mat. xiii. 14.
To pass from this point of knowledge contempla
tive, I conclude only with the consideration of the
8th of the Proverbs, where it is the drift of the
Holy Ghost to persuade men to seek to store their
hearts with knowledge, both for sense and use.
Wisdom cries to be heard. God would fain fasten
knowledge upon all sorts of men. Now if any
should ask why wisdom is so importunate, or
wherefore they must set all aside to get her,
there are three reasons given : first, Because we
are naturally foolish, and not wise in heart, there
is no inward substance of sound knowledge in us,
ver. 5 ; secondly, The things to be imparted are
the most excellent in heaven and earth, ver. 6 ;
thirdly, No knowledge but this, but it is stained
with error or lewdness. Now, in the scripture we
are sure of two things — truth and purity.
Object. But the doctrine of religion, as it is re
vealed in scripture, is exceeding cross and contrary
to our natures.
Sol. It is answered that ' there is no froward-
ness in it ; ' it is in us, not in the doctrine itself,
ver. 8.
Object. But the study of saving knowledge is ex
ceeding difficult.
Sol. That is answered, ver. 9 : ' My words are

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[Chap. I.

all plain to him that will understand, and straight
to him that would find knowledge ; ' if there were
a constant desire and endeavour in men, they would
find great success.
Object. But it is not a profitable course, nor
gainful. Sol. That is denied, ver. 10, 11 : ' Knowledge
is better than silver, or gold, or precious stones ;
and it is more thrift to get it than to get riches.
Object. But I see that many that follow sermons,
and study the scriptures, are very indiscreet, and
men of no reach nor parts.
Sol. It is answered, ver. 12, that ' wisdom dwells
with prudence ' or discretion, and finds forth know
ledge and counsels ; and if men were compared, in
their present knowledge, with what they were be
fore, it would appear that they have gotten more
discretion, &c, than ever they had, and therefore it
is a mere imputation.
Object. Many great professors are men of wicked
lives. Sol. Ver. 13, ' The fear of the Lord is to hate evil,
as pride and arrogance, and the evil wajr, and a
mouth that speaketh lewd things ; ' and, tlierefore,
if any such be of wicked lives, they are hypocrites,
thrust into profession by the devil, of purpose to
shame the study and endeavour after saving know
ledge. Object. But the most that follow sermons and
read the Bible so much are base persons, and men of
no fashion in the world.
Sol. That is denied, ver. 15, 16. For the holy
wisdom of the word hath been the fairest ornament,
and help, and support to kings, princes, nobles, and
judges : ' By me kings reign, and princes decree
justice.' Object. But this knowledge fills men with terrors
and melancholy.
Sol. That is denied ; for it is a lovely study :
' I love them that love me.' It is only terrible to
such as so love their sins as they will not part with
them. Object. It is a knowledge never attained in any
perfection. Sol. That is denied too, ver. 1 7 ' They that seek
me early shall find me.' Men get no ripeness in
knowledge, because when they use the means their

heads are full of cares or lusts, &c, or they wait not
upon the opportunities and advantages of the means :
they seek not early.
Object. But, at the least, it is an enemy to thrift,
and a hinderance to men's outward estates.
Sol. That is false too, and he gives two reasons
for it, ver. 18-20. For, first, The ' most durable
riches ' (that is, better than all gold or pleasure) ' is
righteousness,' and this is gotten by the knowledge
of the word ; secondly, That that most an end
impoverisheth men is the hand of God or of men ;
and sin usually and disorder is the original cause of
all losses or poverty. Now wisdom causeth a man
to walk in the ways of righteousness, and so to
' inherit substance ; ' and as God sees it meet for
them to ' fill their treasures.'
Object. But a man can never observe the rules of
holiness required in the word, and urged upon men
by preaching.
Sol. The word doth not only shew men what they
should do, but it gives power to do it : it ' causeth
men to walk in the way of righteousness,' ver. 21.
Lastly, to put all out of doubt — Knowledge : Why ?
It is the very glory of Christ, and dwelt with God
in the very beginning of the world ; yea, it was be
gotten from everlasting when there was no depths,
nor the mountains settled, nor the earth framed, &c,
ver. 22-32. The exhortation is in the end of the
chapter, that as men would assure themselves to be
God's children, or to be blessed in their ways, they
should hear instruction in this point and be wise,
and daily watch at the gates of knowledge, so
should they get the life of grace, and obtain the
favour of God, when others, that despise knowledge
and the means of it, shall be so wounded in soul
that they shall certainly die eternally, ver. 32-35.
Thus of. contemplative knowledge.
Wisdom or active knowledge follows. The con
sideration hereof is exceeding difficult, for it lieth
in the prescribing of the discretion in practice.
Wisdom in practice stands principally in two things :
first, In order of practice ; secondly, In the spe
cialties of good behaviour.
Wisdom's order lieth in the prescribing of rules
concerning the priority and precedency of things in
practice. She tells what must be first done, and
chiefly ; and thus she gives seven rules :

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79

1. That heaven be sought for before the earth,
and remission of sins in Christ before any other
thing, Mat. vi. 33.
2, That men choose present affliction rather than
future ; rather suffer now with hope of reward in
another world than take pleasure now to endure the
pains to come, 2 Tim. ii. 3-8.
3. That God be served before man, whether it be
other men or thyself. Thus it is wisdom to let God
have the first place in the morning, before thou serve
thyself in thy calling ; thus it is wisdom to obey
God rather than man, when the commandment of
God and the commandment of man lieth before
thee and are contrary one to another, Acts v. ; thus,
also, the duties of the first table are to be done be
fore the duties of the second table in equal com
parison, Mat. xxii. 38, 39.
4. That death be provided for before life : first
learn to die, and then it is easy to learn to live,
Deut. xxxii. 29.
5. That opportunity be preferred before time.
Work in harvest : walk while ye have the light ;
delay not whilst thou hast the means : seek -God
whilst he may be found.
6. That the first place in dignity over any be ac
counted the greatest place of service unto all, Mark
x. 44.
7. That in duties to men, we first regard to
practise the duties of the fifth commandment,
Eph. vi. 3.
Secondly, concerning behaviour : wisdom binds
the heart, the tongue, the conversation.
First, in binding the heart to good behaviour,
she chargeth five things :
1. That in the dearness of affections and clear
ness of knowledge, in the purity of our thoughts,
God be loved above all, Mark xii. 33.
2. That we draw weapon upon every imagina
tion, or what else exhausts itself against contem
plation, and the obedience of Christ, never ceasing till
those inward sins be led away captive, 2 Cor. x. 4.
3. That we grow in meekness, as we grow in
knowledge, James iii. 13 ; and that we be wise to
sobriety, desiring the knowledge only that can pro
fit us, Rom. xii. 1 3.
4. That we rest not till we be clearly resolved in
religion, God's love, aud our own salvation.

5. That the fear of God, throughout all our whole
life, be our chief treasure, Isa. xxxiii. 6.
Secondly, in binding the tongue to the good be
haviour, she chargeth :
1. That our words be few when we speak either
to God or men, Eccles. v. 1, James i. 19.
2. That wre do not so much as whisper against
the Lord's anointed, Eccles. x. ult.
3. That we presume not to come near the sacred
name of God to take it up in vain, Deut. xxviii.
58, Third Commandment.
4. That we censure not the just, nor justify and
defend the wicked. It is not safe for the prince to
smite with the tongue the meanest servant of God,
Prov. xvii. 15.
5. That we answer not a matter before we hear
it, Prov. xviii. 1 3.
6. That we judge nothing before the time, 1 Cor.
iv. 5, and speak evil of no man, but be soft, shewing
all meekness to all men. Titus iii. 2, 3.
7. That we seek a due season for good words,
Prov. xv. 23.
Thirdly, in binding tho conversation to the good
behaviour, she chargeth :
1. That men walk exactly, accurately, precisely :
it is translated circumspectly, Eph. v. 15.
2. That with all delight men set their hearts to
keep God's commandments and do them, Deut. iv.
5, 6 ; and by good conversation men shew their
works, James iii. 13.
3. That men meddle with their own business,
1 Thes. iv. 11.
4. That profit and pleasure give place to godli
ness, Ps. iv. 6, 1 Tim. vi. 6.
5. That men trust no fair pretences, but have
some sure trial before we commit ourselves to any,
John ii. 24.
6. That we fear and depart From evil before the
cross come, Prov. xvi. 6, Isa. xxvii. 11. It is every
body's course to talk of repenting when misery is
upon them ; but a wise man will redeem his own
sorrows, and fear God while the curse hangs in
the threatening, though it come not yet into execu
tion. 7. There is a special wisdom in knowing how to
give place to the time, so far as may stand with
keeping of faith and a good conscience. Thus

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[Chap. I.

Paul forbears to speak directly against Diana of the
Ephesians for three years, Acts xix. 10, 26.
8. That temporal things be ordered to conformity
with God.
Hitherto of the parts of saving knowledge.
Ver. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord in
all pleasing, being fruitful in all good works, and in
creasing in the knowledge of God.
In these words the end of knowledge is at large
set down. To this end we should fill ourselves with
the knowledge of God's will, that our conversations
might be rightly ordered, to the glory of God, the
profitable pleasing of others, and the storing up of
good fruits unto eternal life, in the salvation of our
own souls. Neither doth he think it enough for
those that have by the gospel gained much know
ledge to do good or live well, but they must raise
their endeavours to an eminence ; and this he ex
presseth in three forms of speech :
First, They must walk worthy of the Lord.
Secondly, They must walk in all plectsing.
Thirdly, They must be fruitful in all good works.
And if any should ask how all this can be attained,
he answers in the end of the verse, when he saith,
increasing in the knoidedge of God.
The doctrine out of the whole verse is, that the
life of Christians ought to answer their profession,
knowledge, and the means they enjoy. In the
enlarging hereof I consider four things : 1. The
motives to excite us to a holy endeavour after in
nocency ; 2. The causes why so many men in the
visible church, enjoying the means, have attained
to so little innocency ; 3. "What we must do that
we may thus walk ; 4. The benefits would be gotten
by a holy care of Christian innocency.
The motives are such as these :
1. We are not irt our own power, to live to our
selves, but are tied ' to live to him that died for us,'
2 Cor. v. 15.
2. Our souls and bodies are destinate to incorrup-
tion in the heavens ; and therefore we should set
ourselves so to live, for this short space in this
world, as we might deliver them up undefiled in the
day of the Lord.
3. ' Have we ever found unrighteousness in God?'
Jer. ii. 5. Shall we then serve Satan, that never

did us good, and forsake the Lord our God ? When
our hearts are tempted to sin, we should say, Shall
I thus requite the Lord for the innumerable benefits
he hath bestowed upon me ?
4. The long night of sin and ignorance, and hell
ish darkness and danger, by the light of the gospel,
by the means of Christ our Saviour, is past, and a
short season remains unto us to glorify God, and
work out the assurance and fruition of our own sal
vation. Shall we not then arise from the sleep of
sin, and now cast away the works of darkness ? Is
it not now time to arm ourselves against the slug
gishness of our own natures, and the corruptions
that are in the world, to walk honestly, as becomes
this day of grace and favour? Rom. xiii. 11, 12.
5. The miserable events of serving the flesh might
move us. If we have the means, and make a show,
and yet live carnally and scandalously, we may
deceive ourselves, but God wUl not be mocked ; we
shall reap as we sow — if we ' sow to the flesh,' we
shall 'of the flesh reap corruption,' Gal. vi. 7, 8.
And ' for these things the wrath of God cometh
upon the children of disobedience,' Eph. v. 6. And
therefore let no man deceive us with vain words ;
and if Jerusalem will not be instructed, my soul
(saith the Lord) shall depart from her, and she shall
be desolate, as a land that no man inhabiteth, Jer.
vi. 8. And contrariwise, if we would sow to the
Spirit, and never be weary of well-doing, nor faint
or fail, in due season we should reap — reap, I say,
of the Spirit, even life everlasting, Gal. vi. 7, 8.
6. We should be much moved by the dreadful
relation we stand in to God, to Christ, to the Holy
Ghost, and to the church ; — to God, for we are his
servants, and therefore ought to be holy as he is
holy, 1 Pet. i. ; we are his children, and therefore
ought to prove it by our obedience, Mai. i. ; — to
Christ, for he hath washed us in his blood, and shall
we pollute ourselves again ? he was in his own prac
tice a perfect pattern of innocency, and shall we not
learn of him? Mat. xi. 28; we are his members,
shall wre shame and dishonour our head ? our Sav
iour is in heaven, and shall we be buried, like
moles, in the love of sensual and earthly things ? or
rather, ought not our affections and conversations to
be where Christ is, even in heaven, at the right
hand of the Father? Col. iii. 1, Phil. iii. 20; — to the

Ver. 10. J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

81

Holy Ghost ; we are his temple, and shall we defile
God's holy place ? — to the church, which is the city
of the holy God, which he hath consecrated to him
self, and therefore were it not wickedness to profane
it with impurity? Let us live as the citizens of
God, Eph. ii. 19.
Lastly, In the 1 Thes. iv., I find an exhortation to
holiness, and it is enforced by five reasons : first,
It is ' the will of God,' ver. 3 ; secondly, A holy life
is an honourable life, ver. 4 ; thirdly, They are Gen
tiles, not Christians, that live profanely, ver. 5 ;
fourthly, God is a certain 'avenger of all unright
eousness,' ver. 6 ; and, finally, We are ' called unto
holiness,' ver. 7.
Secondly, If it be asked, how it comes to pass
that such multitudes of people, living in the bosom
of the church, are touched with so little care of holi
ness of life ? I may answer divers things :
1. The veil of ignorance lieth upon their hearts,
Isa. xxv. 7, and gross darkness still covers those
people, Isa. lx. 2, 3. Though the light be come, and
the glory of the Lord, yet for the most part these
men abhor the light, Job xxiv. 1 3, and therefore are
their ways dark and slippery, Ps. xxxv. 6.
2. Men's hearts go after their eyes, and men's
senses are made masters of their lives, Job xxxi. 7 ;
and therefore are their affections only stirred with
carnal things ; they take their directions from their
own flesh, and walk in the way of their own lusts,
Eccles. xi. 9.
3. Many times their brethren deceive them, Job
vi. 15 ; I mean, they are misled sometimes by their
own mistaking and misapplying of God's promises,
and sometimes by the sinful daubing of wicked
teachers, that set themselves to 'strengthen the
hands of the wicked, and discourage the hearts of
the righteous,' crying, 'Peace and safety, where
there is no peace.' Ungodly men these are, that
gainsay the doctrine of those faithful men that
would cure this sinful generation by a meet severity
of doctrine.
-4. The most men see no necessity of the restor
ing of their souls ; they cannot be persuaded of the
necessity of regeneration and conversion by the
word, and when they come to the means, they seek
not to God to lead them, Ps. xxiii. 3.
5. Men are double-hearted, and divide one part

to the flesh and the world, and another to God. The
more open part of their hves some pretend to
direct with some respect of holiness ; but the secret
and inward part is full of all rottenness ; and yet
men will not see that God and sin, God and riches,
God and the flesh, cannot be served both of one
man at one time.
6. They are incorrigible, will neither be healed by
the word, nor be forced by the works of God : ' They
will not understand, though all the foundations of
the earth be moved,' Ps. lxxxii. 5.
Thirdly, That we might attain unto this holiness
of conversation :
1. We must grow out of liking with our own
ways and our present carnal course, and forsake that
way and return from it, Prov. ix. 6, Ezek. xviii.
2. We must get out of the way of sinners ; for he
that walketh with the ungodly will be like them,
Ps. i. 1.
3. We must mightily labour for knowledge, and
be much in contemplation, and to this end exercise
ourselves in God's word day and night, and dwell
in God's house. Coherence with verse before, and
Ps. i. 2, Prov. viii. 20, and ii. 11, 12, Ps. Ixxxiv. 4, 5,
Isa. ii. 3 ; yea, we should by conference ask the way
one of another, Jer. vi. 16.
4. We must get into Christ, for he is the way ;
and tUl we labour our ingrafting into Christ, and
settle ourselves to seek a Saviour, even unto us by
faith, all our works are in vain.
5. That our conversations might be more holy
and unrebukable, we should first labour to get
holiness into our hearts ; for if grace be within,
duties will be without ; if corruption be mortified in
the soul, which is the fountain, it will have no great
sin in the life, which is the stream which flows from
the heart. First, we should guide our hearts into
the way, Prov. xxiu. 19, for thereout cometh hfe,
Prov. iv. 23.
6. We must submit ourselves to God's corrections;
' learn obedience by the things we suffer,' Heb. v. 8 ;
obey the checks of our conscience, and be contented
to ' eat the bread of affliction,' Isa. xxx. 20 ; ' bear
the words of rebuke and admonition,' 1 Thes. v. 13 ;
for he that refuseth correction will certainly go out
of the way of life, Prov. x. 1 7.
Lastly, we should ' commit our way to God,' and

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[Chap. I.

by constant and daily prayer beseech him that he
would shew us the way and lead us forth, Ps. xxv. 4;
and then that he would stay our steps in his paths,
that our feet do not slide, Ps. xvii. 5 ; and to this
end that he would remove out of our wray all im
pediments, and every lying way, Ps. cxix. 29 ; and
that he would daily quicken us in the way against
the sluggishness of our own natures, Ps. cxix. 37 ;
and bend our hearts to his holy fear ; but especially
every morning we should beseech God so to assist
us, and guide and strengthen us, to do the duties of
the day, and that he would see to and defend the
thing of the day in his day, 1 Kings viii. 58, 59, by
the virtue of Christ's intercession and his words,
which are near unto God day and night.
Fourthly, Thus doing, and endeavouring ourselves
to know and do God's will :
1. The Lord would know us by name, and take
notice of our ways, even with the knowledge of
approbation, Ps. i. 6.
2. Our lives would be full of joy and cheerfulness ;
yea, they that have tasted of the joys of a crown,
shall leave the throne and palace to seek the sweet
delights of the faithful, and to sing their songs, Ps.
cxxxviii. 5.
3. God would walk in the midst of us, Lev. xxvi.
11. 4. Yea, he would keep his covenant and mercy
with us, 1 Kings viu. 23.
5. We would be protected against all hurtful
troubles, being either preserved from them, or in
them. If we walk in the day we shall not stumble,
John xi. 8, 9 ; yea, though we went through fire and
water, yet God's holy presence and strong arm
would be with us, Isa. xliii. 3, Ps. xxiii. 3 ; yea, we
might dwell with everlasting burnings — that is,
within the knowledge of God's terrible presence and
sight of -his great judgments, when the hypocrites
of the world would be afraid, Isa. xxxiii. 14-16.
6. Or if there were sorrows and griefs upon us in
this world, yet heaven shall come, and we shall rest
in the beds of eternal ease ; whatsoever betide us,
we shall not lie down in sorrow, Isa. lvii. 2, 1. ult.
7. Thus to live is to rule with God, and to be
faithful with his saints, Hosea xi. 12.
8. Thus shall we scape the vigour of the law, Gal.
v. 18, and the flames of hell, Rom. viii. 1.

Lastly, If we continue faithful to the death, there
is laid up for us a crown of life, Rev. ii. 10.
Thus of walking or holy conversation in the gene
ral ; now, in particular, that we might walk in a
holy eminency, three things, as is before noted, are
here urged :
First, That we should ' walk worthy of the Lord,'
that is, so to know and consider the singular mercies
of God in Christ as to endeavour to express our
thankfulness in the obedience of our hves, in such
a measure as might become the mercies of God.
Before I open the words further, I consider in the
general two things :
1. That the obedience of the faithful is raised by
the contemplation of the mercies of God ; which
should teach us, as we desire more to abound hi
good fruits, so to be more in the assurance and
often meditation of God's love to us. More know
ledge of this kind would work more obedience ; and
a confused knowledge of God's mercy is usuaUy
accompanied with an unconstant obedience. Besides,
this reproves the dangerous and sinful abuse of
God's mercies in the common people, that use to
plead their safety, notwithstanding their sins, by
the alleging of the mercy of God to sinners ; whereas,
it is most certain that the right knowledge of God's
mercy would make men afraid to sin : ' there is
mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared,' saith
the psalmist, Ps. cxxx. 4 ; and it is the infallible
sign of a true convert that he doth ' fear God and
his goodness,' Hosea iii. 5. Every man can fear God
and his justice, especially in some kinds of judg
ments ; but a child of God doth never more tenderly
fear God than when he hath greatest taste of God's
mercies. 2. The papist would find merit of works in this
verse, both because holiness of hfe is so much urged,
as also because here is the word worthy used ; as if
the apostle should grant that they might be worthy
of and merit the blessing of God.
My answer is : First, That merit cannot befounded
upon scripture ; and secondly, It cannot be founded
upon this scripture. For the first, we cannot merit
for many reasons in scripture; first, we are 'not
our own ' men, we are so tied unto God that gave
us being in nature and grace, that when we have
done all we can do, our own mouths must say

Ver. 10.]

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83

'we are but unprofitable servants,' Luke xvii. 10.
Secondly, All our sufficiency to do any good is of
God, not from ourselves, 2 Cor. iii. 5, Phil. ii. 13.
Thirdly, God gains nothing by us : ' if thou be
righteous, what givest thou to him? or, what re
ceiveth he at thy hands ? ' Job xxxv. 7. Fourthly,
Men talk of their well-doing, but what shall become
of their sins ? If the papists will first go to hell for
their sins, and stay all that eternity there, then
afterwards if God create another eternity, they may
have hearing to relate what good they have done.
The curse of the law will be first served ; the punish
ment of Adam's one sin barred the plea for any
reward for former righteousness. Ftfthly, What
comparison can there be between the glory of
heaven and our works on earth? Rom. viii. 18.
Sixthly, It is worthy to be observed, that it is
mercy in God to set his love upon them that keep
his commandments, Exod. xx., Commandment ii.
Seventhly, We are so far from meriting, that we are
taught to pray God to ' give us our daily bread ;'
we have not a bit of bread of our own earning.
Eighthly, The sanctification of the most righteous is
but begun in this life. Lastly, Unto all these
reasons add the further testimony of these scrip
tures — Dan. ix. 9, Rom. iv. 5, and xi. 9, 1 Cor. iv.
4, Phil. hi. 8, 9.
Secondly, This place hath no colour for merit ;
for, to pass over that reason that the scripture re
quireth good works, therefore our works merit, as a
most false and absurd argument, the words worthy
of the Lord cannot be applied to merit by any means;
for inasmuch as the Lord had bestowed many of his
favours already upon them, and given his hand and
writing and seal for the rest, they cannot by any
works afterwards be said in any colour to merit what
is past. They are urged, Mat. iii., to ' bring forth
fruits worthy repentance.' Now it were absurd to
think that the fruits afterwards borne should merit
repentance which God gave before, for that is to
affirm that not only a wicked man might merit his
own conversion, but that he might merit it by the
works he would do after his conversion, which I
know not that any papist will affirm ; and the like
reason is there of the phrase here used.
Quest. But, letting the papist go, what is it to
walk worthy of the Lord ?

Ans. It is so to cleave unto God, that we refuse
not, out of the holy estimation of God's free mercies,
to forsake ourselves and the world, and to testify
our obedience to the law and Spirit of God in
uprightness with all thankfulness. But that this
may appear more plainly, if we wrould walk worthy
of the Lord : —
1. In general, our righteousness must exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, Mat. v.
20 ; we must be so far from resting in the custom
and practice of the vile sins that abound in the
world, that we must not be satisfied with this, that
we be civil honest men, and well thought of in the
world ; for God's mercies challenge more at our
hands than civil honesty.
2. In particular, if we would walk worthy of
God :—
(1.) We must walk with God in the sense of God's
presence, and in the light of his countenance, so
knowing his love as we forget not his presence, Gen.
xvii. 1. And because the wandering and unmorti-
fied heart of man is not easily brought to this, there
fore we must humble ourselves to gain a better
ability to walk with Our God, Micah vi. 8.
(2.) We must set the law of God, as the only rule
of our actions, always before us, Ps. cxix. 1 ; and
by all means be careful to obey the motions of God's
Spirit, even the law in our minds, that is, to walk
after the Spirit, Gal. v. 21, and according to the
Spirit, Rom. viii. 1.
(3.) We must labour to glorify God, by endea
vouring by an open light to approve ourselves to the
world, in shewing the power of God's grace in our
works and the newness of our lives, James iii. 15,
Mat. v., Rom. vi.
(4.) We must be contented to deny our own
reason, wit, desires, delights, and profits, and to take
up any cross God shall lay upon us, Luke ix. 24.
(5.) We should go beyond all civil honest men in
this, that we would respect all God's commandments,
and make conscience of every sin, by prayer and
endeavour to avoid it, and to obey God both in our
souls and bodies, and in every part of both.
(6.) Lastly, We should so admire God's love, in
delivering our souls from death, and our feet from
falling, &c, that we should seek God's face in the
light ofthe living, and never to come empty-handed,

84

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[Chap. I.

but God's vows should be upon us, and we should
ever be rendering praise. Thankfulness is aU we
can give to God, Ps. lvi. 12, 13.
In all pleasing. This is the second thing required
in our conversation; we should not think it enough
to live justly and religiously, but we must live pleas
ingly also. And this is true : 1. In respect of God —
' let us have grace that we may so serve God, that
we may please hiin,' Heb. xii. 18, 1 Cor. vii. 31 ; 2. In
respect of our own conscience, preserving the rest
and goodness of the conscience ; 3. In respect of
men — thus the wife careth to please her husband,
and the husband to please his wife, 1 Cor. vii. 33.
It is not enough to be persuaded that that we do be
good, but we ought to look to it that it be pleasing.
So in all duties to God, and in our carriage to men.
Quest. But what should we do that we might so
serve God as please him too ?
Ans. This is answered in divers scriptures.
1. Be sure thou be not in the flesh, for no such
can please God, Rom. viii. 8 ; and they are in the
flesh that can relish nothing but fleshly things, that
take no care to provide for the life of grace and
peace of conscience, ver. 6 ; that will not be subject
to the law of God, ver. 7 ; that have not the spirit
of Christ, ver. 9 ; and that die not to sin, ver. 10.
Object. But there are many wise men to whom
these signs agree ; and may not they for their good
parts otherwise be pleasing to God '?
Sol. No ; so long as they are fleshly persons, their
wisdom, bred in the flesh, is so far from pleasing
God, that it is enmity to God.
2. Thou must let the will of God, revealed in his
word, be the rule of all thy actions, ' a light to thy
feet, and a lanthern to thy paths ; ' for in the word
is contained both what he requires and what will
please him.
3. Thou must make conscience of little sins as well
as great sins. If a man break the least command
ment, and then by doctrine or defence maintain it to
be a small matter, our Saviour Christ shews that this
is not only displeasing to God, but it will cause God to
cast men out of heaven with indignation ; on the other
side, whosoever shall make conscience to observe
God's commandments in the things the world counts
less matters, and shall constantly by doctrine or pro
fession declare his sincerity herein, he shall be exceed

ing pleasing to God, and God will shew it by making
him great in the kingdom of heaven, Mat. v. 19.
What commandment could be less than the com
mandment about the not eating of blood, and yet
with many words their obedience herein was urged,
and that with this reason, as they would have all
things go well with them and theirs, and do that
which is pleasing or right in God's sight, Deut.
xii. 23-26.
4. Thou must desire and pray for the best things ;
thou must so think of profits and pleasures of this
world, as especially thy heart must desire and thy
lips request of God the wisdom and grace that is
from above. It did exceedingly please God that
Solomon asked wisdom, and not riches or long life,
1 Kings iii. 9-11.
5. Thou must get a humble and contrite spirit, a
heart able to see and hate sin, and mourn over it ;
and with a tender sense of thine own wants and un
worthiness to implore God's favour, and the renew
ing of his mercies.
6. Thou must so profess respect of piety, as thou
be careful in all things to deal justly and truly with
men, delighting in all the occasions and means to
shew mercy. He cannot please God that doth not
endeavour to please men. Sacrifice is an abomina
tion when men do not judgment and justice, Prov.
xxi. 3 ; and God delights in men that will deal truly,
Prov. xii. 22. If a man will deal justly, and love
mercy, not be" merciful only, and when he hath
occasion to come to God in the duties of piety and
worship, will come in all humility and contrition of
heart, this is that, saith the prophet Micah, that is
required ; yea, that is good, that is exceeding pleas
ing and acceptable to God, Micah vi. 5-7.
Thou must be tender-hearted and merciful, to sup
ply the necessities of the saints ; for works of mercy
are odours of sweet smell, sacrifices acceptable, well-
pleasing to God, Phil. iv. 18.
7. Thou must take heed of such sin as God
hates with a special hatred ; for there are some evils,
which a man being guilty of, God will at no hand
be pleased with him ; as First, The sins of the third
commandment, swearing and cursing, and the like ;
for God hath told us before, that what sins soever
he will bear with, yet he will ' not hold us guiltless
if we take his name in vain,' Command, hi., Deut.

Ver. 10.]

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85

xxviii. 58. Secondly, Lukewarmness in religion,
when men are neither hot nor cold ; this is so ex
ceeding loathsome upon God's stomach, he cannot be
at rest till he have spued such persons out. Thirdly,
For a man to bless his heart when God curseth, and
to plead his hopes when God threateneth, Deut.
xxix. 19. Fourthly, To fear God hymen's tradi
tions, Isa. xxix. 13. Fifthly, Presumptuously to break
God's Sabbath, Jer. xvii. 27. Sixthly, Through im
patience or unbelief in adversity to withdraw our
selves, Heb. x. 35, 36, &c, and without faith it is
impossible to please God. Seventhly, To offer unto
God the blind, the lame, and the sick, the torn, and
the corrupt thing, Mai. i. 8-1 4. Eighthly, To be found
in the fashions of the world, either in life or attire,
Rom. xii. 2. Ninthly, Out of frowardness and ma
lice, to cross and persecute such as fear God. God
these please not, Thes. ii. 15, 16.
Thus of walking in all pleasing in respect of
God. Quest. 2. What must we do that we may walk
pleasingly amongst men 1
i Ans. I consider of this first generally, then more
particularly. That we may please men we must ob
serve these rules : — 1. We must be careful to please
God, else it is just with God, that though we strive
to please men yet we should not attain to it, because
we are not in the first place careful to please God.
2. We must get that philanthropian love of men
into our hearts, but especially philadelphian, the
love of the brethren ; for this engenders care and
diligence to please, and makes the labour thereunto
seem no baseness or burden. 3. In the general cor
ruption of our callings we must live innocently.
Samuel is much set by, and pleaseth the people,
when he stands by Hophni and Phinehas, men so
egregiously corrupt. 4. If we would please in con
versing, we must learn to bear infirmities, Rom. xv.
2. 5. We must practise those virtues that especially
win favour, as courtesy, meekness, candour, faithful
dealing, . though it be to our hindrance ; we must
give soft answers, overcome evil with goodness, be
slow to wrath, and forgive, and not revenge. 6.
We must hate those vices, and avoid them, which in
conversation appear hateful amongst men, as back
biting, Rom. i. 29, 1 Tim. v. 13, Prov. xxvi. 20;
discovery of secrets, Prov. xi. 13 ; bitter words, Eph.

v. 3, 4 ; boasting, Prov. xxvii. 1,2; suspiciousness,
Jer. xiii. ; rashness in reproofs and admonition, offen
sive carriage, 1 Cor. x. 32 ; and the stirring of the
infirmities of others, Gen. xiii. 8.
In particular, we must be careful to please in the
family, in the church, in the commonwealth. In
the family : 1 . The governors must labour to walk
in all pleasing ; and to this end they must govern
in the Lord, and cast the impression of religion upon
the souls of their people, that the reason of their
obedience may be the will of God ; they must retain
wisely their authority ; it is not the way to please
to loose the reins, and lose their authority ; they
must take notice of virtues as well as vices, and
reprove in love, not in passion, and avoid that be
haviour that irritates and provokes to wTath.
2. Inferiors, if ever they would please God, must
be careful to please their masters, parents, and hus
bands, as bearing the image of God ; and to this
end they must pray God to make them able both to
obey and please ; they must be teachable, and not
such as must be continually told of the same fault ;
they must avoid answering again, for as a sullen
silence is hateful, so prating and haste to answer
doth provoke, Titus ii. 9, 10. Lastly, They must avoid
such sins as prove in tlieir places specially hateful,
as pride, lying, unfaithfulness, viz., to be such as
cannot be trusted in anything, stubbornness, slow
ness, especially when they are sent upon business.
As in the family so in the church : ministers must
walk in all pleasing; and to this end they must
practise what they preach, and avoid envy, passion,
contention, and partiality ; they must be wise and
gentle, apt to teach and instruct in meekness, though
they be opposed, 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25 ; they must be
vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospi
tality ; they must not be pot-companions, or quarrel
some, or covetous, more desiring and delighting in
the gain of the benefice than the profit of the people's
souls ; they must order their families as well as them
selves, and keep their children in subjection and
gravity, 1 Tim. iii. 2-4. Peace, peace, and daub
ing with untempered mortar, will not make them
pleasing, though many strive to win applause by
such daubing ; for the conscience of the men that
are so soothed cloth secretly contemn these plausi
ble seers.

86

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[Chap. I.

The hearers also must strive to please their
teachers, and that they may do so, they must yield
them meet honour, and sufficient maintenance ; but
especially they must labour from the heart to yield
obedience to the doctrine of their teachers, for that
pleaseth a faithful minister more than all dignities
or riches.
The magistrate must strive to be pleasing to the
people ; and, for that purpose, they must be men
fearing God, Exod. xviii., studious ofthe scriptures,
Joshua i. 9, lovers of the good, Micah iii. 2, just,
hating covetousness, Exod. xviii., lovers of the com
monwealth, industrious to acquaint themselves with
the estate of their flocks, walking in and out before
the people with all wisdom, courage, and gravity,
careful to purge out those vices which, as evil hu
mours, disease the pubhc body, for this easeth and
pleaseth the body afterwards. Such as will charge
and remunerate as weU as punish, countenance the
good as well as restrain the evil. Such as in fac
tions and emulations will cleave to neither side.
Men that conceive a general care for the persons,
goods, and good name of the subject, guiding them
to holiness as well as happiness, to sanctity , as well
as safety.
The people, again, must strive to please their rulers,
by reverencing them, and obeying them, though
against their profit, with constancy and for con
science' sake. They must pray for them, and speak
well of them. It was without doubt a great con
tentment to David, that whatsoever he did pleased
the people, 2 Sam. iii. 36.
Thus of walking in all pleasing in respect of others.
Thirdly, We must walk in all pleasing towards
our own consciences, providing by all means for the
rest, peace, and contentment of our own hearts
within ; and that this inward peace and pleasing may
be had, many things are profitable and available.
1. Sorrow for our sins ; for this sorrow will be
turned into joy, John xvi. 20 ; whereas the end of
all carnal laughter will be sorrow and unquietness of
heart, Luke vi. 25 ; and there is no peace to the
wicked, and he is wicked thatis not contrite in heart,
Isa. lvii. 21. 2. The faith or belief of our justification
in Christ ; for being justified by faith our souls have
peace, Rom. v. 1. We must seek the rest of our
hearts in God's favour in Christ, for he is the Prince

of peace, Isa. ix. 6. 3. The love of God's law, for
' great peace and rest have they that love God's
law,' Ps. cxix. 165 ; yea, it is added, ' and nothing
shall offend them.' 4. Diligence and constancy in
the use of God's ordinances. It is a secret joy to
the heart of every one that is a friend to the bride
groom to hear the bridegroom's voice, John iii. 29 ;
and to be much in prayers is a way to be much in joy,
John xvi. 24. 5. Meekness ; while angry and wrath
ful persons fret themselves to their own singular evil,
meek men shall delight themselves in abundance
of peace, Ps. xxxvii. 8, 11. 6. Just dealing in all
businesses with all men. For ' the work of right
eousness is peace, and the effect of righteousness is
quietness and assurance for ever,' Isa. xxxii. 17.
Lastly, Would we attain that peace and pleasing
contentment that passeth all the understanding of
the carnal man, we must take heed of worldly care :
' in nothing be careful.'
Object. But we have so many crosses, how can
we but care ?
Sol. ' Let your requests be known to God.'
Object. We have prayed and are not rid out of them.
Sol. Add supplication to your prayers.
Object. We have prayed, and that earnestly, and
daily, and with much importunity, and yet are dis
quieted still.
Sol. Be thankful for the mercies thou hast ; un-
thankfulness hinders the restful success of prayer,
Phil. iv. 6, 7.
Fruitful in all good works. The Son of man is
ascended, and hath given authority and gifts unto
men, and unto every servant his work. He calls
for obedience, and detests sleeping, and requires all
watchfulness to the speeding of all his works, and
' what he saith to one, he saith to all, Watch,' Mark
xiii. 35-37. This is shewed unto all that turn unto
God, that they must do works meet for repentance,
Acts xxvi. 20 ; considering the season, that it is now
high time to wake out of sleep ; the night is far spent,
and the day at hand, and therefore we should arm
and address ourselves to cast away the works of
darkness, and to labour in the light, Rom. xiii. 12,
13. Good works are the best apparel of Christians
professing godliness, 1 Tim. ii. 10, and their most
durable riches and treasures, 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19. To
this end hath the light of the gracious and saving

Ver. 10.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

87

doctrine of God shined, that men might be fami
liarly instructed to conceive the necessity of doing
all the works, both of piety, righteousness, and so
briety, Titus ii. 12. Yea, to this end did Christ give
himself for us, and redeem us at so high a rate, that
he might ' purify a peculiar people to himself, zeal
ous of good works,' Titus ii. 14. We are ' the work
manship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which God hath ordained that we should
walk in them,' Eph. ii. 10 ; and it shall be to us ' ac
cording to our works,' Rom. ii. 6 ; and therefore it
should be our wisdom to ' shew by good conversa
tion our works,' James iii. 13 ; and our love, to
' provoke others unto good works,' Heb. x. 24.
Concerning good works, I propound three things :
1. What works are not good works.
2. What rules must be observed to make our
works good works.
3. What works are good in particular.
1. For the first, The works that are done to be seen
of men are not good, works, Mat. xxiii. 5. The
works of persecutors are all naught, John viii. 39,
40. All works are naught that have not repentance
going before ; for good works are the works of the
penitent, Acts xxvi. 20. All the works that are
done too late are thrust out of the catalogue of good
works ; as to cry to God after a man hath stood out
all the opportunities and seasons of grace, Prov. i.
28. It is a sign men's works are not good when
they hate the light, and cannot abide to be reproved,
John iii. 19, 20. And of the like nature are those
works that are guided after the example of the
multitude, of which men say, they do as the most
do, Exod. xxii. Lastly, Doth not the world hate
thee ? then suspect thy works, John vii. 7.
2. For the second, That we may have comfort, that
God will account our works good works : 1. They
must be warranted by the word of God. If we do
truth, we must go to the light, that our deeds may
be manifest that they are wrought in God, John iii.
21. 2. Our persons must be made good by justifi
cation, we must be created in Christ Jesus, Eph. ii.
10. Would we work the works of God, we must
believe in him that God hath sent, John vi. 28, 29.
3. Our works must be finished, John iv. 34. 4. By
mortification, we must purge ourselves that we may
be meet for the Master's use, and prepared for every

work we would have accepted as good, 2 Tim. ii. 21.
Lastly, The ends must be good ; and the ends of all
good works are : 1. The glory of God ; 2. The dis
charge of our obedience ; 3. The edification of our
neighbours ; 4. The testification of our faith and
thankfulness ; 5. The escaping of the punishment
of sin, and the destruction of the wicked ; 6. The
answering of our high calling in Jesus Christ ; 7. The
obtaining of the glory of heaven.
3. For the third, In our conversation with men there
are divers kinds of good works, some spiritual, some
corporal. They are good works to instruct, admo
nish, encourage, reprove, and pray for others ; to
pull an infant or weak man out of a flaming fire is a
good work ; and such it is to recover a sinner by
admonition, counsel, &c. It is a good work to cover
infirmities, yea, a multitude of them ; and to forgive
trespasses, and to overcome evil with goodness. So
also they are good works to grieve with them that
grieve, in giving honour to go one before another,
to lift up the just praises of others, to lend to the
needy, and to give liberally and cheerfully towards
the relieving of the necessities of the poor, especially
them of the household of faith.
To conclude, from the manner of phrase, bearing
fruit in every good work, these things may be
observed : first, That good works are fruits; for they
are such things as shew our faith, prove our plant
ing, and yield us comfort in God's acceptation of
them ; secondly, That a religious mind will labour
to get fruit of every sort ; he will not know a good
work, but he will desire to carry some fruit of it ;
thirdly, A Christian man carries his fruit, both
because he carries the blessing of his well-doing, and
because he is never without some fruit, as also he
shall be sure his works will go with him, when all
things else shall leave him.
Thus far of the eminency of Christians in holy
conversation. Increasing in the knowledge of God. Whereas a
question might be asked, what should we do that
we might attain to the holiness of life before
described? These words contain an answer to it,
that they must increase in the knowledge of God.
The words in themselves stand of three parts :
first, The grace, knowledge; secondly, The measure
of it, increase ; thirdly, The object, of God. Of the

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

grace itself I have entreated before, only from the
repetition two things may be observed :
First, We had need to be often urged, and put in
mind, and stirred up to seek knowledge. We are
naturally so unapt to sphitual things, that 'line
must be upon line, and precept upon precept,' Isa.
xxix. Of ourselves there is none of us have any
great mind to understand or seek after God, Ps.
xiv. 2, or U we begin, we soon leave off to under
stand to do good, Ps. xxxvi. 3 ; and some of us are
so wayward and wilful, that we know not, nor will
not know, but walk on in darkness, though all the
foundation of the earth be moved, Ps. lxxxii. 5.
Secondly, Men are not only to seek knowledge
that they may be converted and sanctified and hve
a righteous life, but even after aU these are attained
we must still be industrious to get more knowledge,
because knowledge enlarged gives the comfort and
sense of grace received ; else, a man may have faith,
and yet for want of knowledge live without the
comforts of it. Besides, it furthers the sanctifica
tion of our callings, and the creatures we use, 1 Tim.
iv. 3. Further, it makes us able to discern things
that differ, and in matters of salvation to trust our
own faith, Phil. i. 10, 1 John iv. 1 ; and it keeps
down corrupt affections ; and in what measure we
retain our ignorance, we retain fear and the spirit
of bondage, Isa. xi. 7-9.
Increasing. The adjunct increase follows. Here
are two doctrines :
Doct. 1. First, That we must increase in know
ledge, else that we have will decay, and knowledge
is given but in part, and not all at once. Besides,
it is a special part of God's image, and therefore of
great both necessity and honour. If men be never
weary of seeking for wealth and riches, why should
a Christian be weary of seeking wisdom, which is
better than all treasures 1
Doct. 2. Secondly, That increase of knowledge is
a great furtherance of holy life ; the prevailing of
sin in the life of the Jews was caused by the pre
vailing of ignorance, Isa. i. 3. Therefore there is
no mercy nor piety in the land, because there is no
knowledge of God in the land, Hosea iv. 1, 2. God
shews his righteousness to them that know him,
Ps. xxxvi. 10. And therefore neither the papists
must tell men that ignorance is the mother of devo

tion, nor the common protestant so idly ask, what
needs all this knowledge 1
More particularly, three questions may be here
resolved :
Quest. 1 . What are the lets of increase ?
Ans. There are many lets : 1. Ill opinions about
knowledge, as that it is unprofitable, unnecessary,
&c. ; 2. Abuse of our callings ; 3. The love of other
things, Jer. ix. 23, 24 ; 4. The smothering of
doubts, difficulties, and prejudice in the use of the
means ; 5. Security, when a man grows proud of
what he doth know, and presumes of God's mercy
for what he wants ; 6. Presumptuous sin, as it
hinders other graces, so it casts men behindhand in
knowledge ; 7. Resisting of God's Spirit pricking the
conscience to get it awake, and smothering of terrors,
Hosea vi. 1-3 ; 8. Internal evils nourished, as
lust, 2 Tim. iii. 7, evil thoughts, Prov. xiv. 22,
passion, Prov. xiv. 29, &c.
Quest. 2. How may we know when we increase in
knowledge ?
Ans. We increase in knowledge : 1. If we increase
in affection to the means, for God is never wanting
in the success ; 2. If we increase in the power of
godliness. It is certain we grow in knowledge if we
grow in grace ; 3. If we grow staid 'and settled,
and more resolved in the doctrine of God's grace
and practice of holy life.
Quest. 3. What must we do that we may increase ?
Ans. We must observe these rules : 1. We must
practise what we do already know, John vii. 17 ; 2.
We must not be over-curious, or suffer ourselves to
be drawn aside with fond questions, controversies,
and speculations, but be wise to sobriety, Rom. xii.
3 ; 3. We must redeem the time, and watch to all
the opportunities for the use of the means, Eph. v.
16 ; 4. We must use the world as if we used it not ;
5. We must acknowledge, that is, confess and profess,
what we know, lest God by our unthankfulness and
fearfulness be provoked to scourge our spirits with
a slumber or reprobate sense, Rom. i. 28 ; 6. We
must mind our own way, Prov. xiv. 8 ; lastly,
We must use God's ordinances, and all of them, and
without interruption, constantly and cheerfully.
Thus of the grace itself, and the measure of it ;
the object follows :
Of God. Our knowledge must be of God four

Ver. 11.]

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89

ways : for first, It must be spiritual and divine
knowledge, not human, natural, and earthly ; 2. It
must be of God ; as he is the author of it, we must
seek it from above by prayer ; 3. It must be of God;
as he is the end of it, it must draw us nearer to
God ; lastly, God must be the object of it ; we must
know God's name. In this last sense here are two
things imported :
First, That even after regeneration there may be
sometimes some working of the seeds of atheism.
So wretched is the evil nature of man, that in this
respect there is cause many times to hang down the
head with horror, shame, and bitter mourning of
heart, and confusion of face.
Secondly, That increase in holy conversation doth
abate the movings of atheism ; as any be more holy
so they are more freed from the trouble of them.
Be first holy, and then be an atheist, professed or
resolved, if thou canst.
Concerning the knowledge of God four things are
to be considered : 1. How he is made known; 2.
Who they are that God chargeth with this, that
they know him not ; 3. How it comes to pass that
man knows not his God ; 4. What we must do that
we may know God.
1. God is made known : 1. In his Son ; in Christ
God is, as it were, visible, John xiv. 9 ; 2. By his
Spirit, 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11 ; 3. By his word, both by the
testimony it gives of God, and by the relation of
prophecies accomplished and miracles wonderfully
wrought; it shews God, as it is a sacred treasury
preserving the memory of wonderful things ; 4. By
his works ; and that either in general, as God hath
stamped upon them some marks of his invisible
things, Rom. i., or in his particular works, as the
founding of the earth, the hanging of the clouds,
the spreading out of the heavens, the recoiling of
the waters, leaving a habitation for man ; terrors of
conscience, plagues upon wicked men at their wish,
answering of prayers, miracles, the soul of man, and
state of devils.
2. There are many sorts of men, yea, even in the
church, besides professed atheists, that are hated of
God, and charged with this, that they know not God,
as 1. All that keep not his commandments, Isa. i. 5,
1 John ii. 4 ; 2. All that hear not us, 1 John iv. 6;
3. All persecutors, John xvi. 3 ; 4. All that honour

not such as fear God, 1 John iii. 1 ; 5. All that deny
the natures or offices of the Son of God, 1 John ii.
23. 3. This wretched atheism, and ignorance of God,
and evil thoughts of his nature, presence, attributes,
&c, is caused: first, By corruption of our natures in
the fall; second, It is increased by the custom of all
sorts of sins; third, If it prevail, it may come by some
special judgment of God, who, being provoked by
other sins, doth leave men to a spirit of slumber, or,
eternally rejecting them, doth leave them to a repro
bate sense, or in the power of the sin against the
Holy Ghost.
4. That we may know God, and increase in it, we
must view his works, search his book, obey the
motions of his Spirit, humble ourselves to seek the
signs of his presence, and for the better success in
all, labour for a pure heart, Mat. v. 6.
Hitherto of the object, parts, and end of know
ledge ; the cause followeth in these words :
Ver. 11. Strengthened in all might, according to the
power of his glory.
In the words I note: 1. The thing itself, strength
ened; 2. The manner of it, in all might; 3. The
ground of it, according to the power of his glory, or
glorious power.
Doct. 1. From the coherence I observe that we
must be strengthened in grace before we can be
filled with knowledge ; till grace prevail evil motions
and temptations grow many times too hard for the
seeds of knowledge, and the devil steals away much
of the seed.
Strengthened. Doct. 2. There are two sorts of
Christians fearing God; some are strengthened
with all might; some are feeble in the knowledge
and grace of God. There are strong Christians and
weak; infants and men of riper age. It is profitable
more exactly to consider of both; and in the weak
Christian I consider: 1. Who are weak; 2. What
helps to make them strong in the might of God.
For the better understanding of the first, I pro
pound three things : 1. What the infant or weak
Christian wanteth, by which he discovers his weak
ness; 2. What he hath, notwithstanding his wants;
3. The happiness of his estate though he be weak.
They are but babes and infants in grace: 1. That
M

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[Chap. I

know not the love of Christ with particular, distinct,
and full assurance, Eph. iii. 17, 19, 20; 2. That are
not able to practise the more strong and purging
duties of mortification, Mat. ix. 15, &c. ; 3. That
serve any passion and unruly affection, 1 Cor. iii.
1-3; 4. That are unsettled in the way of life, John
xiv. 5, and tossed with the wind of contrary doc
trine, Eph. iv. 14; 5. That stick at acknowledg
ment, and dare not stand out to the profession of
the truth, Eph. iv. 13 ; 6. That cannot digest some
truths of God, as being strong meat, and in their
account hard sayings, John vi. 60, and xvi. 22 ;
7. That are inexpert and unskilful in the word of
righteousness, Heb. v. 12, 13, especially if they be
ignorant in the principles. Other signs may be
gathered from the contrary estate of the strong
Christian afterwards.
2. Yet the weakest Christian (whatsoever he
wants) hath these things: 1. He discerns the season
of grace, and the day of his peace and redemption,
which the wise men of the world do not, Mat. xvi.
3; 2. Though in his own account he can do but little
for the truth, yet he will be sure to do nothing
against the truth if he may know it, 2 Cor. xiii. 8 ;
3. He is not in the flesh, he is more than a natural
man, he is born again, 1 Cor. xv. 50, John iii. 5,
Rom. viii. 8; 4. He hath an earnest appetite, and
constant desire after the sincere milk of the word,
1 Pet. ii. 2 ; 5. He believes whilst he struggles with
unbelief; 6. The -strong man armed, which is
the devU, is so cast out by Christ that he prevails
not as he was wont; 7. He can deny his reason,
pleasures, profits, and beloved sins, and take up his
cross in some measure, Luke xiv. 26, 27, 33; lastly,
Such a door may be opened to them that have little
strength, as no man can shut; and such courage they
may have, that they will stick to the word, and keep
it as their best treasure, whatsoever they lose, and
by no means be induced to deny Christ and his
name, Rev. ii. 8, 9.
3. His case is happy though weak, for he hath
such a High Priest and Saviour as knows how to
have compassion on the ignorant, Heb. v. 2, and is
touched with a feeling of his infirmities, Heb. iv.
15; and hath wrought the reconciliation of all his
brethren, and was tempted himself, and therefore
will succour the weak when he is tempted, Heb. ii.

18; and will see to it that more shall not be laid
upon him than he is able to bear, 1 Cor. x. 13; it
being his charge and office to provide that the
bruised reed be not broken, or the smoking flax
quenched, till judgment be brought forth unto vic
tory. And at all times the weakest Christian may
go boldly to the throne of grace, and obtain mercy
to help in time of need, Heb. iv. 16.
The helps for strengthening of the weak are of
two sorts : some without us, some to be used by us.
Without us there are many things that may
strengthen, and encourage, and animate the weak:
1. There is proposed a glorious inheritance to them
that overcome; 2. We have the example of all the
saints; 3. We have a strong and sure foundation,
2 Tim. ii. 19; 4. We have a strong God, and his
power is engaged to exercise itself in our weakness,
and to keep us unto salvation, without falhng, till
he present us faultless before the presence of his
glory, Jude 24, 1 Pet. i. 5, 2 Cor. xii. 9 ; 5. We
have a strong word of God, able to build us up,
and make us wise, and save our souls, Acts xx. 32,
2 Tim. iii. 16, James i. 21, as being God's arm,
and mighty instrument of his power, 1 Cor. i. 18,
Rom. i. 10; 6. The Spirit of God is a Spirit as
of grace, so of power, 2 Tim. i. 7, and helpeth the
weak, as in1 prayer, Rom. viii. 26, so in every duty
and grace; 7. We have a strong Saviour; Christ
doth strengthen and encourage the Christian three
ways : first, By his own example, becoming a pattern
to us to follow; secondly, By apphcation, for unto
aU that lay hold on him by faith he is a priest
after the power of endless life, Heb. vii. 16; the
wisdom of God, and the power of God, 1 Cor. i. 24;
thirdly, By operation, for he hath borne our infirmi
ties — by his one offering he hath and doth consecrate
and make perfect our persons and works in God's
sight, Heb. ii. 10; he doth unite us to the Father,
John xvii. 21, 23. He gives us his Father's glory,
both in that he gives us such graces as will bring to
glory, and in that he gives us credit where him
self and the Father are in credit. Thus ofthe helps
without us.
If any ask, in the second place, what we must do that
we may be strengthened, I answer: 1. We must pray
for knowledge and faith to discern and believe God's
power and promise, Eph. i. 8, Sec. And in the fourth

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91

of that epistle there are five things more to be done,
that we may attain to a ripe age in Christ : 1 . We
must subject ourselves to be taught and wrought
upon by such teachers as are set over us by Christ;
2. We must resolve and settle ourselves in the doc
trine of the foundation and the principles of truth,
that we be not tossed to and fro with every wind;
3. We must so be satisfied with the voice of Christ
in our teachers, that we cast aside all respects of the
voice of strangers, not opening our ears willingly to
the sleights of cunning men, that will ' lie in wait to
deceive us ;' 4. We must take heed of personal dis
cords with any that fear God, ' following the truth
in love;' 5. We must mutually strive to yield and
seek help, to and of one another, that every joint in
this mystical body, ' according to the measure of the
part,' may supply and make up the increase of the
body, by virtue of union with the head and com
munion with the members, Eph. iv. 11-17. Be
sides, if we would increase in strength, we must ' let
patience have his perfect work,' making conscience to
mortify corrupt passions, — as worldly grief, anger,
fretting, &c, James i. 4. And lastly, We must be
careful to keep what God hath given us, ' that no
man take away our crown.' Neglect of grace re
ceived is a great hindrance of strength and increase.
Thus of the weak Christian.
A strong Christian discovers himself by divers
things : first, He is spiritual, — that is, such a one
as not only hath a taste and desire after spiritual
things, but is also ruled by the word and Spirit of
God, that he restrains the evils of the flesh both in
heart and "life, so as he gives not occasion either of
scandal to the weak, or of scorn to them that are
without, 1 Cor. iii. 1. Secondly, He is able to be
baptized with the baptism that Christ was baptized
with, and to drink of the cup that Christ drank of.
He is not only willing to bear ordinary wrongs and
crosses, but is prepared for the worst the world or
Satan may do to him, Mat. xx. 22, 23. Thirdly,
He can ' bear the infirmities of the weak,' and in
conversing deny himself, and please his brother in
that that is good to edification, Rom. xv. 1, 2.
Fourthly, He is full of goodness and knowledge,
and is able to admonish, Rom. xv. 14, and comfort
others with the comforts he hath found himself, 2
Cor. i. 4. Fifthly, He sins not in word, James iii. 2, —

that is, he is able to govern his tongue with wisdom,
meekness, grace, and truth. The ordinary faults of
speech are not found- in his tongue. Sixthly, He is
not careful for his life, to take thought for what he
shall eat or what he shall drink, nor doth he dis
quiet his heart about his body what he shall put on ;
for these outward things he can easily trust his
heavenly Father, Mat. vi. 25, 30. Seventhly, He
can love his enemies, endure wrongs without resist
ance or revenge ; or if he use the help of the magis
trate, he can seek it without malice or cruelty ; he
can ' bless them that curse him, and pray for them
that despite him, and do good to them that hate
him,' Mat. v. 38. to the end. Lastly, In faith he is
strong, like Abraham, Rom. iv. 16 to the end. He
can believe things to come as well as if they were
present, ver. 1 7 ; he can believe above hope and
under hope, ver. 18 ; he looketh not to the means,
but to the promise, ver. 19 ; he vanquisheth doubts,
ver. 20 ; he is as thankful for promises as others
would be for performances, ver. 20, 21 ; for these
things were not only true of Abraham, but may be
true in us also, ver. 23, 24, who may have as great
help from Christ as ever he had, ver. 25.
Thus of the strong Christian.
In all might. Note how the apostle presseth to
perfection; before, 'in all knowledge,' 'all pleas
ing,' ' all good works ; ' now, in ' all might.' And
we had need to be strengthened with all might,
because not one part of the soul only is to be looked
to, but the whole soul, spirit, and life throughout ;
nor have we one grace to tend, but all sorts of graces
from God ; nor cloth there abide us one trouble, but
calamities, indignities, and temptations of all sorts.
We have not one adversary to encounter, but many,
and of many sorts ; inward, outward, visible, in
visible, public, private, at home, and abroad. Neither
do we stand upon our guard at one time, but must
look to ourselves in all these respects at all times.
It must be all might that we should labour after
in four respects :
First, It must be a might that extends to the
strengthening of all the faculties of the soul, powers
of the body, and duties of the life ; our minds must
be strengthened in the approving of truth and good
ness, and in reprobating of evil and falsehood, 1
Cor. xiv. 20 ; our memories must be strengthened

92

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[Chap. I.

in retaitiing and recording the secrets and hid things
of God which are committed to it ; the will must be
strengthened in the election of good and rejection
of evil ; and our affections need strength also. Thus
we were to be strengthened in patience, James i. 4 ;
joy, 1 Thes. v. 16; love, 1 John iv. 18 ; mercy, Col.
hi. 12; hope and confidence, 1 Pet. i. 13; desires,
Ps. xxvii. 4; in reverence, Heb. xii. 28; in hatred of
sin, Ps. exxxix. 22 ; contempt of the world, Phil. iii.
8, Isa. xxx. 22. So do we need strength to every
duty of holy life.
Secondly, It must be a might that is gotten from
the use of all the means; we must be strengthened
in the power of every ordinance of God, and sup-
porte:! with the use of every help to make us
strong. Thirdly, It must be a might shewed in the use of
all the armour of God. We must strengthen our
selves with every piece of armour, whether it be
armour of defence, as, ' the girdle of truth, the breast
plate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of
peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of hope ; ' or
armour of offence, as, ' the sword of the Spirit, God's
word,' and the ' darts of prayer,' Eph. vi. 12.
Fourthly, It should be a might extended to all
possible degrees and power of every grace and duty.
Thus in mercy we should communicate in all good
things, Gal. vi. 6; our service should be a hearty
service, Eph. vi. 6 ; we must love the Lord with
all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our might,
Deut. vi. 5.
According to the power of his glory. In the handling
of these words, I consider them : first, Apart ;
secondly, As they are joined together ; and thirdly,
The doctrines out of them.
Here are two things laid to pawn for the
strengthening of the weak Christian, God's power,
and God's glory.
Power is one of the attributes they call in schools
relata. The power of God is infinite, both in respect
of essence, for it is as large as the essence, yea, it
is the essence itself; and in respect of objects; he
hath not done so much, but far beyond our capacities
he could do infinitely more; and so is it infinite in
respect of continuance. Yet to speak of it accord
ing to our capacities, it is restrained: 1. By his
will; he cannot do what his will is against. 2. By

his glory; he can do nothing against his own glory.
3. By his nature, he cannot lie, &c, because it is
against his nature. 4. In some respects, by the
nature of the creature ; so as whatsoever destroys
the essentia] definition of the creature God cannot
do ; as God cannot make a man unreasonable, and
yet he remain a man ; he cannot make a body in
finite, and it remain a body still. 5. Sometimes by
the condition and qualities of the creature ; as, 'Be
it unto thee according to thy faith.' 6. By impos-
sibUity ; I say by that which is simply impossible,
for there are many things impossible in respect of
us, which are not only possible, but easy to God.
And therefore the common people reason foolishly,
God can save me, therefore he wUl do it; and the
papists as wilfully, Christ can be present in the sac
rament, therefore he will. For besides that they
will never prove his body can be in aU places at one
time, truly and locally present, remaining a true
body, they also reason but absurdly till they find
his will to be there in their manner.
The glory of God is taken sometimes for the sign
of his presence, Exod. xvi. 10; for the means of his
worship, 1 Sam. iv. 22 ; for praise and honour, 2
Chron. xxix. 1 1 . But here it is taken for the ex
cellency of God above all creatures as it may be
revealed. God is more excellent than all creatures,
in trinity of persons in one essence, in perfection of
nature, in infiniteness of being, in eternity, in purity
and singleness, in immutability of nature, wall, and
qualities, in understanding, in prescience, winch
absolutely faileth to no creature, in the idea of
virtue, and in omnipotency. By reason of man's fall
and custom in sin God's glory is much darkened ;
so as now man of himself cannot so conceive of the
wonderful excellency of his creator.
God's glory is revealed unto man : 1. By his
works, Ps. civ. 31, especially his dreadful and great
works, Isa. xxiv. 16 ; 2. By the signs of his presence,
Exod. xvi. 10 ; 3. By the means of his worship, 1 Sam.
iv. 22, Ps. Ixxxix. 7; 4. By the confession of guUty
persons, Joshua vii. 19, 1 Sam. vi. 5, Mai. ii. 2 ; 5.
By the praises of his servants ; and therefore to give
glory is translated, to give thanks, Luke xvii. 18 ;
6. By Christ, who is the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. ii. 8,
the King of glory, Ps. xxiv., he maketh the glory of
God, as it were, visible in his flesh, John i. 14; 7.

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93

By man, 1 Cor. xi. 7 ; 8. By the spirit of revela
tion, Eph. i. 17; 9. By the gospel, 1 Tim. i. 11.
But if you ask who of all men see God's glory, I
answer, only the saints in the brightness of it, Ps.
Ixxxix. 7, Isa. xxvi. 10, 11, — to wit, such as have the
gospel shining in their hearts, 2 Cor. iv. 3, &c, Isa.
lxi. 1-3 ; such as acknowledging God's threatenings,
turn unto him by true repentance, Jer. xhl. 1 6 ; such
as lead a holy and innocent lffe, Ps. cxxxviii. 5, &c,
Isa. lxxx. 7-9 ; such as have a true and lively faith,
John xi. 40, Isa. xlvi. 12, 13.
Thus of the words apart.
Power of his glory. There are four reasons why the
power of God should be said to be the power of his
glory, or glorious : 1. Because it will never leave
strengthening till it bring to glory ; 2. Because the
power of all the means of salvation is from heaven,
and therefore a glorious power ; 3. Because God's
glory sets his power a-work, inasmuch as by promise
it hes engaged to his people ; 4. It is a glorious
power, because of the persons and things that are
used in God's work, as God himself, the Son of God,
the Spirit of God, ordinances that are of God, and
men specially consecrated by God.
Doctrines. First, The perseverance of God's chil
dren is most certain ; so long as there is power in
God or glory, they cannot fall away by losing their
happiness. This point hath abundant and apparent confirma
tion out of the Old Testament, in these places : —
Ps. cxlv. 10, 13, 14, Isa. xiii. 3, Ezek. xxxvi. 24-27,
Jer. xxxii. 40, Hosea ii. 19. Out of the Gospels —
Mat. xvi. 18, and xxiv. 25, Johniv. 14, v. 24, vi. 39,
x. 28, 29, and xiii. 1. Out of the Epistles also —
Rom. vi. 8-11, viii. 30, and xi. 29, Eph. iv. 12, 17,
Phil. i. 6, 2 Tim. ii. 19, Heb. vii. 16, 1 John ii. 19,
and hi. 9, 1 Pet. i. 5, 13, 18, 20, 23.
Secondly, There is little reason of presumption in
this doctrine ; for, as power will preserve, so glory
wUl revenge. If such as are in covenant with God
return to sin, woe unto them, God's glory will not
bear it ; and he hath many ways to scourge them,
for by their sins they may bring upon themselves
crosses of all sorts, Ps. Ixxxix. 22, Isa. xxx. 10, Zech.
xiii. 7-9, Micah vii. 9, 18 ; terrors of conscience, Ps.
li. ; loss of many gifts, and want of sense of all grace,
God's presence, and the joys of his promises and

salvation, Ps. li., Cant. iii. ; church censures, 1 Cor. v. ;
the want of many blessings, Jer. v. 24, 25; sore tra
vail, and terrors upon tlieir return again, Ps. li. ; ter
rible buffets, both of the word and Spirit, &c. ; and
therefore we should ' work out our salvation with
fear and trembling.' It is a fearful thing to fall into
God's angry and scourging hand.
Hitherto of the object, parts, ends, and causes of
knowledge ; the effects follow, which in the end of
the verse are noted to be three, — viz., patience, long-
suffering, and joyfulness.
Patience. This is a virtue that well becomes a
Christian, and a blessed fruit of the tree of life,
much to be desired of man. Though it may seem
troublesome to the flesh to endure crosses and afflic
tions, yet, if all things be considered, it is a virtue
of great praise. God himself is magnified of men and
angels for his patience and forbearance, Rom. ii. 4.
It is the admirable glory of the Son of God that, in
the great work of his Father about the gathering of
the churches, in the midst of the oppositions of the
world and evil angels, he should ' not cry, nor lift
up, nor cause his voice to be heard,' and yet hold out
' without failing or discouragement, 'Isa. xiii. 2, 4 ; yea,
' as the captain of our salvation, he was made perfect
by suffering,' Heb. ii. 10. This is the praise of the
saints, (which they may remember with comfort,) that
they have endured many and great fights of afflic
tions, Heb. x. 32. The soldier cannot please his
captain unless he endure hardness ; nor he that
striveth for masteries be crowned, unless he toil in
the combat ; nor the husbandman reap, unless he pa
tiently endure the labour of sowing, and wait till har
vest, 2 Tim. ii. 3, 5, 6. ' All that will live godly must
suffer,' 2 Tim. iii. 12 ; the holy exercise of Christian
patience is a good sign that men are good hearers of
the word, and that they practise what they hear,
Luke vhi. 15. Men are not therefore miserable be
cause they suffer much, Mat. v. 10. Christians need
not be ashamed to suffer, 2 Tim. i. 12 ; they may be
' troubled on every side, yet not distressed; they may
be perplexed, and yet not despair ; they may be per
secuted, and yet not forsaken; they may be cast
down, and yet not destroyed,' 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9. Patience
is a virtue full of good fruits; it appeaseth strife, Prov.
xv. 18, xxv., it helps away the cross, (it is impatience
and stubbornness that makes the father continue to

94

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[Chap. I.

beat his child,) it fits us for perseverance with com
fort, as the coherence shews : ' The patient abiding
of the poor shall not perish for ever,' Ps. ix. 18, but
they shall receive, at the length, a crown of hfe,
James i. 12. The worth of this grace appears by
the hurt of impatiency ; for impatiency exalts folly,
Prov. xiv. 29 ; deprives a man of the possession of
his own soul, Luke xxi. 1 9 ; dishonours all a man's
gifts and graces, and all the good things he hath
before done, Job iv. 6, &c. Let us therefore ' run
with patience the race that is set before us.' Thus
did Christ endure the cross, and now wears the
crown, Heb. xii. 1-3. The things we commonly bear
are nothing to that Christ and the martyrs have
borne ; we ' have not yet resisted unto blood,' ver. 4.
By suffering we may reap the comfort that we are
sons and not bastards, ver. 5-8, besides the profit of
our sufferings, which God ever intends to the patient,
— viz., the hohness of the heart, and fruitfulness of
the life, ver. 9-11.
That we may be patient, first, we must get wis
dom ; and if we want it, ask it of God. It is igno
rance makes men passionate ; a great understanding
is slow to wrath, Prov. xiv. 29, James i. 3-6. Se
condly, We must get faith to believe our own recon
ciliation with God ; our hearts need not be troubled
if we believe in God the Father, in Jesus Christ,
John xiv. 1. When the heart is possessed with
peace in the assurance of justification by faith, then
it is easy to be patient in tribulation, yea, to rejoice
in affliction, Rom. v. 1, 2, 4, John xiv. 27. Thirdly,
We must be much in the meditation of the comforts
of another life. Fourthly, We must be often and
constant in prayer, Rom. xii. 12. Fifthly, The hear
ing of the word faithfully and conscionably breeds a
patient mind, and therefore is the word called a
word of patience, Rev. iii. 1 0 ; the ' comforts of the
scripture' beget both patience and hope, Rom. xv. 4.
Sixthly, We must be temperate in the desires after
and use of outward things ; therefore are men un
quiet under the loss, absence, want, or desire of
earthly things about their bodies or estates, because
they have not sobriety and temperance in tlieir
hearts and carriage, 2 Pet. i. 6. Seventhly, If we
would have patience, we must be careful, by godly
sorrow and confession, to cast off the sin that hang-
eth on so fast, Heb. xii. 1 ; it is our wretched cor

ruption of nature that makes us so unquiet — it is
nothing without us. Lastly, We must be diligent in
our callings, and trust upon God, and cast all our
care on him. Idleness and unbelief are the great
nurses of impatiency.
Thirdly, We must exercise patience in seven things :
1. In bearing the common crosses that accompany
our mortal estate of life, and therein to put on, as
near as we can, Job's mind, and in all losses or
wants to give glory to God, acknowledging that he
hath as much right to take away as reason to give ;
2. In bearing with the infirmities of such as are
about us, with whom we converse, that shew them
selves to be so, out of weakness, Rom. xv. 1, 3, 4 ; 3.
In enduring persecution of all kinds for the truth's
sake, 2 Tim. iii. 12, 2 Thes. i. 5, Rev. ii. 8, 1 Pet. iv.
12, &c. ; 4. In tentations there is use of patience,
both in waiting upon God for succour and issue,
and in keeping the soul at as much rest and quiet
ness as may be ; it is the devil's desire to set us on
a hurry, he knows his tentations wUl then work
best, James i. 4 ; 5. In the expectation of the per
formance of God's promises and our spiritual hap
piness in Christ, Heb. vi. 12, and x. 35-38 ; 6. In the
troubles of the mind and conscience, believing God's
truth, and waiting for the appearing of his face, and
the healing of the soul ; 7. In perseverance in well
doing unto the end, Mat. xxiv. 13, Rom. if. 7, Rev.
ii. 2, Gal. v. 9, 1 John iii. 2.
Long-suffering. This virtue, in case of wrongs, must
order us aright in ourselves and towards others ; in
ourselves it must restrain anger and desire of revenge;
and great reason, for God himself suffers wrong, and
that long too, Exod. iii. 4, 6, 1 Pet. ii. 22 ; and it
is God's commandment we should suffer long, Mat.
v. 21, 22, 45, Rom. xii. 21 ; besides, injuries befall
us by God's providence, 2 Sam. xvi. 10 ; and revenge
is God's right, Rom. xii. 19. Moreover, these raging
and revengeful affections are great hindrances both to
prayer, 1 Tim. ii. 8, and to the profit of the word,
James i. 21. And lastly, Anger lets the devil into
a man's heart, Eph. iv. 27.
Quest. 1. But how should I prevent it, being
wronged ?
Ans. First, Carry some of thine own sins always
in thy mind, that being provoked thou mayest turn
the course of thino anger thither ; secondly, Avoid

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95

the occasions, which are both contentions, Phil. ii. 3,
and contentious persons, Prov. xxii. 26 ; thirdly,
Be daily jealous over thine affections, and keep them
down by prayer.
Quest. 2. What if passion do suddenly surprise me ?
Ans. 1. Conceal it, Prov. xxii. 16 ; 2. Depart from
them with whom thou art angry, 1 Sam. xx. 34,
Gen. xxvh. 43, 44 ; 3. Appoint at the least that
bound unto thine anger, that ' the sun go not down
upon thy wrath,' Eph. iv. 26.
Towards others we must shew the practice of this
virtue thus :
In things that might displease us, but not hurt
us, endure them without any notice at all ; and in
things that do hurt, if they be lesser injuries, see
them and forgive them ; and in the greater wrongs,
thou must seek the help of the magistrate, and the
law, after thou hast sought all private means, by
entreaty, offers of peace, desire of arbitration, &c. ;
follow the law with love to thy adversary, without
passion or rage, and in the issues be moderate, with
out shewing extremity,fMat. v. 25 and xviii. 15,
Rom. xii. 18, 1 Cor. vi. 5.
Joyfulness. A Christian estate is a joyful and com
fortable estate. Saving knowledge makes a man
live joyfully and comfortably. True joy is one of
the fruits God's Spirit beareth in the heart of a Chris
tian ; yea, it is a chief part of that kingdom that
God bestoweth on his people on earth. None have
cause of joy but the children of Zion, and none of
them but have great reason to ' shout for joy,' to
' rejoice and be glad with all their hearts,' Zeph. iii.
14. Is it not a great mercy to have all the judg
ments due unto us for sin taken away, and the great
enemy of our souls cast out ? Is it not a great hon
our that Jehovah, the King of Israel, should be in
the midst of us, and that our eyes should not see
evil any more ? What sweeter encouragement than
that the Lord should cause it to be said unto us, Fear
not ; and again, Let not your hands be slack ! If we
have great crosses, enemies, dangers, wants, tempta
tions, &c, we have a mighty God ; if there be none
to help us, he will save; yea, he will rejoice to
do us good ; yea, he will rejoice over us with joy ;
yea, he so loves us that he will rest in his love and
seek no further. Shall man be sorrowful when God
rejoiceth? Shall the Lord rejoice in us, and shall

not we rejoice in God? Zeph. iii, 14, &c. And if
these reasons of joy be contained in one place of
scripture, how great would the number of reasons
grow, if all the book of God were searched ! Such a
joy and contentment is the joy of Christians, that
crosses cannot hinder it. Life is not dear to a child
of God, ' so that he may finish his course with joy,'
Acts xx. 24. They suffer the spoiling of their goods
with joy, knowing that in heaven they have a more
enduring substance, Heb. x. 34. Yea, in many
crosses they account it all joy to fall into temptation,
James i, 2 ; they seem as sorrowful when, indeed,
they are always rejoicing, 2 Cor. vi. 10.
Quest. What might we do to get this constant
joyfulness, and unmovable firmness, and content
ment of heart ?
Ans. In general thou must be sure to be God's
servant, Isa. Ixv. 13, 14; a man justified and sancti
fied, Jer. xxxiii. 8, Isa. lxi. 10, and xii. 5 ; thou must
know that thy name is written in the book of
life, Luke x. 20, which cannot be without faith,
1 Pet. i. 8, Phil. i. 25, Rom. xv. 13.
In particular there are many things which have
a sure promise of joy and comfort annexed to
them. First, Thou must lay the foundation of all eternal
joys in godly sorrow for thy sins, John xvi. 20, Mat.
v. 4, Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.
Secondly, Thou must hang upon the breasts of the
church, viz., the words and sacraments, continually,
with trembling and tender affection, waiting upon
the word of God ; the law must be in thy heart, thou
must buy thy liberty herein at the highest value,
Isa. lxvi. 2, 5, 11, and li. 7, Mat. xiii. 44.
Thirdly, In thy carriage thou must be a counsellor
of peace, Prov. xii. 20, and live in peace, as near as
may, 2 Cor. xiii. 11.
Fourthly, Take heed thou be not insnared with
gross sin, Prov. xxix. 6.
Fifthly, Wouldest thou reap joy ? sow good seed ;
to be much in well-doing procures, as a blessing, a
secret and sweet gladness upon the heart of man ;
a barren life is an uncomfortable life. Many would
reap that will not be at the pain to sow, John iv. 36,
Gal. vi. 7, 8. He that useth his talents to advan
tage, enters into his master's joy, a joy liker the
joy of God than man, meeter for the master than

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[Chap. I.

for the servant, yet such a Master we serve, as will
crown us with this joy, Mat. xxv. 21.
Sixthly, Be constant, bear fruit, and get the know
ledge of the love of Christ, and abide in it, John
xv. 10.
Lastly, In the 2 Thes. v. 16-24, there are seven
things required in our practice, if we would always
rejoice : 1. We must ' pray always ;' if we be much
in prayer we shall be much in joy. 2. We must ' in
all things give thanks ;' a heart kept tender with the
sense of God's mercies is easily inflamed with joys
in theHoly Ghost. 3. We must take heed of ' quench
ing the Spirit ; ' when a man puts out the holy mo
tions of the Spirit, he quencheth his own joys. 4.
We must, by all means, preserve an honourable
respect of the word publicly preached, ' despise not
prophesying. ' 5. And whereas there be some things
we hear do specially affect us, and concern us, we
must be careful with all heedfulness to keep those
things whatsoever we forget, ' try all things, but
keep that which is good.' 6. In our practice we
must not only avoid evil, but ' all appearance of
evil,' else if we disquiet others with grief or offence
of our carriage, it will be just with God we should
find little rest, or contentment in ourselves. Lastly,
We must endeavour to be ' sanctified throughout,'
inwardly and outwardly, ' in soul, body, and spirit,'
having respect to all God's commandments, and
retaining the love of no sin ; so shall we reap the
blessing of all righteousness, and procure to our
hearts the joys that are everlasting.
Hitherto of the preface.
Ver. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath
made us meet to be partakers of ihe inheritance of the
saints in light.
Hitherto of the exordium of this epistle, as it
contained both the salutation and preface.
The second part both of the chapter and epistle
followeth, and is contained in the 12th verse and
the rest to the 23d. And it hath in it the pro
position of doctrine. This doctrine propounded
stands of two parts ; for it concerneth either the
work of redemption or the person of the Redeemer.
The work of redemption is considered of in the
12th, 13th, and 14th verses; the person of the Re
deemer is treated of from ver. 15 to 23. The work

of redemption is two ways considered of: first,
More generally, in the 12th verse; secondly, More
particularly, ver. 13, 14.
In the work of our redemption, as it is pro
pounded in this verse, three things are to be
observed : 1. The efficient cause, God the Father.
2. The subject persons redeemed, us. 3. The re
demption itself, as it is either in the inchoation and
first application of it on earth, and so it lieth in
making us fit; or in the consummation of it, what
it shall be in the end. And so it is praised : first,
By the manner of tenure, inherit ; second, By the
adjunct company, saints ; thirdly, By the perfection
of it, in light.
Giving thanks. The blessings of God upon every
true Christian are such as they require continual
thankfulnes to God for them. Such, I say, for the
worth of them, for number, for freeness of gift, for
continuance, and as they are compared with what
God bestows upon others in the world.
To the Father. A sanctified heart that hath sense
of grace so sees God, the first cause of all blessings,
through the second and next causes, that it maketh
God the principal object both of prayer and praise.
It is a great sin not to acknowledge the instrument
by which we receive any good, but it is a great
impiety not to give that which is due to the prin
cipal efficient.
The Father. Father, a term of relation, and is
given sometimes to the whole Trinity, Mat. xxih.
9, Luke hi. 38 ; sometimes to Christ, Isa. ix. 6 ;
sometimes to the first person in the Trinity; so com
monly, and so here.
God may be said to be a Father in this place two
ways : first, In respect of Christ ; secondly, In re
spect of the Christian.
1. In respect of Christ, God is a Father both by
nature and by personal union ; and in this sense
two questions may be moved.
Quest. 1. Whether prayer is to be made to the
whole Trinity, or but to one person ?
Ans. It is to be made to the whole Trinity, Acts
vii. 59, 1 Thes. iii. 2, 2 Cor. xiii. 13.
Object. But prayer is here made to one person.
Sol. Though but one person be named, yet the
rest are included ; for the persons may be distin
guished, but severed or divided they may not
be.

Ver. 12.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

97

Quest. 2. Is the Father a Redeemer, in that re
demption is here given to him ?
Ans. The actions of God are twofold : some
are inward, as to beget, to proceed, &c. ; some are
outward, as to create, redeem, &c. Now the out
ward actions are common to all the three Persons ;
they are distinguished only in the manner of doing.
The Father begins, the Son executes, the Holy
Ghost finisheth. As in the works of redemption,
the Father redeems us, in that he begins it by de
vising this course and willing it from eternity, by
calling, sanctifying, sending, and accepting of Christ
in time ; the Son redeems us, by taking our nature,
and in obeying the law and suffering death, even
the death of the cross for us ; the Holy Ghost re
deems us, by applying the merits and benefits of
Christ to every believer.
2. In respect of the Christian, God is a Father,
and the meditation hereof should serve for a three
fold use : 1. For trial; 2. For instruction ; 3. For
consolation. For trial : for it stands us much upon
to be assured of this, that God is our Father in
Christ by adoption ; for this is the foundation of
true hope for what we want, and of true thankful
ness for what we have. Now, such men as are born
of God by regeneration, as well as of man by gene
ration, are wont to be described in scripture by
such marks as these. They have in them the spirit
of adoption, both in the working and witness of it,
Rom. viii. 15, 16, Gal. iv. 6, 7. They are separate
from sinners ; they cannot delight in the works of
darkness, or in the wicked fellowship with workers
of iniquity ; they hate ungodly company, &c, 2
Cor. vi. 17, 1 John n. 15. They have consolation
and good hope through grace, 2 Thes. ii. 16.
Christ is to them their way, the truth, and their
life ; and they love their Saviour more than any
creature, and shew it in this, that they will rather
obey his words than the commandment of any man
or angel, John xvi. 6, 21. They are a people that, in
respect of mortification, purge themselves by volun
tary sorrows for their sins ; and in respect of new
obedience, ' come to the light, that their works
may be mamfest that they are wrought in God,'
1 John iii. 1-3, i. 6, 7, 1 Pet. i. 17, &c. They honour
God with great honour, and tender his name more
than their own credits, Mai. i. 16. They worship

God, not for show, or with the adoration of the
lips and knees only, but in spirit and truth, John
iv. 23. They labour for the meat that perisheth
not, and esteem it above their appointed food,
John vi. 27. Lastly, they love their enemies, and
pray for them that persecute them, and are willing
to do good to them that hate them and hurt them,
Mat. v. 45, &c.
Secondly, If God be our Father, it should teach
us : First, To care less for the world, and the things
thereof. We have a Father that both knows our
wants, and hath all power and will to help us and
care for us, Mat. vi. 32. Secondly, To come to him
in all crosses, and make our moan to him that seeth
in secret ; for if. ' evil fathers on earth know how
to give good things to their children when they ask
them, how shall not our heavenly Father give us
whatsoever we ask in the name of Christ?' Mat. vii.
11; yea, it should teach us patience under, and a
good use of, all crosses, Hosea xii. 9. Thirdly, To be
willing to die and commend our spirits to God that
gave them, seeing, in so dying, we commit them
into the hands of a Father. This made Christ will
ing to die, and this should persuade with us also.
Lastly, It should teach us to glorify God as a
Father. We call God Father (many of us) and thus
we speak, but we do evil more and more, and dis
honour him, not living like the children of the Most
High, Jer. iii. 4, 5. If he be our Father, let the
light of our good works shine before men that they
may glorify our Father, Mat. v. 6. Herein is
God the Father glorified, that we bear much fruit,
John xv. 8.
Thirdly, This point serves for consolation, and
that many ways : first, Against the fear of our own
weakness — ' It is not our Father's will that one of
the little ones should perish,' Mat. xviii. 14, ' none
is able to take them out of his hand,' John x. 29 •
secondly, Against our doubts about prayer — ' What
soever you ask the Father in Christ's name it shall
be given you,' John xvi. 23 ; thirdly, Against all
the troubles of this world — If he have been a
Father of mercy to forgive thy sins, and give thee
grace, he will be a Father of glory to crown thee
in a better world in the inheritance of his sons,
Eph. i. 17.
Who hath made us fit. Doct. We are neither N

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[Chap. I.

naturally happy nor universally so ; not naturally,
for we are made fit, not born so ; not universaUy,
for he hath made us fit — not all men. Christ died
for his sheep only, John x. ; for his church only,
Eph. i. ; not for the world, John xvii. And,
therefore, when the scripture saith, Christ died for
all men, we must understand it : first, In respect of
the sufficiency of his death, not in respect of the
efficiency of it ; secondly, In respect of the common
oblation of the benefits of his death externally in
the gospel unto all ; thirdly, As his death extendeth
unto all the elect — for all, that is, for the elect ;
fourthly, For all, that is, for all that are saved, so
that none that are justified and saved are so but by
virtue of his death ; fifthly, For all, that is, for all
indefinitely — for all sorts of men, not for every man
of every sort ; lastly, He died for all, that is, not for
the Jews only, but for the Gentiles also.
Quest. Are not all in the visible church, that are
sealed with the sacrament of initiation, made fit?
Ans. No ; for Nicodemus was circumcised, yet not
as then fit for heaven; and Simon Magus was bap
tized, and yet perished in the 'gall of bitterness ;'
and many of the Israelites were signed with the same
sacraments of righteousness, and yet were destroyed
with fearful plagues, 1 Cor. xi. ; the pharisees were
baptized with John's baptism, and yet in great
danger of wrath to come, Mat. iii.
There are five sorts of men that live in the church
that are not made fit : first, Such as are in heart dis
joined, so as indeed they care for the doctrine of no
church, and thus atheists and epicures are unfit;
secondly, Such as are in heart fastened to a false
church, though in show they be members of the
true: thus church-papists are not fit; thirdly, Such
as receive religion and care for it, but only as it may
fit the humours of such as are in authority, and may
serve the current of the present times : and thus
temporising politicians are not made fit; fourthly,
Such as admit some parts of God's worship, and
stand in professed enmity and dislike of the rest :
and thus the common protestant, of all estates
and degrees; they think if they come to the
church to service, and be no papists, it will serve
turn, though they neglect, yea, contemn, yea, com
monly despite preaching, private prayer, true fasting,
religious conference, and fellowship in the gospel;

fifthly, and lastly, Among the better sorts that are
hearers, and constant hearers, there are many not
made fit for the kingdom of God; for many hearers
rest in a historical faith and external righteousness,
either betraying the seed, by suffering the fiends of
hell, those invisible fowls of the air, to take it away,
or choking the seed by worldly cares, or if they get
a taste of the good word of God, and of the powers
of the life to come, by their wicked revolts and back-
shdings, they shew themselves not fit, nor worthy,
the kingdom of God.
Who. Doct. God only can make men fit for his
kingdom; he only can rescue us from the power of
darkness and Satan; it is he only is the 'Lord of
righteousness;' it is he only that can pardon our
sins; it is he only can ' heal our rebellions,' and ' take
away our iniquities;' he only is the fountain of all
inherent holiness; he only is stronger than all to
preserve us to the end, and crown us with glory.
Made fit. The word maybe rendered either made
fit, or worthy, so it be understood of the merit of
Christ imputed to us, in whom only we are worthy
of heaven.
We are made fit by redemption, by vocation, by
adoption, by justification, by sanctification, and by
glorification, for each of these adds something to our
sufficiency. The use is to teach us to magnify God's
exceeding mercy, that doth not only give us heaven,
but makes us fit for heaven. The greatest king in
the world, if he set his love upon a base slave or
vassal, well he may give him an earldom or great
office, but he cannot give him fitness for his place,
and gifts to execute it ; he may change his estate, but
he cannot change his nature. But God doth not
only give a kingdom to his servants, but he endues
them with royal inclinations, desires, and behaviour.
The Rhemists upon this place note that we de
serve salvation condignly; but we need not answer
them, for Thomas Aquinas, the ordinary Gloss, and
Cardinal Cajetan, upon this place cross them.
Aquinas saith thus: Dixerunt aliqui Deus dat dignis
gratiam, &c. Some have said God gives grace to the
worthy, but not to the unworthy; but the apostle
excludes this, because, whatsoever worthiness thou
hast, God hath wrought it in thee ; and to this end
allegeth, 2 Cor. hi., 'We are not sufficient of our
selves to think a good thought.' The Gloss thus :

Ver. 12.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

99

1 He makes us worthy, not in the law but in light;'
that is, through God, who is the light of light, by
whose grace we are enlightened. Cajetan, thus:
' Worthy, that is, fit ; by lot, that is, only by God's
gift.' Note, only by God's gift, the papist saith.
To be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light; or, as it is in the original, verbatim, Unto the
part of the lot of the saints in light.
The lot of the saints is by some taken for the suf
ferings of the saints ; by others, for their happiness,
as it is had in this hfe, in the right or inchoation of
it; by others, for heaven, and that as it is held by
true title here in this world; so I take it here.
The word lot leadeth us, by allusion, to Canaan,
and the division thereof; and the comparison holdeth
in many things. As none had right to the land of
Canaan but Israelites, so none have right to heaven
but the saints; and as Canaan was furnished with
buildings and all commodities, but not by the Israel
ites, Deut. vhi. 7, &c, so heaven was prepared of
old, before the saints entered it, Mat. xxv. The
' builder and maker of it ' was not the saints, but
God, 2 Cor. v. And as the Canaanites were thrown
out that Israel might enter, so the devils were
thrown out of heaven that the saints might enter.
And as without a Joshua, though there were a land,
there would be no lot, so without a Jesus, though
there were a heaven, there would be no inheritance :
and though the land were given by lot, yet it must
not be possessed without a combat; they must first
fight, and then inherit; so must heaven suffer
violence, and before it be had we must wrestle with
principalities and powers. And as all their lots were
known to Joshua, so every Christian, in his stand
ing, is known to Christ. As Joshua had what he
asked, Josh. xix. 50, so our Joshua obtains what he
asks, though he ' ask the ends of the earth,' Ps. ii.
And as the comparison hath those things for infor
mation, so may divers instructions be gathered from
hence also : and first, If we would have any lot in
heaven, we must be sure we be true Israelites.
Balaam seems a friend to Israel, but he is so far
from inheriting with them, that he is destroyed by
them; the sword of the Lord roots him out. This
will be the portion of all hypocrites, Josh. xhi. 22.
And we should labour for a particular warrant in the
knowledge of our own portion : this would encourage

us against all difficulties. Caleb dares fight with the
Anakims if Joshua give him Hebron, Josh. xiv. 6,
11, &c. ; and feeble and complaining Ephraim shall
overcome and enlarge himself if Joshua particularly
encourage him, Josh. xvii. And as no Canaanites
ought to be left in the lot of Israel, so no wicked
workers should be suffered to remain in the assembly
of the saints, to be pricks and goads in the sides of
the righteous. And as they that have their inherit
ance allowed them already must not rest, but fight
till their brethren have rest, Josh. i. 12, so they
that have comfort in their own conversion, must
strengthen their brethren. And if any have too
little room, the way is not to murmur and doubt, but
to fight it out for more; so must Dan, Judges xviii. ;
so should weak Christians not give way to discon
tentment, but strive in the spiritual combat, till
more grace and room for the enlarging of the heart
be gotten. Lastly, As seven tribes are justly taxed
and censured by Joshua for their negligence and sloth,
in not seeking speedily to possess the land God had
offered them, Josh, xviii. 2, so may the most of us
be justly rebuked for grievous security about the
heavenly Canaan. Many rest in the probabilities
and hope of a title ; nay, the most rest satisfied in
such a condition as is without title and without hope,
unless they amend; yea, the better sort, divers of
them, have but a title, and therefore it justly faileth
out that these are buffeted by Christ, as they were
disgraced by Joshua; and as they must stand to the
courtesy of the viewers of the land for the report of
the goodness of their part, so must these secure
Christians stand to the courtesy of their teachers
for how much knowledge and comfort they shall
think meet to impart unto them, concerning their
inheritance in heaven and heavenly things.
Partakers of ihe inheritance of ihe saints in light.
The happiness of the faithful is an inheritance,
illustrated here, first, by the persons that must enjoy
it : it is not common to all, but appropriated to
saints ; secondly, by the quality of it : it is in light.
Christ is the great heir of all things, Heb. i. 1,
Ps. ii. ; the Christian is co-heir with Christ. It is a
doctrine that hath much comfort in it. A Christian
holds by the fairest tenure, and firmest, and surest
too ; for though his life be changeable, and his days
on earth must have an end, yet his inheritance

100

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[Chap. I.

endures for ever, and while he lives God will know
him all his days for no worse a man than his own
heir, Ps. xxxvii. 17, 18. And the consideration of
the inheritance of the saints should teach us clivers
things : first, To pray that God would remember us
with the favour of his people, and visit us with his
salvation, Ps. cvi. 3, 4, Eph. i. 18, and that then he
would open our eyes to see the glory of such an in
heritance ; secondly, To honour the righteous, and
not despise poor Christians, seeing God hath made
them his heirs, and 'rich in faith,' James ii. 5;
thirdly, To endeavour with all care to walk worthy
of such honour as to be made God's heirs ; and,
lastly, To be willing to suffer anything in this world
for Christ, seeing in the world to come we must
reign with him as co-heirs, Rom. vih. 17, 18.
Of the saints. Only saints inherit ; and therefore
be sure thou be a saint ; be sure thou be more than
flesh and blood, 1 Cor. xv. 50 ; be sure thou lie in
none of the sins God hath threatened with the loss
of this inheritance, Eph. v. 5, 1 Cor. vi. 9, Gal. v. 2 1 ; be
sure of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ,
Rom. iv. 13, 14, Titus iii. 7; be sure thou have in
thee the spirit of the Son, Gal. iv. 7, Eph. i. 14 ; be
sure to commit thyself to the word of grace, Acts
xx. 32.
In light. The Christian's inheritance is said to be
held in light in six respects :
First, Because he now obtains it in the times of
the gospel, which times, in comparison with the times
of the Old Testament, are called times of light — the
light of the Jews being spread abroad among the
Gentiles, and exceedingly enlarged by the rising of
the Sun of righteousness.
Secondly, Because, this inheritance can never be
assured without the light of knowledge. In the
understanding of man there is a three-fold light of
knowledge — natural, evangelical, and celestial. The
natural light is the light of reason, the evangelical
light is the light of faith, and the celestial light is
the light of heaven. Before we can see our in
heritance in the light, of heaven, we must first see
it in the hght of faith ; and as for the light of
reason, it will do no good for any evidence in this
tenure. Thirdly, Because this inheritance is held with
true joy on earth and perfect joy in heaven; and

joy is expressed by the word light in many places
in scripture.
Fourthly, In respect of the admirable communion
that a Christian hath with God and Christ, who is
light of light, ' that true light,' John viii. 12.
Fifthly, Because of the certainty of this inherit
ance, it is said to be held in light. It is worthy the
noting that Catharinus, a papist, writing upon this
place, thus understands the meaning of hght, and
is much offended with those that plead for uncer
tainty of assurance.
Sixthly, In light — that is, in heaven ; and the
light of heaven is an excellent light, both for the
perfection of it and the continuance of it. It is a
perfect light, for there shall be on God's part a clear
revelation, and on man's part a clear vision ; and
for continuance, that light shall never be overcome
of darkness ; nay, it shall never admit any mixture
of obscurity, inasmuch as heaven is a city that
' needs not the sun or moon to shine in it ; for the
glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the
light thereof,' Rev. xxi. 23. In the meanwhile, till
God translate us to this light of heaven, let us labour
to settle our hearts in the light of faith and cer
tainty, and glad our hearts with the light of the
Spirit and joy, choosing rather to die than to for
sake the face and presence of God, the fountain of
all true light both in earth and heaven.
Ver. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son. In this verse our redemption is considered more
particularly ; for as it is by inchoation in this life,
it stands of two parts. The first is our deliverance
from the power of darkness, and the second is our
translating into the kingdom of Christ.
Darkness. This darkness imports the misery of
unregenerate men, from which the children of God,
in the days of redemption, are delivered; and it
notes not only the darkness of Gentilism, proper
to the pagans of that time, but also the darkness of
sin, of ignorance, of infidelity, of adversity, of death,
and of hell ; for every unregenerate man is covered
with a six-fold darkness : first, The darkness of sin,
Rom. xiii. 13 ; secondly, The darkness of ignorance,
which as a vail covers all flesh, John viii. 12, Isa.

Ver. 13.]

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101

xxv. 8, 2 Cor. iii. 1 7 ; thirdly, The darkness of infi
delity, for as there is the light of faith in the re
generate, so there is a darkness of unbelief that
possesseth every unregenerate man : all men have
not faith : it is the gift of God : both the prophets
and apostles have complained, ' Who hath believed
our report?' Isa. Hii. 1, Rom. x. 16 ; fourthly, The
darkness of adversity, Isa. viii. 22, miseries of all
sorts breaking in upon the soul, body, state, and
names of men ; fifthly, The darkness of death, for
death is the house, of darkness, and this is the
wages of sin, Ps. Ixxxviii. 1 2 ; lastly, The wicked
man is in danger of utter darkness, even of the
darkness of hell. Out of all this we may see the
extreme misery of all carnal persons upon whom the
kingdom of darkness breaks in, and prevails so many
ways ; and therefore accursed is their misery that
can live in this estate, without sense, or remorse, or
fear. If security, as a wretched lethargy, had not
overgrown men's hearts, how could they eat, drink,
sleep, marry, give in marriage, &c, when they find
themselves in the power of such fearful and horrible
darkness ?
Power. This darkness gets power, and prevails
over the world, by the unwearied labour of the
prince of darkness; who, as he seduced our first
parents, to extinguish the fair light in which they
were created, (whence flowed a universal darkness
upon all mankind,) so doth he still, as god of the
unregenerate world, work effectually in blinding
men's minds more and more, that the light of the
gospel might not shine in their hearts, both by hin
dering by all the ways he can the means of light,
and by leading man on from sin to sin, till custom
have worn out sense, and bred a very liking of dark
ness more than light. And thus poor man runs
from darkness to darkness, and from dungeon to
dungeon, till he fall into the everlasting dungeon of
utter darkness ; and this would be the end of all
flesh, were it not that God of his infinite mercy hath
provided a means in Jesus Christ to deliver the
elect from the power of this darkness.
Delivered. Every man hath great reason to think
of this deliverance out of the kingdom of darkness,
wherein naturally he is ; for while he so continueth,
he ' knoweth not whither he goeth,' John xii. 35,
1 John ii. 1 1 ; he ' hath no fellowship with God,'

1 John i. 6; his deeds are all evil, John iii. 19, 20 ;
his ignorance will not excuse him, John i. 5 ; yea,
it will be his condemnation, John iii. 19 ; his feet
tread not in the way of peace.
Who hath delivered us. Here are four things :
1. What, delivered ; 2. Whom, ms ; 3. When, hath ;
4. Who, viz., God the Father.
Delivered. The original word, EgjWaro, cloth not
signify only to let out, or lead out, or buy out ; but
it noteth forcibly to snatch out. Man is not gotten
so easily out of Satan's hands ; nor will the world
and flesh let him go without force, or without
blows. Quest. What must we do that we may be delivered
from this power of darkness ?
A ns. Believe in Jesus Christ, who is the true light,
John vih. 1 2. Know that all true light is begun in the
assurance of God's love to thee in Jesus Christ. Seek
his knowledge. To this end, attend upon the preach
ing of the gospel, by which life and immortality are
brought to light. And because this sun doth not
always shine, ' walk in the light while you have the
light,' John xii. 35. And because a man can never
sincerely seek the comforts of God in Jesus Christ,
or constantly love the word of the kingdom, the
fountain of light, but that there will be great oppo
sition from Satan and the world, therefore every
one that is aweary of this darkness of ignorance
and unbelief, and feels what darkness of adversity
his sins have brought upon him, and fears the dark
ness of death and hell, must arm himself, resolve
and prepare, and fight for his own deliverance, ' put
ting on the whole armour of light,' using all the
means with faith and diligence, and then shall God's
power be made known in his weakness, and the
strong man armed, which is the devil, shall be cast
out by him that is stronger than he, even by Jesus
Christ. At the time when this deliverance from the power
of darkness is wrought, there are at the least these
nine things in every one that is truly dehvered :
first, He seeks knowledge with great estimation of
it ; secondly, He is careful to amend his ways and
to avoid sin ; thirdly, He feels and resists tempta
tions ; fourthly, He renounceth the world, as being
neither besotted with vanity, nor swayed with ex
ample ; fifthly, He fights against his own flesh ;

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[Chap. I.

sixthly, He loves the word of God ; seventhly, He
forsakes evil company ; eighthly, He mourns over,
and prays against some special sins ; ninthly, He
loves all the children of the light. These are not all
things that are wrought in man in the day his heart
is changed and he delivered ; but less than this can
be in no man nor woman that is truly delivered
from the power of darkness.
Who. Doct. It is God only that delivers us from
darkness. This is needful to be considered of, both
that carnal men may know they can never see the
light if they use not the means God hath appointed,
and that godly men might not despair under the
sense of their wants ; for as God hath called them to
the light and given them means, so he is able to
create light at his own pleasure.
Us. Doct. The saints, even the dearest of all
God's children, have been ignorant, sinful, and
miserable, as well as any other.
Hath. A question may here be asked, How it can
be said that God's children have been delivered,
seeing they are ignorant, sinful, fleshly, full of afflic
tions, and subject to die still ?
Ans. They are delivered in respect of inchoation,
though not in respect of consummation ; though they
be ignorant, yet the vail is not whole, but many
pieces are torn off ; though they be in a dungeon in
this world, yet a great window is broken down and
much light appears ; though there be sin in them,
yet it reigns not ; though they must die. yet the
sting of death is pulled out ; though they endure the
same afflictions that wicked men do for the matter,
they are not the same for nature and use ; they are
not curses or punishments, but only chastisements
and trials, or preventions.
The consideration of this, that we are not all at
once delivered from the power of darkness, may de
fend often preaching, and the frequent use of all
good means, public or private. This darkness will
not away with one day's shining ; these clouds will
not be dispelled with one blast. What is the light
of one candle, when the night hath enclosed the
whole air?
And translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
Or, as it is in the original, of the Son of his love.
These words contain the second part of our re
demption on earth in this world. The redeeming of

us is the translating of us ; and this translation is
amplified by the condition of life into which we are
translated, which, for the excellency of it, is into a
kingdom ; and for the author of it, is. into the king
dom of Jesus Christ, the Son of God's love.
Translated. The word is a metaphor, and the
comparison is taken from plants in nature; and there
are divers things signified unto us, concerning our
redemption, in the similitude of translating plants.
As trees are translated in winter, not in the spring,
so commonly our redemption is, applied in the days
of special affliction and sorrow. And as the plant is
not first fruitful and then translated, but therefore
translated that it may bear fruit, so we are not
therefore redeemed because God was in love with
our fruits, but therefore translated out of the king
dom of darkness that we might bring forth fruit
unto God. And as a tree may be truly removed
and new planted and yet not presently bear fruit,
so may a Christian be truly translated and yet in
the first instant of his conversion he may not shew
forth all that fruit he doth desire, &c.
In particular, translating hath two things in it :

first, Pulling up ; secondly, Setting again. The
pulling up of the tree shadows out three things in
the conversion of a sinner : First, Separation from
the world. He cannot be in Christ that hath his
heart rooted in the earth, and keeps his old standing
amongst these trees, the wicked of the world. Se
condly, Deliverance both from original sin in the
reign of it, which is the moisture of the old earth,
and also from hardness of heart ; for translating hath
removing of the mould and stones that were about
the root. Thirdly, Godly sorrow raised by the sense
of the strokes of the axe of God's threatenings, and
by the loss of many sprouts and branches that were
hidden in the earth. A Christian cannot escape
without sorrow, for he hath many an unprofitable
sprout of vanity and sinful profit and pleasure he
must part with. The setting of the tree notes both
our ingrafting into Christ by the Spirit of God
through faith, and our communion with the saints —
the fruitful trees in God's orchard ; as also it notes
our preservation by the infusion of the sap of holy
graces. And it is worthy to be noted that he saith trans
lated us, to teach us that there remains in man the

Ver. 13.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

103

same nature after calling that was before, for our
natures are not destroyed in conversion, but trans
lated. There remains the same faculties in the soul,
and the same powers in the body ; yea, the consti
tution and complexion of man is not destroyed. As
the melancholy man doth not cease to be so after
conversion, only the humour is sanctified unto a fit
ness for godly sorrow, and holy meditation, and the
easy renouncing of the world, &c. ; and the like may
be said of other humours in man's nature.
Into the kingdom. The kingdom of God is either
universal, over the whole world, or spiritual, over
the faithful souls on earth, or blessed souls in heaven,
till the day of judgment ; or it is both spiritual and
corporal, over all the saints, after the day of judg
ment for ever. It is the kingdom of grace by in
choation in the way present here below that is here
meant, not the kingdom of glory by consummation
in our country above.
The kingdom of Christ here on earth, though it
be not so visible and pompous as other kingdoms
are, yet it excels all the kingdoms on earth ; for
when all other kingdoms are not only shaken,
but translated, or removed, or dissolved, the king
dom of Christ wUl endure to the end ; and in
Christ's kingdom the number of possessors doth not
diminish the largeness of the possessions of each,
whereas in other states many kings make little
kingdoms. Besides, wicked men may not only
be subjects, but kings, in other kingdoms ; but
this kingdom, though it be everywhere, yet it is
wanting to the ignorant and sinners. Christ reigns
in this kingdom by his word and Spirit; and his
government is taken up especially in two things ;
first, The collection of his church ; and, secondly,
The maintenance of it.
Great are the privileges of the saints under the
government of Jesus Christ. They are qualified
with eternal graces ; they are comforted with the
daily refreshings that flow from the sense of God's
favour; they are confirmed in the assured peace
with angels and good men ; they are estated into an
everlasting inheritance ; they daily reap the benefits
of Christ's intercession ; they often sup with Christ,
and are feasted by the great king ; they live always
in the king's court, inasmuch as they are always in
God's special presence ; they partake of the privi

leges, prayers, and blessings of all the righteous;
and they have the Spirit of God in them, to unite
them to God and Christ, to lead them in the paths
of holy life, to comfort them in all distresses, to
warn them if they go out either on the left hand or
the right, and to help them in their prayers, making
request for them when they know not what to pray
as they ought.
Object. The world sees no such glory in the estate
of Christians in this kingdom.
Sol. There lies a veil over the eyes of all worldly
men ; and besides, this kingdom, though it be in the
world, is not of it ; though it be here, yet it is not
from hence ; and the afflictions that commonly cover
the face of the church, do hide from carnal men the
beauty of it. And by reason of the opposition that
is between the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom
of darkness, though the world know the glory of
Christians, yet they will not acknowledge it.
Object. The faithful themselves discern not any
such excellency in their earthly condition.
Sol. We must distinguish of Christians. Some
are but infants in grace, and babes. These may be
entitled to great things, and yet have no great sense -
of it ; as the child in nature hath no great discern
ing of the inheritance he is born to, or his own
present condition wherein he excels others. A
kingdom is never the worse because the infant
prince cannot discourse of the glory of it. Some
Christians fall away, for the time, into gross sin or
error; and these are in matters of grace like the
drunken man or paralytic in nature, their discerning
is lost with their uprightness. Other Christians
either want the means in the power of it, or are
tossed with great afflictions, or are in the fit of
temptation ; and then they have but a dark
glimpse of their felicity in Christ. But the strong
Christian, that hath digested the assurance of God's
love in Christ, and is exercised in the word of right
eousness, sees such a glory in the kingdom of grace,
and doth acknowledge it with such unmoveable
firmness of heart, that all the powers of either earth
or hell cannot alter his judgment in the high estima
tion of such a condition.
Use. The use of this doctrine concerning Christ's
kingdom is :
First, For consolation. God's children should much

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[Chap. I.

exult and rejoice in their estates ; and inasmuch as
Christ sitteth as king for ever, ' all that are in his
temple should speak of his glory,' Ps. xxix. 9, 10.
And if there were nothing else for a Christian to joy
in, yet ' let all the children of Sion rejoice in their
king,' Ps. cxlix. 2. Yea, the thought of this, that
God is our king, should uphold us, and fence us
against all crosses, Ps. lxxiv. 12; for Christ is 'a
hiding-place for the wind, and a cover for the
tempest ; as rivers of waters in a dry place, and as
the shadow of a great rock in a wreary land,' Isa.
xxxii. 2. And therefore let our eyes never grow
dim in viewing this glory, or our ears grow dull in
hearkening to the word of this kingdom.
Secondly, For reproof and terror unto all wicked
men that harden their hearts and refuse to return.
What greater loss than to lose Christ's kingdom?
And what fairer service than to serve the Son of God ?
'Who would not fear thee, 0 king of nations?'
Jer. x. 7. Accursed is the estate of all such as
subject not their necks to Christ's yoke; that refuse
to let him reign over them by his word and Spirit ;
that come not up to do their homage in Jerusalem,
even to worship this king, the Lord of hosts, Zech.
xiv. 17. If Jesus Christ be a great king, then where
shall they appear that say to the king, Apostata 1
Job xxxiv. 18. Even all such, I mean, that dare
reproach the way of Christ, and deride the sincerity
of such as desire to employ themselves in the busi
ness of the kingdom, &c. Is he a great king?
How dare we then offer that unto him which they
durst not offer to a mean king on earth? What
mean the bhnd and the lame in God's house ? Mai.
i. 13, 14. How dare men so securely offer up
their blind lip-service and lame devotions ? It is a
kingdom that is offered, why do we then trifle, why
do they excuse ? What means these fond excuses,
' I have married a wife, and cannot come ; I have
bought five yoke of oxen, and must go prove them ;
I have bought a farm, and must go see it ' ? I have
this pleasure and that profit, and therefore cannot
come ? Will they lose a kingdom upon so silly a
pretence, when thou needest not to lose either
wife, farm, or oxen? God doth not bid thee
leave thy wife, thy labour, thy calling, thy
living, but only wills thee to attend thine own
further advancement in the season of it. Seek

lawful profit, but seek grace first. Use thy lawful
pleasures, but chiefly seek the pleasures of God,
even these spiritual joys that are more worth than
a kingdom. Thirdly, For instruction. It should teach us
above all things to seek our happiness in this excel
lent estate under the government of Jesus Christ.
We should, in respect of the worth of it, ' forsake
our father's house,' and the immoderate desire of
any earthly thing, so that the king wUl please to
delight in us, Ps. xiv. We should open our hearts
wider, that the king of glory, by his word and
Spirit, may come in, Ps. xxiv. 10. We should
labour for all those graces by which an entrance is
ministered into this kingdom, 2 Pet. i. 8, 11. And
whatsoever we are uncertain of, we should ' make
our calling and election sure.' And though we be
never so many ways opposed, yet seeing we fight
for a kingdom — nay, in a kingdom — we should hold
it always 'a good fight,' 1 Tim. vi., and continue
constant and immovable. And if Christ lead us
into his chambers of presence, Cant. i. 3, and dehght
us with the sweet joys of his presence, we should
remember such princely love and joy in him alway.
Let the Christian sing and make a joyful noise to
the Rock of his salvation, and let him worship and
bow down, let him serve with all reverence, and
hear without all hardness of heart, Ps. xcv. 1, 3. Let
no discontentment possess the heart of the true
Christian ; for to serve Christ is to reign, and all
his subjects are kings, and the worst estate of the
meanest Christian is a rich kingdom.
Of his Son. Quest. Why is it called the kingdom
of the Son rather than of the Father ?
Ans. Because God hath given aU the power to
the Son, and this kingdom is assigned over to him.
The merit of this happiness is only in Christ, and
the virtue that gathers us into this kingdom is only
from Christ, and no man cometh to the Father but
by Christ.
Son of his love. Christ is the Son of God's love :
first, Because he is most worthy of all others to be
beloved, as Judas is the ' son of perdition,' that
is, most worthy to be damned ; secondly, Because
he was from everlasting begotten of the love of his
Father, he is God's natural Son ; thirdly, Because
he is infinitely filled with the sense of his love,

Ver. 14.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

105

so they are said to be the children of the marriage
that are full of joy in respect of the marriage ;
fourthly, Because it is he by whom love is derived
into others, it is he that makes all other sons be
loved ; lastly, In respect of his human nature, he is
that Son upon whom God hath showed his principal
love in respect of the gifts with which that nature is
admirably qualified. The meditation of this, that
Christ our Saviour is the Son of God's love, is very
comfortable, for he is like to speed in anything he
requests the Father for us, and he will be sure to
preserve us, that himself is a king's Son, yea,
God's Son, yea, a king and God himself, and so in
finitely beloved of the Father. It is an excellent
thing to be Christ's member, seeing he inherits so
great love : and if God gave us this Son so dear to
him, how shaU he deny anything, seeing never can
aught be so precious, but that with Christ he will
willingly give it ?
Ver. 14. In whom we have redemption, through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
In the former verses our redemption is considered,
as God the Father is the efficient cause of it. In
this verse it is considered as Christ is the instru
mental cause of it. In the verse four things are to
noted: 1. By whom we are redeemed, viz., by the
Son of God's love, implied in the first words ; 2.
Who are redeemed, we, that is, the faithful ; 3.
How we are redeemed, viz., by his blood; 4. With
what kind of redemption ; not by redemption from
loss in estate, or servitude in body, but from sin in
the soul.
In whom. Doct. The Son of God is the Redeemer
of the sons of men. He that had no sins of his
own did worthily cancel other men's : he that was
in no debt paid our debts. In this work of redemp
tion we may see piety itself beaten for the impious
man, and wisdom itself derided for the foolish
man, and truth itself slain for the lying man, and
justice itself condemned for the unjust man, and
mercy itself afflicted for the cruel man, and life itself
dying for the dead man. None can redeem us but
Jesus Christ; he only is God and man; he only
was deputed hereunto ; he only it is that is the first
born, the brother, and the kinsman, Lev. xxv.
Two things are required in a saviour and redeemer,

viz., right and power ; and the title or right must be
either by propriety or by propinquity. In power
and propriety the Father or Holy Ghost might re
deem, but in propinquity Christ only is the next
kinsman. Secondly, It is to be noted that he saith in whom,
not by whom, to teach us that the comfort of our re
demption is not then had when Christ, as mediator,
doth pay the price, but when, as our head, he re
ceiveth us to himself. We must be in Christ before
we can be pardoned : it is a vain thing to allege
that Christ died for us, unless we can clear it that
we are the members of Christ by conversion and
regeneration ; we must be in Christ before the
devil will let go his hold ; we must be in Christ be
fore we can receive the influence of his grace, for
that descends only from the head to the members ;
we must be in Christ before we can be covered with
his garment ; and if we be not in the vine we
cannot persevere.
We. Quest. How could the obedience and suf
ferings of one man serve to redeem so many men ?
Ans. It is sufficient, because he did all willingly ;
because, also, he was himself innocent and without
fault ; but especially because this obedience and
suffering was the obedience of him that was more
than man.
Again, it is to be noted that he saith wc, not all
men, have redemption, as the Universalists dream.
Have. Quest. Had not the fathers before Christ
redemption in him as well as we ?
Ans. They had, first, In predestination, because
they were hereunto elect ; secondly, In efficacy, inas
much as they that did believe in Christ had the
virtue of the redemption to come. Hence, that
Christ is said to be ' the Lamb slain from the be
ginning of the world.'
By his blood. Christ shed his blood many ways :
as when he was circumcised ; in his agony in the
garden ; when he was crowned and whipped ; when
he was crucified ; and when with a spear his side
was pierced : but here it is by a synecdoche taken
for all his sufferings.
There have been in former times four ways of re
demption : first, By manumission, when the lord
let his vassal voluntarily go out free ; but thus could
not we be redeemed, for the devil never meant to
o

106

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[Chap. I.

manumit us ; secondly, By permutation, as when in
the wars one is exchanged for another ; and thus
could not we be redeemed, for who should be changed
for us ? thirdly, By violent ablation, as Abraham re
deemed Lot, by force rescuing him ; but this way
did not stand with God's justice; fourthly, By
giving a price, and thus we are redeemed. But what
price was given ? not gold and silver, nor the blood
of goats ; not thousands of rams, or rivers of oil ;
not the sons of our bodies for the sins of our soul,
Mic. vi. 4, 5 ; nay, if a whole thousand of us had
been burned in one heap, it would not have ex
piated for one man's sin ; but the price was the
blood of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. i. 1 9 ; and by this
price we may see how hateful a thing sin is in
God's sight, and we may resolve that we are not
our own men any more to do what we list ; neither
ought we to be servants of men, Gal. i. 5. Besides,
if there had been merit in the work of the law, the
Son of God needed not to have shed his blood ; and
seeing it is shed, we need no other mediator, nor
works of satisfaction or supererogation.
Forgiveness of sins. The doctrine of remission
of sins is many ways comfortable. It is a com
fort : 1. That sins may be remitted, 1 John ii.
1 ; 2. That this remission may be applied particu
larly ; thou mayst have it and keep it for thyself
1 John i. 9 ; 3. That if our sins be once forgiven
they can never be laid to our charge more, they
return not, Isa. xliii. 25, Mic. vii. 19, Ps. xxxii.
1 ; 4. That where God forgives one sin he forgives
all sins ; 5. That where God forgives sin he heals
" the nature, where he justifies he sanctifies. An
earthly prince may forgive the felon, but he cannot
give him a better disposition ; but God never for
gives any man but he gives him a new heart also,
Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27; 1 John L 9 and ii. 1, 4; 6.
That where God forgives the sin he forgives the
punishment also, Acts v. 31, Ps. xxxii. 4, Mat. ix.
2, 5 ; lastly, That by remission of sins we may
know our salvation, 1 Luke i. 77.
Secondly, As it is a comfortable doctrine to faith
ful men, so it is a terrible doctrine to wicked men,
and that many ways : first, All men's sins are not
forgiven ; secondly, All need remission of sins ;
thirdly, If sin be not forgiven, it makes men loath
some to God, which the word cover importeth, Ps.

xxxii. 1 ; it sets the soul in debt ; it separates be
tween God and us, and hinders good things from us,
Isa. lix. 2 ; it defiles, Ps. li. 1 ; it remains upon
record, written with a pen of iron, and with the
point of a diamond, Jer. xvii. 1 ; it causeth all the
disquietness of heart, Ps. xxxviii. 3 ; it is the cause
of all judgments ; it brings death, Rom. vi. 23.
Thirdly, A question is here to be considered of,
viz., What should a man do that he may get a com
fortable assurance that his sins are forgiven him ?
Ans. He that would be assured of remission of
sins, must do these things : First, He must forgive
other men their trespasses against him, else he can
not be forgiven, Mat. vi. 14. Secondly, He must
search out his sins by the law, and mourn over them
in God's presence, striving to break and bruise his
own heart with grief in secret, in the confession of
them to God, Luke iv. 18, 1 John i. 9, Hosea xiv. 3,
Zech. xii. 12 to the end, and xiii. 1. Thirdly, We
must take heed of the sin against the Holy Ghost,
which, beginning in apostasy, is continued in perse
cution of the known truth, and ends in blasphemy,
and is therefore a sin unpardonable, because the
sinner is utterly disabled of the power to repent.
And howsoever all sins against the Holy Ghost are
not unpardonable, but only that sin that hath the
former three things in it ; yet the man that would
have evidence of pardon, must take heed of aU ways
of offending against God's Spirit, and therefore must
take heed of speaking evil of the way of godhness,
of contemning the means of grace, by which the
Spirit works, and of tempting, grieving, or vexing
of the Holy Ghost within his own heart or others.
Fourthly, He must daily attend upon the preaching
of the gospel, till the Lord be pleased to quicken his
own promises, and his heart to the joyful application
of the comforts of God's love, contained in his word.
And when men come to God's presence to seek so
great a mercy as the pardon of sin, they must, above
all things, take heed of wilful hardness of heart,
lest their unwillingness to be directed by God's
word be required with that curse that God should
grow unwilling that they should repent, and he
should forgive them, Mark i v. 11, 12, Acts xxvi. 18.
Fifthly, The prayers of the faithful are very available
to procure the pardon of sin, James v. 1 6. Sixthly, He
must, with due preparation, be often in receiving the

Ver. 15.]

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107

sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which is to the
worthy receiver a worthy seal of remission, Mat.
xxvi. 28. Seventhly, He must amend his life and
believe in Jesus Christ, Mark i. 4, Acts v. 31, x. 43.
Ver. 15. Who is the image of the invisible God, and
the first-begotten of every creature.
Hitherto of the work of redemption ; now follow
eth the person of the Redeemer, who is described as
he standeth in relation :
1. To God, ver. 15.
2. To the universe or whole world, ver. 15-17.
3. To the church, ver. 18, 19, Sec.
In all the verses in general may be observed the
evident proof of his divine nature. For, as the
verses before, when they mention redemption in his
blood, prove him to be man, so these verses, ascrib
ing to him eternity, omnipotence, Sec, prove him
to be God. That our Saviour is God may be
further confirmed by these places of scripture : Gen.
xix. 24, Judges ii. 1, 4, 14, Ps. xiv., Prov. viii. 22,
Job xix. 25; Isa. vii. 14, ix. 6, xxxv. 2, 4, xl. 3,
10, 12, xliii. 10, 11, 23, xiv. 22; Jer. xxiii. 5, 6;
Hosea i. 7, xii. 4 ; Mic. ii. 12, iv. 1 ; John i. 1, &c. ;
1 John v. 20, Rev. i. 6.
Besides, the apostle's drift is to extol the excel
lency of Christ, by whose blood we are redeemed.
Howsoever he appeared in form of a servant, yet he
exceeded all monarchs that ever were on earth ; for
Christ is the essential image of God, whereas the
greatest monarchs are God's image but by a small
participation. He is the Son of God by generation ;
they are so only by creation or regeneration. He is
the first-born ; they are but younger brothers at
the best. He is the Creator ; they are but creatures.
All things are for him, whereas they have right and
power over but few things. He is eternal ; they are
mortal. Things cannot consist without a Redeemer
in heaven ; but so they may without a monarch on
earth. He is a mystical head, and by his Spirit
uniteth all his subjects to him, and by influence
preserveth them ; but so can no political heads do
their subjects. Other things I might instance in
the verses following, but these shall suffice.
The first thing in particular by which the Re
deemer is described in his relation to God in these
words, who is the image of the invisible God.

Here three things are to be considered : first, The
person resembling, who ; secondly, The manner how
he resembleth, viz., by the vray of image ; thirdly,
The person resembled in his nature, God, in the
attribute of his nature, invisible. For the first, if
we be asked of whom he here speaketh, it is easily
answered out of the former verses : it is the Son of
God, ' the Son of his love,' ver. 13. And thither I
refer the consideration of the first jjoint.
Image. Our Redeemer resembles God by the way
of image.
There is a difference between the image of a thing
and the similitude of it. The sun in the firmament
expresseth God by similitude ; for as there is but
one sun, so there is but one God. And as no man
can look upon the sun in his brightness, so no man
can see God with mortal eyes, &c. But yet the sun
is not therefore God's image. God's image is in
men, and in Christ.
God's image is in man three ways : First, By crea
tion ; and so it is in all men, even worst men, inas
much as there is in them an aptitude to know and
conceive of God, &c. Secondly, By recreation ; and
so it is in holy men, that do actually and habitually
know and conceive of God, &c, but this is imper
fectly. Thirdly, By similitude of glory ; and so the
blessed in heaven conceive of, and resemble God,
and that (in comparison with the two former) per
fectly. But there is great difference between the image
of God in man, and the image of God in Christ.
In Christ, it is as Caesar's image in his son ; in man,
it is as Caesar's* image in his coin. Christ is the
natural image of God, and of the same substance
with God, whom he doth resemble ; but the Christian
is God's image only in some respects, neither is he
of the same nature with God. Man is both the
image of God, and after the image of God. The image
of God because he truly resembles God ; and after
the image of God, because he resembles him but
imperfectly. But Christ is the perfect image of God,
and not after his image. Some express the difference
thus : Christ is the image of the invisible God, but
man is the image of the visible God, that is, of
Christ. Christ is the image of God three ways: 1. In
operation, because it is he that worketh God's image

108

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[Chap. I.

in us ; 2. In apparition, because he appeared for
God to the fathers in the old law ; 3. In person, and
that in both natures, both as God and man ; for the
most perfect image of God is Christ God, the per
fect image of God is Christ man, the imperfect
image of God is man.
That Christ is the image of God, as he is God,
is apparent by that place, Phil. ii. 6, and Heb. i. 4.
And here two things are admirable : first, That this
image is an infinite image, like the thing resembled ;
secondly, That the image is the same in number,
not in species only, with the thing resembled.
Christ as man is the image of God, 1 Tim. iii. 16,
and that three ways : first, As the Godhead dwells
in Christ bodily, in respect of the unutterable
presence of the divine nature ; secondly, As by his
miracles and great works he manifested the divine
nature, and showed God in the world ; thirdly, As
his human nature is qualified with knowledge, right
eousness, purity, and other gifts ; for if man be
God's image in respect of this, Christ is so much
more. To conclude, Christ, as he is God, is not only
the image of the invisible God, but the invisible
image of God ; but as man, he is the visible image
of the invisible God.
Use. The considerations of this doctrine, that
Christ is the image of the invisible God, may serve
for six uses : First, To teach us the admiration of
that God whose image is of so admirable praise.
Secondly, To show the fearfulness of their estate
that 'turn the glory of the incorruptible God into
the image of corruptible creatures,' Rom. i. 23.
And this is the sin not only of the Gentiles, but of
the papists also. Thirdly, It should wonderfully
quicken us to all the duties of humbleness of mind
and meekness, and make us ready in all things to
serve one another, without wrangling or contention,
in love ; seeing he that was in form of God, equal
with God, put upon him the form and image of a
servant, Phil. ii. 1, 2, 3, 6. Fourthly, We may
hence learn that if we would know God, we must
get into Christ ; for in him only is the Father
known : ' he that hath seen Christ hath seen the
Father,' John xiv. 9; 2 Cor. iv. 4. Labour, then,
in the business of mortification and justification,
and then that knowledge of God, which is impos
sible to nature, will be possible to grace. They

have the firmest apprehension of God, not that have
the most wit or learning, but that have the most
grace in Jesus Christ. One may be a great scholar,
and yet a great atheist. The surest way is to know
the Creator in the Redeemer. Fifthly, Seeing it is
Christ's honour to be God's image, let it be our
honour to be Christ's image, which we can never be,
unless we ' put off the old man and his works,' Col.
iii. 9, 10, and see to it that the light of the gospel
be not hid from us by the god of this world, for the
gospel is the gospel of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 4, and hi.
18, 19, &c, Gal. iv. 19. Now, we may be framed
like to the image of Christ in three things : 1. In
knowledge, Col. iii. 10 ; 2. In sufferings, Rom. viii.
29 ; 3. In holiness and righteousness of heart and
life, Eph. iv. 21, 24 ; lastly, Shall the devU make
men worship the image of the beast, Rev. xiii.,
and shall not we for ever honour this everlasting
image of our God?
Invisible God. God is invisible, John i. 18, 1
Tim. vi. 16, John ix. 11, &c, and xxiii. 9, 10. God
cannot be seen, because he is a spirit, not a body ;
and because of the exceeding thinness and purity of
his nature, and because of the transplendency of his
glory ; and lastly, because of the infiniteness of his
essence. The use is : first, To teach us to walk alway in
fear and trembling, seeing we serve such a God as
sees us when we see not him, Ps. Ixv. 5, &c. ;
secondly, This should check the secret and beastly
discontentment of our hearts, which are many times
moved to vexation, because our God is not visible ;
whereas, wre should therefore the more admire him
that is so absolutely perfect. It were imperfection
to be visible. And yet notwithstanding, though
God be not visible to sense, he is visible to under
standing; and though nature cannot see him, yet
grace can. Now, if any ask what he might do that
he might see God, I answer, that he that would see
God : First, He must look for him in the land of the
living ; seek for him amongst true Christians. He
must first know and love his brother, and then he
shall know and see God, 1 John iv. 1 2. He that
would know the Father, must be acquainted with
the child. Secondly, He must with fear, and rever
ence, and constancy, wait upon the manifestation of
God in his house; in that light we shall see light.

Ver. 15.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

109

We must eat at God's table, and it must be our con
tentment to taste of the fatness of his house, and to
drink out of the river of those pleasures, if we
would with clear light see God, Ps. xxxvi. 8, 9.
God is to be seen in Zion, Ps. Ixxxiv. 5, 7, 8 ; God's
goings are seen in the sanctuary, Ps. lxviii. 24.
Thirdly, He must learn God's name ; for he that
knows his name, sees his nature. When God would
show his glory to Moses, he proclaims his name to
him, Exod. xxxiii. 19, and xxxiv. 6, &c. Fourthly,
He must be sure to get into Christ by faith, being
born of God by regeneration, John vi. 46, and xiv.
7. Lastly, He must be pure in heart, Mat. v. 8 ;
he must specially strive against the corruptions
inward in his thoughts and affections. Thus of the
second use.
Thirdly, The consideration of this, that God is
invisible, should encourage us to well-doing, even in
secret, seeing we serve such a God as can see in
secret, Mat. vi. 4.
Hitherto our Redeemer is described as he stands
in relation in God. Now, in the second place, he is
described as he stands in relation to the creatures.
And Christ is in relation to the creatures five ways :
1. As the first-begotten among them ; 2. As their
Creator ; 3. As the end of them, all for him ; 4. In
respect of eternity, as lie is before all things ; 5. As
all things in him consist. All things depend upon
Christ as their preserver, as their ancient, as their
end, as their Creator, and as the first-born.
The first-begotten of every creature. Two things are
here to be considered of Christ : 1. That he is God's
Son by generation ; 2. That he is the first-begotten.
For the first : God hath sons by nature and by
grace ; Christ is born as man, and begotten as God.
Things are begotten three ways : 1. Metaphorically,
only by comparison, or in some respects ; 2. Cor
porally ; 3. Spiritually. Some things do beget with
out themselves, as bodies do ; but this is more
ignobly and basely ; some things beget within them
selves, as doth the spirit or soul, more perfectly.
But the most perfect and unutterable glorious gene
ration is the begetting of the Son of God by God.
The way of God in eternity who can find out ? and
his generation who can tell ? His ways are not as
our ways ; yet a glimpse of this great work we may
reach to two ways :

1. By way of negation, as they say in schools.
2. By way of comparison.
First, By denying that unto God which hath im
perfection in it. In the generation of the creatures
we may see something into the generation of the
Son of God. There are eight things in the genera
tion of the creatures which are not in this begetting
of the natural Son of God : 1. The creatures beget
in time, because themselves are first begotten ; but
this is not in God. Christ is of the Father, but not
after the Father. There is here a priority in order,
but not in time. 2. The creatures beget by affec
tion ; this is imperfection, but God begetteth by
nature. 3. The creature begets without himself, so
as sons are diverse and divided from the father,
because they are finite. We are of hke nature
to our fathers, but not the same nature, o^owueioi,
not g/j.ogu(sioi ; but it is not so in God, for Christ is
not divided from the Father, as ke is the natural
Son of God. 4. The generation in the creature is
not without corruption or diminution of the nature
of the begetter ; but here God the Father begetteth
without corruption or diminution, by a way divine,
unenarrable, and incomprehensible. 5. Our chil
dren are less than their parents ; but Christ is as
well co-equal as co-eternal. 6. The creature com
municates but a part of his substance, but God com
municates the whole. 7. The father and son, among
the creatures, are two in number, one in species only,
but in God it is not so; for the Son of God is
another, but not another thing, alius, but not aliud;
he is another, viz., in person, but not another thing
in essence. Lastly, The creature begets mortal
creatures, and propagates but a being for a time,
but God begets a Son immortal by nature, such a
one as can never die in the nature so begotten.
Secondly, This generation is shadowed out by
some comparison with creatures : The river and the
spring are two, yet not divided ; so is the sun and
the beams of it. The savour and the ointment are to
gether, and yet the ointment is not corrupted. But
the principal comparison is in the mind and the
word : The mind begets the word naturally, without
passion or corruption within itself; so as the word
begotten remains in the mind, the word afterwards,
clothed with a voice, goeth into the ears of men, and
yet ceaseth not to be still in the mind. This in

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[Chap. I.

many things, as you may see, is like to the genera
tion of Christ by the Father. But all these are
but shadows ; the glory of the thing itself cannot be
expressed by any words of man or angel.
The consideration of this doctrine should inflame
us to tbe love of such a Son, who being, as he was,
co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, yet was
pleased to delight himself in God's earth, which is
man, Prov. viii. 22, 31, 32. And we should for
ever hearken and attend to the words of this wisdom
of God, who teacheth us the secrets of the very
bosom of his Father. And seeing this is the Son,
of whom God hath spoken to the dreadful astonish
ment and wonder of heaven and earth, woe unto
them that sin against the Son and provoke him to
anger. How shall they be broken to pieces like an
earthen vessel? Ps. ii. 5, 7, 9, 11, 12. But blessed
are all they, that with all fear and trembling, and
with all reverence and affection, subject themselves
to the sceptre of his kingdom, and trust in the
love of the Father, through the merits of the Son.
Thus of the consideration of Christ, as he is begot
ten of God : it is here added that he is first-begotten.
First-begotten. Christ is the Son of God, John
i. 14 ; he is the only-begotten Son of God, John
i. 18; he is the natural Son of God, Rom. iii. 8 ; and
here is termed the first-begotten Son of God. He
is first-begotten, as God, two ways : 1. In time ; he
was before all other things. Of this afterwards. 2.
In dignity; he is the foundation of all that respect
by which others are made sons. He is first-begotten
as man, not in time, but in dignity and operation :
first, In respect of the miraculousness and wonder-
fulness of his birth and conception, — so are none
other born ; secondly, In respect of his resurrection,
in which God did, as it were, beget him again, —
thus he is afterwards said to be the first-born of
the dead ; thirdly, In respect of pre-eminence ; as he
hath the right of the first-born, being made heir of
all things.
The use is divers : First, 'Let all the angels of God
worship him,' Heb. i. 6. Secondly, It should kindle
in our hearts godly sorrow for our sins. If we can
mourn for the death of our first-born, how should
we be pierced to remember that our sins have pierced
God's first-born ? Zech. xii. 12. Thirdly, We should
never think it strange to suffer in this world, seeing

God spared not his own first-born, Rom. viii. 29.
Lastly, It may be a great comfort to Christians, and
that two ways : first, Because they shall be accepted
with God, in, and for Christ, who is the first-born,
and hath received a blessing for all the rest; secondly,
Because in Christ they themselves are accounted as
God's first-born in comparison of other men : God
will use them as his first-born, Exod. iv. 22, Heb. xii.
23, Ps. Ixxxix. 27. By this God's chUdren are made
' higher than the kings of the earth,' Ps. Ixxxix. 27;
and therefore woe shall be to them that wrong God's
first-born, Exod. iv. 22. And therefore also every
Christian should so esteem his birth-right as by no
means, with profane Esau, for any lust, profit, or
pleasure, to sell it, Heb. xii. 16.
Ver. 16. For in him were all things created that are
in heaven, and that are in eafth, visible or invisible,
whether they be thrones or dominions, or pnineipalities or
powers. All things were created for him and by him.
In this verse four things are to be considered :
first, Concerning creation itself in the general ;
secondly, Who created ? thirdly, What was created ?
fourthly, The distinctions of creatures.
Created. God works not as the creatures do; God
works in an instant. Angels work suddenly ; nature
works by little and little, and by degrees. There is
a threefold effusion of the goodness of God : 1. By
generation ; 2. By spiration ; 3. By creation.
The works of God are either internal and ema-
nent, and are in the essence of God by an act in
ternal and eternal, — and thus predestination is God's
work, — or external and transient, passing to the
creatures by an act external and temporal. And
these works are either works of nature, or works of
grace. The works of nature respect her, either as
she is in making qua est in fieri, or as she is made
qua est in facto : the latter works are works of pro
vidence, the former are works of creation.
A difference must be made between creating,
generating, and making. A thing comes into being,
of nothing, by creation ; of something, by making ;
and of a substance, by generation. Creation is of
God, by himself ; generation is of nature according
to God.
Doct. The world, even this whole frame of all
things, was created and had a beginning. This we

Ver. 16.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

Ill

may know by faith, out of scripture, Gen. i., ii. ; Ps.
xxxiii. 6-9 ; Job xxxviii. 39 ; and by reason, from
the state of creatures ; their alterations, subordina
tions, debilities, and expirations, prove a beginning,
and that they are not eternal.
Object. This drowns our thoughts, that we cannot
conceive of eternity, what it was before the world was.
Sol. It is not meet we should account our
selves able to judge of eternity. What do plants
judge of sense ? what do the beasts judge of reason ?
how canst thou be fit to judge of eternity, that thy
self hast no certain continuance in time ?
Thus of creation in general ; the second thing is,
who is Creator?
In him, or by him. The whole Trinity did create
the world ; because it is a rule that the works of
God that are without are undivided ; so as that
which one person cloth, all the three persons do.
Yet there is difference in the order : for the Father
moves and wills it, the Son works it, and the Holy
Ghost finisheth it. Creation is given to the Father,
Acts xvii. 24 ; to the Son, John i. 3 ; to the Holy
Ghost, Gen. i. 2, Ps. xxxiii. 6.
But in this place, the honour of the work is
specially given to the Son. And it is to be noted,
that the original hath more than barely by him, for
it is said, in him, Sec. The creation of the world
was in Christ in two respects : First, It was in him
as in an exemplar ; the frame of the world to be
made was in him as the image of the Father's un
derstanding ; for, in the building of a house there is
a double frame, the one in the head of the carpenter,
the other the frame external of the house, built after
the pattern of that that was in the carpenter's head ;
so is it in the creation of the world. Secondly, It
was in him, as that decreed and fore-appointed head
and foundation, in which all the other things should
be placed and consist ; thus he is said to be ' the
beginning of the creatures of God,' Rev. iii. 14.
This work of creation ascribed unto Christ proves
his deity, eternity, and omnipotence. Thus of the
Creator. Thirdly.lt follows, what was created? viz., all
things. The whole world. By the world I mean
not the frame of all things, as it was in God's essence
from eternity, nor man only, which is called a little
world, but this whole universe and great building,

consisting of all sorts of creatures. Concerning this
creation of all things, I only note two things : first,
How they were created ; secondly, The errors that
sprung up against this doctrine.
Now, all things ivere created : First, Most freely,
without any necessity that impelled God thereunto,
Ps. xxxiii. 9, cxv. 3. Secondly, Without any labour,
motion, or mutation of himself, with a beck only,
and by his omnipotent word, Ps. xxxiii. 9. Thirdly,
Of nothing. Of nothing, I say, negatively, in the
creation of the first mass of all things ; and of no
thing privatively, in the second creation of things
out of the first mass or chaos ; for though in the
order of nature, and by men, nothing is made of
nothing, yet this extendeth not to God and the first
creation. Fourthly, Most wisely, so as there flowed
in the creation a goodness to every creature, so
as they were all good in God's account, Gen. i. 31.
This goodness in man and angels was God's image
in them. Fifthly, In time, with time, in the very
beginning of time, Gen. i. 1. Sixthly, In the space
of six days, not at one time only ; and this shewed
the creature's disability, that could not form itself
when the first matter was created. Herein God
also shewed his power, and that he was not tied to
second causes, as he declared when he gave light to
the world, while yet there was no sun.
Then herein he teacheth men to dwell long upon
the meditation of the creation, seeing God himself
did prolong the creation for so many days, which yet
he could have despatched in an instant.
There were four errors about the creation. Some
said the world was eternal ; some said, though it
were not eternal, yet it had a material beginning, it
was made of something ; some said God made the
superior creatures himself, and the inferior by angels ;
some made two beginners of things, — they imagined
that one beginner made things incorruptible, and
another made things corruptible. The very first
verse of the Bible confutes all four errors. The
word in the beginning shews the world was not
eternal ; the word creation notes that it was made
of nothing. When he saith, God created all, he
excludes angels ; and lastly, when he saith, God
created heaven and earth, he shews he was the only
beginner of all sorts of creatures.
Fourthly, The distinction of the creatures follows.

112

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[Chap. I.

Here they are distinguished three ways : 1. By
place, — some are things in heaven, some things in
earth; 2. By quality, — some are visible, some are in
visible; 3. By a subdivision of the invisible, — some
are thrones, some are dominions, &c.
Thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.
These words are diversely interpreted. Some think
there is no necessity to understand them of angels,
but in general of all empire, and of the order of
economy among the creatures, in marriage, laws, or
governments in heaven or earth. Some restrain the
words to order amongst men only ; some under
stand by thrones the palace of God's majesty and
the seat of blessed immortality, and the rest of the
words they interpret of angels ; but the commonest
opinion, and most ancient, is to understand all the
words of angels only. But in this there is no agree
ment ; for some think the apostle speaks by way of
concession, as if he should say, Be it so that angels
are thrones and dominions, Sec, as the Jews and
false apostles affirm when they go about to persuade
you to angel-worship ; yet if that were granted,
Christ only were to be worshipped, because he made
all those, and what excellency they have, they had
it from him. Others think that the apostle reckoneth
up the excellent things in human government, and
gives them to angels, to shadow out their glory,
and consequently the glory of Christ that made
them. I think there is no hurt in their opinion
that give all these words unto angels. And they are
called thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers;
because God by them governs the nations, and, as
some think, moves the heavens, restrains the devils,
works miracles, foretells things to come, protects the
faithful, and exerciseth his judgments upon the
world ; yet so as these names may be given to all
angels, in divers respects, and upon occasion of
divers employments. Or they may be given to
some angels for a time, and not for ever; or if it be
yielded that those names do distinguish the divers
sorts of angels and their orders, yet it will not follow
that we can tell their sorts, as the bold Dionysius
and the papists have adventured to do.
Thus of the doctrine of creation ; the uses follow,
and they are: 1. For reproof; 2. For consolation;
3. For instruction.
1. The doctrine of creation cannot but be a doc

trine of great reproof and terror to wicked men ;
because those goodly creatures, being God's work
manship, will plead against them, and make them
inexcusable in the day of Christ, inasmuch as they
have not learned to know and serve God with
thankfulness and fear, that shewed his wisdom and
power, and other the invisible things of God, in the
making of all those creatures, Rom. i. 19. And
besides, from the great power of God, in the creation
of themselves and other creatures, they may see that
they are in a woful case that by sinning ' strive with
him that made them,' Isa. xiv. 9, for he hath the
same power to destroy them.
And further, if God made all, then he knows
all, and so all the sins of the sinner. And in that
he made all, he hath at his command, as Lord by
creation, all armies, to raise them against the wicked
for their subversion.
2. Secondly, The doctrine of the creation may
comfort God's children many ways : First, It may
comfort them in the faith of the world's dissolution.
It is he that created heaven and earth that will
accomplish it, 'that time shall be no more,' Rev.
x. 6. I mean not times of mortality, sin, labour,
infirmity, &c. Secondly, It may comfort them in
the success of Christ's kingdom on earth. Though
it be a great thing to gather men again into cove
nant with God, and to open the eyes of men, bhnd
with ignorance, and to deliver the souls of men that
have long lain in the prisons of sin and misery, yet
we may be assured that God, by the ordinances of
Christ, will accomplish all the great things of this
spiritual kingdom, because he was able to create the
heavens and earth. And God liimself doth remem
ber his power in the creation, to assure his perform
ance in our regeneration, Isa. xiii. 5, 6. Thirdly, It
may comfort us in our union with Christ ; for what
shall separate us from his love ? Inasmuch as he is
unchangeable himself, nothing else can, for they are
all his creatures, and must not cross his resolved
will, Rom. viii. Fourthly, It must needs be a com
fort to serve such a God, as hath shewed himself
in the creation to work so wonderfully. Blessed is
he that can rejoice in God and his service, and is
refreshed with the light of his countenance, and
assured of his love, Ps. Ixxxix. 11, 15. Fifthly,
The wonders of the creation serve to shew us how

Ver. 17.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

113

wonderful the works of grace are,, in the working of
which the Lord useth the very term of creating.
To regenerate a man is as glorious a work as to
make a world, Eph. ii. 10, and iv. 24, 2 Cor. v. 17,
Gal. vi. 15. The protection of a Christian hath in
it also divers of the wonders of the creation. The
peace that comes into the hearts of Christians, as
the fruit of the lips, is created, Isa. lvii. 19. A
clean heart is a rare blessing, for it is created also,
Ps. li. 10. Sixthly, It is a comfort against the force
of wicked men and their wrongs. The wickedest
men are God's creatures : ' he created the destroyer
to destroy, and the smith that bloweth the coals,
and him that bringeth forth an instrument ;' and
therefore ' all the weapons that are made against
God's children cannot prosper.' And it is a part of
the Christian's inheritance to be protected against
the malice of the wicked that would destroy him,
Isa. liv. 16 and xliii. 1-3. Lastly, It may comfort
God's children in the expectation of their salvation ;
for God hath promised as certainly as he hath
created the heavens he will save Israel, though it
should be as hard a work as was the spreading out
ofthe heavens, Isa. xiv. 15, 17-19.
Thirdly, The doctrine of the creation should teach
us divers duties :
First, The admirableness and variety of God's
works should provoke us to contemplation . ' How
clear are thy thoughts unto me,' Ps. exxxix. 17.
Secondly, In affliction, we should willingly com
mit ourselves to God, and trust in him, though our
means be little or unlikely ; for he is a ' faithful
Creator,' — his love to us affords him will to do us
good, and the creation proves his power, 1 Pet. iv.
19, Isa. xiv. 12, 17, 22.
Thirdly, The greatness of the works in creation
should imprint in us reverence and fear, and force
us to the duties of the adoration and worship of
God, Rev. iv. 11, and v. 13, Ps. civ. 31, and c. 3.
Fourthly, The knowledge of the glory and great
ness of the Creator should inflame in us indignation
against idols and the worship of the creature, Jer.
x. 3-16, Rom. i. 25.
Fifthly, The remembrance of our Creator and
creation should work in us an abatement of our
pride and jollity, and dull the edge of our fierce
appetite to sin, Eccles. xii. 1.

Sixthly, The consideration of our equality in our
creation should keep us that we transgress not
against our brethren : ' We have all one Father,
and one God hath created us,' Mai. ii. 10, Job xxxi.
14, 15. Thus ofthe creation.
The third thing in Christ's relation to the crea
tures is, that all things are for him.
For him. In divers respects : first, As it is he only
in whom the Father is well pleased, and so the love
of God to the world is for his sake ; secondly, As
all the creatures do serve to point out the Son, as
well as the Father, and that because they shew
Christ as the wisdom of the Father ; and besides,
their changes and corruptions do cry for the liberty
of the sons of God in Christ ; and further, they are
all at command for the propagation and preserving
of the kingdom of Christ ; thirdly, As he is heir of
all things, they are for him — that is, for his glory ;
so as he is not only the efficient, but the final cause
of all things. The carpenter makes his house,
perhaps for one more honourable than himself, but
not so Christ in making this great house, the world.
The consideration of this point, that all things are
for Christ, should teach us divers things.
Uses. First, We should less doat upon the world
and the things thereof, inasmuch as these things
were principally made for Christ, and not for us ;
and secondly, We should use all these things as
helps to lead us to Christ ; thirdly, In the use of the
creatures we should be careful to express the glory
of Christ, by giving thanks, by magnifying his wis
dom, power, goodness, &c, and by distributing them
according to his appointment, as to the poor, and to
the maintenance of the worship of God ; for seeing
they are his, and for him, we should dispose of them
as he requires ; lastly, It should keep us from the
use of all ill means ; for seeing it is for Christ, we
should not lie, deceive, use false weights, run to
witches, or take any other ungodly course ; for he
needs not our lie, nor desires to be helped by any .
sinful course.
The fourth thing which Christ is commended for
is his eternity :
He was before all things. The immensity of Christ's
divine nature hath four things in it : first, Infinite-
ness in respect of itself ; secondly, Incomprehensible-
ness in respect of our sense and understanding;

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[Chap. I.

thirdly, Incircumscriptibleness in respect of place ;
fourthly, Eternity in comparison of time. That
Christ is eternal these places prove : Prov. viii. 22,
&c. ; Micah, v. 2, 4, &c. ; Rev. i. 8, 11, xxi. 6, and
xxii. 13.
The eternity of Christ may be thus defined : It is
a pleasant and at once perfect possession of endless
life ; and hereby may the eternity of Christ appear
to differ from the eternity of all other things. The
heavens have an endlessness of essence, but they
want hfe : the devils have an endless, not only being,
but life, but it is not a pleasant life : the saints in
heaven have a pleasant life till the day of judgment,
but they have not wiiole possession : the angels in
heaven have a whole possession, but it is not at once,
but successively, both in revelation and joy ; I say
it is whole in them, because their whole nature or
essence is possessed of pleasant and endless life :
and lastly, Christ's eternity differs from all eternity
of all the creatures, because no creature hath the
former things absolutely perfect ; that is, such a
possession of endless life as unto which nothing is
wanted, for they want many of the perfections that
are in Christ, though they be perfect in their own
kind. Seeing Christ was before all things, we should
prefer him before all things, — we should acknowledge
his title as heir of all things, — as the eldest among
all things, we should willingly hear him speak, and
honour his words, — we should trust in him, and live
by faith, Sic.
And in him all things consist : that is, he upholds,
rules, and governs all things by his providence ; and
this is the first thing by which our Redeemer is
described in relation to the world. That providence
is given to the Son, as well as creation, these places
prove: Heb. i. 2, 3; Prov. viii. 15; John v. 12.
Christ is not like the carpenter that makes his house,
and then leaves it ; or hke the shipwright, that
frames his ship, but never after guides it. All things
are said to consist in him, in respect of conservation,
in that he keeps all things in their being ; in respect
of precept, in that from him are prescribed the laws
by which nature, policy, and religion are governed ;
in respect of operation, in that all things move in
him ; in respect of ordination, in that he appointeth
all things to their end ; in respect of disposition of

the means to the end ; and lastly, as the universal
cause of nature, and natural instincts in all creatures,
by which they further their own preservation.
Object. But we see the means by which all things
are wrought and preserved as by their causes.
Sol. The means notwithstanding, all things consist
in Christ : first, Because Christ useth not the means
necessarily ; secondly, He ordains the means as well
as the end ; thirdly, The means is many times evil,
in matter or form, yet the work is made good by
Christ ; fourthly, He is not tied to the means, but
he can work either with, without, or against the
means ; fifthly, All means hath his efficacy from
Christ. But the words would be particularly
weighed. In him. All things consist in Christ, both in
general, as he is God, and in special, as he is Re
deemer. Four ways all things consist in or by
Christ, as he is God : first, In respect of ubiquity —
he comprehends all things, and is comprehended of
nothing, ' the nations are but a drop of his bucket,'
and time itself is but a drop of his eternity ; secondly,
In respect of -powei — in his power this whole frame
stirreth ; thirdly, In respect of omniscience and
wisdom, for all is within his knowledge, and re
ceiveth order from his wisdom ; fourthly, In respect
of decree — for the world to be made did from ever
lasting hang in the foreknowledge and pre-ordination
of Christ.
As Christ is Redeemer, all things consist in him
three ways : first, Because he is that atonement which
kept the world from being dissolved for Adam's sin ;
secondly, Because the respect of him and his church
is that that keeps up the world to this clay : if his
body were once complete, the world would not stand
one hour; thirdly, Because the promise made toman,
concerning his prosperity in the use of all creatures,
are made in Christ.
All things. Even all things which are, or are done,
in earth or heaven; things visible or invisible, which
have either being, lUe, sense, or reason, past, pre
sent, or to come, adversity as well as prosperity, &c,
Acts xvii. 25.
Consist. This word notes four things : order, con
tinuance, co-operation, and immutability.
First, The creatures consist, that is, by an excel
lent order, agree together, in a glorious frame;

Ver. 17.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSTANS.

115

for God is the God of order, and not of con
fusion. Object. There be many miseries, evils, and mis
chiefs in the world, and therefore how can there be
order in all things ?
Sol. First, There may be order in respect of God,
though not in respect of us ; secondly, It followeth
not that there is no order, because we see none,
' 0 the depth,' &c, Rom. xi. ; thirdly, Many of the
reasons of the fearful miseries that are in the world
are revealed, as the justice of God in punishing
of a sinful world, either whole nations or particular
persons, the humbling of his children, and the pre
paring of them for heaven, and such like ; fourthly,
There may be order in respect of the whole, though
not in respect of every part.
Object. 2. There be many sins in the world, and
those consist not in Christ, neither tend they to
order. Sol. The truth is, that those come into the world
by the devil and man, and they are, by the provi
dence of God, not effective, but permissive, yet so
as there is operation in four respects about the
sins of the world : for first, Christ is the author
of the motion in general, though not of the evil
of the motion ; secondly, Christ worketh in that
he withdraweth grace, being provoked thereunto ;
thirdly, He worketh in determining or setting a
measure unto sin, that it pass not his bounds :
fourthly, He worketh in converting the sin to a
punishment of the sinner, or in working thereouj.
an occasion of humiliation, and of grace in the
penitent. Secondly, Consisting notes the continuance together
of the creatures ; for by the providence of Christ it is
that no substance in specie that was at first made
ever ceased, but there are still as many creatures as
ever were ; and the very singulars of every sort do
consist in individuo, as long as pleaseth Christ ; and
the like may be said of the essential qualities of all
the creatures.
Thirdly, Consisting notes the co-operation of the
creatures, so as by the providence of Christ all things
work together for his glory ; and all things are ready
at Christ's will and command by joint moving, &c.
Fourthly, Consisting notes immutability in the
providence of Christ.

Thus of the doctrine : the uses follows
Uses. And first, the meditation of the providence
of Christ serveth for great reproof of wicked men's
security in sin, who carelessly add sin unto sin, so
it may be hid from men ; as if they were of the
mind of those that thought God did not- see, or had
forsaken the earth and the care of men's actions
below. But seeing all things consist in Christ,
wicked men cannot stir but Christ discovereth them
as plainly as anything that is in his own heart.
Yea, seeing all things consist in Christ, it checketh
the doubtfulness and mistrustfulness that is in the
hearts of God's children, as if in their crosses God
did not care for them, or that they should be help
less. This is at large reproved in these places : Isa.
xl. 27, and xlix. 14, Sec, and liv. 7, Sec
Secondly, Seeing all things consist in Christ, it
should teach us to trust in Christ, and not in the
second causes ; and it should make us less careful
for our preservation, never asking ' what we shall
eat, or what we shall put on,' Mat. vi. Yea, seeing
he rules all things, let us willingly subject ourselves
to his sceptre, and let him be ' our guide unto death,'
Ps. xlviii. 14.
Quest. But what must we do that it might go well
with us by the providence of Christ ?
Ans. First, We must be saints, if we would have
Christ to keep us and preserve us ; that is, such men
as hide not their sins, but confess and forsake them,
and live innocently, 1 Sam. ii. 9; Isa. xlviii. 17,
1 8 ; Ps. v. 8 ; Hosea xiv. 9 ; Prov. xxviii. 1 3. Secondly,
True prosperity must be learned out of the word ;
we must be taught to profit. And the next way to
get Christ to bless us in our houses is to wait upon
his direction in his house, for all prosperity depends
upon God's promise ; and if we would prosper, we
must do such things as are of promise, Ps. i. 3, and
xxxiii.; Isa. xlviii. 13. Thirdly, We must, in true
humility and sense of our own unworthiness, rest
upon the providence of Christ. It is just if I prosper
not in my estate if I will not trust God with it.
Fourthly, We must pray God to ' direct the works
of our hands' continually, Ps. xc. 7. Fifthly, We
must take heed of cruelty, and despising and back
biting of God's poor afflicted servants, Ps. xii. 1-3,
and cxl. 11-13.
Lastly, If all things consist and are preserved in

116

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

Christ, then much more the righteous are preserved
with a special preservation and in a peculiar safety.
In the 37th Psalm, this point is excellently and at
large handled, both by direct proof, and by answer
to all the usual objections against their safety. That
they shall be preserved is affirmed, ver. 3, 17, 23,
25, 32. The objections answered are many.
Object. 1. Wicked men flourish.
Sol. A righteous man should never grieve at that,
for ' they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and
wither as the green herb,' ver. 12.
Object. 2. Righteous men are in distress.
Sol. Ver. 6. The night of their adversity will be
turned into the light of prosperity ; and as surely as
they can believe when it is night that it shall be
day, so surely may they be persuaded, when crosses
are upon them, that comfort and deliverance shall
come. Object. 3. But there are great plots laid against
the righteous, and they are pursued with great
malice, and their intended ruin is come almost to
the very issue.
Sol. Ver. 12-15. The Lord sees all the plots of
wicked men, and laughs at their spiteful and foolish
malice ; while they are busy to destroy the righteous,
and hope to have a day against them, ' the Lord
seeth that their own day is coming upon them,' even
a day of destruction, a day of great judgment and
eternal misery ; ' their bow shall be broken, and the
sword that they have drawn shall enter into their
own heart.'
Object. 4. But the just have but small means.
Sol. Ver. 16,17. 'A little that the righteous hath
is better than the riches of many wicked ; for the
arms of the wicked shall be broken, and the Lord
upholdeth the just.'
Object. 5. Heavy times are like to befall them.
Sol. Ver. 19. 'They shall not be ashamed in the
evil time, and in the day of famine they shall have
enough.' Object. 6. But the wicked wax fatter and fatter,
and they prevail in vexing the righteous.
Sol. Ver. 20. Indeed the wicked are fat, but it is
but ' the fat of lambs ;' their prosperity shall soon
melt ; and as they be like smoke in vexing the
godly, so shall they be like smoke in vanishing
away.

Object. 7. But the righteous do fall.
Sol. Ver. 24. Though he do fall, yet he falls not
finally, not totally ; for he is ' not utterly cast
down ; ' and besides, there is an upholding provi
dence of God in all the falls of the righteous.
Object. 8. We see some wicked men that do not
so fall into adversity, but rather are in prosperity to
their dying days.
Sol. Ver. 27. Though they do, yet ' their seed
shall be cut off'
Object. 9. But some wicked men are strong yet,
and in their seed spread also.
Sol. Ver. 35, 36. Note also, that those ' spreading
bay-trees ' many times ' soon pass away ; ' and they
and their houses, are sometimes ' utterly cut off.'
Object. 10. But upright men are under many and
long crosses.
Sol. Ver. 37. Yet, ' his end is peace.'
Object. 11. But nobody stands for the godly
when they come into question.
Sol. Ver. 39, 40. 'Their salvation is of the
Lord ; ' he is their strength, he will help them and
deliver them, &c.
But if we would be thus delivered, observe —
1. That we must not unthankfully fret at God's
providence, ver. 1 ; 2. We must ' trust in the Lord
and do good,' ver. 2, 3 ; 3. We must ' delight our
selves in the Lord,' and not place our contentment
on earthly things, ver. 4 ; 4. We must ' commit
our ways to God,' ver. 5 ; 5. We must get patience
and humble affections, ver. 7-11 ; 6. We must be
of 'upright conversation,' ver. 14; 7. We must be
merciful, ver. 25, 26; 8. We must ' speak righteous
things,' and get ' the law into our hearts,' ver. 30,
31 ; 9. We must ' keep our way,' and ' wait on
God,' and not use ill means.
Ver. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning and first-born of the dead, that in all
things he might have the pre-eminence.
Our Redeemer is described before, both in his re
lation to God, and to the world. In this verse, and
the rest that follow to the 23d, he is described as
he stands in relation to the church ; and that two
ways : first, In relation to the whole church, ver.
18-20 ; secondly, In relation to the Church of the
Colossians, ver. 21, 22.

Ver. 18.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIAN,-!.

117

The praise of Christ in relation to the whole
church is first briefly propounded, and then more
largely opened. It is propounded in these words :
And he is the head of the body, the church. There is
great odds between the world's subjection to Christ,
and the church's ; for the faithful are subject to
Christ as the members are to the head ; but the
wicked are subject as vile things under his feet,
Eph. i. 22.
Great are the benefits which come to the church
from Christ, as her head. I instance in six, viz., love,
sympathy, audience, advocation, union, and influence :
first, Infinite love, — no man so loves his wife as Christ
loves his church, Eph. v. 27 ; secondly, Sympathy,
by which Christ hath a fellow-feeling of the dis
tresses of all his members, — that which is done to
them, he takes it as done to him, whether it be
good Or evil, Mat. xviii. 5, and xxv. 40, 45, Heb. ii.
17, and iv. 15 ; thirdly, Audience and willing accept
ance of all the desires and prayers of all his mem
bers, — the head hears for the body ; fourthly, Advo
cation, — no natural head can so plead for its mem
bers as doth our mystical head for us ; fifthly,
Union, — we as members are honoured with the union
of essence, in that he hath taken our nature ; with
the union of office, so as the members are anointed
kings, priests, and prophets in their kind, as well as
Christ ; and also with the union of virtue and
benefits, by which union we partake of his righteous
ness, holiness, and glory. By virtue of this union
with Christ, the faithful have the everlasting pre
sence of Christ to and after the end of the world,
Mat. xxviii. The last benefit is Influence ; influence,
I say, both of life, (for the second Adam is a quick
ening spirit, 1 Cor. xv.,) and light, (for Christ is the
fountain of all true wisdom, 1 Cor. i. 30 : the head
seeth for the body, and the body by and from the
head,) and grace, (for of his fulness we receive all
grace,) and motion, (for all good desires, feelings,
words, and works, come from the working of the
head in us.)
The political head is the glory of the world, and
the mystical head is the glory of the church ; yet the
mystical head excels the political many ways. For :
1. Christ is the head of such as are not1 together
in the being of nature or grace.
1 Qu. 'knit'?— Ed.

2. Christ is a perpetual head ; the other but for a
time. 3. Christ is a head by influence ; the otlier but
by government.
4. Christ is an absolute head ; the other but sub
ordinate to Christ, and his vicegerent.
That Christ might become our head, we must con
sider what he did in fitting himself thereunto ; and
secondly, wdiat he doth in us. For himself he took
the same nature with his church, else had the
church been like Nebuchadnezzar's image ; yet as
he took our nature, so we must know that he
bettered it. The head differs in worth from the,
body, because therein is seated the mind, which is
the noblest part of man ; so in the human nature of
Christ dwells the Godhead bodily ; and by expia
tion in his own person, Christ takes away the sins
of the church, which else should have letted- -all
union. And lastly, he exalted his suffering nature,
and seated himself aloft, as meet to have the pre
eminence, and become head of all the faithful ; and
as the head is thus fitted, so are the members : for,
1. They are collected out ofthe world by the sound
of the gospel, — let them lie hidden in the world
that mean to perish with the world ; 2. They are
framed, formed, proportioned, and begotten, by
daily hearing ; 3. They are ingrafted in an unspeak
able and invisible union, presently in truth, after
wards in sense.
Church. This word is diversely accepted. It is
taken sometime, in evil part, for an assembly of
wicked men ; and so there is the ' church of the
malignant,' Ps. xxvi. 5, Acts xix. 32, 41 ; sometimes
for the faithful in heaven, Eph. v. 27 ; sometimes
for Christians on earth, 1 Tim. iii. 15, Acts v. xi.,
and this not always in one sense ; sometimes for
the pastors of the church, and governors, as some
think, Mat. xviii. 1 7 ; sometimes for the people and
the flock, 1 Pet. v. 2, Acts xx. 28 ; sometimes
for particular churches ; and lastly, sometimes for
all the elect of God, that have been, are, or shall
be, so Mat. xvi. 18, Eph. i. 23, and v. 23, and so
here. The church of Christ is glorious in three praises :
1. She is one ; 2. She is holy ; 3. She is catholic.
She is one, in respect of one head and service ; in
respect of one spirit and binder ; and in respect of

118

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[Chap. I.

one faith and constancy in doctrine. She is holy
by segregation from the sinful world ; by the inchoa
tion of the grace of Christ, and by imputation of
his righteousness. She is catholic, especially in the
New Testament, hi respect of place, the elect may
be in any place ; in respect of men, for it is gathered
of all sorts of men ; and in respect of time, for it
shall continue unto all times, even till time be no
more. Thus of the doctrine concerning Christ and the
church. The uses follow.
Uses. The first use is for confutation : and that
three ways :
First, In vain do the wicked enemies ofthe church
pride themselves in the greatness of learning, power,
means, &c, thinking to suppress the being or glory
of Christ's church on earth, for ' the stone that the
builders refused will prove the head of the corner.'
Secondly, In vain do the papists go about to main
tain their ministerial head; for the church is
neither without a head nor many -headed. And it is
absurd to excuse it, that the pope is but a head
under Christ : for the body were monstrous that had
two heads, one above and another under.
Thirdly, In vain do carnal men plead their hopes
in Christ, when they can yield no sound reason to
prove they are Christ's members. They are not
members of this body, under this head, that want
faith ; that have not the spirit of Christ ; that are
not quickened with the life of grace; that are not
wrought upon by the word of Christ, nor built upon
the foundation of the prophets and apostles; that
feel no influence of graces from Christ; that want
the knowledge of prophets, or mortification of
priests, or victory over the world as kings; that
either pride themselves in their own civil righteous
ness, or can fall away wholly and for ever.
The second use is for instruction : and first, As
Christ is considered to be our head, we should :
1. Pray that God would open the eyes of our
understanding, that we might with sense and affec
tion see what the hope of our calling is, Eph. i. 19,
22, &c, to become members of such a body, under
such a head.
2. Take heed of all pollutions that might any way
tend to the dishonour of our head, whether it be of
flesh or spirit, 2 Cor. vi.

3. Consider our place in this body, and under this
head, and not presume to know above what is meet,
Rom. xii. 4, 5.
4. Use all means to grow in this body, and not
pull it back, or shame our head by spiritual secu
rity or unprofitableness : and to this end we should
stick fast to the words of the prophets, and not
suffer ourselves to be ' carried about by every wind
of doctrine,' and ' follow the truth in love,' with
out pride or discord, Eph. iv. 14-16.
5. Obey as the members do, in union with the
head by faith; in communion with the fellow-mem
bers by love; and with a natural, voluntary, and not
extorted obedience.
Secondly, If the church be the body of Christ,
and we members of this body, we should learn to
carry ourselves one towards another in all humble
ness of mind, and long-suffering, supporting one
another, and keep the bond of peace in the unity of
the spirit, Eph. iv. 2-5. And we should labour to
profit one another with the gUts God hath bestowed
upon us, that our graces, as holy ointment, may run
down from member to member; and aU our love
should be without dissimulation, in giving honour,
going one before another, inasmuch as what honour
one member receiveth, is done in some respect to
all, Rom. xii. 6, 9. And we should willingly distri
bute to the necessities of the saints, and rejoice with
them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep,
Rom. xii. 10-16, out of the sympathy of members;
by all means shunning to give offence in the least
thing, especially not censorious, or contentious in
matters of indifference, 1 Cor. x. 24.
Lastly, All discontentments with our place or
calling, or estimation in the body, and all contempt,
or envy at the gifts or place of other Christians,
should be banished out of our hearts, 1 Cor. xii. 15,
22, 23, 26.
Thus of the excellence of Christ, in relation to the
church, as it is briefly propounded : the explication
follows. The head hath three privileges, or excels all the
members in order, perfection, or virtue, and efficacy.
The pre-eminence of Christ is three ways considered :
first, In respect of the dignity of order, ver. 18, of
order, I say, toward the members; secondly, In
respect of perfection in himself, in the fulness of

Ver. 18.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

119

grace, ver. 15; thirdly, In respect of virtue, efficacy,
and influence toward the whole body, ver. 20.
The primacy of Christ, in order or relation to the
members, is twofold : first, In the estate of grace
' he is the beginning ; ' secondly, In the respect of
the state of glory 'he is the first-begotten of the
dead.' He is the beginning. Christ may be said to be the
beginning in three respects: first, As he is the
first-fruits, for whose sake the rest are accepted and
blessed; secondly, As he is the repairer of the
world, decayed by man's sin ; thirdly, As he is the
beginning of the good things that are in the church,
He is both the object and efficient cause of faith;
mortification flows from his death, and new obedi
ence from his resurrection; justification is wrought
from his obedience.
Uses. And this shows the misery of all carnal
men that are not members of Christ ; in respect of
the life of grace they are dead ; in respect of faith
they are infidels; in respect of justification they are
without God; in respect of repentance they walk in
trespasses and sins; in respect of communion of
saints they are strangers from the commonwealth of
Israel. There can be a beginning of no true felicity
without Christ. Christ is said to be ' the beginning
of the creation of God,' Rev. iii. 14; and from thence
is inferred a most severe reproof of man's lukewarm
ness in matters of piety, repentance, and grace, Rev.
iii. 15-17. And if Christ be the author and begin
ning of faith and grace, it should teach us to perse
vere in the faith, and contend for the truth, and
keep that which is committed to us, with all patience,
wisdom and constancy, Heb. xii. 2. And, inasmuch
as he is Alpha, he will be Omega, as ^e is the begin
ning so he will be the end ; and therefore ' blessed
are they that do his commandments ;' and ' let
him that is righteous be righteous still,' and let
profane men, that will not by faith and repentance
seek unto Christ, ' be filthy still,' Rev. xxii. 11, 13,
14. The first-begotten of the dead. Christ, as head of the
church, holds his relation both to the living as their
beginning, and to the dead as their first-begotten.
There is a threefold primogeniture of Christ. He
is the first-begotten: first, In respect of eternal
generation, as he is the Son of God,— of this before;

secondly, As he is born of the Virgin Mary, for she
is said to. bring forth her ' first-begotten Son,' Mat.
i. ; thirdly, When God raised Christ out ofthe grave
he is said to beget his Son, for so the the words of
the second Psalm, ' Thou art my Son, this day have
I begotten thee,' are applied to the resurrection of
Christ, Acts xiii. 33. In that Christ is said to be the
first-begotten of the dead, three things may be noted,
as implied here, concerning the members of Christ,
and three things concerning- Christ himself as head :
First, Concerning the members, these things may
be gathered :
1. That not only wicked men, but the true mem
bers of Christ die, Heb. ix., Ps. Ixxxix., 2 Sam xiv.
The consideration of this, that the godly must die,
may serve for many uses : first, ' Why cloth vain man
die then without wisdom?' Job iv. 21; secondly,
How shall wicked men escape? Job xxi. 32, Isa.
xxviii., their covenant with death must needs be
annulled ; thirdly, It should cause us deeply to
digest the vanities of this life, Eccles. ii. 16, 17;
fourthly, It should cause us to take heed of Eve's
lest ye die, for it is out of all question die we must,
and therefore meet it were we should provide for it,
without mincing or procrastinating; lastly, We
should encourage ourselves, and die like the mem
bers of Christ, with all willingness, faith, and
patience. 2. The government of Christ reacheth as well to
the dead as to the living members. This the faith
ful were wont of old to note, when they would say
a man were dead, they would say, he was ' joined
to his people.' This should be a great encourage
ment unto godly men to die.
3. From coherence, that if we would have Christ
to be the first-begotten to us when we are dead, we
must subject ourselves to his ordinances, that he
may be the beginning of true grace to us while we
live. Secondly, Concerning the head, these three things
may be noted :
1. That he was among the dead, and this was
good for us ; for thereby he dissolved the power the
devil had to inflict death, or the fear of it,upon his mem
bers, Heb. ii. 17, ix. 15; and thereby he finished
the expiation of all our sins; thereby he ratified God's
covenant; thereby he kills the power of sin in us; and

120

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[Chap. I.

thereby he takes away the curse of our natural
death. 2. That he was not only among the dead, but he
was begotten among the dead, that is, raised from
death to life ; and this also was profitable for us, for
he ' rose to our justification,' Rom. iv. 23, 24 ; to our
vivification, Rom. vi. 4 ; to our ' deliverance from
wrath to come,' 1 Thes. i. 10.
3. That he is not only begotten, but the first-
begotten among the dead, and that in three respects :
first, As he was more excellently raised than any of
the dead are, for he carried no corruption to the
grave, and he ' saw no corruption ' in the grave, and
he was but a short time under the power of the
grave ; secondly, In respect of time, he was the
first that rose from the dead, Acts xxvi. 23 ;
thirdly, In respect of efficacy, it is he by whose
power all the rest rise, 1 Cor. xv. 20, 22, John v.
21, xi. 28.
This must needs be a great comfort to us while
we live, against the time our bodies must go into
the house of darkness, the darksome lodging in the
grave; only let us seek the virtue of the resurrection
of Christ in this world, and the experiment of the
vigour of it first upon our souls, in plucking us
up out of the grave of sin, to walk before God, in
newness of life, Phil. iii. 9.
That in all things he might have the pre-eminence.
These words are added for further amplification or
explanation of the former. They give unto Christ
a primacy and pre-eminence in all things, first
over both living and dead, as he is the beginning
to the living, and the first-begotten to the dead.
Christ then hath the pre-eminence, he is first in all
things, Mat. xxviii. 18, Rom. iv. 9, Phil. ii. 9,
Eph. i. 23. He is first many ways : first in time, as
before all things ; first in order, he hath a primacy
of order ; he is the first to be reckoned and admired
in the church ; first in the dignity of person, he
excels in both natures all that is in the church, or
ever was ; first in degree, John i. 5 ; first in govern
ment, Mat. xx. 27 ; first in acceptation with God,
Mat. xvii. 5 ; lastly, he is first effectively, as the
cause of all the respect, order, and excellency in
others ; he is the root out of which springs all the
glory in the church.
Uses. The use is, first, for terror to all those that

sin against Christ's pre-eminence, as they do in a
high degree, that having ' begun in the Spirit, will
end in the flesh,' such as having ' known the way of
righteousness,' afterwards turn from the holy course,
' with the clog to the vomit, and with the swine to the
wallowing in the mire,' 2 Pet. ii. 20, 22, Rev. ii. 4, 19.
Secondly, The consideration of Christ's primacy and
pre-eminence should learn us to take heed of climb
ing in the church ; it is dangerous to desire to be
chief ; it is almost the sole power of the head of the
church, Mat. xx. 27, Mark ix. 35, x. 44, John ix.
10. Lastly, Let it be our care, both in heart and
life, to yield Christ the pre-eminence, which we
shall do, if we labour to know nothing more than
Christ crucified, if we mind the things of Christ's
kingdom more than the things of this life, if we
make him our chief refuge by faith, for all happiness
and reconciliation, if we make him our joy, rejoicing
more in Christ than carnal men can do in the world,
(for a discontented hfe denies Christ the pre-emin
ence,) if the zeal of God's house can eat us up, if,
in all our actions, wre perform the worship of God
first, if we stick not to confess and profess Christ,
if we honour the faithful, and contemn the vUe, and
join ourselves to such as fear God, though they be
despised in this world, and, lastly, when we can in
all things rather choose to please God than men :
Ver. 19. For it pleased the Father, that in Mm
should all fulness dwell.
There is great reason Christ should be acknow
ledged head, as in the former verse by reason of his
primacy and pre-eminence, so in this verse by
reason of the plenitude that dwells in him. No
natural head so full of senses as he is full of grace.
It is to be noted in the general, that the head
should excel the members in gifts ; and therefore it
is a fault in cities when the people choose unto
themselves unmeet men to be their heads. God
may choose Saul following his father's asses, because
if he make princes, he can give spirit unto princes ;
but it is not so with men ; they may give the office,
but they cannot give the gifts to execute it. And
it is likewise a great shame to such rulers of the
people as are so far from repressing disorders, that
they are disordered themselves and their households.
So domestical heads likewise, if they would not see

Ver. 19.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

121

swearing, lying, whoring, passions, idleness, &c, in
their children and servants, they must be free from
ill example themselves, and be as heads excel
ling the rest of the family in gifts and good be
haviour. It pleased. The moving cause and foundation of
all the grace shewed to the creature, is the good
pleasure of the will of the Creator, Eph. i. 5 ; 2 Thes.
i. 11. Why is Israel planted ? Ps. xliii. 3 ; why are
the great mysteries of God hidden from the wise,
and revealed to babes ? Mat. xi. 25 ; why hath the
little flock a kingdom ? Luke xii. 32 ; why hath
God mercy on some and not on others ? Exod. xxxiii.
19 ; why hath Job riches, and why are they taken
away 1 Job i. ; why is judgment and righteousness
in a forlorn world that deserved nothing ? Jer. ix.
24 ; why is Judah as potter's clay? Jer. xviii. 6 ; why
is the world saved by preaching? 1 Cor. i. 21 ; why
are some predestinate to be adopted ? Eph. i. 5 ;
why is the mystery of God's will opened now and
not before? Eph. i. 9. To conclude, why is all
fulness in the head, or any grace in the members,
but only because ' it pleased him ' ?
Uses. The use of this is : first, To teach us to do
likewise, that is, to do good without respect of
desert ; it is royal, yea, it is divine ; secondly, It
should teach us, if we would get any grace or bless
ing from God, to examine ourselves whether we be
in his favour, and to labour in all things so to serve
him as to please him; thirdly, To subject our
reasons and affections to God's will, though he
should show us no other reason of his doings but
his will ; for we must always know that things are
always just, because he willed them ; fourthly, In
our troubles, and under crosses, it should teach us
patience, Ps. xxxix. 9, and to labour to pacify God,
by prayer and humiliation, in the name of Christ,
and to acknowledge the sovereignty of God, referring
ourselves to his pleasure for deliverance, Ps. xl. 13;
not trusting upon the means, Ps. xliv. 3, 6 ; lastly,
It may be a comfort that nothing can befal any
Christian but what pleaseth God.
Doct. 2. God is well pleased in Christ, Isa. xiii. 1 ;
he loves him infinitely ; he can be content he have
anything, yea, all things ; and therefore it should
teach us to fly to Christ for help, and hear him,
Mat. xvii. 5, 2 Pet. i. 17; and we should never

seek nor acknowledge any other mediator or advo
cate, seeing God is well pleased in him.
That in him should all fulness dwell. Doct. There
is a fulness and absolute completeness in Christ :
1. In respect of members ; so the church is the
fulness of Christ, Eph. i. 23 ; 2. In respect of the
inhabitation of the divine nature in the human, for
' the Godhead dwells in him bodily,' Col. ii. 9 ;
3. In respect of power ; so all power and fulness
of authority was given to him over all things in
heaven and earth, Mat. xxviii. ; 4. In respect of
merit ; for here is great fulness, if we consider either
who merited, not man only, but God also ; or when
he merited, viz., from the very moment of concep
tion ; or for whom, not for himself, but for millions
of others ; or what he merited, viz., remission of all
sins, graces of all kinds, glory that will last for ever ;
5. In respect of grace ; there is a completeness of
grace in Christ, not only in respect of the grace of
personal union, or of office, or of adoration, but in
respect of habitual graces, or gifts, and endowments
of his soul. The last is here meant ; all fulness of
gifts dwell in him.
Uses. The uses follow :
First, ' Great is the mystery of godliness ; God
manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,' Sec,
1 Tim. iii. 16 ; secondly, This is joyful news to all
Christ's members, for ' of his fulness they receive
grace for grace;' thirdly, This confutes papicolists
in the opinions of their head ; he cannot be a head
in whom there is not fulness to serve the whole
body, and therefore the pope can be no head of the
whole church ; lastly, Let the rest of Christ be
glorious to our souls, Isa. xi. 10 ; he hath the
words of life, whither shall we go from him ? Thus
in general.
This fulness hath increase of praise three ways .
1. It is all fulness ;
2. It is in him ;
3. It dwells in him.
For the first, there is in Christ all fulness, both
in respect of the member 1 of graces, Isa. xi. 2, and
in respect of the measure of them, John iii. 34 ; and
therefore let the Christian rejoice in the Lord, 1 Cor.
i. 30 ; and in all wants of the soul seek to him
by prayer in faith, for from him and out of his ful-
1 Qu. 'number.' — Ed. Q

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[Chap. I.

ness may be had wisdom and sanctification, 1 Cor.
i. 30, counsel and strength, Isa. xi. 2, joy and glad
ness, Isa. lxi. 3 ; yea, a Christian should be covetous,
seeing here is enough to be had, and therefore
should labour to be full of knowledge, Isa. xi. 9, and
of the fear of God, Prov. xix. 23, and of good fruits,
James iii. 17, Phil. i. 11. This also reproves the
justiciaries and sancticolists, pharisees and saint-
worshippers. A fulness is nowhere to be had but
in Christ, and there is so much as needeth no supply
from saints or angels. It shews, also, that the com
mon protestant serves an idol instead of Christ,
inasmuch as he gets in his relation to Christ no
more joy, grace, and holiness. The true Christ
hath all fulness, not only in himself, but by influ
ence, for the good, and according to the state of his
members. For the second, this fulness is in Christ ; and this
hath matter of great weight, for thereby is implied
the misery of all unregenerate men. There is no ful
ness, completeness, sufficing felicity wheresoever to
be had out of Christ. And besides the emphasis
imports great comfort to the true convert ; for this
fulness is in Christ. God doth not look to have the
members actually absolute in themselves, it will
serve turn that all fulness be in the head. And
inasmuch as the perfect bliss of a Christian is in his
Christ, it is well for his safety against the malice of
Satan, who now may bite the heel, but cannot touch
the head. And from hence we must learn, if we
would ever get, by participation and influence, any
grace from Christ, we must by faith and effectual
calling get into Christ.
Thirdly, In that he saith, this fulness dwells in
Christ, it notes the continuance of it ; the personal
union shall never be dissolved, and therefore the
habitual graces of Christ shall never be abolished :
and these graces had need continue in him, for in
him rests the calling of the elect, not yet gathered,
and the perseverance of the saints.
Uses. The rivers must needs be empty if the
fountain be dry. This is comfortable ; we may now
beseech him to help our unbelief, as well as the man
in the Gospel. We may find joy and victory in
Christ crucified, as well as Paul ; his grace will
still be sufficient for us. There dwells in him
still fulness of wisdom to keep us from error, ful

ness of grace to keep us from apostasy, fulness of
joy to keep us from despair, fulness of power to
preserve us against all evil men and evil, angels ;
only, refuse not knowledge when he offers the means,
wink not when the sun shines, shut not the door
when he knocks, fight when he gives thee weapons,
and ' cast not away thy confidence,' and ' let no man
take thy crown.'
Hitherto of the plenitude in the head.
Ver. 20. And by him to reconcile all things to him
self, and to set at peace, through the blood of his cross,
both the things on earth, and the things in heaven.
In these words the Redeemer is described as a
head by influence ; the apostle shews us the good
that comes from Christ as our Mediator ; and the
sum of all is, that he reconciles us to God.
In this verse are eight things to be noted :
First, Why, or the moving cause ; and that is, it
pleased him — for that must be supplied out of the
former verse, as the copulative and sheweth.
Secondly, By whom, or the instrument ; by him.
Thirdly, What; to reconcile. Fourthly, Whom; in
general, all things. Fifthly, To whom, or to what
end; viz., to himself. Sixthly, The effect; making
peace. Seventhly, The means of merit ; by the blood
of his cross. Eighthly, What in particular; viz.,
things on earth, and things in heaven.
The principal point in the whole verse to be
observed is, that man hath then attained the chief
good when his soul is reconciled to God. This is the
sum of all that which Christ hath procured for his
church : ' Blessed are the people whose God is the
Lord.' Others may be more rich than they, but
none more happy ; for hereby man is joined to the
fountain of all good, and not only hath interest in
his favour, but reapeth unspeakable benefits by
communion with his attributes, word, works, holi
ness, and glory. Our reconciliation with God gives
us a title to a better happiness than ever Adam had
— it estates us in the possession of eternity, and
frees us from immortal woe.
Uses. AU this should encourage with all care and
constancy to seek God's favour, and forsake our sins,
that we maybe reconciled, whatsoever it cost; sparing
no labour or tears, till we ' see the face of God with
joy,' Jer. 1. 5. This shews, also, the woful estate

Ver. 20.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

of such men as are left to themselves, and have this
peace and reconciliation hid from their eyes. And
of all judgments, it should most grieve us to be
separate from God. If to be reconciled be our
greatest happiness, to miss the comforts of God's
presence and love cannot but be an extreme afflic
tion. And to this end we should beseech God to
deliver us from a blind or stony heart, or a sleepy
conscience, or impure affections ; for these, if they
reign in us, hinder the vision of God.
And. This carrieth us to it pleased the Father in
the former verse. Whence we may note that our
reconciliation stands with the everlasting good
pleasure of God's will ; and therefore it follows :
1. That our reconciliation cannot be hindered or
altered ; 2. That it ariseth from no sudden motion
in God, but is anciently decreed ; 3. That we are
not reconciled for our merit, for it was decreed
before we had done good or evil ; 4. That the rea
sons of the rejection of some, and the gathering of
others in time, are just, though not always expressed,
because there is no decree without God's counsel;
5. That if ever we' would have the comfort of our
election, we must make sure our reconciliation ;
we can never know God's eternal love to us till we
find the experience of his favour in our reconcilia
tion. The prisoner knows not what favour is in
the king's breast till his pardon comes.
By him. Doct. Christ is the instrument of our
reconciliation. The first Adam took God from us,
the second Adam restored God to us. Man would
needs become God, and therefore lost God from us.
God out of his love becomes man, and restores us
again to God. The world is now restored by the
same wisdom it was first made.
God's image is restored in us by him that is the
eternal image of the Father. The middle person in
the Trinity is the mediator between God and man ;
the natural Son makes men sons by adoption. It
is Christ that both can and ought to reconcile us.
He could not do it if he were not God ; he ought
not to do it if he were not man — 1 Tim. ii. 5, Rom.
iii. 25, 1 Cor. i. 3, 1 John ii. 1, 1 Cor. hi. 11, Acts
iv. 13.
Uses. This doctrine yields us matter of admiration
of the love of Christ, if we consider what either he
was, or what we were. The Lord, in the form of a

servant, procures the salvation of the servant ; he
that was the beginning of God's works repairs him
that at best was the last of them. God descended
from heaven to earth, that man might ascend from
earth to heaven. God is made the Son of man, that
man might be made the son of God. He that was
rich became poor to make us rich ; the immortal
became mortal to make us immortal. He is a
physician to us sick, a redeemer to us sold, a way
to us wandering, and life to us dead. Secondly,
This should teach us in all suits to God to seek to
Christ the Son of God ; it is he must offer up our
prayers, procure our pardon, and make our peace ;
yea, it is he and none other. Thirdly, We should
seek the testimony of Jesus, as well as his ransom.
If he witness to our reconciliation, we need never
doubt of it ; if he give no witness, we can have no
assurance. The testimony of Jesus is given partly
by the promises of the word, he putting spirit and
life into them for our particular comfort, and partly
by the witness of the Spirit of adoption in the un
utterable feelings and joy of our hearts — 1 Tim. ii.
6, Isa. Iv. 6, 1 Cor. i. 6.
Reconcile. The word imports a restoring of one to
amity, from which he was by his own fault fallen.
There is a threefold estate of man ; there is the
estate : 1. Of innocency, and here the man is at
amity with God ; 2. Of corruption, and here is
mortal enmity between God and man ; 3. Of grace,
and here they are made friends, and the league
renewed. Into the first estate we came by creation ;
into the second by propagation ; and into the third
only by regeneration. The distinct knowledge of
this threefold estate of man clears God's justice from
the blame of all those plagues [which] broke in
upon mankind through corruption ; and it should
scare wicked men out of their wretched condition,
as they are by nature servants of corruption. And
it greatly commends the mercy of God, that could
love us when were enemies.
In the performance of this work of reconciliation
or mediation, there are six distinct things done by
Christ : the first is discretion or dijudication of the
cause, — he takes notice of the state and business of
the church ; secondly, He doth report the will of
God, the covenant and conditions of agreement with
God to the church ; thirdly, He makes intercession

124

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[Chap. I.

for the offending party ; fourthly, He satisfies and
expiates for sin; fifthly, He applies that satisfac
tion ; sixthly, He conserves the elect in the state of
reconciliation. Discretion and relation belong to
the prophetical office ; intercession and satisfaction
to the priesthood ; application and conservation to
his regal office. Inquire, then, whether thou be
reconciled to God in Jesus Christ. I consider it
negatively. Thou art not reconciled, if thou be not
enlightened and insjured with the Holy Ghost to
lead thee into all truth. For if Christ did reconcile
thee as a prophet, he must teach thee both by his
word and Spirit. Again, thou art not reconciled, if
thou hast not consecrated thyself to kill the beasts,
thy sins, in sacrifice before the Lord, and by the
Spirit of intercession, to pour out thy soul in God's
sight. When Christ reconciles as a priest, he pours
upon man the spirit of compassion and deprecation,
Zech. xii. 12. Thou art not reconciled if Christ
beget thee not by the immortal seed, or rule thee
not by the sceptre of his word, or conserve thee
not in uprightness with respect of all God's com
mandments. All things. That is, the church or elect of God —
all the faithful. The elect are called all things : 1 .
Because of their number, there is a world of them,
2 Cor. v. 19 ; 2. Because there is for their sakes a
reconciliation with all the creatures in general, for
corruption is taken from the whole, though not from
every part ; 3. Because God doth not receive their
persons into favour, but all things that belong unto
them that may concern their felicity ; 4. Because
whatsoever they have, in heaven or earth, comes by
virtue of this reconciliation.
Uses. The use is : 1. To teach us to take notice of
the world's vanity. What is all the world if God's
children were out of it? Nothing. The elect are
all things, worth all, better than all. Kingdoms
and sceptres and all the glory of the earth is nothing
in God's account. And all is now corrupt with sin.
God would have it known he stands not bound to
any in the world, or the whole world, but only to
the elect. 2. It should teach us to ' know no man
after the flesh,' 2 Cor. v. 1 6 ; that is, not to respect
men for their lands, apparel, titles, parentage, Sec,
but for grace. 3. We should not much wonder at
the disorders which are in the world ; for were it not

for the elect it wrould soon appear, by the ruin of all,
how little God cared for rebellious reprobates. 4.
It is a great comfort no one of the elect shall perish,
for all things be reconciled. 5. It should teach us
to make much of them that fear the Lord. Let
them be instead of all things in our account. Lastly,
Seeing all things are reconciled, now let us keep the
peace, even ' the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of
peace,' Eph. iv. 3.
To himself. Some read in him. There is differ
ence between for Christ, by Christ, and in Christ.
Foi', noteth the meritorious cause ; In, noteth the
conjunction with the head ; By, noteth the instru
ment. Doct. We are reconciled in Christ or unto Christ.
This is true four ways : 1. As he is the person by
whom we are reconciled ; 2. As his glory is the end
of our reconciliation ; 3. As his glory and hohness
is the pattern after which our happiness and holi
ness is proportioned ; 4. In respect of his love, pro
vidence, custody, and protection, unto the which we
are received.
The use of all may be to teach us : 1. To take heed
of opposing, disgracing, or persecuting of such as
are reconciled to God, for he that toucheth them
toucheth the apple of Christ's eye. Note, he saith
to himself. 2. In the use of all things, to carry our
selves so as we provide to give account, and give
the things to God which are God's ; and, as good
stewards, dispose all things in that time, and ac
cording to those rules, Christ hath appointed.
3. Seeing we are now brought so near unto God,
we should humble ourselves to walk before him in
all reverence and fear ; and to this end we should
labour for purity of heart, that we might see God,
Mic. vi. 8 ; Mat. v. 7 ; Heb. xii. 29 ; l" Sam. vi. 20.
Yea, we should hate all spiritual pollutions, and be
zealous in all good works. And seeing God hath
chosen us to himself, we, should set up the Lord to
be our God, to serve him with our whole heart, and
have respect to all his commandments, 1 Pet. ii. 9,
11, 12; Tit. ii. 13; Deut. xxvi. 16, 17. And to
this end we should labour for special sincerity in
the profession of religion : an ordinary care will not
serve the turn : if we will live with the multitude,
we may perish with the multitude. But let us
cleave to the Lord with a perpetual covenant, and

Ver. 20.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

125

resolve to receive him as our guide unto the death,
Jer. 1. 5, Ps. xlix. ult.
Set at peace. The effect of our reconciliation is
peace. Concerning this peace, I propound five
things :
1. Who made it. No other can set a peace among
the creatures but he that reconciles men to the
Creator : he is the ' Prince of peace,' Isa. ix. 7 ; ' the
chastisement of our peace was upon him,' Isa. Iiii. 5 ;
' he is our peace,' Eph. ii. 14.
2. With whom the faithful are at peace. They are
at peace : First, With themselves ; peace rules their
hearts, Col. iii. 15. Secondly, With good angels,
Ps. xxxiv. ; Heb. i. 14. Thirdly, With the seed of
Abraham, the Jews ; the partition wall is broken
down. Fourthly, With God's ordinances ; God cre
ating peace, or else the word would always be goring
and smiting with the. strokes of wrar and words of
vengeance, Isa. xi. 4, and lvii. 19. Fifthly, With
the godly, Isa. xi. 6, 7. Sixthly, With all creatures,
Job v., Heb. i. 18, Ps. xci. 13. Only there can be
no peace : first, With the powers and principalities,
— for after the two strong men have fought, there
is no more peace, Eph. vi. 1 2 ; secondly, With the
world, — the world hath hated the Master, and there
fore the servants may not look for better entertain
ment, John xv. 18.
3. The effects of this peace, which are principally
two : first, The restitution of sovereignty and domi
nion over the creatures ; secondly, The safety of the
Christian in all estates, for from this peace flows
great security and protection, even to the poorest
Christian, either from or in dangers, Job v. 15, &c.
4. That we may attain the sense of this peace, we
must be reconciled to God, Hosea ii. 18 ; we must be
sincere worshippers, Hosea ii. 17 ; we must keep us in
our ways, Ps. xci. 13 ; we must get a meek and quiet
spirit, Ps. xxxvii. 12 ; we must in nothing be care
ful, but in all things shew our requests unto God,
Phil. iv. 7 ; we must love God, and shew it by the
love ofthe knowledge of his name, Ps. xci. 14.
First, God's children should know this privilege
for themselves ; it will be a preservation against sin.
Secondly, Hence we may gather the miseries of all
carnal persons that are not reconciled to God. They
want the protection of angels ; they are under the
government of ' the god of this world ;' the creatures

are armed against them ; they are stript of the royal
privileges arising from the communion with saints ;
yea, God fights against them, in and by themselves,
as by terrors of conscience, and by unquiet affections
and passions, giving them over to an unruly heart.
What are envy, malice, lust, and rage, but so many
weapons to fight against the soul ? Yea, God fights
against the sinner by the deadness of his heart,
which both afamisheth the soul in spiritual things,
and takes away the contentment of outward things.
By the blood. Here he notes how we are recon
ciled, viz., by the blood of Christ. This is that ' blood
of sprinkling,' Heb. xii. 24 ; the blood of the imma
culate Lamb, 1 Pet. i. 1 9 ; the blood of the everlast
ing covenant, Heb. xiii. 20 ; Christ's own blood,
Heb. xiii. 12.
Many are the fruits and effects of the blood of
Christ : 1. We are elected through it, 1 Pet. i. 2.
2. It ratifies the covenant of God, Luke xxii. 20,
Heb. ix. 18. 3. It is that reconciliation justifying
us from our former sins, Rom. iii. 25, and v. 9,
Eph. i. 7, Job i. 7, Rev. vii. 14. 4. It joins
Jew and Gentile together in one city, yea, in one
house, Eph. ii. 13, &c. 5. It purgeth the conscience
from dead works, Heb. ix. 14, and x. 4. 6. It turns
away wrath, and saves us from the destroying angel,
Heb. xi. 28. 7. It makes intercession for sins after
calling, Heb. xii. 24. 8. It makes perfect in all
good works, Heb. xiii. 20. 9. By it the faithful
overcome the dragon, Rev. xii. 11, and antichrist,
Rev. xix. 21. Lastly, It opens the holy of holies,
and gives us an entrance into heaven, Heb. ix. 7,
and x. 19.
Uses. The use is : first, To teach us to take heed
of sinning against the blood of Christ, for if it be
thus precious, it must needs diffuse a horrible sin-
guiltiness upon such as transgress it. If Abel's
blood, wronged, cried so fearfully, and the blood of
Zacharias, what shall the blood of Christ do ? Mat.
xxiii. 30, 35, Luke xi. 50. And men sin against
Christ's blood : 1. By resisting the means of appli
cation of Christ crucified ; 2. By profane swearing
and cursing ; 3. By ascribing remission of sins to
the works of the law, Rom. iii. 20, 24, 25 ; 4. By
committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, Heb.
x. 26, 29 ; 5. By returning to the lusts of our former
ignorance, 1 Pet. i. 14; 6. By profane and unworthy

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receiving of the sacraments, 1 Cor. xi. And in the
sacraments men offend against the blood of Christ :
first, When they come to it with an opinion of real
presence, either by transubstantiation or consub
stantiation, for thereby they deny the truth of the
blood of Christ by consequent, and open a gap to
the adoration of Christ in or before bread or wine ;
secondly, When men use the sacraments but as bare
signs, not discerning spiritually the presence of the
blood and body of the Lord ; thirdly, When men
come thither unbidden, being not called, nor within
the compass of the covenant by conversion ; fourthly,
When men come to eat this Lamb, but without the
sour herbs of godly sorrow for then sins and repent
ance ; fifthly, Such as come without faith (by
wdiich they lay hold on Christ) and love (by which
they are joined to Christians.)
Thus of the first use.
Secondly, The consideration of the dignity of
Christ's blood should teach Christians to esteem
their new birth. It is better to be born of the
blood of Christ, than of all the bloods of men, John
i. 13. Seeing by his blood we have the atonement,
we should rejoice in God, Rom. v. 11 ; and comfort
ourselves in this great prerogative, that our many
sins and infirmities are done away in the intercession
of Christ, his blood speaking better things than the
blood of Abel, Heb. xii. 24.
Thirdly, We should never be much perplexed for
the ordinary troubles which befall us ; for if we look
upon ' the author and finisher of our faith,' he en
dured the shame and contradiction of sinners, yea,
and shed his blood too ; whereas ' we have not yet
resisted unto blood,' Heb. xii. 2, 4.
Fourthly, It should inflame us to a desire of all
possible, both thankfulness, giving glory to him that
shed his blood for us, Rev. i. 5, and obedience,
striving to walk worthy of the effusion and appli
cation of such precious blood, Heb. xiii. 20, striving
after perfection in all well-doing.
Of his cross. It was needful our Saviour should
be upon the cross, that so he might be the accom
plishment of what was signified by the heave offer
ing and the brazen serpent, and that so he might
bear the special curse of the law for us ; of all deaths,
the death on the tree being, by a special law of God,
made accursed. ;

The consideration of this, that Christ suffered on
the cross, should teach us both humiliation and
humility. We should be pricked in our hearts to
think of it that our sins caused him to be pierced,
Zech. xii. 1 2 ; and we should put on all humbleness
of mind, when we see him that was equal to God
abasing himself for us in the form of a servant, to
die on a tree, Phil. ii. 8, &c. ; yea, the more base
ness he suffered, the more we should glory and re
joice in his sufferings. Nothing should glad our
hearts more than Christ, and him crucified, Gal.
vi. 14.
Further, Christ died on the cross to break down
the partition wall, and to slay hatred, Eph. ii. 1 6,
1 Cor. i. 13. And shall enmity and discord live
when Christ is dead ? Shall he be nailed, and shall -
not our vile affections be nailed down with him ?
Besides, it should be our care to see to it, that ' the
cross of Christ be not made of none effect,' 1 Cor. i.
18 ; which is, when by faith it is not applied; when
the doctrine of Christ is not God's power in our
souls ; when our flesh is not crucified with the lusts
of it, Gal. v. 24; and when we take not up our
cross to follow Christ, Mat. x. 38 ; and, lastly,
when we are so bewitched that we cannot obey the
truth, Gal. iii. 1.
By him. This is repeated in the original, though
the translation express „it not, for four reasons :
First, To show how hardly men are drawn to
ascribe from their hearts their happiness unto
Christ. Secondly, To shew the necessity of it.
It is not possible to be saved, but by the imputed
righteousness of Christ. Thirdly, To shew that all
things in Christ's action and passion were meri
torious, lest men should superstitiously doat or
dream upon his blood, or the wood of the cross, or
the sign of it, or the like. There is no merit in
blood, but as it was in him. Fourthly, To conclude,
the worship of angels, which abuse began then to
grow among the Colossians.
Both the things upon earth. This all things, by a
distribution, is again repeated, to medicine the
doubtfulness of God's children which question it,
whether Christ's merits extend unto them ; as also
to inflame us to an admiration of the virtue of his
death, by considering how far it extends.
On earth. Note here two things : First, That

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127

eternal life is begun in this life. We should never
see God's face in heaven if we taste not of his
favour on earth. And if this must be begun on
earth, why do men defer so great a work as tlieir
reconciliation, as if it belong to heaven rather than
to be done on earth ? yea, this taxetli the slowness of
heart, and discontentment of God's children. This
knowledge, joy, affection, &c, is the same thou must
have in heaven. And we should learn hence to live
on earth like the citizens of heaven. Citizens will
not live so rudely as the country swains; much more
odds ought there to be between Saracens and
Hagarenes, if I may so say ; much difference between
them that dwell in Sion and those that have no
portion but in Sinai. God's children are the sons of
the free-woman, and citizens ; wicked men are the
chUdren of the bond-woman, and foreigners and
strangers from the commonwealth of Israel.
Secondly, Where he saith, upon the earth, and
yet in heaven, I might note the uncertainty of our
abode on earth. We have nothing to possess but the
outside of the earth, which is ready to shake us off
daily. All things in heaven. For the meaning of these
words we know that there are in heaven both
angels and saints. And it may be questioned
whether angels be reconciled in Christ or no.
Though angels sinned not, yet angels have gained
by Christ a more perfect adhering to God, and
establishing in then standing, increase of knowledge,
Eph. iii. 9, and of joy, Luke xv. 10 ; yea, the angels
are reconciled by Christ thus,* that is, they are
made friends with us, with whom they were at
enmity. Yet I think this is not meant here, but the
saints only are intended ; because it seems he
entreateth here of Christ, not only as head, for he is
head of angels, but as mediator between parties
fallen out. Whence we may note two things :
First, That the very saints now in heaven once
needed the merits of Christ. None come there but
were first reconciled; which may be a comfort to the
afflicted spirits of mourning and drooping Christians,
if they consider that the greatest saints did need
remission of sins as well as they. And besides, it
pounds to pieces merit of works, inasmuch as these
saints came not into heaven but by the merits of
* Qu. 'to us?'— Ed.

Christ. Secondly, We may learn that Christ
merited not only our persons, but our grace and
glory. Ver. 21. And you hath he now also reconciled, that
were in times past strangers and enemies, because your
minds were set in evil works.
Hitherto of the description of the Redeemer, as
he stands in relation to the wdiole church. In these
two verses he is described by relation, in particular,
to the church of the Colossians. In this description
consider two things : first, The misery the Colossians
were in without Christ ; secondly, The remedy in
Christ. Their misery is both propounded and
expounded. It is propounded to stand in two
things, viz. , alienation and enmity. It is expounded
in two things, viz., that they were thus miserable :
first, In their minds ; secondly, In their works. The
remedy follows in the next verse.
Before I come to consider of their misery, there
are certain words of coherence to be weighed, viz.,
'And you hath he now also reconciled.' Where
observe : first, The word of connexion, and ;
secondly, The benefit repeated, reconciled; thirdly,
The person whom, you, fourthly, The time when,
hath now ; fifthly, The person who, he.
From the general consideration of the matter
contained in this verse and the next, with the
coherence, six things may be observed.
First, That Christ is a true head to every
particular church.
Secondly, That then is any people happy, and
not before, when the gospel gathers their souls to
God. Thirdly, They cannot be miserable that cease to
be strangers and enemies to God, whatsoever their
outward estate be.
Fourthly, Doctrine must be applied : for the
humiliation of God's servants ; so to David : for
the convincing of the wicked ; so to Ahab : for the
trial and detection of the temporary faith ; so to
Herod : for the hardening of the reprobates and
their rejection, and cutting down by the sword of
God's servants ; and for the special consolations and
directions of God's servants. And therefore mini
sters should employ themselves in application, and
to that end should study for power of matter, as

128

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[Chap. I.

well as form of words, and turn themselves into all
forms, requesting, beseeching, reproving, &c, with
all dihgence and sincerity. The people also must
know that their profiting lies in application ; and to
this end they should attend, meditate, repeat, pray,
strive against security and objections, keeping alive
the sparks that are kindled in their souls. When a
man can conscionably apply the word, it shows he
truly hates sin, and is a true hearer.
Fifthly, Men may know particularly they are
reconciled, 1 Cor. ii. 11 ; which both checks security
in not labouring for this knowledge, and confutes
papists and drowsy protestants that say it is pre
sumption to think so.
Sixthly, Experience gives sure testimony to the
doctrine of the gospel. Then we know profitably
when we know the doctrine in our own case, as the
Colossians here their reconciliation. We need not
wonder then if we see that the most powerful parts
of practical divinity have little or no testimony, or
if it be, it is dark, and seldom from the most men,
yea, from many churchmen. The cause is, they
never had experience themselves. And we should
learn to esteem their judgment most that do draw
religion most into practice ; for God will ' shew the
humble his way.'
And you. In the gathering of souls God works be
yond desert, and many times beyond probabilities.
If we respect the men, they were Gentiles, hardened
by hundreds of years in custom of sins ; if we respect
the means, it is Epaphras, none of the greatest of
the apostles. Which should teach us to live by faith,
and use God's ordinance with confidence ; as in the
business of conversion, so in matter of preservation,
knowing that God is not tied to desert or means.
A Iso. Doct. The church and kingdom of Christ is
in this world still in progress. Christ hath not done
when he hath conquered Rome spiritually, that had
conquered the world before corporally; but here is a
fresh increase and a new — you also. And thus it
will be still till the end of the world ; and therefore
we should every one do what we can to help for
ward the kingdom of God, and the adding of such
souls as yet belong to the vocation of Christ. And
this we may do, both by furthering the gospel
preached, and by seeking a holy seed, getting
within the covenant ourselves, and by education

labouring to amend what by propagation we have
marred. Yea, the consideration hereof should much
encourage us in the combat against sin and the
world ; for in the war soldiers use to gather spirit
and valour upon the tidings of new supplies.
Now. Men are not reconciled till redemption he
applied. Christ died before, but they were not re
conciled till now. It is not safe for men to rest in
the historical belief of Christ's death. Either learn
to die to sin, to crucify thy flesh, and to take up thy
cross daily, or else forbear to mention Christ ; for
it is in vain, thou hast no part as yet in Christ.
Hath. Though sanctification, whUe we tarry in
this world, be imperfect, yet reconciliation is past so
soon as a man is turned to God. God's rich favour
may stand with the many wants and infirmities of
man ; but then we must remember it is free and
gracious ; for if we be perfectly reconciled and yet
not perfectly sanctified, then it must needs follow
we are not reconciled from our own works.
He. That is Christ, which being again mentioned,
shows: 1. That he is God, seeing reconcUiation is
here given to him, which was before ascribed to
the Father. 2. It proves that in the one essence of
God are more persons than one. 3. It proves that
Christ died willingly ; he is not only the means,
but the undertaker of our reconciliation, Heb. ix. 14;
he is not only the sacrifice, but the priest also.
Reconciled. The repetition or application of this
word and work to the Colossians shows that there
is one constant way that God holds unalterably
with all his people. No sort of men can be happy
until they be reconciled. If men will not mind their
peace, and sue out their pardon in Christ, their hope
will fail them ; there is no other way to be saved.
Thus of the words of coherence ; there remains
both their misery in this verse, and the remedy of
it in the next verse.
Strangers and enemies, Ac. In general we may first
observe, that it is profitable for men to know and
meditate of tlieir natural misery, though men be
never so unwilling to it ; yea, though they be already
delivered from it ; for the consideration hereof
shows men the need of a Saviour, and, as a school
master, trains them up to Christ. It mollifies the
stony hearts of men, it breeds watchfulness over
our nature, when we know it is so poisoned and

Ver. 21.]

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129

corrupted ; it makes us compassionate over others
in their distress or infirmities ; it sets a high price
upon spiritual things, and makes us account God's
favour our greatest joy ; it makes us cleave to God
, in a perpetual covenant. To omit many other com
modities that arise hereof, it reproves the seldom
teaching and learning of the doctrine of man's
natural miseries.
Strangers. Unregenerate men are strangers in five
respects: 1. In respect of heaven, not only pilgrims
here, but without promise of a better life, so con
tinuing. 2. In respect of God, ' without God in the
world.' 3. In respect of God's people, not fellow-
citizens, but foreigners, Eph. ii. 12. 4. In respect
of the special providence of God, ' strangers to the
commonwealth of Israel.' 5. In respect of the life
of God, Eph. iv. 18. And that if we consider either
the rule of life, they account the law a strange thing,
Hosea viii. ; or the fountain of life, viz., regeneration,
they are dead in sin, Eph. ii. 1 ; or the obedience of
holy life, their imaginations are only evil continually,
Gen. vi.
But if any ask how this strangeness comes, the
word in the original seems to note it, for it is
estranged, which is more than strangers, for it im
ports they were not so created, but made so. They
were made so: 1. Originally, by the transgression
of the first man, from whence flowed the first
strangeness between God and man ; man running
from God, and God refusing to delight in the sons
of men. 2. By their own actual sins, which separate
between God and them, Isa. lix. 2. Alienation is to
the workers of iniquity, Job xxxi. 3.
Quest. But what hurt is it to carnal men to be
thus estranged ?
Ans. There is no safety against dangers, where
God is not to protect men ; there is no comfort in
affliction, where one can neither look to God nor the
saints for succour and comfort.
The god of this world doth rule effectually in all
the children of disobedience; they are in bondage to
the world, they are in bondage to their own flesh,
even to a passionate, blind, hard heart, and rebel
lious nature. They want the delightful refreshing
of all the blessings of God, his ordinances, graces,
and outward favours. All glory is departed from
men when God is gone; besides, obstinacy may

cast them into a reprobate sense, and eternal death
may swallow them up.
That we may be delivered from this strange estate
of separation, the blood of Christ must be applied,
we must become new creatures, our peace must be
preached, access must be had to God by prayer, we
must be joined to God's children, we must be built
upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles,
and our souls must become temples for the Holy
Ghost to dwell in. All this is set down in the second
of the Ephesians, from verse 13 to the end of the
chapter. And to this end we must take heed of working
iniquity, Job xxxi. 3 ; of ignorance, Eph/ iv. 17 ; of
an uncircumcised and an unmortified heart, Ezek.
xliv. 7 ; of strange doctrine, Heb. iii. 9 ; of the
strange woman, Prov. vi. ; of strange fire, that is,
will-worship ; and of the manners of strange chil
dren ; for all these by effects will estrange.
Lastly, If it be so great a misery to be estranged,
woe be to them that lie in this misery and regard it
not; the less sense the more danger; and most
faulty is that frowardness in any that profess to
fear God's name, that voluntarily bring a curse
upon themselves by estranging themselves from the
society of the faithful. But let all that know God's
mercy in their reconciliation, rejoice in their deliver
ance from this misery.
Enemies. Unregenerate men are enemies both
actively and passively. Actively, they are enemies
to their own souls, for he that loves iniquity hates
his own soul. 2. To holiness of life; they hate to be
reformed, Ps. 1. 3. To God's children, for it is cer
tain they shall be hated of all carnal men for Christ's
name's sake, John xv. 18. 4. To the light ; he that
doeth evil hates the light, John iii. 21, Amos v. 10.
5. One to another; they 'are hateful and hating
one another,' Titus hi. 3. 6. To God.
Object. Sure no man hates God.
Sol. Many men do hate God, as appeareth by the
threatening in the second commandment ; and the
scripture elsewhere notes such as in God's account
hate him; such are these: 1. Such as withstand
the truth, and labour to turn men from the faith,
Acts xiii. 8. 2. Such as are friends to the world,
James iv. 4. 3. The carnal wise men of the world,
whose wisdom is enmity to God, Rom. viii. 7. 4.
R

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[Chap. I.

All workers of iniquity, Ps. xxxvii. 18, 20, and xcii.
9. 5. All scoffers that reproach God's name, truth,
or people, Ps. lxxiv. 18, 22. 6. All that hate God's
children, Ps. lxxxi. 14, 15, and lxxxiii. 2, 3, and
cxxix. 3, 5, John xv. 18, 23. 7. All those that re
fuse to subject their souls to the sceptre of Christ,
and will not be ruled by his ordinances ; these are
called his enemies, Luke xix. 27. And among
other, such are those loose people that live under no
settled ministry. Lastly, All epicures, ' whose god is
their belly, and mind only earthly things, and glory
in their shame,' Phil. iii. 17, 18. Passively, they
are enemies to God, who hates them, Ps. v. 4 ; to
God's ordinances, which smite, and pursue, or
threaten them, Ps. xiv. 4 ; to all the creatures, who
are in arms against the sinner, till he be at peace
with God ; and in particular to the saints, who
hate the company and assemblies of the wicked, Ps.
xxvi. 4.
And all this shews the great misery of wicked men ;
and how can they but be miserable that are in the
estate of enmity? All severity will be accounted
justice; all their virtuous praises but .fan sins;
stripped they are of all the peculiar privileges of the
saints; and that which men would desire to do to
their enemies, God will certainly, by an unavoidable
providence, do to them. All the creatures are
against him; a wicked man is as he that should
always go upon a mine of gunpowder; either by
force or by stratagem the creatures will surprise him.
Oh, that men would therefore labour to mortify
active hatred in themselves, that the passive destroy
them not, and seek to Christ, in whom only this
enmity can be removed !
Again, this makes against merit, for what could
we merit that were enemies ? And let such as are
delivered, and have felt the bitterness of this enmity,
take heed of secret sins after calling unrepented of,
lest God return and visit them with the strokes of
an enemy, Job xiii. 24, &c, Jer. xxx. 14, Isa. lxiii.
19. In the mind. It greatly matters in the business of
man's happiness how the minds of men are ordered :
1. Man makes it the fountain of all his actions; itis
his privy councillor; he speaks first with his mind;
he obeys his mind, Eph. ii. 3; it is the shop whence
he frames all his engines against God and man. 2.

The devil especially labours to be possessed of this
fort, and to have it in his custody, 2 Cor. x. 4. 3.
The godly man repenting, first labours to be renewed
in his mind, Eph. iv. 23. 4. God especially looks
after man's mind, which appears in that he gave a
law to the mind, Rom. vii., setting as it were a
guard to rule and appoint it; and the inward wor
ship of God is here performed. We must love God
with all our mind, Mark xii., and pray in mind, 1
Cor. xiv. God makes a special search after men's
minds; it is his special glory to search the heart
and mind of man; and if God be enraged, the
strength of the battle is directed against the mind,
and his worst strokes light there. One of his last
curses is a reprobate mind.
The consideration hereof may serve for reproof of
the great carelessness that is in the most for the
mind and the inward man, and the purity thereof.
Thought is not free, as many fondly think. He will
never truly repent for evil works that doth not first
care to repent for evil thoughts, and such like corrup
tion in the mind. There should man begin his
repentance, where God begins the discovery of our
misery. And let us learn to be more watchful against the
sins of our minds, and be more grieved for the dross
and corruption we find there, and learn more to hate
the sins of the mind, such as are ignorance, dis
tracted service, false opinions, emptiness of holy
meditations, evil, dishonourable, impure, and un
chaste thoughts against God or man, pride, mahce,
frowardness, vanity, security, and unbelief.
Doct. 2. There is in unregenerate men a strange
minding of sin; they ' imagine mischief;' they have a
' spirit of fornication,' ' profound to decline,' deeply-
set ; they ' trust in their own ways,' so as many
times they regard neither God's word, nor the rod,
nor the threatenings of God, or rebukes of man;
neither can they be stirred with the four last things.
This shows, as man's misery and death in sin, so the
wonderful mercy of God in forgiving such sins. It
is a comfort that sins of set knowledge may be for
given. And hence may be gathered a difference
between the sins of the regenerate and the sins of
the unregenerate; for the godly sin not with a full
mind, they are not set in evil ; sin rebels in them,
but not reigns. Lastly, this may let us see how

Ver. 22.]

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131

little cause we have to stand upon our minds, or
reason, or natural parts, in matters of hope and sal
vation. In evil works. If the dependence, and the words
themselves, be duly considered, we may here gather
five things : first, That the "evil works of the sin
ner cause the strangeness and enmity aforesaid;
secondly, That a wicked man can like himself well
enough, though his very works and outward be
haviour be evil, — he can ' bless himself in his heart,
when his iniquity is found worthy to be hated,' Ps.
xxxvi. 2; thirdly, That where the life is evil the
mind is evil, — the heart cannot be good where the
works are naught; fourthly, That he that allows
himself in one sin wUl pollute himseff with many
sins ; fifthly, When God looks upon the works of
evil men they are all evil: note a difference; if the
carnal man look upon his own works, they are all
good ; if a godly man look upon them, they are
partly good and partly evil ; but if God look upon
them, they are all naught, because his person is
naught, his heart is naught, his end is naught, the
manner is naught, &c.
Hitherto of their misery, both as it_is propounded
and expounded.
A question may be asked, How it comes to .pass
that men have so little sense of their misery, and
are so loath to take notice of it ? For answer here
unto, we must understand that this comes to pass
because the god of this world, having possession,
blinds their eyes, and men do not examine them
selves before the law of God. And they are with
drawn by the deceitfulness of sin, which in particular
they have allowed themselves in; neither do men
remember their latter ends, or the judgment of God
before their death. Their eyes are not anointed
with eye-salve ; a number have not the word to direct
them, and some are deceived by false teachers, which
' cry peace, peace, where there is no peace.' And
the most are deceived with false opinions and con
ceits; for either they think that such like places as
this are true of Gentiles, and not of them ; whereas
unregenerate Israel is as Ethiopia unto God, Amos
ix. 7; or they fear that this knowledge will make
men melancholy. Yea, some are so foolish, they
say this course drives men out of tlieir wits ; thus
Paul is mad, and Christ hath a devil ; or they think

late repentance will serve the turn, and then they
may have time enough to consider.
Thus of their misery.
Ver. 22. In that body of his flesh, to present (or
make) you holy, and unblameable, and without fault in
his sight.
In this verse the remedy of their misery is set
down, where observe : first, The means ; secondly,
The end. The means is ' by that body of his flesh,
through death ;' the end is ' to present us,' &c.
In that body of his flesh, through death. Here are
two things: 1. The nature of Christ; 2. The suf
ferings of Christ. But first in the general I observe
two doctrines :
First, There is no remedy for the sinner but the
death of his Saviour. How foolish mankind hath
been distracted about the cure for their misery, is
lamentable to consider : Adam gets fig leaves, and
Israel a foolish cover, Isa. xxx. 1 . As for death and
hell, men are at a point; they have made a covenant
with them. Or they think they are helped of their
misery if they can forget it ; they can bless their
hearts that they will not feel the smart of any
curses, Ps. xxxvi. 2, Deut. xxix. 19; or they will
make satisfaction ; the sons of their body shall serve
for the sins of their souls, Micah vi. ; or else ' the
temple of the Lord,' their going to church, must
make God amends, Jer. vii. Others cover all with
the garments of their own civil righteousness;
others put their trust in the wedge of gold, and say
to it, 'thou art my confidence.' But unto us there
is no name by which we can be safe but the name of
Jesus Christ. He must rescue us that first created
us ; he makes us partakers of love, that was the
Son of God's love; he makes us adopted sons, who
himself is God's natural Son.
Secondly, It is profitable to be much in the medi
tation of Christ's sufferings, that it might sink into
our minds that we must go out of ourselves for
happiness; and such meditations open a way to
godly sorrow, Ezek. xii. 12. They tend to the mor
tification of sin, and they incline the heart of a
Christian to be willing to suffer with him ; for he
suffered as the master, we are but servants ; he suf
fered for others' sins, we deserve more than we can
suffer by our own sin; he suffered all sorts of

132

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[Chap. I.

crosses, and infinite much, we suffer but light afflic
tion. And the thought of his sufferings may make
us willing to contemn the world, seeing hereby we
discern that his kingdom is not of this world. Yea,
we owe unto Christ the remembrance of his suffer
ings. It is a small thing he requires of us, when he
wills us to think on him often, what he hath endured
for us.
In that body of his flesh. These words note Christ's
nature ; yet we must consider which nature. In
Christ there were two natures in one person, person
ally united — his divine and human nature. His
divine nature was from eternity, immutable, im
mortal, impassible. His human nature was con
ceived and born in time, mutable, mortal, passible,
one and the same ; without time begotten of the
Father, the Son of God, without mother ; and in time
born of the Virgin, the Son of man, without father ;
Son to both, natural and co-substantial. These na
tures are in one person, for that God and man might
become one in covenant, one is become God and
man in person. These natures are personally united ;
this union is personal, but not of persons ; and it is
a union of natures, not natural.
In these words the apostle speaks of the nature
assumed, namely, his human nature. And there are
two things to be noted in these words : first, That
he saith, that body, not the body ; secondly, That he
saith not simply his body, but that body of his flesh.
That body. Here he points out a special excellency
in the body of Christ above all bodies in heaven
and earth ; for his body was without sin, formed by
the overshadowing power of the Holy Ghost, so is
no man else ; 2. It is assumed into personal union
with the divine nature ; 3. It was honoured with
special prophecies, types, and sacrifices ; 4. This
body was offered up as a full expiatory sacrifice ; 5.
It is to be remembered to the end of the world in
the sacrament.
Body of his flesh. To note that it was a true body
like unto ours, and to distinguish it from his sacra
mental and mystical body. In two things Christ's
body was not like ours, and in three things it was
like. It was not like : 1. In the manner of subsisting ;
it was not independent or a person of itself. 2.
in the vicious accidents of the substance of it ; no
sin either could or ought to infect it — could not,

because original sin was restrained by the Holy
Ghost ; ought not, because in it a purgation for our
sins must be made. In three things it was like ours :
1. In substance; he took our whole nature; he
was the seed of the woman, of Abraham, of David,
the Son of man, &c. ; and he took the parts of our
nature, both soul and body. 2. In properties ; and
thus he assumed both the properties of the whole
nature, in that he was finite, and create ; and in
the parts, as in the soul, he assumed understanding,
will, memory ; and in the body, figure, quantity,
and circumscription, &c. 3. In infirmities ; for he
assumed not only our nature but the infirmities of
nature ; but we must know that he took the defects
or infirmities they call miserable, not those they call
damnable. Thus of the doctrine of his nature ; his sufferings
follow. Through death. The death of Christ doth recon
cile us, inasmuch as it ratifies the covenant, and takes
away the guilt of the sins of the former testament,
and the virtue of it eats down the power of present
sins, and destroys the power of our natural death.
Christ's death differs from the death of all the
elect in three things : first, In that in death he sus
tained not his own person, but dies as our surety,
and so is a sacrifice for sin ; secondly, He was in
death a whole burnt-offering, for as he died in body,
so his soul was an offering for sin, inasmuch as he
sustained the sense of the infinite wrath of God in
his agonies ; thirdly, In that his death was the death
of him that was the Son of God. Hitherto of the
doctrine of the nature and sufferings of Christ ; the
uses follow.
First, For instruction. The consideration of ah
this should teach us : 1. To value reconciliation, with
all the graces that flow from it, according to the
worth of the means by which they are procured. If
there were no other way to know the worth of God's
favour, knowledge, spiritual refreshings, and graces,
yet by the price paid for the purchase of them we
may discern they are worth more than all the world.
2. Is it not possible for us J to hate sin, upon the con
sideration of so pregnant an example of the odious-
ness of it, when the imputation of sin brought the
Son of God on his knees, to his death? 0 the
1 Qu. ' Is it possible for us not to hate ' ? — Ed.

Ver. 22.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

133

soul's lethargy, that hath overgrown us. 3. That
we may have the profit of the incarnation and pas
sion of Christ in his natural body, we must be care
ful to get into his mystical body. 4. The apostle
useth the meditation of Christ's humiliation to the
death as an argument to persuade us to compassion,
mercy, fellowship in the spirit, unity, humility,
clemency, and meekness of mind, Phil. ii. 1-9.
Secondly, Wicked men may here see what smart
they are like to feel from the impartial justice of
God. Doth he not spare the body, the flesh, the
blood, the life, of his own Son, when he became but a
surety for sin ? How shall ungodly men, ever enemies,
and never sons, that themselves have committed
sin, escape when the day of wrath shall come t
Thirdly, Godly men may here see great reason of
comfort, not only by considering the great love of
Christ, and the great benefits must needs flow from
his death ; but if two things be weighed : first, The
honour done to our nature, in that in the humanity of
Christ it is joined to the divine nature, 1 Tim. iii. 16,
Phil. U. 6, 7 — this makes amends for that breach
that is made by the damnation of millions in our
nature ; secondly, The great certainty of God's cove
nant of grace and mercy — for a man's covenant, if
it be once confirmed, no man abrogates it, or ad
deth, or taketh from it, Gal. iii. 15 ; therefore, much
more God's covenant shall stand unchangeable, being
ratified and confirmed by the death of Christ.
Thus of the means.
The end follows in these words, ' To present you
holy, and without spot, and unblameable iu his
sight.' And in these words, is both the presentation
and the sanctification of Christians to be considered.
To present you. The original word is very signi
ficant, and diversely accepted ; it signifies to restore,
so Acts ix. 41 ; to assemble, Acts ii. 26 ; to make
present, so Acts xxiii. 23 ; to make ready, furnish,
purge, or make clean, Acts xxiii. 24 ; to make ac
ceptable, 1 Cor. viii. 8 ; to make mamfest, 2 Tim.
ii. 15; to prove evidently, Acts xxiv. 13; to assist
and stand to, Rom. xvi. 2, 2 Tim. iv. 16; to offer
by way of dedication or gift to God, 2 Cor. xi. 2,
Luke ii. 22, Col. i. 28.
It is true that Christ restores us, collects us,
brings us into God's presence, cleanseth us, makes
us acceptable, assists and defends us, and manifests

us to be holy. But I take it principally in the last
sense : he presents us by dedication to God. Thus
Christ shall present us holy, both at the day of
judgment, and in the day of death, when he shall
deliver the soul to God, Rom. xiv. 10. Thus also,
Christ doth present us in this life : first, When, by
the preaching of the gospel, he severs and segregates
us from the world, and brings us into God's house
hold ; secondly, In justification, when, clothing us
with his own righteousness, he becomes our justifi
cation ; thirdly, In new obedience, and that two
ways: (1.) When he presents our works, covered
with his intercession; (2.) When he causeth us
to present ourselves to God, both by prayer and
consecration of ourselves to God's service, and holi
ness of life. It must be every man's care, then, to
seek his presentation from Christ, and to that end,
by covenant, prayer, and practice, devote himself to
a subjection to all the ordinances of Christ.
Thus of presentation ; sanctification follows.
Holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight.
At the first sight I should incline to understand
these words either of justification, or our consum
mate holiness at the day of judgment, but that the
sway of interpreters force me to expound them of
sanctification. It is greatly to be weighed, that a
man in this life should be here said to be holy, un
blameable, and unreproveable, or as the other trans
lation hath it, without fault in his sight. For the
better conceiving of it, we must compare with these
words other scripture, wherein is given unto the
godly that they have clean hands and a pure heart,
Ps. xxiv. 4 ; that they are pure, Prov. xxi. 8 ; upright
in heart, Ps. xcvh. 1 1 ; sanctified throughout,
1 Thes. v. 23 ; perfect or undefiled in their way,
Ps. cxix. 1 ; perfect, 2 Cor. xiii. 11, PhU. iii. 15,
Mat. v. 48 ; faultless; Jude 24 ; without spot, and
blameless, 1 Pet. iii. 14 ; walking in all God's ways,
1 Kings viii. 58 ; and that they keep God's covenant,
Ps. xxv. 10, lxxviii. 8, 10, cxxxii. 22. Thus Noah
is said to be perfect, Gen. vi. 9 ; Hezekiah walked
before God with a perfect heart, Isa. xxxviii. ;
David's heart was perfect, 1 Kings xi. 4 ; Zacharias
and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, and
walking in all the commandments of the Lord
blameless, Luke i. 6.
The question is, how those sayings should be

131

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[Chap. I.

true, and in what sense they are meant? And for
the clearing of the doubt, the way is not simply to
reject the propositions, as impious, and untrue, and
heretical, as some ignorant and malicious persons
do ; but seing they are the sacred words of scripture,
to consider what it is may be attained, and what
God requires of us. To think with the papists or
anabaptists that any mortal man can perform the
obedience required in the moral law perfectly, so
as never to commit sin against the law, is a most
blasphemous, detestable, and cursed opinion ; for
there is no man that sinneth not ; the best of the
saints have had their thousands of sin. But those
places are to be understood of the righteousness of
the Christian, as he is considered to be under the
covenant of grace and the gospel ; not of legal per
fection, but of an evangelical innocency and up
rightness. Not as their works are in themselves,
but comparatively, either with the works of wicked
men, or as they are in their desire and endeavour,
and as they are presented in the intercession of
Christ, who covers the imperfections that cleave to
the works of the faithful. Sometimes the faithful
are said to be perfect, that is, strong men in Christ,
compared with the weak Christian and infant in
grace ; so that we see what a Christian in this life
may attain unto ; the rigour of the law being taken
away in the covenant of grace, and the imperfections
of his works and frailty being covered in Christ's
intercession. Holy. This word holy is the general, and com
prehends the other two. For holiness is either in
ternal, and that is expressed by the word a/j,u/j,ovg,
unblameable, or external, and so it is expressed in
the word aviyxXriroug, unreproveable. Holiness is
given to God, and so essentially, Luke i. 49 ; to the
Spirit of God, and so effectively, because it works it
in others ; to Christ, as he derives it by influence to
his members, Acts iii. 14, Luke i. 35 ; to angels,
Mat. xxv. ; to sacrifices, by way of type ; to the
covenant of God, as it promiseth holiness to the
faithful, Luke i. 71 ; to the prophets, as teachers of
holiness, Acts iii. 21 ; to the scriptures, as the rule
of holiness, Rom. i. 2 ; to places, for the holiness of
the subject ; but here it is a glorious adjunct, con
ferred upon the faithful by Christ.
Concerning holiness of heart and life in general,

there are here four things to be noted : 1. The
necessity of it ; we can never be reconciled or glori
fied without it, Tit. ii. 12, 13; 2. The difficulty of
it ; less than the power of Christ crucified cannot
make men lead a holy life ; 3. The meritorious cause
of it ; hohness is merited by Christ, as well as sal
vation ; 4. The order ; men must first be reconciled
to God, before they can get holy grace, or lead a
holy life.
Unblameable. Christian perfection hath two
things in it : first, Uprightness of heart, noted by
this word ; secondly, Uprightness of hfe, noted by
the word following. Internal perfection or holiness
must have these things in it : first, The stain of
former sins must be washed away with the tears of
repentance, Jer. iv. 4. Secondly, the inward wor
ship of God must be set up in the heart ; some im
pressions men have of an external worship ; but of
the inward worship, men are naturally almost wholly
ignorant. God is inwardly worshipped by the
constant exercise of grace from above, as love, fear,
trust, delight, desire, &c. Thirdly, There must be
in us an assurance of God's favour, Heb. x. 22, Acts
xv. 9. Fourthly, There must be a freedom from
prevailing evils in the mind or affections; in the
mind, as ignorance, wicked thoughts, errors ; in the
affections, as impatience, lust, servile fear of men,
Prov. xix. 2, Ps. xii. 6, James i. 4; mahce, &c.
Fifthly, Hypocrisy must not reign ; our desire must be
more to be good, than to seem so, Ps. cxxv. 4. Sixthly,
Our whole heart must be set upon God's whole law, to
have respect unto all God's commandments ; God
abhors a divided heart, Hosea x. 2, and a double
heart, James iv. Seventhly, The mind must be
set upon heavenly things, and converse in heaven,
Col. iii. 1. Where these things are happily attained
unto, there the heart is upright, whatsoever defects
or infirmities be in it. These things are different in
Christians, in the degrees ; for there is an infancy
and weakness in sanctification, as well as faith.
The signs of an upright heart are these : first, It
desires perfection, Phil. iii. ; secondly, It will not
cease well-doing for crosses, Job ii. 3 ; thirdly, It will
serve God though alone, Josh. xxiv. 15 ; fourthly, It
will not follow the eye, it is not sensual, Job xxxi.
7 ; fifthly, It rejoiceth in the love of Christ above
all things, Cant. i. 3 ; sixthly, It will smite for lesser

Ver. 23.]

EYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

135

sins, as David's did, 2 Sam. xxiv. ; seventhly, It is
constant, Ps. Ixxviii. 37.
That we may attain an upright and unblameable
heart. In general, we must get a new heart, Ezek.
xxxvi. 27. In particular : 1. We must by mortifica
tion circumcise our hearts, Deut. x. 16 ; 2. We must
get God's law written in our hearts, Jer. xxxi. 33 ;
3. We must seek and love purity of heart, Prov.
xxh. 1 1 ; 4. We must keep our hearts with all dili
gence, Prov. iv. 23 ; lastly, We must walk before
God, Gen. xvii. 2.
Motives to inward holiness : first, We shall never
see the righteousness of God imputed till we be up
right in heart, Ps. xxxvi. 10; secondly, A pure
heart is one of the clearest signs of a blessed man,
Mat. v. 6 ; thirdly, God searcheth to find what men's
hearts are, as well as what their hves are, 2 Chron.
vi. 30 ; fourthly, ' The eyes of the Lord behold all
the earth, to shew himself strong, with all them that
are of a perfect heart,' 2 Chron. xvi. 9 ; fifthly,
' Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the up
right in heart,' Ps. xcvii. 11; lastly, The whole 125th
Psalm incites hereunto.
Unreproveable. This word notes the external up
rightness, or Christian perfection of life. External
innocency must have in it clivers things : 1. We
must be free from the gross sins of every com
mandment ; 2. We must cease from our own works,
Heb. iv. 10, keep us from our wickedness, 2 Sam.
xxii. 23, and not turn after the ways of our own
heart, Isa. lvii. 17, that is, we must be sure to cease
from our particular beloved sins ; 3. Our families
must be well-ordered, both for peace, labour, and
piety, Tit. i. 6, 7 ; 4. We must be free from idol
atry, Deut. xviii. 13, from the customary sins of the
tongue, James iii. 2, from the reign of hardness of
heart, from hasting to be rich, for he that hasteth
to be rich cannot be innocent, as the proverb is,
Prov. xxi. 29 ; lastly, We must love our enemies,
Mat. v., ult. ; that we may attain hereunto, we must
walk in the way of good men, Prov. ii. 20, we must
set God's laws ever before us, and let them be our
warrant, 2 Sam. xxii. 23 ; we must not be destitute
of heavenly gifts, 1 Cor. i. 6-8.
In his sight. These words may be referred either
to our presentation or to our sanctification. And
whereas some would think that they overthrow the

former sense of the words, and prove that he en
treats here of our holiness in God's sight by justifi
cation, they are deceived, for they may find these
words given to sanctification ordinarily in scripture,
as Luke i. 6, 7, Heb. xiii. 21, 1 John iii. 22, Rev.
xiv. 5.
The words being referred to sanctification, import
four tlhngs :
First, That what we are or do is in his presence ;
so the words used, Luke ii. 18, and xiii. 26, Acts
x. 33.
Secondly, That God is a witness of all we do ;
so the words used, Luke viii. 47, 2 Cor. vii. 12,
Gal. i. 20.
Thirdly, That God accepts of what is truly good
in any measure, Luke i. 75.
Fourthly, That God highly prizeth all that is
good in the good, Luke i. 25, 2 Tim. ii. 3, and v. 4,
as the words there used shew.
Ver. 23. If ye continue grounded and stablished in
the faith, and be not moved aivay from the hope of the
gospel, whereof ye have heard.
The second part of the epistle, viz., the proposi
tion of doctrine, hath been handled liitherto from
the 12th verse unto these words. In these words
and those that follow to the end of the second
chapter, is contained the third part of the epistle,
viz,, matter of exhortation, wherein he both per
suades and dissuades. The persuasion is contained
in this verse and the rest, unto the 8th verse of the
next chapter. The dissuasion is from verse 8th of
chapter second to the end of the chapter.
In the persuasion, the apostle exhorts them to
perseverance, both in faith and hope. Where is to
be observed : 1. The matter to which he exhorts in
the beginning of this verse, and the reason to en
force the exhortation in all the verses following.
The matter to which he exhorts is twofold : first,
To perseverance in faith, in these words : ' if ye
continue grounded and stablished in the faith ; ' se
condly, To perseverance of hope, in the next words :
' and be not moved from the hope of the gospel,
whereof ye have heard.' From the coherence and
general words of the exhortation, we must observe,
that God's children, after they have gotten true
grace, and are comforted in their reconciliation,

136

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[Chap. I.

must look to then faith and hope. It is not enough
once to get faith and hope, but after they are con
ceived in us they must be daily looked to, for ' the
just must live by his faith,' Hab. ii. 4, Heb. x. 38.
It must be to him according to his faith, not accord
ing to his friends, money, labour, means, &c. By
faith he must draw virtue out of all God's ordi
nances, Eph. iii. 16. By faith he must purge his
heart of his daily sins, Acts xv. 9. By faith and
hope he walks with God, and overcomes the world,
1 John v. 4, 2 Tim. iii. 15. This may greatly re
prove man's carelessness. Men look to their grounds,
cattle, shops, &c, but who looks to their faith and
hope? If you continue grounded and stablished in the faith.
Here are two things : first, The manner of the pro
pounding of the exhortation, viz., with an if; se
condly, The exhortation itself. Where note : 1 . The
duty, ' continue ;' 2. The manner of the duty,
' grounded and stablished ;' 3. The object, ' in
faith.' If. The apostle propounds this exhortation with
an if, because he speaketh to a mixed multitude,
among whom were many that would not continue,
and thereby shew they were not truly reconciled.
Yea, it was needful that the godly amongst them
should have it thus doubtfully set down, that so
they might be more careful to settle and establish
themselves in the faith, that they might hold out
in it.
As this if looks upon the wicked, it shews that in
places where the gospel gathers souls to God, many
that for a time were forward and greatly affected
will afterwards fall away. And therefore God's ser
vants, both ministers and people, should look for
apostasy, and not to be overmuch troubled when
they see any fall away.
It is not amiss to consider by what means or mo
tives men are plucked away from the love of the
truth. Some fall away for hard sayings, John vi.
30, 42, 52, 60, 61, &c. Some cannot follow Christ
long because of their carnal friends. Others are cor
rupted with lewd company. Others cannot bear the
reproofs of their faults ; and if they be reproved,
either they will lift Amos away from Bethel, or they
get themselves away from hearing Amos. Some
hear this sect everywhere so ill spoken of that they

will be better advised ere they settle upon such
courses ; and the rather, because they do not see the
multitude set out with them, or great men yield
any countenance to such strict courses. Others are
seduced by time-serving, flattering, false, or corrupt
teachers, who, labouring to hinder the efficacy of the
doctrine of painful ministers, hope to accomplish
either the stopping of their mouths, or the increase
of tlieir bonds, or at least their disgrace with the
people, Ezek. xiii. 19-22, 2 Tim. iii. 12-14. Others
are ensnared with the earthly things, and forsake
the sincerity of the truth, to embrace this world,
with Demas. Many fall away for the cross, and all
are caught with the deceitfulness of some sin, Heb.
iii. 12, 13.
Quest. But may the faithful fall away and not
continue ?
Ans. The faithful may lose,"and fall from : 1. Some
degrees of innocency of life; 2. Some degrees of the
working and efficacy of God's Spirit ; 3. Some de
grees of communion with Christ, — their communion
may be lessened, though their union cannot be dis
solved ; 4. From faith, of which he makes mention
here. And thus they may fall in respect of sense,
in respect of some degree, in respect of some acts
of faith, in respect of some doctrine of faith, and,
lastly, in respect of the means of the doctrine of
faith. But there are seven things from w-hich the
elect can never fall : first, Eternal hfe, John x. 29 ;
secondly, Confirming grace in some measure, Ps.
xiv. 5 ; thirdly, Remission of sins past, Isa. xliii. 25 ;
fourthly, The seed either of doctrine or grace, 1 John
iii. 9 ; fifthly, The spirit of sanctification ; sixthly,
The habit of faith, Luke xxii. 32 ; seventhly, Union
with Christ, John xvii. 22, 23, 26.
Continue. Three things I propound concerning
perseverance • first, Some reasons to move us to
labour, to hold out, and continue ; secondly, Rules
to be observed that we might continue; thirdly,
The helps the faithful have to further their per
severance. For the first : Unless we continue we shall never
have the full truth of God, nor be made free by it,
nor have sound comfort that we are the disciples of
Christ, John viii. 31, 32. Neither is any man 'fit
for the kingdom of God, that puts his hand to the
plough, and looks back,' Luke ix. 6. ' The branch

Ver. 23.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

137

cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine,' John
xv. 4. And, ' if they continue not with us, it is be
cause they were not of us,' 1 John ii. 19. 'It had been
better (for men) never to have known the way of
righteousness, than after they have known it, to
turn from the holy commandments delivered unto
them. For if after they have escaped the pollutions
of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ
they be again entangled and overcome, the latter
end will be worse than the beginning,' 2 Pet. ii. 19,
20. Yea, the very children of God by backsliding
may fall into a miserable condition ; the powers
of hell may assault them, Ps. xlvii. 11. They may
go to the grave with unrecoverable affliction ; yea,
they may lose some graces, without all restitution
in this world, as the joy of their salvation, plero-
phory, or full assurance, &c.
For the second : If thou wouldst continue,
thou must observe eight rules : first, Thou must get
a continuing faith ; get thee an infallible assurance
of God's favour, arising from the wise application of
God's promises, and the sure witness of God's
Spirit, John vi. 40. Secondly, Thou must at first
be thoroughly cleansed of all thy filthiness, making
conscience to repent of all sin, and ' have respect
to all God's commandments ; ' and thou must be
sure thou get a new heart, for the old heart is de
ceitful, and will not hold out in anything that is
good, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. Thirdly, Thou must
continue to use the means of preservation : thou must
still hear, pray, read, confer, meditate, and receive
the sacraments : for the spiritual life is preserved by
means, as well as the natural. Fourthly, Thou must
join thyself to such as fear God in the society and
fellowship of the gospel. The affections and desires
of many are blasted, and soon vanish, like a morn
ing cloud, for want of communion with such as are
able to direct, comfort, admonish, or encourage
them, Jer. xxxii. 39, 40, Phil. i. 5, 6. Fifthly,
Thou must see to it that thou get knowledge as well
as affection, Hosea ii. 9, 20, and affection as well as
knowledge, Ps. clxv. 20. Sixthly, Thou must so re
ceive the truth of the doctrine of Christ as thou
be also ready and willing to confess it, and profess
it, amidst the different opinions and humours of
men, Mat. xvi. 16. Seventhly, Thou must be a
sheep — meek, tractable, profitable, sociable, inno

cent ; for boisterous, conceited, perverse, unteach-
able natures will never hold long, John x. 28.
Lastly, Thou must be ever wary, and take heed of
cross teachings and the puffs of contrary doctrine ;
and withal, take heed of coldness in following the
truth, and of discord with such as fear God. Many
times personal discords work, through men's singular
corruptions, apostasy from the truth once received,
Eph. v. 13, 14.
The sum of all is, that if we get a justifying
faith, and be once assured of God's favour ; if we at
first make a thorough reformation ; if we daily stick
to, and wait upon, the means ; if we converse with
God's children ; if we have wise affections, that are
warmed with piety and shewed with discretion ; if
we make a sound profession of the sincerity of the
truth ; if we be meek and teachable, and follow
the truth without coldness or contention, we shall
never fall, but continue as Mount Zion that cannot
be moved. And out of all this we may discern the
cause of the backsliding of many, — either they were
deceived by a temporary faith, or neglected the con
stant use of God's ordinances, or were slightly in
mortification, or they forsook the fellowship of the
saints, or they were tossed with contrary doctrine,
or they were people of unruly affections, or were
seduced by secret lusts.
For the third, Though it be a hard work to con
tinue by reason of the infirmities within us, and the
impediments from without us ; yet a Christian hath
great helps to further him in perseverance. He hath
helps : first, From the saints, and is furthered by
their example, by their exhortations, and by their
prayers, Heb. xii. 1, x. 24, 1 Tim. ii. 1. Secondly,
From the immortal seed which is within them,
which hath as great aptness to grow as any seed in
nature, and is as seed that is sown for continuance,
even for eternity itself, 1 John iii. 9. Thirdly, From
the easiness and grace of the covenant in which they
stand in favour with God. And here it would be
observed how the words of the covenant run ; for
when God saith, he will make his everlasting cove
nant, his promise is, that he will not turn away from
them to do them good, and his fear he wUl put in
their hearts, that they shall not depart from him,
Jer. xxxii. 40. And in another place he saith, he
will not only cleanse them, but he will give them a

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[Chap. I.

new heart, and take away the stony heart out of
their bodies, and put his Spirit within them, and
cause them to walk in his statutes and to do them,
Jer. xxxvi. 26, 27. Fourthly, From the Spirit of
God, which is in them ; for the Spirit sets the soul
at liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 17; and furnisheth it with
graces, Gal. v. 22 ; sealeth up unto the day of re
demption, Eph. i. 14 ; strengtheneth the inward
man, Eph. iii. 1 6 ; shows the things given of God,
1 Cor. ii. 12; is a perpetual comforter, John xiv.
1 6 ; leadeth into all truth, John xv. 1 3 ; frees from
condemnation and the rigour of the law, Rom. viii.
1, 3 ; is life for righteousness' sake, ver. 10 ; mor
tifies the deeds of the flesh, ver. 1 3 ; bears witness
that they are the children of God, ver. 16 ; is a
Spirit of prayer to cause them to cry Abba Father,
ver. 15 ; helps their infirmities, and makes request
for them, ver. 26. Fifthly, From Christ, for from
Christ they have protection, John x. 1 8 ; influence,
John xv. 1, 4, 5 ; intercession, by which he covers
their sins and infirmities, presents their works in
his merits, and moveth the Father to keep them
from evil, Sec, John xvii. 9, 11, 15, 17, 22. Sixthly,
They have helps from his ordinances, for by prayer,
when they ask according to God's will, they may be
sure to have anything, 1 John v. 4 ; and by the
sacraments faith is confirmed and sealed, and grace
nourished. And by the word they are many ways furthered.
I take but only the 119th Psalm to show how our
continuance is helped by the word : It redresseth
our ways, ver. 9 ; it keeps from sin, ver. 11; it
strengthens against shame and contempt, ver. 22,
23, 143; it quickens and comforts, ver. 25, 28, 50,
54, 93, 111 ; it makes free, ver. 45 ; it makes wise,
ver. 98, 100 ; it is a lantern to our feet, ver. 105,
130; it keeps from declining, ver. 102, 104, 118,
155, 160, 165. Lastly, they are helped by the
promises that concern perseverance, and preserva
tion, and falling away ; such as are contained in
such scriptures as these: John xiii. 1, 1 Cor. x. 13,
Rom. viii. 29, Ps. Ixxxiv. 12, 1 Tim. iv. 18, Rev.
ii. 25, 26.
Grounded and stablished in the faith. It is not
enough to get faith, and continue in it, but we must
be grounded and stablished. And when he saith
stablished in the faith, we must understand the

doctrine, profession, exercise, assurance, and effects
of faith. And this establishing and grounding of
our hearts hath in it particular knowledge, certainty,
resolution, and contentment.
To be thus established would fortify us against all
the changes and alterations of estate or religion in
after-times ; and as the coherence imports, it would
much further us in the attainment of an unstained and
unrebukeable life ; whereas of doubting can come
nothing but the shunning of God, the liberty of
sin, and desperation, and the like. Besides, this
grounded establishment in faith would free our
profession from the dishonours which an unsettled
or discontented faith or life doth cast upon us.
Atheists, papists, epicures, and belly-gods, if this
were in us, would be astonished to see the power of
religion in our resolved contentment, and to con
sider how unmoveable we were, so as the gates of
hell could not prevail against us. Besides the
unsearchable solace that a peaceable and restful
conscience would breed in us.
That we might be thus grounded and stablished
divers things are carefully to be observed : 1. We
must be founded on the prophets and apostles, Eph.
ii. 20 ; we must be daily conversant in the scrip
tures. 2. We must be much in prayer ; but in
practice of prayer we must nourish the hatred of
every sin, and daily labour to increase in the refor
mation of evil. And it is a great help to be much
with such as fear God, and call upon God with a
pure heart. It would much establish us to see the
faith, affections, fervency, and power of God's Spirit
in others in prayer, 2 Tim. ii. 19, 22. 3. There is
a secret blessing of God, in settling a man's heart,
follows upon well-doing ; so as to be abundant
in God's work is a great means of steadfastness ;
whereas a fruitless and barren life is both uncom
fortable and unsettled, 1 Cor. xv. 58, 1 Tim. vi. 19.
4. We must pray God to give us a free and ingenu
ous spirit, Ps. li. 12; we must pray to God to give
us a mind cheerful, speedy, full of incitations to
good, glad of all occasions to do good, free from the
stain of the sins of the time, nation, or calling, and
from the reign of former lusts, inclinable to serve
God and our brethren by love, fearing the gospel
more than the law, and God's goodness more than
his justice. 5. We must set an order in faith and

Ver. 23.]

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139

life. It is exceeding behoveful in matter of opinions
to deliver up our souls to some sound frame of
doctrine, in which we will ever quietly rest ; and in
matters of life to gather out of the commandments
a platform of living that might fit our own case,
Prov. iv. 26. We are not usually settled and
soundly stablished till we have been shaken with
affliction, and have gotten the experience which the
cross learns us, 1 Pet. v. 10. Lastly, We must
consecrate ourselves to God, endeavouring daily to
practice what we daily hear ; for ' he that cometh
to Christ, and heareth his sayings, and doeth them,
is like a man which hath built a house, and digged
deep, and laid the foundation on a rock ; and when
the flood arose, and the stream beat vehemently
upon that house, it could not shake it, because it
was founded on a rock,' Luke vi. 48, 49.
Quest. What should be the reason why many, after
long profession and much hearing, and some com
fortable signs of assurance at sundry times conceived,
should yet be unsettled and distracted, and shew so
much perplexity and want of firmness either in con
tentment or practice ?
Ans. This is occasioned diversely : first, Some
times for want of a distinct direction or careful
examination about the application of the signs of
God's favour. Some Christians have not the signs
clearly and distinctly collected ; others that have
them, and know the use of them, grow slothful and
negligent, and are justly scourged with the want of
the glory of this establishment.
Secondly, Sometimes it comes to pass for want of
using private means more conscionably, as reading,
prayer, or conference.
Thirdly, It is so sometimes with Christians,
because of some sin they lie in without repentance.
There may be some sin which they too much favour,
and are loath to forsake, whether it be secret or
more open.
Fourthly, Untruthfulness and barrenness in good
works may cause it ; for if faith did bear fruit
upwards, it would take root downwards.
Fifthly, Many are grievously pressed under legal
perfection, being not able distinctly to discern the
benefit of the covenant of grace in freeing them from
the curse and rigour of the law. The ignorance of
this one point hath and doth cover the faces and

hearts of millions of God's servants with a perplexed
confusion and fear without cause.
Sixthly, Many professors live in much unrest for
want of discerning things that differ, and the right
use of Christian hberty.
Seventhly, There is a kind of lukewarmness in
practice after hearing, which is in many scourged
with the withholding of this rich grace of spiritual
steadfastness. I say lukewarmness in practice ; for
it may be observed that many hear with great affec
tion, and continue to be stirring in expressing their
liking of the word, and yet are exceedingly negligent
in the conscionable and daily practice of such rules
as in the ministry of the word they seem to receive
with admiration and great liking.
Eighthly, This comes by reason of the want of
patience and a meek spirit. Some Christians are
froward, passionate, transported with violent affec
tions, either of anger or worldly grief; and these
seldom or never gain any long rest or continual con
tentment. Troubled affections greatly hinder settled-
ness even in the best things.
To conclude, Many professors revolt to the world,
and give themselves to an unjustifiable liberty in
following either their profits or their pleasures-; and
therefore no marvel though grace and true religion
thrive so slowly in them, when they eat up their
hearts and lives with these cares and delights of life.
Hitherto of faith ; now of hope.
Be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, whereof
ye have heard. Though by faith we are interested in
God's favour, and our souls garnished on earth with
divers graces as the fruits of faith, and our lives pro
tected with celestial privileges, yet the glory of our
kingdom is neither of this world nor in this world.
Hope must guide us to future things, as well as faith
to present ; and therefore the apostle Peter doth
with great reason teach us to bless God for ' beget
ting us again to a lively hope,' 1 Pet. i. 3. Our
whole happiness may be branched out into these two
parts : first, What we have already on earth ; and
secondly, What we look to have hereafter in heaven.
The one, faith procures ; the other, hope assures.
Now in that we have not all our happiness here,
but hope for it elsewhere, it should teach us divers
things :
First, We should effectually pray unto God to

140

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[Chap. I.

give such sound wisdom and revelation by his word
and Spirit that we may indeed know the hope of
our calling, Eph. i. 18.
Secondly, In all troubles we should be the more
patient, seeing we hold our full and final deliverance
(when we shall feel no more troubles or crosses) by
hope. Perfect salvation is had here only by hope,
Rom. viii.
Thirdly, When our friends go out of the world,
such as were dear unto us in the bonds of grace, we
should not mourn immoderately for them, for that
were to proclaim our want of knowledge, or want of
sense and feeling, in the thoughts of the happiness
of another world, 1 Thes. iv. 13.
Yea, fourthly, Seeing the greatest part of our
happiness is yet to come, we should learn to place
our joys in the contemplation of heaven, according
to the apostle's direction, who biddeth us ' rejoice in
hope,' Rom. xii. 12.
And lastly, We should prepare for death, and
wait when the time of our changing should come,
that we might enjoy the glorious liberty of the sons
of God.
Not moved away. Doct. It is not enough to have
hope, but we must get to be unmoveable in it : for
as the author to the Hebrews shews, we should be
diligent to get and have a plerophory, or 'full
assurance of hope to. the end,' Heb. vi. 11. We
must 'hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of
hope,' Heb. iii. 6. This is our sure and steadfast
anchor, to which we should in all storms have our
refuge, to hold fast by it, Heb. vi. 18, 19.
The use is twofold : First, It may reprove that
unsettledness and discontentment which is found in
men in the times of their affliction, when every cross
can move them away from their confidence. We
would think him a strange man that in time of
peace would walk up and down with a helmet on
him, and when he were to go into any battle or
fray, in the midst of the fight, when it was at the
hottest, would take his helmet and throw it off him.
And yet so strange are we. In prosperity we out-
brag all men with our hope in God, and our strong
confidence ; but when the devil, or the world, begin
to deal their blows, and to molest us with sharpest
assaults, then we grow heartless or impatient, and
throw away our hope, when we have most need of

it. Secondly, It should teach us to labour after this
unmoveableness of hope; which, that it may the
better be done, two things are to be looked to :
first, That our hope be a true hope ; secondly, That
we use the means to make this hope unmove
able. And for the first, we must consider three things :
first, What hope is not true hope ; secondly, What
persons have no hope ; thirdly, What are the
effects or properties of true hope. Some things of
many, in each of these, shall be instanced in.
First, There is a hope of which men shall one
day be ashamed : such is men's hope in their riches,
Ps. lii. 7 ; in the arm of flesh, Jer. xvii. 5 ; in
oppression, vanity, and sin, Ps. lxii. 10 ; in the
instruments of deliverance, as the bow or sword,
Ps. xliv. 6, &c. ; in the deceitful conceits of their
own brains, Isa. xxviii. 15; or in their civility of life.
This is to trust in Moses, John v. 45. All these,
and other such like hopes, are egregiously vain.
Secondly, There are many sorts of men in the
world, concerning whom it is plain in Scriptures,
they have not hope ; for in the general, there is no
hope in any unregenerate man, 1 Pet. i. 3, Eph. ii.
1 2 ; and in particular it is clear there is no true
hope : first, In the ignorant, Ps. ix. 10 ; secondly,
In profane men that make no conscience of sin, Ps.
cxv. 1 1 ; thirdly, In the presumptuous that bless
their hearts against the curses of the law, Deut.
xxix. 19 ; fourthly, In the hypocrite, for though he
have woven to himself, out of the bowels of his
poisonous breast, a fair web of hope, yet it shaU be
as the house of the spider, Job vih. 13, one sweep
of God's besom shall easily lay him and his hope in
the dust of misery ; lastly, It is not in workers of
iniquity that make a trade of sin, and every day
plod about mischief.
Thirdly, True hope is most stirring in affliction,
and then it shows itself by four things :
First, By profession, it will not only know, but
'acknowledge that truth, which is according to
godliness,' Tit. i. 1,2. It will confess and profess;
whereas the common hope seldom or never at any
time holds it convenient to be so forward.
Secondly, By abnegation; for it will endure scorns,
losses, temptations, oppositions, &c. It is not
moved away by the carnal reasons of the flesh, the

Ver. 23.]

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141

disdain of carnal friends, the violence of unreason
able adversaries, or the like ; the chain will not fear
it, nor the reproach shame it, 1 Tim. iv. 10 ; it
will be busy, though he have no thanks for his
labour, Acts xxviii. 20 ; and it will not haste to
ill means to get out of distress, Isa. xxviii. 15, 16.
Whereas the common hope is frightened with the
noise of a chain, and put out of countenance with a
scoff of disgrace ; it will speak Christ fair, but lose
nothing for his sake ; it likes preaching well, but it
will never believe it is so as the preacher says ; it
loves God above all, but yet it must have a care to
see to it, at any hand, that such and such friends be
not displeased ; it will be better advised than to be
in danger of such and such troubles. And if it be
hard bestead, .it will venture to send to a wizard, to
use now and then a he, or an oath, or a little fraud,
and false-dealing, &c.
Thirdly, By mortification; 'he that hath this
hope purgeth himself, that he may be pure as
Christ is pure,' 1 John iii. 3. It stirreth up to much
prayer, confession, sorrow, fasting, and spiritual
revenge. He that hath most hope is most in the
humiliation of his soul. It is not, as the world
conceives, that mortification is the way to despera
tion ; but the common hope hath no hands to do
good works, nor eyes to shed these tears, nor
stomach to abide this fasting ; nor flesh to endure
this revenge, nor tongue to speak this language.
Fourthly, By perseverance ; it will not cease from
yielding fruit, Jer. xvii. 8. Job, guided by this
hope, resolves to trust stiU in God though he kill
him, Job xiii. 15 ; but the common hope will be
sure then to faU when there is most need of
help. Now that we might be unmoveable in this hope,
we should wait patiently upon God's ordinances,
that we might abound in the comforts of the scrip
tures, increasing in knowledge and wisdom, Rom.
xv. 4 Prov. xxiv. 14; but especially we must stick
to the word preached, and never give it over, Eph.
i. 1-4 ; nourishing every grace of Christ, 2 Thes. ii.
16 ; and we must be much in prayer, Ps. lxii. 8, and
lxi. 2, 3; and soundly careful to deny all ungodli
ness and worldly lusts, Tit. ii. 12, 13, Job xi.
14, 15.
Thus of the duty and the object, grace; now

of the means by which it was wrought, which was.
the gospel preached.
Of the gospel. Doct. The gospel is the ordinary
means to breed hope in a man's heart, 2 Tim. ii. 10,
Rom. i. 16 ; and therefore it is called 'the gospel of
the kingdom,' and the ' gospel of salvation,' Mat. iv.
13, Eph. i. 13. And the gospel breeds hope, as it
shews us the doctrine of our reconciliation with
God ; and as it contains the promises of the cove
nant of grace ; and as it shews our deliverance from
the rigour and curse of the law ; and lastly, as it
shews Christ crucified, with all merits.
Of which ye have heard. Doct. The gospel is then
most effectual when it is preached ; and more parti
cularly what efficacy is in preaching may appear by
these scriptures following : Ps. li. 8, Isa. Iv. 4, Luke
iv. 18, Rom. x. 14, 1 Cor. i. 21, &c, Acts x. 36, 42,
and xv. 21, 2 Cor. i. 19, 20, Gal. iii. 1, 1 Tim. iii.
16, Titus i. 3.
Again, in that the apostle allegeth the efficacy of
the doctrine they heard, to prove that they ought
not to be moved away from it, we may note that
that doctrine which converts souls to God is true,
and men ought to continue in it. The apostle,
2 Cor. iii. 2, proves his doctrine to be true by this
seal of it ; and this must comfort faithful teachers
against all the scorns of men, if they gather souls to
God and breed hope in God's people. And the
people must hence confirm themselves in their
resolution to stick to their teachers, when God
hath given this testimony to their ministries. Thus
of the exhortation.
The reasons follow :
1. From consent ofthe elect, ver. 23.
2. From the testimony of Paul, ver. 23, 24.
3. From the testimony of God, ver. 25.
4. From the excellency of the doctrine of the
gospel, ver. 26.
5. From the excellency of the subject of the
gospel, ver. 27.
6. From the end, or profitable effect, of the gospel,
ver. 28.
7. From the endeavour of Paul, ver. 29.
Wliich ivas preached unto every creature under heaven.
These words contain the first reason, and it stands
thus : Inasmuch as the doctrine taught you is the
same doctrine that hath been taught to and received

142

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[Chap. I.

by all the elect, therefore ye ought to continue in
it, and never be moved from the grace wrought
by it.
Quest. But was the gospel preached to every crea
ture under heaven ?
Ans. Some understand the meaning to be this :
that the apostle intends to note, by the preaching of
the gospel to every creature, only thus much, that
it was now no more confined in Judea, but was
published to Gentiles as well as Jews; and so it
was preached to every creature, inasmuch as all
mankind had as much interest as the Jewish
nation. Others think the speech imports no more
but that the fame of the gospel was spread by the
merchants and other that lay at Rome, Jerusalem,
and other great cities, unto all known countries of
the world. Others think it is no more than if he
had said it was published far and wide ; as in John
they say, ' the whole world goeth after him ;' but
they mean a great multitude, an usual hyperbolical
speech. Lastly, others think that when he saith it
was preached, he meaneth it should be preached to
every creature, the time past being put for the time
to come, to import that it shall as certainly be clone
as if it had been done already. But^ I take it is
meant of the preaching of the gospel by the apostles
and evangelists in the conversion of so many nations
to the faith of Christ.
There may be seven observations gathered out of
this speech of the apostle : First, That doctrine only
is true which is agreeable to the doctrine of the
apostles, by which the world was converted to God.
Secondly, We may see that no power is like the
power of the word of God ; here it converts a world
in a short time ; and our eyes have beheld that it
hath almost in as short a time restored a world of
men from the power of antichrist. Thirdly, We
may by this phrase be informed that the words all
and every one are not always in scripture to be
understood universally of all the singular persons in
the world, as the universalists conceive. Fourthly,
They were but a few fishermen that did this great
work, and they were much opposed and persecuted,
and in some less matters they jarred sometime.
among themselves. Whence we may observe, that
doctrine may be exceeding effectual, though : 1. But
few teach it ; 2. Though they be but of mean estate

and condition ; 3. Though it be opposed by cross
and contrary teaching ; 4. Though it be persecuted ;
5. Though the people be indisposed and nuzzled in
sin and superstition, as the Gentiles were ; 6. Though
the preacher be often restrained ; 7. Though there
be some dissension in less matters. The fifth thing
that may be gathered hence is, that in the conver
sion of sinners, God is no respecter of persons.
Men of any age, nation, sex, condition, life, or
quality, may be converted by the gospel. And
sixthly, It is plain here that preaching is the ordinary
means to convert every creature, so as ordinarily
there is none converted but by preaching. Lastly,
If any one ask what shall become of those nations,
or particular persons, that never yet heard of the
gospel, I answer, the way of God in divers things
is not revealed, and his judgments are like a great
deep. It belongs to us to look to ourselves, to whom
the gospel is come.
Thus of the first reason.
The second reason is taken from the testimony of
Paul, and he gives a double testimony : first, By his
ministry ; secondly, By his sufferings.
Uliereof I Pa id am a minister. Out of these words
many things may be noted :
First, In that the apostle, notwithstanding all the
disgraces and troubles that befell him for the gospel,
doth yet lift up the mention of his ministry therein
as an inducement to the Ephesians ; it may teach
us that the glory of God's truth is such as no man
need to be ashamed to teach or profess it; nay,
there can be no man or woman to whom it may not
be their chiefest glory, whatsoever carnal worldlings
or timorous Nicodemites conceive of it.
Secondly, In that so great an apostle doth not dis
dain to yield his testimony, of purpose to shew that
Epaphras, theirpreacher,had taught nothing butwhat
he had likewise taught ; it sheweth that it is the
property of faithful and humble ministers to streng
then the hearts and hands of their brethren, though
they be their inferiors; and then it will follow,
that tthey are proud, and envious, and malicious
persons, that by cross teaching labour to increase
their bonds whom God hath honoured with success
in their labours in the gospel. Such are they that in
many places strive to pull down as fast as others
build, making havoc in the church, and bending

Ver. 24.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

143

their whole might in their ministry to hinder the sin
cerity of the gospel and the conversion of sinners.
Thirdly, In that the apostle urgeth his own testi
mony, I Paul, it sheweth that the testimony of one
apostle is better than a thousand others, one Paul
opposed to many false teachers ; which should teach
us to converse much in the doctrine of the apostles
and prophets, which are of like authority. And the
rather because the best of other men may err, nay,
have erred ; and therefore a heap of human testi
monies should be of no value against one scripture.
And as the people should try the spirits by this wit
ness, so should preachers make conscience of it, to
take more pains to inform the consciences of the
people by the testimony of the word than by human
authority of what sort soever.
Fourthly, In that here is but one Paul, that comes
in to confirm the truth of the gospel, it shews that
many times the soundest teachers are the fewest in
number. Here it is so in the best times of the
church, so it was before ; there was but one Michaiah
for four hundred false prophets. So in Christ's time
there was a swarm of pharisaical, proud, vain
glorious, hypocritical, silken doctors, that loved the
chief room, and sought pre-eminence, teachers of
liberty and strife, defenders of traditions, and their
own glory and greatness, when Christ and his dis
ciples were by their envy scorned as a few precise,
singular fellows.
Fifthly, In that the apostle styleth himself
by the name of Paul, and not of Saul, it may
intimate that men truly regenerate hate the vain
name of their unregeneracy. It is a foul sign when
men can glory in the titles and names of their lewd
ness and sin past.
Lastly, In that the apostle termeth himself a
deacon — for so the word translated minister is in the
original — it notes his great humility. It was a
happy time in the church when the apostles called
themselves deacons ; and then began the church to
decay in true glory when deacons would needs be
apostles. Thus of the second reason and the 23d verse.
Ver. 24. Now rejoice I in my sufferings for you, and
fulfil the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for
his body's sake, which is the church.

These words contain the apostle's second testi
mony, and it is taken from his sufferings for the
gospel ; and he conceiveth that they have great
reason to persevere in the love of the truth, since he
hath with joy endured so many things for the con
firmation of the doctrine he had taught.
In these words I note two things : first, The
apostle's joy in affliction ; secondly, The reasons
which moved him unto his rejoicing. His suffer
ings in which he doth rejoice he amplifies by the
time, now, and the divers sorts of crosses he endured,
which he expresseth indefinitely, when he saith
plurally, my sufferings, as also by the use of them,
for you, that is, for confirmation of your faith and
encouragement. The motives are four : first, Be
cause they are the afflictions of Christ , secondly,
Because they are laid upon him by the decree of
God ; his measure is set him, and he hath almost
done his task, he is ready to die ; thirdly, Because
they are but in his flesh ; fourthly, Because they
were for the good of the church.
Now rejoice I in my sufferings. Doct. God's
children have much joy ; even in affliction they are
cheerful, and with great encouragement they bear
their crosses, Rom. v. 3, James i. 2, 2 Cor. vii. 4,
viii. 2, Heb. xi. 37, 2 Cor. i. 5, &c. ; and if any ask
the reason why they are so glad in their affliction
and trouble, I answer, God's servants are the more
cheerful under crosses, because they know : first,
That the ' the Prince of their salvation was conse
crate through affliction,' Heb. h. 10; secondly, That
their Saviour did therefore suffer that he might
succour them that suffer, Heb. ii. 18, John xvi. 33;
thirdly, That the sting is taken out of the cross,
and therefore it is not so painful to them as it is to
the wicked men ; fourthly, That ' the same afflic
tions are upon their brethren that are in the world,'
1 Pet. v. 9 ; fifthly, That the way to life is such a
kind of way, a strait and narrow troublesome way,
Mat. vii. 14 ; sixthly, That after all their troubles
are a while borne in this world, they shall have rest
with the blessed in heaven, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed, and better and more enduring
substance than any here they can want or lose,
Heb. x. 34, 2 Thes. i. 6, 7 ; yea, that their afflic
tions are to be accounted a part of that treasure
that they would lay up against the last day;

144

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

Chap. I.

seventhly, That God will in the mean time comfort
them in all their tribulation, 2 Cor. i. 4 ; eighthly,
That their manifold temptations serve for great use,
as for the trial of their precious faith and refining
of all graces, with the purging out of much dross
and corruption in their natures, 1 Pet. i. 6, 7 ;
ninthly, That no afflictions can separate them from
the love of God in Christ ; with many other reasons,
which I might instance in, besides those mentioned
in the end of this verse. If any yet ask, how God's
servants have attained to such joy, since there are
worlds of people that in their troubles could never
be induced to conceive of such contentment by any
reason could be brought them, I answer that there
are divers things in God's children which are not in
wicked men, which are great causes and helps to
joy in tribulation : as, first, They will receive the
light, and treasure up holy knowledge, which they
find singular use of in their troubles, whereas an
ignorant mind is usually attended with a distem
pered heart, Heb. x. 32, 34 ; secondly, They have
faith in God, and carry about in their hearts the
warm and inflamed love of Jesus Christ, and are,
therefore, able to trust in God's providence in any
distress, 1 Pet. i. 7, 8 ; thirdly, God's children hold
such a course as this, when as iruDtj/Mxra, the suffer
ings, which are mala pcence, evUs of punishment, do
fall upon them, they presently run and revenge
themselves upon those inward <ira6h/j,a.Ta,, mala culpce,
evils of sin, even their secret passions and affec
tions ; and by crucifying them, they work their peace
and tranquillity within themselves, for no man would
be hurt by his afflictions without if he would mor
tify his passions within, Gal. v. 24 ; fourthly, They
are much in prayer, and keep a good conscience in
an upright, innocent, and sincere conversation,
2 Cor. i. 5, 11, 12 ; and lastly, the word is a con
tinual fountain of joy in all troubles, which keeps
them from discouragement or unquietness, Ps. cxix.
For you. These words may be referred either to
rejoice or to sufferings. It is true God's servants do
feel great joy one for another, 1 Thes. iii. 7. And
to think of the grace or prosperity of other of God's
servants is many times a great comfort in trouble.
But I rather think the words are to be referred to
sufferings, and then the sense may he for you, that is
for the doctrine, which, as the apostle of the

Gentiles, I taught you ; or for the confirmation of
your faith and encouragement to like patience ; and
the rather, because the offering of him up for the
sacrifice and service of their faith was as the conse
cration of the first fruits to God, upon which fol
lowed a greater blessing upon the whole church.
Uses. The consideration hereof should teach
God's people, not to faint at the troubles of their
teachers, since they are for them (though to carnal
reason it seems contrary) ; yea, the apostle, Eph. iii.
13, saith, it is their glory. Which also shows the
vain pains that wicked men take when they perse
cute faithful teachers ; for though they think thereby
to plague the people that so greatly rely upon them,
yet, indeed, God turns all for the best, that those
sufferings are for them and not against them. And
if wicked men were thus persuaded, they would
spare such wicked labour ; and if the godly could
believe this it would make them unmoveable in
trouble ; for what shall make against them if this
kind of troubles make for them ?
And fulfil the rest ofthe afflictions of Christ. Some
of the late papists gather from these words that
Christ did not suffer all that was needful for man's
deliverance from sin, but left a deal to be suffered
by his members, especially men of principal note ;
and hence grew their supererogation, satisfactory
pains, and indulgences. But that this cannot be the
meaning of this place is clear : first, Because that
doctrine is contrary to other scriptures, as Isa. Iiii.
4, 12, John xix. 30, Heb. x. 1, 15, Heb. ix. 14, 25,
26, 2 Cor. v. 14, 1 John ii. 1, Ps. xlix. 7 ; secondly,
Themselves being judges, this sense brings in a gross
absurdity, for if the words be understood of the
suffering Christ left to his people to endure for
satisfaction for sin, then it will follow that Paul
suffered all was wanting, and so there should re
main none for any other to suffer ; for he saith, he
' suffered the rest of the sufferings of Christ ; '
thirdly, Calvin and Fulke say that none of the
fathers did here thus understand the words, and it
is plain that St Augustine is flat against this sense
when he saith, (August. Tract. 84 in Johan,) 'Though
brethren die for brethren, yet no blood of martyrs
is shed for remission of sins : this Christ only hath
done.' And Leo, a pope, could say, the just re
ceive, not give, crowns. And out of the fortitude of

Ver. 24.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

145

the faithful arise examples of patience, not gifts of
righteousness ; fourthly, The next verse cleareth
this, for he did thus suffer, ' according to the dis
pensation given him of God.' Nowr, he was given
to edify, not to redeem the church ; fifthly, Their
school divines are against them : the Gloss hath it
thus, Pro vobis, i.e., Confirmandis in doctrina evangelii.
Aquinas doubts not to say, that to affirm that the
passions of the saints are added to make up or fulfil
the passion of Christ, is heretical. Cajetan refers the
word quce desunt unto in came mea. The plain mean
ing is, that the apostle did endure that measure of
afflictions that God in his counsel had appointed
him to endure for the name and gospel of Christ,
and the good of the church, in the confirmation and
encouraging of men's minds in the truth of the
gospel. Of Christ. His sufferings may be said to be the
sufferings of Christ, eithei as Christ is taken for the
whole mystical body, which is not strange in scrip
ture, for by Christ, in 1 Cor. xii., he meaneth the
body of Christ, or as he is the head of the church ;
and so the afflictions of God's servants may be said
to be his sufferings ; either because they be such as
he should suffer himself if he were on earth, or
because they were laid upon him by Christ for the
church's good ; or because they were for Christ and
his doctrine ; or because they deserve nothing, but
all the praise is Christ's ; or because of the sympathy
of Christ with the Christian, who accounts them as
if they were his sufferings. And in this latter
sense, I think, chiefly these words are to be taken,
for it is certain Christ doth so feel the miseries of
his people, that he accounts them in that respect to
be his own miseries, as these places shew : Heb. iv.
15, Rom. viii. 17, Mat. xxv. 42, Sec, Phil. iii. 10,
1 Pet. iv. 13, 2 Cor. i. 4, Acts ix. 4. Hence grew
that witty division of Christ's sufferings into ireongr,-
,ubara and itm^/Maru ; so as the first should be under
stood ofthe sufferings he endured in his own person,
and the latter of the sufferings he felt in his mem
bers. Uses. The consideration of this, that Christ ac-
counteth the afflictions of his members to be his
own, may serve for divers uses : for, first, It shews
that they be in a woeful case that have aught to do
against Christ's ministers or any of his servants.

They would easily grant it that the Jews were
brought into great distress by the wrongs they did
to Christ himself; then must it also follow that they
cannot escape scot-free that despise, revile, traduce,
or any way abuse the messengers or servants of
Christ, since he accounts it as done to himself.
Secondly, This may be a wonderful motive to stir
us up to be industrious in well-doing, and in helping
and relieving the poor members of Christ, since we
are sure to have thanks and reward from Christ
himself, as if we had done it to him. Lastly, In all
our sufferings we should strive that we might be
assured that our sufferings are his sufferings. And
that it might be so, we must be sure of two things :
1. That we be 'found in him,' Phil. i. 9, 10; for
unless we be the members of Christ we cannot have
the benefit of this sympathy ; 2. That we suffer not
for ill-doing, 2 Pet. iv. 15, &c.
Rest of his sufferings. Doct. So long as Christ
shall have a member on earth there will rest some
thing for him to suffer in his members ; and there
fore we should learn not to promise ourselves rest
and ease while we are in this world.
To fulfil. The word signifieth either to do it
instead of another, as if the soldier fight in the
captain's room, or to do it in his own course or
turn, according to the appointment of his governor,
and in such proportion as is required ; and thus I
think it is taken here. It is certain that all the
afflictions of the members of Christ come from God's
decree, and the continuance and measure of them is
appointed of God, Rev. ii. 8, 10, Isa. xxvii. 7-9,
1 Thes. iii. 3, 4. And therefore it should encourage
every Christian the more cheerfully in his course,
and wdien his turn comes to take up his cross and
follow Christ, and never stand much upon the
malice of men, or the rage of devils, but to look
principally to God, with this assurance, that God
will deliver him when his measure is full.
In my flesh. Doct. 1. God doth afflict the flesh of
his servants, he spareth not the best of his servants
herein. Use is to teach us, therefore, not to pamper
our flesh, but to be resolved to suffer it willingly to
be used like the flesh of Christ and the saints. But
especially wre should take heed of taking care for the
flesh, Rom. xiii. 14, or serving the flesh, Gal. vi.
T

116

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[Chap. I.

It is an unseemly thing in a Christian to make very
much of his flesh, but it is worse to spend his cares
about it, but worst of all to let his whole husbandry
be only for his outward man.
Secondly, Great things may be suffered, and yet
the soul be untouched ; as here the apostle's suffer
ings, which were exceeding great and manifold,
reach only to his flesh ; they enter not into his soul.
And the reason why some of God's servants are so
unmoveable in their crosses is because they converse
in heaven, and their spirits walk with God, and so
are without reach of these earthly perturbations.
Besides, when a man's heart is settled and grounded
in the truth, and in the assurance of God's love,
what should disquiet his soul, that knoweth nothing
to mourn for but sin and the absence of God ? and
nothing joyous, but what comes from the light of
God's countenance?
Thirdly, He that hath felt the troubles of the
soul for sin is not much troubled with the crosses
that are but outward.
The use is, for great reproof of carnal Christians,
that are seldom observed to grieve but when some
what aileth their flesh, but, on the other side, are
not at all touched with the miseries of the soul.
As also we should learn of the apostle, in aU out
ward crosses, to say with ourselves, why should I
be troubled or disquieted? or rather, why should
I not be joyous, since what I endure is but in the
flesh ? and since the Lord doth spare my soul, let
him do whatsoever pleaseth him.
Lastly, We may here note the wonderful love and
compassion of Christ, that pitieth not only our
souls but our flesh, accounting what we suffer to be
as his sufferings. Is it not enough that he should
accept of the contrition of our souls, but that also
he should regard the sorrows and troubles of our
flesh? For his body's sake, which is the church. Sufferings
are of two kinds : either of the church or for the
church. Of the church are also of two kinds :
either chastisements or trials. Sufferings for the
church are likewise of two sorts : either expiation,
and so Christ only suffered ; or martyrdom for
confirmation of doctrine, or encouragement in prac
tice, and so the saints have suffered for the church.
The principal doctrine from hence is, that the

particular sufferings of God's servants, especially
the ministers, serve for the good and profit of tho
whole body.
The use is manifold : first, We should hereby be
informed to mind the good of the church, and to
seek the advancement of religion and the good of
religious persons, above our own estate. Our care
should be most for the body of Christ, and we
should rejoice in any service we could do to the
church of God. Secondly, Such as are called to
suffer should labour to show all good faithfulness,
zeal, constancy, and holy discretion, seeing their
sufferings concern more, than their own persons.
Thirdly, This should stir us up to pray for such as
are in trouble for good causes, since their afflictions
are some way for our sakes, 2 Cor. i. 11. Fourthly,
This may encourage poor Christians that complain
they have not means to do good. They may be hence
informed that if God call them thereunto they may
do good, yea, to the whole church, by their suffer
ings. No wants can hinder, but that the poorest
Christian may profit others by prayers, fastings,
counsel, admonitions, comfort, and suffering.
Fifthly, Since the sufferings of the righteous are
for our confirmation and encouragement, we should
use the meditation of such sufferings when we find
ourselves inclineable to discouragement, or impa
tiency, or doubting. Lastly, This greatly reproves
carnal Christians, which are so taken up generally
with the care of their natural bodies, that they have
utterly neglected the care and service of the
mystical body. And inasmuch as men are gener
ally so barren in doing good, it is a plain sign there
is no hope that ever they would suffer for God.
Secondly, Further hence may be noted, that the
doctrine or sufferings of the saints are no privilege
or benefit to any but the true church, and tlierefore
papists have no cause to boast of Peter and the
saints, so long as they remain a false church.
Thirdly, We may also observe hence, that they
only are of the true church who are of the body of
Christ; and therefore we must be sure we be mem
bers of Christ before we glad our hearts with our *
privilege in the church. And a member of Christ
thou art not unless : 1. Thou believe the remission
of thy sins, for we are engrafted only by faith; 2.
Unless thou have had in thy soul an influence of

Ver. 25.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

147

holy graces from Christ, as from the head ; 3. Un
less thou work the works of Christ, and bring forth
the fruits of a reformed life, for thereby thou must
try whether thou be a true plant in this vine ; and
lastly, If thou be of this body thou hast some room
in the affections of God's children, or else it will be
hard to prove that thou art a fellow-member.
Fourthly, Here we may see that seldom comes
there any good to the church but there is suffering
for it; it cannot be redeemed but Christ must die;
and if the merit of this redemption be applied, Paul
must die. It is an ill sign thou hast no true grace
when thou sufferest nothing for the grace thou
trustest to. It is an ill sign that God is not with
the watchmen of Ephraim when they suffer nothing
for the efficacy of their doctrine. Neither may any
think this may be prevented by meekness or wis
dom ; for the treasures of both these were in Christ,
and yet he was a man full of sorrows.
And for conclusion : Out of the whole verse we
may gather together a number of arguments against
the cross : 1. Paul suffers ; 2. One may rejoice not
withstanding afflictions ; 3. The longer we bear the
cross the better able we shall be to endure it, — this
may be gathered out of the word, now; 4. They are
such as Christ accounts his ; 5. -They come from the
decree of God ; 6. Their measure is set by God ; 7.
We bear them but in our course, others have gone
before us, and after us must others follow; 8.
Christ suffered the great brunt of God's wrath, our
sufferings are but small relics, or parcels, that are
left behind ; 9. The measure will once be full, and
that shortly; 10. They are but in the flesh for the
most part; 11. Christ respects the troubles of our
flesh as well as the affliction of our spirit; 12. We
may profit the church by our sufferings.
Ver. 25. Whereof I am made a minister, according to
the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you, to
fulfil the word of God.
In this verse is contained the third general reason,
and it is taken from the testimony of God; wherein
he shows that they ought to continue in the doc
trine they had received, because God, by a special
dispensation, had ordained him and the rest of the
faithful teachers, by their ministries, to serve to the
good of the members of Christ, by fulfilling and

accomplishing thereby whatsoever concerns the sal
vation either of Jew or Gentile.
In this dispensation I consider five things : first,
Who is the author of it? God; secondly, What kind
of dispensation it is, viz., a household administra
tion, for so the word olxovo/ua. importeth ; thirdly,
What he dispenseth, viz., the service of his min
isters; fourthly, How he dispenseth, viz., by grant
ing out a commission to them in particular, ' unto
me is given;' fifthly, To what end, viz., 'to fulfil
the word of God.'
From the coherence with the 23d verse, I note :
That if men would be established in faith and hope,
they must be subject to the power of the ministry
of God's servants. From the coherence with the
former verse, I note : That if the ministers of Christ
do find that their service is available and powerful
to profit the souls of the people, they must not think
it strange that they fall into many tribulations.
From the general consideration ofthe wdiole verse,
I observe both the dignity and the restraint of the
ministry. The dignity of a minister stands in three
things: first, That he is God's ambassador; secondly,
That by his commission he is sent unto God's people,
who are the only worthies of the world ; thirdly,
That a great part of the efficacy of the word rests,
by God's appointment, upon him and his office.
The restraint is likewise in three things : first, He is
a minister or servant, not a lord or saviour; secondly,
He receives his commandment from God, he must
not run of his own head, nor hold his office by mere
human ordination ; thirdly, The word of God must
be his ground and rule for all his dealing in dis
pensing the things of God.
Of God. God is the dispenser of all good things
to the church, but in special of the ministry of his
servants, both in respect of his embassage, and the
calling of the ambassador ; and in respect of the
efficacy of the embassage, both in the preparation
and power of the teacher, and in the hearts of the
hearers. Uses. Which should teach us especially two
things : first, In the church's want of able ministers
to seek to God, the great Lord of the harvest, to
send forth more labourers ; and secondly, We should
reverence God's ministers, inasmuch as they are the
' dispensers of God's secrets,' 1 Cor. iv. 1. Ministers

148

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

also may hence learn to execute their commission
with all diligence, 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2 ; 'in the declara
tion of the truth approving themselves to men's
consciences, in the sight of God,' 2 Cor. iv. 2, ii. 17;
with discretion, Mat. xxiv. 45, xiii. 52; as becomes
servants of God, Titus i. 7, &c. ; rebuking sin with
all zeal and power, Micah iii. 8. Lastly, hence
ariseth the woeful estate of such ministers as preach
not the gospel, 1 Cor. ix. 1 6, and of such people as
hear not God's ministers, 1 John iv. 6, either for want
of means, or through wilful unbelief, Luke xvi. 31.
Thus of the person dispensing.
This kind of dispensation is olxovo/Ja. God
governeth his church with a household government,
as a father governeth his family ; not as a tyrant
that rules what by right he owns not ; nor as a
monarch that knows not the thousandth part of
what he rules ; nor as a captain that trains his
soldiers only to labour and danger, while their trea
sures are at home; nor as a schoolmaster that rules
children that are not his own ; but as a most provi
dent and loving father, that keeps none but he owns
them, and knows them particularly, and provides
for them, and all at home, Mat. xx. 1, Gal. vi. 10,
Eph. iii. 16, ii. 19.
Uses. The use is : first, For instruction. If we
would have God to rule us with this most familiar
and fatherly providence, we must then be sure that
we be of his household ; and that we may try : first,
By the manner of God's taking possession of us ; for
before he comes thus to rule us, there is a strong
combat between Christ and the devil, that strong
man. Mat. xiii. 27, xxi. 33; and if sin and Satan
rule still in our hearts, the Lord is not there, neither
can we serve two masters, Mat. xii. 29, Luke xvi.
1 3. Secondly, By our affection to God's glory and
his people. If we be right ' the zeal of God's house
will eat us up.' Thirdly, By the gifts of God's Spirit,
as namely, by the spirit of prayer ; for God's house
is a house of prayer, and all his household can and
do pray. Fourthly, By the privilege of the house ; for
if we be admitted of God, ' the Son doth make us
free,' John viii. 35. Fifthly, By the sovereignty of
Christ, for as many as have this honour, they do sub
mit themselves to be ruled by the word and spirit of
Christ,' Luke i. 33. If the Son cannot rule us, the
Father will not own us. And further, if we find our

selves to be of this household, we should live in the
household of God, showing all faithfulness in using
our talents, and carefulness in dispensing those
earthly things that God hath entrusted us withal,
and also observing the orders of God's house, and
not receiving appointment from the example, 'will,
customs, or traditions of men, Gal. iv. 8, 9.
The third thing is, what he dispenseth, viz., the
ministry of his servants, whereof I am a minister.
The church hath great need of ministers.
Quest. But what good do they to us ?
Ans. They are God's ambassadors, to reconcile us
to God, 2 Cor. v. 20 ; they are the arms of the Lord,
to collect us out of the world, 2 Thes. h. 14, Isa.
Iiii. 1 ; they are the light of the world, Mat. v. 15 ;
and the salt of the earth, Mat. v. 1 3 ; they are our
spiritual fathers, to beget us to God, 1 Cor. iv. 15,
1 Pet. i. 23 ; and nurses after we are begotten, 1
Thes. ii. 7 ; they are our intercessors to God, being •
our mouth in irablic and in private, rising up in the
gap, praying to stay God's anger ; they are stewards
over God's house, Luke xii. 41 ; and the keys of
heaven are delivered to them, Mat. xvi., John xx.
23, Mat. xviii. 18. All which should stir us up to
honour and love them with a singular love for their
wrork's sake.
Which is given to me. Ministers must be called
by special commission from God, as well as by out
ward calling from man.
To fulfil the word of God. Divers things may be
hence observed : First, The word is that special
treasure, and the chief portion that God hath left,
both to ministers and people. Secondly, Whatso
ever the word seemeth to be unto carnal men, yet
it is certain God will see to it, that all that is in it
shall be fulfilled. Thirdly, The preachers of the
gospel are the means to set the word a-working;
and therefore, no wonder though troops of people
that are not subject to the ministry of the word find
little power in it. Besides, it evidently confutes
those that think, by reading at home, to get enough
both for knowledge and salvation ; for it is preach
ing that, by God's blessing and ordination, doth put
life into the word, and brings it into accomplish
ment. Fourthly,
Quest. How may we conceive of it, that God's
ministers do fulfil the word ?

Ver 25.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

149

Ans. The word is said by them to be fulfilled
four ways : 1'. If we respect preaching itself; 2. If
we respect the manner of preaching ; 3. If we re
spect the suffering that follows preaching ; 4. If we
respect the efficacy of preaching.
For the first : Paul may be said to fulfil the word,
in that he doth preach as he was by his commission
appointed ; he was charged by God to preach, and
in obedience to God's word or will he did preach
it. It is not enough for ministers to receive com
mission to preach, but they must fulfil it ; and
therefore woe to those loiterers and non-residents,
that care more to fill their barns than to fulfil their
ministration. For the second : Ministers are said to fulfil the
word when they execute their commission in a due
manner ; and this they do : first, When they preach
with all diligence; secondly, When they hold out to
the end, not taking pains for a sermon or two, or a
year or two, till they can get preferment, but with
all constancy, persevering in the labour and work of
their ministry, till their course be ended, and the
fight finished, 2 Tim. iv. 8 ; thirdly, When they
reveal all the counsel of God that is needful for
their hearers, — thus Paul fulfilled the word, Acts
xx. 18.
Thirdly, Ministers fulfil the word by afflictions,
for thereby they confirm the hearts of their
hearers ; as also, thereby is fulfilled upon them that
which is in scripture so oft foretold should befal
the faithful dispensers of the word, 2 John xv., xvi.,
xvii. Quest. Can all ministers show their bonds for the
gospel ?
Ans. Nay, some can show the livings they have
lewdly gotten, their ease, their dignities, their re
sisting of the word faithfully taught by others, the
disgraces they have cast upon their brethren ; but
alas ! their pains or sufferings may easily be reckoned.
But woe unto them ; for, for all the evil they have
done, they have brought evil upon their own souls ;
the Lord Jesus consume them with the breath of his
coming !
Lastly, In respect to the efficacy of the word, it is
fulfilled by them ; for many great things threatened
or promised in the word were to be accomplished by
them, some extraordinary, some ordinary. The ex

traordinary were bound to certain times, such as
were heretofore, the calling of the Gentiles, and the
induration or obstinacy of the Jew^s ; and such as
are now in doing, or to be done, as the reclaiming
of the world by the everlasting gospel, the downfall
of antichrist, and the gathering of the Jews.
These things have been promised in the word, and
have, are, and shall be wonderfully fulfilled by the
ministry of preachers. The ordinary are fulfiUed in
the church at all times ; and thus the word is ful
filled in the elect and in the reprobate. In the
elect, ministers fulfil the word : 1 . In converting
those by the word, which were foreordained of God,
Rom. i. 16, xv. 19. 2. In conveying Christ to their
souls ; so as the word is not a bare history of the
merit and grace of Christ, but is fulfilled in the appli
cation of Christ, Rom. viii. 4, 2 Cor. ii. 14, ICor.i. 17,
Gal. iii. 1, 3, 5. 3. By dividing the word amongst
them, as the food of their souls, to preserve them.
4. By the application of the promises, which are
effectually in the ministry fulfilled in the hearts of
the hearers, Luke iv. 21. Lastly, In causing the
elect to fulfil the word, both in obeying the word,
Rom. xv. 18, and in persevering in the doctrine to
the end. In the reprobate, they fulfil the word : 1.
In hardening them, 2 Cor. ii. 15. 2. By making
them inexcusable by illumination. 3. In occasioning
many sins through their own wilful corruption,
Rom. vii. 8. 4. In slaying them, or by sentence
cutting them off, Isa. xi. 3, Mat. xvi. 16, 2 Cor.
x. 6. "
The use of all this is : 1. To shew the necessity
of continual preaching, seeing by it the word must
be fulfilled ; many are still to be converted, and all
to be comforted, directed, strengthened, reproved,
Sec. 2. To justify the continual travail of faithful
ministers, that will never give over to exhort, re
prove, convince, &c. They are enjoined to see the
word of God fulfilled, and therefore no wonder
though they will not let men rest in their sin and
security. 3. To teach us in all temptations or
afflictions to run to the word preached, for thereby
God will certainly perform all needful consolation,
or direction, or humiliation. 4. To inform ministers
that they must add indefatigable pains, since so
much is to be fulfilled by them. 5. To admonish
stubborn sinners to take heed of provoking God, for

150

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

if the word may not be fulfilled in their salvation, it
shall be fulfilled in their induration.
Ver. 26. Which is the mystery hid since the world
began, and from all ages, but now is made manifest to
his saints.
These words are the fourth general reason, taken
from the excellency of the gospel, which is here de
scribed in four things : 1. By the nature of it, a
mystery. 2. By the antiquity of it, since the world be
gan, or from ages and generations. 3. By the time
of the full revelation of it, viz., now, in the new
world by Christ. 4. By the persons to whom it is
revealed, viz., the saints.
The mystery. The gospel is a great mystery, 1
Tim. iii. 16 ; a hidden mystery, Rom. xvi. 25 ; hidden
in God, Eph. hi. 9, 2 Tim. i. 9 ; because it was a
secret in the purpose and grace of the Father before
the world began. Hidden in Christ, because he
was that store-house in which the Father laid up all
his treasures that concern man's life and immor
tality, Col. ii. 3, and because he was the meritorious
cause of all our happiness. Hidden in the word,
Rom. xvi. 26 ; because the scriptures of the prophets
and apostles are the sacred fountains of knowledge,
and originals, from the bowels of which flow the
comforts of the gospel to the church. Hidden also
in the dark shadows of the ceremonial law. Hidden
from Adam himself in paradise, so long as he acknow
ledged his happiness by the covenant of works.
Hidden from the Gentiles many hundred years,
while they served dumb idols, and had not the sun
of righteousness shining among them. Hidden from
the Jews in part and comparatively, because in a
manner all the Jews were ignorant of the manner
of Christ's kingdom, and of the calling of the Gen
tiles, and such like ; comparatively, in respect of us,
they had the light of a candle, but we have the light
of the sun ; and therefore John is said to be least in
the kingdom of God. Hidden from the natural
man still, who cannot perceive the spiritual things
of God, 1 Cor. ii. 7, 14; no, though otherwise he
abound with wit and learning. Hidden also from
the very faithful, comparatively, in respect of what
they shall know in the kingdom of glory ; and in
respect of the differences of degrees among them
selves now.

Quest. But why is the doctrine of man's happiness
so obscure to many, even in the church, in these
days? Ans. Man is by nature covered with the veil of
original blindness, Isa. xxv. 8 ; and besides, he is
bewitched with the deceitfulness of his actual sins,
Heb. iii. 13; the god of this world, with his wiles
and subtilties, his deepness and his methods, blindeth
many thousands to their destruction, that he may
hide the gospel from them, 2 Cor. iv. 3, Eph. vi.,
Rev. ii., 2 Cor. x. 4. Also evil thoughts, nursed
and fortified as thick clouds, hide the hght from
divers. To some in judgment Christ speaks in
parables, Mat. xiii. ; others shaU never have the
light was offered, because they used not the hght
they had. The envious man in many places sows
the tares of corrupt doctrine. And unto many con
gregations, for want of sincere preaching, immor
tality and life is not yet brought unto hght, 2 Tim.
i. 10, Tit. i. 3, besides the transplendency of the
doctrine itself is such as exceeds the capacity of the
most. Quest. But how comes it that even the godly
themselves in all places attain to so smaU a measure
of knowledge in the gospel ?
Ans. There are remnants of natural bhndness
even in the best ; and the sin that hangs on so fast
is not without pollution, and an obscuring property.
Faith also, that should have principal use in con
veying this light, is not without some mixtures of
doubts and other dross. Affections are not without
their fumes which becloud the understanding ; some
times they want the means, sometimes they are
negligent in the use of them ; and to see perfectly
is the only privilege of the New Jerusalem that is
above. Uses. The uses are for reproof, for information,
for instruction, and for consolation.
First, It reproves the horrible profaneness of those
that so securely contemn the gospel, so sacred a
mystery ; and fearful is the curse with which God
doth avenge the quarrel of his word, even this, that
unto these men the Scriptures, both read and
preached, are a sealed book, Isa. xxix. 1 1 . And is
the gospel a mystery ? Then singular is their
dotage and madness that say they know as much as
any of them all can teach them.

Ver. 26.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

151

Secondly, We may hereby be informed concern
ing the necessity of preaching. The greater the
mystery is, the greater need of laborious and studi
ous men, that are thereunto set apart to make mani
fest those secrets of the kingdom; for this is the
' appointment of God our Saviour,' that by preach
ing committed to certain men thereunto sanctified,
as the apostle saith, ' the word promised before the
world began should be manifested in due time,'
Tit. i. 2, 3.
Thirdly, This should teach us divers duties : 1.
Let every man account of faithful teachers, as ' the
ministers of Christ, and such as dispense the
mysteries of God,' 1 Cor. iv. 1. 2. We must bring
faith to the gospel, else it will not profit, Tit. i. 1,
3, Heb. iv. 2. Reason and sense are no competent
guides or judges in these divine mysteries. And
the Lord hath commanded these secrets to be mani
fested and revealed by the Scriptures for the trial
of his elect, and for the exercise of their obedience
in believing as well as in doing, Rom. xvi. 25, 26.
3. As we should bring a resolution to believe God's
word in all things, though it be never so contrary
to sense and to common reason of the world, so
when the Lord doth reveal his promises and statutes
to us, we should hide them in our hearts as great
jewels and worthy treasures, meet to be kept in our
secretest remembrance, and the very bowels of our
affections, Jer. xxxi. 34. 4. This doctrine urgeth
the necessity of observing the rules of preparation ;
and to this purpose we may find five things charged
upon us, all drawn from this consideration of the
mystery of the gospel : First, We must be sure we
be turned to the Lord by true repentance, for till
then the veil cannot be taken away, 2 Cor. iii. 16.
Though the word were never so plain in itself, yet
we cannot discern it, by reason our understandings
are covered with a veil, and no man can look upon
this bright sun tUl his eyes be anointed with eye-
salve, Rev. iii. 18. Secondly, Inasmuch as the book
is sealed with seven seals, and no man nor angel is
able powerfully to unfold and open God's eternal
comforts to the conscience of man for his salvation,
save only the Lion of the tribe of Judah, which is
also the Lamb slain, having seven eyes, which are
the seven spirits of God ; therefore, in acknowledg
ment of his wisdom and power, we must go unto

him, importunately begging this blessing for his
glory that the book may be opened, even to enrich
us, Rev. iv. 1, 3, 12 ; and that to this end he would
make acceptable the odours of our desires and
prayers to God. Thirdly, We must remove lets ;
for if it be a mystery in itself, we had not need to
bring hardness of heart with us, or worldly cares,
or troubled affections, or a sluggish spirit, or preju
dicate opinions, or inordinate lusts, or any such im
pediments. Fourthly, We must bring with us the
loan and advantage of former doctrine communi
cated to us ; for ' to him that hath,' for practice and
increase, ' shall be given ; but from him that hath
not,' for employment and conscionable use, ' shall
be taken away that which he hath,' Mat. xiii. 11,
12. Fifthly, We must bring a pure conscience, as
a holy vessel, to receive this mystery of faith in, 1
Tim. iii. 9 ; and the conscience is then pure when it
is purified by the blood of Christ, and cloth daily
excite the desire of purity of heart and life, bearing
with the love and liking of no sin.
Ministers must also here learn, with all reverence
and painfulness, to behave themselves as becometh
those great mysteries ; they must not only be clean
themselves by holiness of heart and life, but must,
in compassion to the people, and the holy fear of
the majesty of God's truth and presence, teach with
power, frequency, perspicuity, and authority, and
since the Lord hath made them his stewards of his
mysteries, and holy jewels, and treasures, 'it is
required of them that they be faithful,' 1 Cor. iv. 1,
both in applying them to the right owners, and in
setting them out according to their truth.
Lastly, The meditation hereof may serve for sin
gular comfort to all those that find mercy from the
Lord in the revelation of his mystery : ' blessed
are their eyes that see it, and their ears that hear
it,' Mat. xiii. 16 ; they are more happy than many
millions of men besides.
Hid since the world began, and from ages. 'Awb rwv
aiuivaii xai awb rut yinw. The first of these words is
diversely accepted. Sometimes it is translated from
eternity, as Ps. lii. 1, 'The goodness of the Lord
hath endured from all eternity,' as Beza thinks,
writing on Luke i. 70 ; sometimes, since the world
began, as Luke i. 70, Acts iii. 21 ; sometimes it
signifieth but of old, or a long time ago, as the

152

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[Chap. I.

Hebrew word, which is thought to answer it, is
rendered, Ps. cxix. 52 ; sometimes it is taken for
the space of a man's life, as Peter said, ' thou shalt
not wash my feet,' ilg rh alma,, that is, never while
I live ; and in Eph. iii. ult. there is such a phrase
as this, 'glory to God, &c.,' si; irdsag rag ymag too
alutog r£v aiS;u«, as if it should be rendered unto or
throughout all the generations of the world of
worlds, that is, of the world to come ; and 2 Pet.
iii. ult., he saith, ' glory to him,' xai ton xai tig iifiigav
alung ; that is, henceforth to the day of eternity.
There is unto man two worlds ; the one begins with
his life, the other with his death. But some would
have it thus, awb run aluvm, a seculis, i.e., a filiis seculi
hujus, from the men of this world. Sometimes the
word notes the state of things in the world, as Rom.
xii. 2, fj.i] Gu<syr)iJ,a.riZs6fa rui aluvi rovru, ' be not con
formed to this world;' and Eph. ii. 2, xutu rbv aitZvu
rou x6s/j.ov rovrov, ' according to the course of this
world ; ' but others render it ages ; and so from ages
may note the time of the Gentiles, or the time since
the world began ; so that is well rendered in the
last translation, hid from ages and from generations ;
and if any will have the two words distinguished,
then it may be from ages, quoad tempora ; from
generations, quoad successiones hominum; but how
soever it is, it fully imports the great antiquity of
the gospel. If the papists will plead antiquity, let
them have recourse to the word ; or if their trum
pery will not bear the trial of this antiquity, it is
because there is no truth in them ; and let this be a
sufficient stay to all godly minds, that our doctrine
is grounded upon the doctrine of the prophets,
patriarchs, and apostles, wliich are the best ancients ;
but this is general.
Ages and generations. From the particular consi
deration of these words, divers things will arise :
First, The transitory estate of the world may here
be noted. The things of the world, in their best
frame, are so mutable, that they expire and are
altered with varieties, and the men of the world have
but their short time, and then they go out and leave
their rooms to their succeeding generation ; which
may serve for divers uses, if it be seriously thought
on : First, It should cause us to fear him that can
not only change us, but mow down with his scythe
whole generations of men, ' before whom the nations

are but a little dust of the balance, or drop of the
bucket ; ' and we should also magntfy and adore that
God that is of himself subject to no change, and
lives for evermore, Rev. iv. 10. Secondly, It should
make us in love with the world of worlds, and to
admire the blessed estate of such as shall be ac
counted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrec
tion from the dead, Luke xx. 35, to such an angelical
and unchangeable condition ; and to this end we
should be quickened to a serious preparation for the
world to come, seeing we have but our turn and
course upon earth ; we should ' not fashion ourselves
to this world,' Rom. xii. 2 ; we should refuse to
square our actions according to the lusts and
humours of men, 1 Pet. iv. 2 : let us serve, not
time nor the fancies of men, but the king of times,
1 Tim. i. 1 7. Secondly, We should look to it that
neither the cares of this world choke, nor the god
of this world hide or take from us, the word of the
kingdom, Mat. xiii., 2 Cor. iv. 4. Thirdly, And if
we must not serve the men of the world nor the
things of the world, much less may we serve sin ;
for if any man be a servant to sin, he shah not
abide in the house to the next world, John vih. 34.
Fourthly, This may abate the great opinion of the
wisdom of this world ; for what shall it profit me
to have great skill to get money and means for this
life, if I have no skill or wisdom for the saving of
my soul ? What shall it advantage me to have a
nature and carriage tilled and fitted for the winning
of friends for this world, if I know not how to make
me friends for a better world ? What availeth it to
have gifts for an eminent place in man's common
wealth, and for want of grace be not acknowledged
of the ' commonwealth of Israel ?' To what purpose
is it to be a ' disputer of this world,' and in the day
of Christ to be swallowed up with amazed silence,
as not having a word to say for thy poor soul. And
yet providence for our future estate may be learned
from these children of this world. For if the chU
dren of sin be so industrious to make shift for their
time, how much more should the hearts of the chil
dren of eternity be enlarged to an inflamed care of
large provision for tlieir immortal estate. Fifthly,
This should embolden us to a willing forsaking of
ourselves in the worst of all outward trials, which
is, to forego even all for Christ's sake and the gos-

Ver. 26.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

pels, if we be put to it. What great thing is it to
part with that little all that we have in this world,
seeing it could serve us but for a little time, and at
length we must leave all ? And besides, by a volun
tary abnegation, we shall be advantaged in the gain
of an eternal recompense of reward a hundredfold
better. Again, in that the gospel is hid from whole ages
and generations of men, we may see that whole
multitudes may be in a miserable estate ; and that
it is no privilege for any in sinning that many are
such sinners. Neither is multitude or succession of
men in one mind for matters of religion any note
of the true church ; for here are whole ages, and
many successions of men, that all lived and died
without the knowledge of the gospel. It is a slender
prop for faith to rest on to say our fathers and fore
fathers lived and died in this or that mind or opinion,
Further, we may observe hence the infectiousness of
sin ; how naturally it will spread, even to the poison
ing of whole worlds of men. If sin but once get a
fountain, if the Lord stop it not, into what rivers of
contagion will it diffuse itself ! Also, we may see
how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of an
angry God, since the lives of so many millions
cannot find pity or pardon with him. And the
insensibleness of sinners may hence be noted also.
When would those ages and generations of men
have awaked out of their idolatrous sleep, if the
Lord, by the voice of his Son and his servants, had
not awaked them? Moreover, it may be manifest
from hence, that the Lord, in dispensing his grace,
is not moved by any outward things ; for what can
any person or people have to commend them by to
God, which those nations had not ? Lastly, we may
here see it verified that God's judgments are like a
great deep : it is not for man to conceive that he
should be able to search into them. Yet,* lest any
should stand still, and be swallowed up with amaze
ment at the fall and ruin of those worlds of men, let
him consider of these things following : first, That
these people were instructed by the creatures, and
had a law written in their hearts, Rom. i. and ii. ;
secondly, That these terrible desertions and exquisite
judgments were deserved by an infinite measure of
horrible sins, which, if we could soundly consider
of, our objections about their falls would be much

dulled ; thirdly, That it is God that prescribes and
describeth justice, and therefore things are just be
cause he doth them, not that first man must pro
nounce them just and then God will do them ;
fourthly, That the reasons of this dealing may be
just, though not expressed unto us ; fifthly, That
Christians are charged to be wise to sobriety, — they
may not let their thoughts run as far as they will,
but must let God alone with his secret judgments ;
sixthly, That the things are now strange and
obscure shall be more fully revealed in the day
of Christ, when all shall be cleared and made
manifest. Object. But some papist may say, it is plain by
these words that the scripture is hard, and not fit
for the common people, seeing it is called a mystery.
Ans. 1. This place cannot help them ; because it is
said that now it is revealed ; and so their cavil
conies out of season. 2. Because it is and was
hidden from carnal men, not from God's servants :
we do not wonder though the scriptures be as a
sealed book unto such carnal wretches as they are.
Now revealed. God hath revealed the mystery of
his will divers ways : first, By dreams, by day-
visions, by types and sacraments, by angels, by pro
phets and extraordinary men, by Christ appearing
in our nature, by his Spirit, by the scriptures, and
by the ordinary preaching of the ministers. Dreams,
visions, ancl types were peculiar in a manner to the
Old Testament. The ministry of Christ in his own
person, of the prophets and extraordinary men and
angels, is now ceased ; so as unto us this mystery is
revealed by the Spirit, in the ministry of God's ser
vants, and in the use of the scriptures.
Quest. But was not the gospel revealed till now
since Christ?
Ans. Yes, it was, as these places may prove: John
viii. 56, Abraham saw his days, and Moses wrote
of him ; all the prophets gave witness unto Christ,
Acts x. 43, Rom. i. 2 ; Christ is the same yesterday,
ancl to-day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. But the
gospel was hidden in respect of the time of the
manifestation of the glory of Christ, (especially to
the Gentiles,) and divers things in the manner of
Christ's kingdom were not revealed unto them, 1 Pet.
i. 10 : as also in respect of clearness of revelation,
and the more ordinary life and power of the graces
V

154

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[Chap. I.

of the Messias, and the more plentiful effusion of
the gifts of the Spirit. Fifthly, That it was not
revealed before, viz., as it is now : they had before
Christ lirayysXiav, that is, the promise of the Messias
to be exhibited, and we have luayysXiav, the tidings
of the Messias exhibited. Two things may be here
observed :
First, That God's servants may know tlieir own
particular blessedness, for he saith it is revealed to
the saints.
Secondly, That the seasons of the revelation of
the gospel, in the power of it, are singular privileges,
and greatly to* be heeded ; and therefore woe is to
those souls that neglect such days of grace ; it is
double condemnation. It is damnable to sit in
darkness, and have no means of life ; but it is much
more the condemnation of these worlds of profane
persons, that light is come into the world, John iii.,
yea, into the country, yea, even to their own towns
and congregations, and yet they ¦will love darkness
rather than light. Ancl on the other side, it should
teach men that know the time of such visitation,
both to bear witness to the light by presence, coun
tenance, maintenance, and establishing of it for
them and theirs, and also to walk as the children
of the light, even as a people exceedingly privileged
and blessed of God.
To his saints. The word saint is sometimes given
to Christ, Ps. xvi. 10 ; sometimes to angels, Job xv.
15 ; sometimes to the blessed in heaven, Mat. xxvii.
52 ; sometimes to the faithful on earth, Ps. xvi. 3.
The pope hath his saints, and such are the choice
of the most desperate traitors, as he ordereth his
canonisations in our days ; and the world hath his
saints too, and they are civil, honest men ; but here
by saints he meaneth the faithful on earth. And
they are saints that are holy by the righteousness
of faith, Acts xxvi. 18; that have the spirit of
sanctification, 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17; that are separate
from sinners by a holy calling, Rom. i. 6, 1 Cor.
i. 2 ; that are reformed from the principal evils of
their former conversation, 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; that call
upon the name of the Lord, 1 Cor. i. 2 ; that are
consecrate to God in special holiness of life.
Quest. But if a man live civilly in the world, will
not that serve the turn ?
Ans. It will not ; our righteousness must exceed

the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees. And
it may be profitable oft to recount the defects of the
civil, honest man. First, He wants' sincerity in the
first table; secondly, He sticks not at the inward
corruptions of the second table ; thirdly, His praise
is of men in his best actions, or else some other
corrupt ends; fourthly, He is wholly void of the
inward worship of God, and in the outward he is
either secure or superstitious; fifthly, He never
travailed in the new birth for his honesty ; sixthly,
He wants the righteousness of faith ; seventhly, For
the most part his heart is not sound nor upright in
his family, especially for matter of God's worship.
Ver. 27. To whom God would make known what is
the riches of his glorious mystery among the, Gentiles,
ivhich riches is Christ in you for hope of glory.
These words contain the fifth general reason, taken
from the excellency of the subject the gospel in the
preaching of it propounds unto men, and that is
Christ. And in this revelation of Christ consider :
1. To whom, viz., to the saints; 2. By whom, viz.,
God ; 3. What is the cause, viz., the wUl and good
pleasure of God — he would; 4. The manner : (1.) If we
respect the unregenerate world, it is in a mystery;
(2.) If we respect the grace communicated, it is a
glorious and rich mystery ; (3.) If we respect the place
where Christ as a Sun of righteousness riseth, it is
in yow,that is, in the heart of man ; (4.) If we respect
the persons he makes choice of, it is the miserable
Gentiles — amongst the Gentiles, (5.) If we respect
future things, he is revealed as the hope, of glory.
To whom. Of the persons to whom, I have spoken
in the end of the former verse ; only this doctrine
may be added, that only the saints, that is, holy
men, find treasures and riches in the power of the
glorious gospel of Christ. The Lord's secret is only
with them that fear him, Ps. xxv. 14. TUl faith be
revealed, men are shut up as in a dungeon or prison,
Gal. iii. 23. The Lord speaks peace only to his
people and his saints, Ps. lxxxv. 8. The righteous
ness of God is revealed to the just man that wUl
live by faith, Rom. i. 17. Flesh and blood, tUl
there be a new birth, is not capable of this revela
tion, Mat. xvi. 17. Men that hate to be reformed
have nothing to do with God's covenant, Ps. 1.
Hence we may see where the fault is wdien men be

Ver. 27.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

155

so averse and unteachable. When people have the
means and cannot understand to profit and do good,
it is only in their own hearts' lusts and wickedness
of lffe ; and therefore let every one that would grow
rich in knowledge, labour to be abundant in practice,
for the saving knowledge of this mystery increaseth
as grace and holiness groweth.
God. Doct. God is the author of all saving know
ledge ; he is ' the Father of lights.' The use is,
therefore : first, ' If any man lack wisdom, let him
ask it of God,' James i. 5. Secondly, Let all that
would have knowledge use good means. Those
people that are too wise to use reading, hearing,
conference, and prayer, are but in a miserable case ;
those they account silly people, even as babes and
sucklings, Mat. xi. 25, in comparison of them, carry
away the blessing, while they live and die in their
sins. Thirdly, In the ministry of men, we must
believe them no further than they bring warrant
from the word of God. It is God's word, and not
men's sayings or precepts, must be our guide. A
fear of God, bred by man's precepts, will be in vain,
Mat. xv. Fourthly, We should prize every dram
of true knowledge got from the word at a high
rate, even to excel all other things, as being the
peculiar gift of God.
Would. The reasons of the dispensation of spirit
ual favours in Christ are not in us, neither in will
nor work, but in the good pleasure of God's will ;
which should teach us with so much the more
thankfulness to express our admiration of God's
love, that could find nothing in us but cause of
hate, even for ever. What are we, or what are our
fathers' houses, that we should be thus exalted in
the courts of our God ? And withal we should in
all things resign ourselves over to God's will, as the
highest cause of all things. We should rest in his
approving will as our chiefest happiness, and obey
his prescribing will as the absolutest and perfectest
form of holiness, and be subject to his disposing
will, being patient in all trials and troubles, because
he did it, Ps. xxxix. 9. Lastly, This might break
to powder carnal hopes. How canst thou plead,
thou hopest that God will save thy soul, seeing
there is simply nothing in thee that the Lord cares
for, and thou hast not sought his grace by sound
repentance and true faith ?

Make known. Divers things have been noted
before concerning this manifestation and revelation
of the gospel; that which only I will here add is the
effects of it. The proper effect of the powerful
publication of the gospel is to 'bring life and
immortality to light,' 2 Tim. i. 10. But the acci
dental effect is to make variance and oppositions
amongst men. When Christ comes in this manner,
he comes not to bring peace : as the fan scattereth
the chaff from the wheat, so is the word powerfully
preached. I need go no further than this city for
an instance. Though matters of controversy have
been wholly forborne, and differences in matters
about church government and ceremonies have not
been so much as touched with public preachings ;
and that matter of regeneration, faith, and sanctifi
cation hath been almost only urged ; yet see what
stirs, what differences of censures, what indignation
at the reformation of any souls that have been
wrought upon by the word. What invectives,
what strange reports, what abominable lies and
slanders have been almost weekly raised and
divulged throughout all the country round about !
What is the riches of the glory? The apostle's
variety, and effectual terms, are to be noted; though
he has spoken much, yet he is not drawn dry, but
speaks still with great feeling and efficacy, both of
words and matter. And, indeed, as any men are
more holy, they have the more deep and tender
affections in the meditation of the glory ofthe things
of the gospel. This holy man cannot fall upon the
mention of the gospel but his .affections burst out
into great terms of admiration, as if he thirsted after
variety of words to express his inward estimation;
and as it is a sign of a sanctifying disposition to be
so affected, so when we see holy men striving for
words to express the glory of spiritual things, it
may secretly condemn the coldness and barrenness
of our dull spirits, that usually, through the deceit-
fulness of sin, prove to have the dullest affections,
where we should be most stirred; and the apostle
doth well in seeking these affecting terms, that so he
might excite affection and appetite in the hearers ;
for people will no longer profit by the word than
they admire it, and long after it with estimation;
and therefore it should be a holy discretion in min
isters to study by all means to teach in such a

156

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

manner as might most stir affection and just admira
tion at the power and fitness of the word.
But here a question may be asked. Say that we
have gotten a great affection to the word, and that
we do highly esteem of it, and long after it, what
must we do to keep this appetite, that we lose it not,
and that it die not in us by little and little? I
answer, Thou must look to thyseff in five things :
first. Take heed of evil company; the people that
cried out, for very admiration, ' Hosannah, blessed
be he that cometh in the name of the Lord,' when
they were gotten among the scribes and pharisees,
had altered their note into ' Crucify him, crucify
him.' Secondly, Thou must purge often, that is, thou
must, by mortification, be oft in humbling thy soul,
by confession and sorrow to God in prayer, else
fulness and satiety will overcharge this appetite ; for
so must he do that hath a stomach apt to be filled
with ill humours, as experience both in body and
soul shews. Thirdly, If thou wouldst not despise
prophesying, thou must ' try all things, and keep
that which is good;' which thou doest if thou
observe these two rules: 1. If in hearing such
ministers as have either their hearts or the doctrine
unsound, thou separate the precious from the vile;
2. If in hearing the best men thou be especially care
ful to keep that part of doctrine as did particularly
touch thee, and so was in a special manner good for
thee. Fourthly, Thou must look to thyself that the
profits, pleasures, or lusts of the world, steal not
away thy heart from communion with God in the
means. Whoredom ,and wine, and the cares of this
life, Sec, will take away any man's heart, Hosea iv.
11, Luke xxi. 34. Fifthly, Thou must exercise thy
self in the rest of God's ordinances, else disuse in one
will in time breed contempt of all ; and God will not
have all the honour given to one of his ordinances,
and doth of purpose many times withdraw his bless
ing (wliich is the bellows of affection and estima
tion) from one of his ordinances, because he will be
sought in all.
Again, out of the apostle's terms we may observe
the great excellency of the gospel : for wit it is a
mystery most deep; for worth it is riches; and for
credit it is glory.
Riches. Doct. The true knowledge of Christ is a
rich knowledge. Hence the Corinthians are said to

be rich in knowledge, 1 Cor. i. 5; and Paul com
pares it with, and commends it beyond, aU earthly
riches, Phil. iii. 9; and it is so both in respect ofthe
object, wliich is Christ, the fountain of all treasure,
and in respect of the nature of it, being a part of
eternal life, John xvii. 3, and in respect of the
effects, because it makes a man rich in grace. And
it appears by the contrary; for to be blind is to be
poor, and naked, and miserable, Rev. iii. 17; and
therefore they are far wide that think all this study
ing of the scriptures, and following sermons, will
make men beggars : they remember not that to take
the gospel from Jerusalem was to leave their houses,
as well as God's house, desolate, Mat. xxiii. 37-39;
and the want of the knowledge of God in the land
was the cause the Lord contended with them by so
many judgments, Hosea iv. 1, 2. And if any nation
under heaven may avouch the truth thereof, this
English nation may ; for we may well say the gospel
hath been a rich gospel unto us ; it hath brought us
peace and prosperity within our walls, and abund
ance into all the quarters and corners of the land.
Hence also we may gather a trial of our faith ; for if
we have faith, we are careful to seek, and as glad to
find, saving knowledge, as the carnal man is to find
his earthly wealth. Parents also may hence know
which way to go about to make their chUdren
happy, even by stirring up in their hearts the in
struction and nurture of the Lord.
Glorious. Doct. This mystery is glorious, and it
is so : first, If we respect the original of it ; it was
begotten and conceived in the bosom of eternity.
Secondly, If we respect the persons employed in the
ministry of it, viz., God himself, Christ, angels, and
the choice of men. Thirdly, If we respect the effects,
it brings glory to God ; for upon the opening of the
book by the Lamb there followeth hymns to God,
Rev. v. It brings a glorious rest to the hearts of
Christians, when they are satisfied in the assurance
of the tidings of God's love, and purged of those
unruly affections that so turmoiled their hearts
before, Isa. i. 10; besides the glorious privileges
which, after men are called out of darkness, they
enjoy in this marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9. Finally,
It shows a Christian the glory of heaven. This should
comfort God's servants against the scorns of the
world and troubles of life. The gospel, with dis-

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157

grace and much want, is a great portion; and it
matters not how we be esteemed in the eyes of the
world, if we be made glorious by the gospel in God's
eyes, and in the eyes of the saints ; they are glorious
times when the gospel works openly in the life and
power of it.
Among the Gentiles. In the calling of the Gentiles
we may inform and instruct ourselves many ways.
First, It should settle us in the assurance of the
truth of God's promises. Never any promises more
unlikely ; and besides they lay dead for a long time.
That which Noah foretold is come to pass, for Japhet
is persuaded to dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen. ix.
27. That sea of knowledge which Isaiah sj^ake of
is likewise gloriously accomplished among the
churches of the Gentiles, Isa. xi. 9. Jeremiah said
the Gentiles should come unto God from the ends of
the earth, and it is fulfilled, Jer. xvi. 19. The con
course to the preaching of the word, which Micah
and Zechariah foretold, is likewise verified, Micah
iv. i., Zech. viii. 20.
Secondly, We may hence see that the word will
make great alterations where it comes.
Thirdly, That God is tied to no place nor people :
if the Jews will not bring forth fruits worthy of the
gospel, but despise it, the Lord will provoke them to
envy, even calling to himself a people that sought
him not.
Fourthly, That they that are last may be first, and
that they that now are not under mercy, may go to
heaven before us.
Fifthly, That as any people are more sensible of
their misery without grace, they more see the riches
of their calling. The Gentiles that wallowed in sin
and wickedness see a wonderful glory in religion
when by the gospel they are converted. And that
may be the reason why publicans and sinners are so
deeply affected and inwardly touched, when civU,
honest men are scarcely moved with any sense of
the need of their conversion.
Sixthly, Their conversion may assure us that none
are so miserable but the gospel can make them
happy. Seventhly, We may see cause to bewail the hard
ness of our hearts. Can the gospel conquer so
mightily ancl effectually these worlds of people to
the obedience of faith, and such a tender sense of

the glorious riches thereof, and are our hearts no
more melted and stirred within us? Though the
Lord cry and roar, and stir up himself in his jealousy
as a man of war, yet are we deaf and hear not, and
blind and see not.
Eighthly, In that he saith that this mystery is glo
rious among the Gentiles, it shews that the monarchy
of Christ over these conquered Gentiles is truly glo
rious. Which may justly confound our statists and
politicians, that can see no glory but in earthly king
doms. Ninthly, Let us that are abjects of the Gentiles,
that have no true honour but by God's covenant,
' draw water with joy out of these wells of salva
tion,' Isa. xii. 3.
And lastly, Our calling, that are GentUes by na
ture, should make us, in compassion of the Jewish
nation, pray heartily for their restoring, since ' they
were cut off that we might be grafted on,' Rom. xi.,
and ' the law came out of Sion, and the word of the
Lord out of Jerusalem,' Isa. ii.
Which riches is Christ in you. Out of these words
four things may be observed :
First, That there is one and the self-same happi
ness conferred by the gospel to all the faithful ; the
same, I say, in nature and quality, though not the
same in quantity. ' the same spiritual meat, and the
same spiritual drink ; ' the same God and Father,
the same Christ and Saviour ; the same means and
the same merits, the same graces and the same glory.
Which may serve for good use. For if the Lord
give us the same wages he did his best servants, we
should strive to do the same work. We should be
wail our sins with the same sorrow, and watch over
our lives with the same care, and abound in the
same fruits of righteousness, and live by faith in all
trials and tentations as they did. And again, it may
be comfortable for penitent sinners. For the same
God that had mercy on David wiU confirm unto
them, if they truly desire his favour, and will for
sake tlieir own imaginations, ' by an everlasting
covenant, the sure mercies of David,' Isa. Iv. 1, 4, 8.
And if by faith we prove ourselves the children of
faithful Abraham, we shall be blessed with Abraham,
Rom. iv. 24, Gal. iii. 9, 12.
Secondly, That Christ is the only true riches of
the Christian, 2 Cor. viii. 9, Eph. i. 7, ii. 7, iii. 8,

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[Chap. I.

Heb. xi. 26. This may serve for divers uses :
1. To warn us that we despise not poor Christians,
seeing they are made rich in the faith of Christ, and
heirs of the kingdom, James ii. 5 : they are truly
rich men, though they be never so mean in the
world.' 2. Let us all look to ourselves that we ' de
spise not this riches of the bountifulness of God,'
when in the gospel it is offered unto us : though we
may go on with the hardness of our not repenting
hearts, yet if by speedy repentance we prevent not
our ruin, we shall heap up wrath against the day of
wrath, even the day of the declaration of the just
vengeance of God upon such obstinate and secure
sinners, Rom. ii. 4-6. 3. Let not worldly rich men
glory in their riches, Jer. ix. 24, but rather use their
outward riches as helps to further them unto this
true treasure, else their riches shall not shelter them
in the day of God's wrath against the woes de
nounced against them, Job xxxvi. 18, 19, Luke xvi.
22. Lastly, Would any man know some sure way
how to thrive with great success in these spiritual
riches ? let him then, amongst other things, espe
cially remember to pray hard, for the Lord is rich
to all them that call upon him, Rom. x. 1 2.
Thirdly, Christ is in the faithful, 2 Cor. xiii. 5 ;
he lives in them, Gal. ii. 20 ; he dwells in them,
Eph. iii. 17. But that this doctrine may be more
fuUy understood, I propound five things :
1. How Christ is conveyed into the soul of the
faithful. 2. By what effects he discovereth himself to be
there. 3. What they get by his coming.
4. What entertainment they ought to give him.
5. Who have not Christ in them.
1. For the first there is this order : first, God
secretly gives Christ to the believer, and the be
liever to Christ, Rom. viii. 32, Isa. ix. 6, John xvii.
6. Then Christ begins to manifest himself, riding
in the chariot of the word, 2 Cor. ii. 1 4. The word
that before was a dead letter receiveth hfe by the
presence of Christ, and that both in the law and the
gospel. The law being made alive, attacheth the
particular sinner, and playeth upon him the part of
a sergeant, accuser, jailer, or judge. And the sinner
putting in bail, the law brings him to Christ, and
will not let him go to another, Gal. iii. 24. Then

the gospel gets alive, and crucifies Christ before his
eyes, Gal. iii. 1 ; and propounds variety of sweet
promises. The sinner, being beaten and wounded
almost to death before he would yield to the arrest
of the law, seeing now whither he is brought, la
ments with unspeakable groans his own sins, and
the horrible torments he sees the Son of God put to
for his sake. And at the same time, the Spirit of
the Son working faith, a wide door is opened, Christ
enters in with invaluable joys 'wrought in the heart
of the sinner.
2. Now, if you ask by what effects Christ discovers
himself to be there ? I answer, there is a light when
Christ comes in that ' gives the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ,' 2 Cor. iv. 6, and
being ravished, they ' behold as in a mirror the glory
of God, and are transformed into the same image,'
the Spirit of God making them suddenly ' new
creatures,' 2 Cor. iii. 18 ; 2. The convert now finds a
savour of the things of the Spirit, and his heart is
bowed to be subject to the law of God, Rom. vih. 5,
6 ; 3. He is baptized with the fire of zeal and holy
affections and desires, Mat. hi. 1 1 ; 4. There appears
a battle and combat in the soul, and much lusting on
either side, the Spirit resisting with tears and strong
cries ; 5. In this combat, Christ, undertaking the
battle, sends out by his ordinances his arrests, and
apprehends, one by one, every imagination that re-
belliously puts itself forward in the opposition, and
exalts itself, and will not leave till it be brought in
subjection, so as the obedience of Christ may have
the upper hand, 2 Cor. x. 5 ; 6. The Spirit of the
Son discovers himself as a Spirit of supplications,
by which the tender infant begins to learn with holy
desires and secret encouragements to speak in God's
language, and by prayer to make known his griefs
and wants in the best manner, uttering his affiance
in God as a Father, Gal. iv. 6, 7 ; 7. The love of
God and of Christ, and of God's word and God's
people, is shed abroad in his heart, and it now con-
straineth him to holy duties, Rom. viii. 1, 9, 2 Cor.
v. 14 ; 8. The ' body grows dead in respect of sin,
and the Spirit is life for righteousness' sake,' Rom.
viii. 10 — resolution more and more increasing both
for reformation of sin and new obedience ; 9. He
finds himself proclaimed free, the prison doors set
open, his fetters knocked off, his wounds made by

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159

the law healing apace, his debts paid, and himself in
a new world, enjoying a true jubilee, 2 Cor. iii. 17,
Isa. lxi. 1, 2 ; 10. He lives thenceforward by the
faith of the Son of God for salvation, for justifica
tion, and for preservation, Gal. U. 20, 2 Cor. xiii. 14 ;
11. The heaArenly dews of spiritual joys often water
and refresh his heart, in the use of the means, with
delightful peace and tranquillity in his heart and
conscience, Hosea xiv. 6, Rom. xiv. 17 ; lastly, In a
holy covenanting with God, his daily purposes and
desires are to cleave unto God, devoting and -conse
crating himself and his vowed sacrifices unto God,
in the mediation of Christ.
3. Thirdly, The benefits he hath by the inhabita
tion of Christ are such as these : 1. 'God is in
Christ, reconciling him, not imputing his sins,' 2
Cor. v. 19 ; 2. Christ is ' made unto him wisdom,
sanctification, righteousness, and redemption,' 1 Cor.
i. 30 ; 3. All ' the promises of Christ are to him
yea and amen,' having the earnest given in the
Spirit, and the same sealed by the same Spirit, 2 Cor.
i. 20, 22 ; 4. He is not destitute of any heavenly
gifts, 1 Cor. i. 6, 7, but hath the seeds and begin
nings of all saving graces ; 5. The grace of Christ
shall be sufficient against all temptations, 2 Cor. xii.
9, by the power of Christ that dwells in him ; and as
his outward afflictions do abound, so shall the consola
tions of Christ abound also, 2 Cor. i. 5 ; 6. Paul is
his, and ApoUos is his, yea, all things are his, as he
is Christ's, 1 Cor. ih. 22, 23 ; he hath his interest in
all the means of salvation ; 7. God hath given him
Christ, 'how shall he not with him give him all
other things also?' Rom. viii. 34, 35 ; finally, Eternal
life is the gift of God, in and with Jesus Christ,
Rom. vi. 23.
4. For the fourth, If you ask what you must do
when you find Christ in your hearts ? I answer, ' if
you live in the spirit, walk in the spirit,' Gal. v. 24 ;
let ' old things pass, and all things be new ;' for ' if
you be in Christ Jesus, you must be new creatures,'
2 Cor. v. 16, 17 ; the old conversation in times past
will not now serve turn, but the old man with his
deceivable lusts must be cast off, Eph. iv. 22. Now
thou must learn also to live by faith, and not by
sense and carnal hopes, as thou hast done ; for Christ
keeps his residence in our hearts by faith, Eph. iii. 16 :
for in that we ' henceforth live in the flesh,' we must

resolve to ' hve by the faith of the Son of God that
liveth in us,' Gal. ii. 20, being assured that in him
are all treasures of holiness and happiness. And to
this end thou must pray constantly to God that thou
mayest be able to discern the length, breadth, depth,
and height of this love and loving presence of Christ,
Eph. iii. 18 ; for otherwise it is a knowledge passeth
all natural understanding, and his working in us is
above all we can ask or think. Why should a
Christian fear any want, that carrieth a mine of
treasure within his own breast ? And what a shame
is it that we grow not exceeding rich, seeing there
is nothing but faith and prayer will get it, Rom. x.
12 ; and why should we fear either tribulation, or
persecution, or pain, or peril, seeing this our victory,
even our faith, and we are assured that in the
end we shall be in all these things more than con
querors, through him that loveth us and lives in us ?
Rom. viii. 35, 37.
Further, doth the spirit of meekness and of Christ
dwell in thee ? Oh, then, above many things learn
lowliness and humility, Mat. xi. 29 ; and if the
Lord give thee a tender and a harmless heart, watch
with all carefulness that thou be not beguiled from
the innocent simplicity that is in Christ Jesus, 2
Cor. xi. 3. Lastly, Thou must labour for inward
sincerity, both of thoughts and affections. Thy
heart is Christ's chamber of presence, where he
always resides ; and as thou art careful to look to
thy behaviour because of man's presence, so must
thou much more look to thy heart, to keep it clean,
and pure, and chaste, ancl every day to dress it new,
since the King of glory is come in to dwell with
thee. Men would be very careful to look to that
room where they would give their best entertain
ment. Alas ! we have no better room than our
hearts to welcome our Saviour into ; — and shall not
we keep them with all diligence ? Woe be to us if
we tempt or grieve him by our inward unclean
ness. 5. Now for the fifth point : There are seven ill
signs that Christ dwells not in a man's heart :
First, When a man savours nothing but carnal
things. Secondly, When a man hath, or desires, or esteems,
or labours after no other knowledge but what is
ordinary or natural.

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[Chap. I.

Thirdly, When a man makes no conscience of
inward sins.
Fourthly, When a man hath no zeal in God's
worship, or holy affections towards God and his
people, and his word.
Fifthly, When a man hath not a faith that he can
live by.
Sixthly, When a man never feels the heavenly
joys of Christ in his heart.
Seventhly, When a man can live in any gross sin
without trouble and anguish of spirit, or desire and
endeavour to break it off by repentance.
The hope of glory. The riches of a Christian are
either in this life, and so it lies in the grace of Jesus
Christ ; or else in the world to come, and so it is
glory, even a most glorious and admirable excellency
of felicity, which shall have in it eternal righteous
ness and the continual blessed vision of God, eternal
joys, and perfection of all things round about, ever
lasting honour, and singular esteem, most sweet
society with holy angels ancl blessed saints, with
unspeakable peace and rest, together with that
admirable clarification of the very bodies of the
righteous. Uses. The consideration hereof should allure us to
the continual thought of heaven, and to a fervent
affection after it, striving to express our hope of
heaven by a conversation that tends to glory and
immortality ; and to this end we should be impor
tunate with the Lord to shew us this glory by the
spirit of revelation, that we may be able profitably
to solace our souls in the midst of the tentations
and afflictions of this world, with a serious contem
plation of our right in Jesus Christ to this admirable
glory that is to be revealed. And the meditation of
the glory poor Christians shall one day have should
teach us to honour them now, and receive them into
our hearty and inward society, and to use them as
such, as we are assured are the heirs of more glory
than this world is worth. And lastly, do we look
for glory from God in another world ? then we should
seek to glorify God in all things with all our might
in this world.
Secondly, We may in these words note that
where Christ will glorify in another world, there he
is the hope of glory in this world. A Christian
holds his glory by this tenure. Now, concerning

this hope, many things have been noted already upon
the fourth verse, and upon the twenty-third verse,
and, therefore, thither I refer the reader.
Ver. 28. Whom we preach, admonishing every man,
and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
In this verse is contained the sixth general reason,
taken from the end and profitable effect of the
gospel. If they continue constant, by the power of
the word, they will be made fit to be presented in
some measure of ripeness and perfection unto God
in Jesus Christ.
Two things are in the verse to be observed : The
means and the end ; — the means is preaching, which
is amplified by the parts of it, admonishing and
teaching, and by the manner of it, in all wisdom.
Wliom we preach. The reason why the apostle
falls so often into the mention and praise of their
preaching is to rescue it from the contempt under
which many times it lay disgraced.
There are four things may be observed here which
tend to express the honour of the ministry in this
place: 1. They are, as it were, the Lord's high
treasures, to dispense the riches of the kingdom of
Jesus Christ. And if such an office be in such re
quest under earthly princes, what is it to be so
honoured of the Prince of all princes? All the
world is beholding to the ministry, for they show
that mine of incomparable treasure ; they dig it up,
they offer it as spiritual merchants ; yea, the Lord
by them doth, as it were, particularly enrich all
Christians. 2. This honour of publishing the gos
pel is now taken from the very angels, and given to
them; now we, not the angels, preach unto you.
3. They have the best subject that ever men had to
entreat of ; all other sciences are base in comparison
of them. They entreat of Christ, and grace, and glory
for ever by him ; nay, 4. Herein differs preaching
from all other relations whatsoever, that they do not
preach of Christ, but they preach Christ, that is,
they give what they speak of.
And these three little words express diversely the
duty of ministers. 1. They must preach, that is
plain. 2. They must preach diligently, which may
be gathered from the expressing of it in the present
tense. It was not a sufficient excuse, we have

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161

preached as diligently as any in our young times, or
before we came to such preferment. No ; this must
be the comfort of a minister, and his continual plea,
we do preach, not, we have preached. 3. They
must preach Christ, that is, that part of divinity
that concerns redemption, justification, and sanctifi
cation. 4. They must labour, in preaching, to ex
press, as much as lies in them, consent ; consent, I
say, with the prophets and apostles, and consent
with their fellow-ministers ; we, not I ; there is one
only truth for all ministers to teach. 5. They must
resolve to win the honour and reputation of their
ministry, for the work of it, not from the reward of
it ; they must get their credit by preaching, not by
their great livings.
And from hence also is impliedly to be collected
the just reproof of many ministers : —
1. Such as preach not. Some would preach ancl
cannot ; some can preach but will not ; some neither
can nor will. All shall be judged accordingly in the
day of Christ, when he shall call for an account of
their stewardship.
2 . Such as preach, but not Christ ; and these are
not all of a sort : for, 1 . Some preach themselves,
not Christ, or if they paint out Christ, it is in their
own likeness, so as under his name they commend
themselves to the world. 2. Some preach, but it is
beside Christ, in raking together men's inventions ;
and surely that so great affecting of human autho
rities in preaching, when it is with a kind of neglect
of the search of scriptures, as if they wanted wit or
power, cannot be justified. 3. Some preach, but it
is against Christ ; and such are they that care not
covertly to contradict the main doctrines of Christ,
or else bend themselves in their whole ministry to
' strengthen the hands of the wicked, and make sad
the hearts of the righteous.'
3. Such as preach Christ; but it is for envy,
and to increase the bonds and disgraces of others ;
or it is not diligently, or they preach not Christ
crucified, (they teach not soundly the doctrine of
mortification,) or they preach not Christ risen again;
they teach so coldly, so barrenly, so insufficiently, as
if Christ were still in the grave. Some there be that
preach of Christ, but it is chiefly of his crown and
sceptre ; they are never kindled till they get into
questions of church-government ; they teach their

hearers the doctrine of reforming of churches, when
they had more need to teach them how to reform*
themselves and their household.
Admonishing and teaching. There is some ado
among interpreters to put the difference between
these two words. Some thus : admonishing them
that are out of the way ; teaching them that are in
the way. Some thus : admonishing them that are
ignorant ; teaching them that have knowledge.
Some thus : admonishing those that teach false doc
trine, or contradict the truth ; teaching such as are
desirous to learn the truth. Some thus : admonish
ing about things to be done ; teaching about things
to be known. Some thus : admonishing to stir affec
tion; teaching to inform the understanding. But
I think there is no necessity thus to restrain the
senses ; so as it may be thus. Admonishing, that is,
checking, rebuking, warning the ignorant, wander
ing, wayward, slothful, dull, or profane hearers, both
about things to be done and known, and teaching
the rest the whole doctrine of Christ.
Admonishing. From this word these, things may
be observed :
First, Preachers must intend to rebuke sin, as
well as to direct or comfort, Isa. Iviii. 1, 2 Tim. iii.
17, Heb. ix. 10, Acts xx. 31, 1 Thes. v. 11.
Secondly, Men commonly never care for instruc
tion to grow in Christ till they be touched with the
rebukes of the word for sin.
Thirdly, Preaching may be said to admonish in
divers respects : 1. The very sending of the word
preached to any place, is a warning to men to look
to themselves and repent, Acts xvii. 30 ; for then is
the axe laid to the root ofthe tree, Mat. iii. 10. 2.
Because preaching doth set before us such examples
as do admonish, 1 Cor. x. 11. 3. Because by it Christ
secretly smites the earth, that is, the consciences of
carnal men that are so glued to the earth, Isa. xi. 3 ;
many a time is their hearts smitten that the world
little knows of ; but especially by preaching are the
pubhc abuses in the lives of men publicly reproved.
Every man. Every one needs to be rebuked and
admonished ; and there is no man nor woman but
they are bound to stoop to the rebukes of the word,
whether they be rich or poor, learned or unlearned,
Jew or Gentile, young or old, in authority or under
authority, converted or unconverted. x

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Uses. The use of all should be to teach us to
know them that are over us, and admonish us in the
Lord, 1. Thes. v. 12. Now there are divers reasons
to persuade men to be willing to suffer admonition :
1. It is noted to be in God's account a beastly
quality to rage or to be senseless when we are re
buked ; therefore, David saith, ' be not as the horse
or mule,' Ps. xxxii. 9. 2. If we will not be rebuked,
sin lies at the door, Gen. iv. 12 ; and we know not
how soon we may be arrested with judgment. 3.
Thou mayest by stubbornness provoke the Lord so
much, that in his very judgment he may set a con
tinual edge upon the word to rebuke thy conscience,
so as rebukes being now turned into a punishment,
the Lord may consume thee by them, eating upon
thy conscience as a moth, Ps. xxxix. 11, till he have
wearied thee with his secret buffets and terrors, and
then in the end cast thee off into a reprobate sense.
Woe is unto man, when the Lord in his word, or by
his Spirit, sets himself to disgrace and vex him. 4.
' Instruction is evil only to him that forsaketh the
way, and he that hateth correction shall die,' Prov.
xv. 10. It is a brand of a scorner to hate him that
rebuketh him, Prov. xv. 1 2 ; and a man that hard
eneth his neck when he is rebuked shall suddenly
be destroyed, and cannot be cured, Prov. xxix. 1. 5.
The Lord may be so much incensed by sins of this
kind, that at length there will be no remedy, as
he was by the Jews, 2 Chron. xxxvi. Lastly,
Great is the profit of admonition to such as are
wise to make use of it, as these places shew : Ps. cxli.
5, 6, Job v. 15-17, xxxvi. 8-16, Prov. xxviii. 13.
Teaching. This is the second part of preaching :
this also is absolutely necessary. We shall not
partake of Christ's riches, or be fit to be presented
to God without it. Now that we may profit by
public preaching we must pray God by his Spirit to
lead us into all truth, John xiv., and we must strive
to be truly humble, for the Lord will teach the
humble his way, Ps. xxv. 9, and we must be much
in confessing our own sins unto God in secret, Ps.
cxix. 26, 2 Chron. vi. 26-30; we must take heed of
forwardness in trusting to our own reasons, and
wills, and affections, and bring faith to the word,
glorifying it in what we understand, and waiting upon
God for what yet we want, mourning for our own
unteachableness, and praying God to be with the

mouth of the teacher, opening to him a door of
utterance. Every man. This is again added, and not without
reason, for it imports : first, That every man is
bound to live under some teaching and admonishing
ministry ; secondly, That the people, yea, all God's
people, must be instructed ; contrary to the doctrine
of the papists ; thirdly, A right persuasion of this,
that the word will admonish and teach every man,
would make men more quiet under rebukes, and
more willing to be taught. He saith not you, but
every man, to import that the word hath not a parti
cular quarrel at some one man, but will find out the
sins of all men, &c. We see by experience that this
is the sore in many minds, that either the preacher
should meddle with nobody, or not with such as
they : he must not meddle with great men, or not
with scholars and learned men, &c.
In all wisdom. These words may be understood
either of the subject-matter taught, or of the instru
ments, the teachers, or of the effect in the hearers.
For the first, The word of God is well caUed wis
dom, either as it is the pattern, or image, or resem
blance of God's everlasting wisdom, which from ah
eternity in his counsel he had conceived ; or as it
portrayeth out Christ, who is the natural Wisdom
of God ; or as it unfoldeth the depths of God's wise
providence, especially in his church; or compara
tively, with all the forms of doctrine conceived by
the wisest of the Gentiles, or any carnal men.
For the second, These words may be referred to
the teachers, and then the sense is, they must teach
in all wisdom. They are called wise men, Mat.
xxiii., and that they may teach in all wisdom : first,
They may be sure they teach truth and not errors
¦ — neither errors of doctrine nor errors of fact. It
is a grievous shame for preachers out of the pulpit,
of purpose to disgrace some kind of men, to report
of them things utterly untrue, especially to fail often
or usually this way. Secondly, They must labour
to express the power of the Spirit, as well as a sound
form of doctrine. Thirdty, They must make use of
all opportunities and advantages to work upon the
people when a door is opened. To preach wisely
is to preach seasonably. Fourthly, They cannot
preach in the wisdom of God if they hunt after and
effect that which the apostle calls the wisdom of

Ver. 28.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

163

words, 1 Cor. i. 1 7, or excellency of words, 1 Cor. ii. 1 .
Fifthly, There is a special wisdom in fitting doc
trine to the state of the hearers, to give every one
his own portion.
Thirdly, It may be said to be in all wisdom by
effect in the hearers, as being such a preaching as
tends to work true wisdom in the hearers, as well as
other graces ; a wisdom, I say, by which they under
stand their own way, Prov. xiv. 8, 9, 15, 16, and
deny their own reason in the things of God, becom
ing fools that they may be wise, 1 Cor. hi., and
know their days of peace, and accordingly gather in
summer, Prov. x. 5, even in the seasons of grace,
while it is yet called to-day, walking with the wise,
Prov. xiii. 20, preferring spiritual things above all
earthly, as things that are truly excellent, Phil. i. 10,
carefully watching over themselves, and with all
preciseness or circumspection, Eph. v. 15, avoiding
even the lesser evils, redeeming the time, with all
discretion, labouring to avoid all occasions of just
offence ; and, lastly, considering and providing for
their latter end, Deut. xxxii. 22, Job iv. ult.
Quest. But can all wisdom be attained ?
Ans. He saith, all wisdom, either comparatively
with the knowledge of the heathen or carnal men ;
or else by all wisdom he meaneth all necessary to
salvation ; or else he meaneth wisdom of all kinds,
though not perfect in every kind.
That we may present every man. The hearers are
said to be presented to God by their teachers in
divers respects : first, As they gather them out of
the world into the profession of the faith of Christ ;
secondly, By framing and working upon the hearts
of their hearers, fitting them for Christ, even in the
presence of Christ, in his ordinances ; thirdly, By
forcing men, through the strength of terror or
comfort, to run and present themselves to God ;
fourthly, They may be said to do it in respect of
their prayers, carrying the suits of the people unto
God ; fifthly, They shall present them at the day of
judgment, when every teacher shall say, 'Here, Lord,
I am, with the children thou hast given me.'
Uses. This should teach the people so to order
themselves towards their ministers that they might
have encouragement to go to God, either for them
or with them. To this purpose they should honour
them, maintain them, obey them, shew their hearts

and states to them, &c. And woe is unto them
that despise God's ministers or discourage them ;
that hate their doctrine or shun their society, how
soever they account of them. Yet these are the
men should have made way for them to Christ,
they are of his privy chamber, and the dust of their
feet shall witness against contemners ; yea, the time
shall come when they would be glad to have them
excuse them to Christ, but it shall not be granted,
Luke xiv. 18, 19. And ministers also may from
hence both be comforted, considering the honour
Christ hath done them, and instructed to look care
fully to their flocks, and to go to God for them, and
by all means to carry themselves so as they that
must once give an account for their people.
Perfect. The word rs\tiov is not in the text in some
copies ; but Stephanus hath it in, ancl it is acknow
ledged of the translators and expositors, both old
and new, and therefore perfection cannot be de
nied, only the sense must be inquired into.
The faithful are said to be perfect : first, Com
paratively with wicked men, or the Gentiles un
converted. Religion will make a man perfect in
comparison of that which by nature man can attain
unto. Secondly, They may be said to be made per
fect, that is, to want nothing that is absolutely
necessary for salvation. Thirdly, In righteousness
there is perfection, and so they shall be absolutely
perfect at the day of judgment, and are already
perfect in respect of justification ; yea, this word
here used is given to the sanctification of the faith
ful, and that two ways : first, As to be perfect notes
nothing else but to be a strong man in Christ, so
Heb. 5, ult. : secondly, As to be upright is accepted
with God for perfection, by the benefit of the cove
nant of grace, and the intercession of Christ. Thus
I think the very word is used in these places : 1 Cor.
ii. 6, Phil: iii. 15, James i. 17, Heb. vi. 1, 12, 13
thus, there is perfection in doctrine, Heb. vi. 1
in faith, James ii. 22 ; in hope, 1 Peter i. 13 ; in
love, 1 John iv. 18, John xvii. 23 ; in understand
ing, 1 Cor. xiv. 20.
Quest. But who is a strong man in Christ, or a
perfect man, as here ?
Ans. First, He that is a strong man in Christ can
forgive his enemies, and pray for them, and do good
to them, Mat. v. 48 ; secondly, He doth finish his

164

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. I.

work, he doth not begin slightly, and work for a
spirt, but perseveres, — the word used in that sense,
John xvii. 4 ; thirdly, He doth hold a constant
amity and holy communion with God's children,
1 John iv. 12, John xvii. 23 ; fourthly, He hath re
nounced the world, denying himseh, and conse
crated his life to God, Rom. xii. 12; fifthly, He
will not be carried away with every wind of doc
trine, but will acknowledge and follow the truth
with all constant unmoveableness, Eph. iv. 13, 14;
sixthly, He presseth after perfection, forgets what 's
behind, and looks to the mark of the high prize of
his calling, labouring to find out the virtue of
Christ's death and resurrection, Phil. iii. 13-14,
x. 9 ; seventhly, He hath a plerophory or full as
surance of the will of God towards him, Col. iv. 12 ;
eighthly, He can digest the stronger doctrines of
religion, Heb. v. 14; ninthly, Patience hath in
him her perfect work, James i. 4 ; tenthly, He sins
not in word, James iii. 12; eleventhly, He keeps
the word, 1 John ii. 5 ; twelfthly, He is settled in
the love of God, and hath not fear, but boldness,
1 John iv. 17, 18.
Every man. Every true Christian might be made
a strong Christian ; which may serve for great humi
liation to such as, having the means, have neglected
so great grace or measure of it. What knowledge,
what power or gifts, what abundance of fair fruit
we might have had and borne if we had attended
the means, and seriously laboured to redeem the
time ! We might many of us have been teachers,
that now need to be catechised.
In Jesus Christ. All that supposed perfection that
is out of Christ Jesus is not worth seeking after.
Whatsoever carnal men propound unto themselves
concerning the worth of their own projects, yet all
in the end will prove vanity that is not in Christ
Jesus. And contrariwise, all true perfection is in
Christ ; which should so much the more comfort fear
ful Christians, seeing their perseverance and the
perfecting grace begun is in him, — it is his office to
see it performed, and it will be accomplished by his
power, as it is given for his merits ; and it should
teach all the faithful to make much of communion
with Christ ; to keep their hold, and not let go their
confidence ; to preserve by all means tenderness in
a holy intercourse with Christ ; for if once Christ

absent himself, the work of grace will stand still.
Thirdly, This shows how perfection can be attri
buted to Christians; namely, as in Christ Jesus
the evil of their works is covered by him, and what
is good is presented by him to the Father. Lastly,
It should teach us in all our wants to seek to Christ,
in the use of all means appointed by him to give or
confirm grace, waitingupon him with faith and prayer.
Ver. 29. Whereunto I also labour and strive, accord
ing to his working that worketh in me mightily.
In this verse is contained the seventh reason to
enforce the exhortation, and it is taken from the
great pains of the apostle, and the great success the
Lord was pleased to give to his pains.
Whereunto. Some read in whom, viz., in which
Christ, that is, by whose assistance, and blessing,
and protection, &c. But I take it as it is here,
whereunto ; and so it may be referred either to the
exhortation in the three and twentieth verse, or to
perfection in the verse before. It is sure that the
perfection of ministers' labours should be the perfec
tion of their hearers. It is not enough to know how
to preach sermons, but it must tend not only to
beget men unto Christ, but also to buUd them up,
which is a wonderful hard work, and few ministers
are well skilled herein ; and therefore ministers
should much consult with God, and the people
should pray constantly and earnestly for their
teachers. Labour. An effectual ministry is a painful
ministry : the Lord's work must not be done negli
gently, 2 Tim. iv. 1-3, 1 Thes. v. 12, which may
justify continual and daily preaching.
Quest. But what needs all this preaching ?
Ans. It is exceeding needful, for it is the ordinary
means to save men's souls and to beget faith ; and
inasmuch as there are daily still to be added to the
church, therefore still the means is to be used, besides
the secret judgment of God in the induration of the
wicked, and leaving them without excuse. And as
there needs daily food for the body, so doth there
for the soul ; and the Lord by his word doth heal
the daUy infirmities of his people, Ps. cvii. Men
think it needful the exchequer should be open all
the year that their law-cases may be determined";
and more need it is the Lord's spiritual exchequer

Ver. 29.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

165

should stand open for the daily determining of the
cases of conscience which arise in the souls of God's
people : and we need a daily light for our paths
and lantern for our feet, Ps. cxix. What shall I say ?
Our very calling needs direction out of the word,
and our crosses and temptations cause us to feel a
daily need of the comforts of the word to be ap
plied to us; the godly are to be encouraged in
well-doing, and that continually ; and we all need
to be called upon daily for reformation and preven
tion of sin. Grace will not hold out without means,
and knowledge must be increased ; and a daily
ministry is of singular use to prepare us for death,
and wean us from the world. These and many
other be the reasons of daily preaching, which
should greatly reprove such ministers as labour not,
either for want of gifts or plurality of places, or
distraction of business, or for very idleness, or un
willingness to take pains. Woe unto them, for as
they provide evil for their people's souls, so they
reward evil to their own souls.
According to his working that worketh in me mightily.
Before I consider particularly of these words, I note
how feelingly the apostle speaks of God's provid
ence, and with what affection he sets out the obser
vation he made of it, which greatly shames the most
of us, that are so excessively dull in apprehending,
and so affectionless in the thought of things. Now
if any would know what should be the reason we
are so dull, and the apostle so tenderly sensible of
God's power and providence, I may answer that a
number of us are not thoroughly persuaded of God's
particular providence ; besides, he was excellently
acquainted with the word of God, and thereby he
saw lively how every promise or threatening came
into execution. There could hardly anything fall
out, but he remembered some scripture that foretold
or foreshewed it. And no question he knew how
unable the means was to work without God's bless^-

ing. Further, it is certain that such holy men as
he sought God's blessing by prayer, and, therefore,
now they were affected when they observed what
followed their prayers. And besides, the apostle
did walk with God in a great measure of sanctity
and holy care in all things to keep his communion
with God, whereas we are estranged by our corrup
tions, and for the most part negligent in a daily
walking with God. Lastly, he was humble, and
not conceited of his own gifts, and had consecrated
himself, and devoted his life to God's glory, and,
therefore, he was sensible of the glory of God in
his working providence.
But the main particular doctrine is, that in the
ministry of the gospel there is God's special work
ing ; for it is God's work to raise up men that will
labour in the gospel, considering the ill-success in
many hearers, and the infirmities in themselves,
and the strange discouragements from the world;
and when the Lord hath gotten him labourers, it is
his working that they can get fit meditations and
affections into their hearts in private, and fit utter
ance in public. It is not art and learning alone
that will furnish them with powerful matter. And,
thirdly, it is God's working to extend the power of
the word to the hearers, so as the heat of it go out
before it kindle in the people's hearts. What shall
I say ? It is God's mighty working that the people
are preserved and daily built up by the word in
grace. All which should teach us to place our faith,
not in men, but in the power of God. And let
wicked men be advised, lest by resisting the
ministry they be found fighters against God ; and it
maybe a great comfort to a minister too, for if God
work for us and by us, it matters not who be against
us. And lastly, Christians should make much of,
and be thankful for, and greatly admire all know
ledge and grace gotten from the word, for it was
wrought by the very finger of God.

THE ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND CHAPTER.

rpWO things are contained in this chapter : first,
J- The continuation of the exhortation begun
in the 23d verse of the first chapter to ver. 7;
secondly, A dehortation, from verse 8 to the end.
The exhortation is continued two ways : first, By
alleging more reasons, ver. 1-3 ; secondly, By pro-
lepsis, removing sundry objections, ver. 4-7. There
are three reasons to press them to care of persever
ance in the doctrine they had received. The first
reason is taken from the care of the apostle for the
delivery and defence of the gospel, in these words,
' I would you knew what great fighting I have for
your sakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for as
many as have not seen my face in the flesh,' ver. 1.
The second reason is taken from the effects of the
gospel, and they are two : 1 . Consolation, ' that your
hearts might be comforted ;' 2. Love, ' and knit to
gether in love.'
The third reason is taken from the adjuncts of
the gospel, and they are three : first, Certainty, ' unto
all riches of full assurance of understanding ;'
2. Sublimity, ' to the acknowledgment of the mystery
of God, even the Father, and of Christ,' ver. 2 ;
3. Perfection, in these words, ' in whom,' or ' in
which, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge,' ver. 3.
Thus of the reasons ; the answer of objections
follows :
Object. 1. Why doth the apostle urge us so largely
with this exhortation ?
Sol. ' This I say, lest any beguile you with enticing
words.' Object. 2. But how doth he know our estates, being
absent ?
Sol. To this he answereth, that though he were
'absent in the flesh, yet he was present in spirit.'
Object. 3. But is it charity to entertain surmises
of us?

Sol. He saith he did 'rejoice in their order and
steadfastness ' present ; but he wrote this to warn
them to take heed.
Quest. Tell us at once what you would have us
do. Ans. Ver. 6, 7. Two things are to be done. The
first concerns holy life, the second faith. Concern
ing holy life, there is, first, A precept, ' walk on ;'
secondly, A rule after which that precept is to be
squared, viz., ' as ye have received the Lord Jesus
Christ.' Concerning faith there is : first, A precept
— they must be 'rooted, built up, ancl stablished ;'
secondly, A rule — ' as they have been taught.'
And thus of the exhortation, the dehortation
follows, from ver. 8 to the end. There are three
parts of the dehortation : first, He setteth down the
matter from which he dehorts, ver. 8 ; secondly, He
gives six reasons to confirm the dehortation, from
ver. 9-16 ; thirdly, He concludes, and that severally,
from ver. 16 to the end.
In the 8th verse he sets down three things from
which he dehorts : 1. From ' philosophy,' which he
calls ' vain deceits ;' 2. From ' traditions of men ;'
3. From the ceremonies of Moses, which he calls
the 'rudiments ofthe world.'
The reasons are : 1. Because they are not after
Christ, ver. 8 ; 2. Because in Christ there dwells all
the fulness of the Godhead bodily, ver. 9, where
note an excellent description of Christ : ' In him,'
he notes his person; 'the Godhead,' his divine
nature ; ' corporally,' his human nature ; and
' dwells,' the union of both ; and for the measure, it
is 'in all fulness.'
3. Because we are complete in Christ, without
any of these things, ver. 10. Here note the persons,
ye; the time, are; the benefit, complete; the author,
Christ ; the limitation, in him.

168

THE ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND CHAPTER.

4. Because we are circumcised without hands, and
therefore need not circumcision made with hands,
and consequently no ceremonies. This reason is
propounded ver. 11, and confirmed by prolepsis,
ver. 12.
Concerning circumcision without hands, five things
are to be noted : 1. The persons, ye; 2. The time,
are; 3. The manner, set down negatively, without
hands; 4. The form of it, affirmatively, putting off
the body of the sins of the flesh; 5. The efficient cause,
the circumcision of Christ.
Object. But it follows not, We are circumcised with
out hands, therefore need not circumcision with
hands. Sol. It follows to us now in the New Testament,
because we have baptism instead of circumcision
with hands, we are ' buried with Christ by baptism.'
Object. But was not circumcision a more lively sign ?
Sol. It was not, which he shews to be true, both
in respect of mortification, buried with him, and in
respect of vivification, raised up together with him by
baptism, which is amplified by setting down what is
required in them to whom baptism is thus effectual,
viz., the faith of the operation of God.
5. Because none of these can help us in misery,
nor further to happiness when we want it, ver. 1 3.
The words in themselves express a twofold estate of
Christians : first, What they are by nature, and so :
1. They were dead in actual sins; 2. They were in the
uncircumcision of the flesh, in respect of original sin.
Secondly, What they were in the state of grace ;
1. They were quickened; 2. They were forgiven all
their sins.
6. Because Christ hath cancelled the chirography
that was against us, which were these ceremonies,
ver. 14, 15. Concerning these two things may be
noted : 1. What the ceremonies were in themselves ;
2. How the church was discharged of them.
For the first, they were for honour ordinances of
God ; for use, handwriting ; for effect, they were
against us.
For the second, Christ on the cross cancelled
them, fastened them, and took them out of the way;
yea, he spoiled the devils, and triumphed over them
openly, who had the power to serve execution for
forfeitures, ver. 15.

Thus of the reasons : the conclusion follows from
ver. 16 to the end. The conclusion hath three
branches ; for first, He concludes against ceremonies,
ver. 16, 17 ; secondly, Against philosophy, ver.
18, 19; thirdly, Against traditions, ver. 20 to
the end.
In the conclusion against ceremonies, note : 1 . The
things which are named to be abrogated, viz., the
respect of meats and drinks ; 2. Of times, which are
threefold: (1.) Days; (2.) Months; (3.) Sabbaths.
these are the things, ver. 16. The reason is, ver.
1 7, because these are but shadows of things to come,
and the body is Christ.
In the conclusion against philosophy, note, first :
The thing which in special he reasons against, viz.,
angel worship ; secondly, The reasons by which he
condemns them that brought it in : 1. They did it
hypocritically, under pretence of humbleness of mind;
2. They did it ignorantly, advancing themselves in
things they never saw; 3. They did it proudly, rashly
puffed up in their fleshly mind ; 4. They did it
dangerously. Their danger is laid down and ampli
fied — laid down in these words, not holding the head;
amplified by a digression into the praises of the
mystical body of Christ: 1. For ornament, furnished ;
2. For union, knit together by joints and bands; 3.
For growth, increasing with increase af God.
Iu the conclusion against traditions, observe : first,
The matter condemned, why are ye burdened with
traditions, amplified by the kinds, touch not, taste
not, handle not, ver. 21; secondly, The reasons: 1.
Ye are dead with Christ, ver. 20 ; 2. Ye are dead
from the rudiments of the world, therefore much
more from traditions ; 3. They are burdens ; 4. The
matter of them is light, and vain, and idle, ver. 21 ;
5. They all perish with the using ; 6. They are after
the commandments and doctrines of men, ver. 21.
Object. But there seemeth to be a depth in
them. Sol. He confesseth that they have a shew of
wisdom, and that in three things : 1. In voluntary
religion; 2, In humbleness of mind ; 3. In not sparing
the body. But yet he censures them two ways : 1.
It is but a show all this ; 2. It withholdeth the
honour due unto the body, neither have they it in any
estimation to satisfy the flesh, ver. 23.

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE SECOND CHAPTER.

T7ER. 1. For I would ye were thoroughly informed
» of it, what great care, conflict, strife, and fight
ing I have for your sakes, and for them of Laodicea,
. and for such as I never knew, but only hear of to
be such as embrace the gospel which we preach ; and
to this end I tell you of my care and fighting, so to
move you to be much the more resolute in perse
vering in the faith and hope of the doctrine you
have received.
Ver. 2. Great are the benefits which you and all
those that believe in your parts receive from our
pains in the gospel, for hereby both your hearts are
comforted with true refreshings, and besides you
are hereby knit one to another, and established in
brotherly love ; and as the benefits of the adjuncts
of the gospel should much move you to stick stUl to
it, if you consider how rich God hath made you, in
the infallible and full persuasion of understanding
which you have felt, and withal what admirable
desires there are in the doctrine of the gospel con
cerning God the Father and Christ.
Ver. 3. Or lastly, if you consider the perfection
of the doctrine of the gospel, either as it contains
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, or as it
shews us Christ, in whom are all admirable perfec
tions of all sorts of rich knowledge.
Ver. 4. Now, if you ask me why I am so tedious
in urging these things ? I answer, it is only for fear
lest any should, by plausible and probable entice
ment of speech, beguile you from the simplicity that
is in Christ.
Ver. 5. And if you say I know not your estate,
I answer, though I be absent from you in the flesh,
yet I am present with you in the spirit ; and if you
think that this discourse implies that I dishke you,
know that I do truly rejoice to hear of your good
order of life, both public and private, and how stead
fast your faith in Christ.

Ver. 6. Now, if you ask me at once what is the
sum of all I would have you do ? I answer, that as
concerning holy hfe, I would have you walk on in the
same manner as ye have received Christ hitherto.
Ver. 7. And for matter of faith, I would have
you by all means to seek to be further rooted and
built up and established in the assurance of faith
accordingly as you have been taught ; but by any
means remember to abound in all thankfulness to
God for the happy estate you are in ; and thus for
what I have to exhort you to in matters of doctrine.
Ver. 8. Now I must enter upon matter of dehor
tation : take heed lest any man, of what gifts or
profession soever, make a prey of your souls, and
carry them away as a spoil ; and, in particular, look
to it in three things : first, In philosophy, not
simply in the doctrines of philosophy, but in such
devices and vain fancies as, under colour of such
speculation, or from the authority of philosophers,
are brought in by any ; secondly, Take heed of tra
ditions of men ; and, thirdly, Of the ceremonies of
Moses, which were things at first brought in to be
as the A B C, or alphabet to train up the people of
God in the principles. But now this and the other
are not to be regarded, for many rea'sons, whereof
the first is, they are not after Christ.
Ver. 9. Besides, there is such an infinite fulness
in Christ, by reason of the divine nature that dwells
by an inexpressible union in the human nature, that
we need not seek to anything else but only unto
Christ. Ver. 10. And you yourselves in Christ have all
completeness and sufficiency, by reason of your
mystical union with him; and such is the fulness
of Christ, that the very angels, those excellent and
potent creatures, are subordinate to him, and ac
knowledge him as their head, which, by the way,
shews that they are not to be worshipped.

170

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE SECOND CHAPTER.

Ver. 11. And to speak yet more expressly, what
should you do with circumcision or any part of the
law ceremonial, seeing in Christ ye have received
that which was signified by circumcision? for in
him you are circumcised, not with the hands of
men, as they were under the law, but by the finger
of the Spirit of God, which stands in the mortifica
tion of that body of sins which ye were guilty of
whUe ye were in the flesh, and this ye have by the
virtue of Christ's circumcision.
Ver. 12, 13. And if you say that Abraham
had the circumcision without hands, and yet was
circumcised in the flesh, I answer, that we have
baptism instead of that circumcision, and therefore
need it not ; and the rather, because baptism doth
so lively set out our spiritual burial and resurrec
tion with Christ, which all they attain unto that
have the faith of God's operation — that is, that can
beheve that God by his power will do what he
promiseth in baptism, grounding their faith upon
the resurrection of Christ from the dead.
Ver. 14. And further, this should move you to
disregard those things, because they neither could
help you when you were miserable, nor confer the
benefits upon you wliich you enjoy without them,
for in your estate of nature you were dead in actual
sins ; and in respect of original sin, you lived in the
uncircumcision of the flesh ; and since you were
quickened by true regeneration, you have obtained
the forgiveness of all your sins, and therefore what
would you have more from these things ?
Lastly, The ceremonies, though they were ordi
nances of God at the first, yet they were hand
writings against us, and now Christ hath cancelled
them, and fastened the obligation upon the cross,
and so taken them out of the way, and therefore
you should never more have mind to them,
Ver. 15. And the rather because our Saviour hath
not only cancelled them, but he hath spoiled the
devils which had power to execute the forfeitures
of these bonds. I say, both in himself on the cross,
and in us daily, he hath and doth spoil them, and
triumph over them, and make an open shew of
them, so as we are freed from the danger of their
arrests. Ver. 16. Now therefore I come to the conclusion ;

which I direct distinctly, first, against the cere
monies; then against phUosophy; and, lastly, against
traditions : First, I say, let no man condemn you,
(or if they do, care not for it,) condemn you, I say,
for any ofthe ceremonies, whether it be about meats
or drinks, or about the ceremonial days, or months,
or sabbaths, that were required in that law.
Ver. 17. For these and all the rest were but sha
dows of things to come, and now in Christ we have
the substance and body of them.
Ver. 18. The like I say against philosophy, and
in special against angel-worship, let no man bear
rule over your consciences, for they that bring in
this doctrine do it hypocriticaUy, upon pretence
that it tends to make men humble, and they do it
very ignorantly, for they never saw the kingdom of
angels, nor what is done in heaven, and most proudly
do they advance themselves, swelling in the vain
conceits of their fleshly minds.
Ver. 19. Yea, they that bring in this doctrine fall
from the foundation, and hold not Christ, who is
the head of the church, of whom every member
doth depend, and the whole body is exceUently fur
nished and indissolubly knit together, and increase
with the increasing of God.
Ver. 20. And lastly, for traditions : I wonder at
it you would be clogged with them, seeing you are
delivered from them in the death of Christ, and
they are not so honourable as the ceremonies of
Moses, but are vile burdens.
Ver. 21. Think but with yourselves how vainly
they impose upon you when they say, touch not,
taste not, handle not.
Ver. 22. Besides, all these are perishable things,
and fit nothing at all to eternal life ; and further,
they are evidently the common documents and de
vices and doctrines of men, that never had warrant
in the word of God.
Ver. 23. It is true they find out many fair pre
tences to blind men's eyes withal, as that hereby
we shew special zeal to God in doing more than he
commandeth, and these things seem to tend to
humility and the taming of the flesh ; but all these
are but shows, and therefore naught, whatsoever
they say, because they yield not a due respect even
to the body of man.

CHAPTER II.

VER. 1. For I would ye knew what great fighting I
have for your sakes, and for them of Laodicea,
and for as many as have not seen my person in the
flesh. The exhortation, begun in the 23d verse of the
former chapter, is continued in the first seven verses
of this chapter, wherein the apostle propounds three
other reasons for confirmations, and answers divers
secret objections. The reasons are in the three first
verses, and the answer to the objections in the four
next. The first reason is taken from the care the apostle
took for them in the work of his ministry in this
verse. The second reason is from the effects of the
gospel, viz., consolation and love, ver. 2. The
third reason is from certain adjuncts of the gospel,
viz., certainty, sublimity, and perfection, ver. 2, 3.
Object. But what needs all this ado? might some
of the Colossians say. Why are we thus tediously
urged, and with so many reasons ?
Sol. Ver. 4. ' This I say, lest any man beguile
you.' Object. But you are a stranger to lis, and absent
from us, how know you our estate ?
Sol. Ver. 5. ' Though I ain absent in the flesh,
yet I am present with you in the spirit.'
Object. But it is uncharitableness to entertain such
conceits of us, as if we were a people corrupt and
fallen away.
Sol. Ver. 5. For'your present condition, 'I rejoice
in your order,' being fully ascertained of your present
' steadfastness of faith in Christ.' But I write this
to keep you as you are, that you may not be drawn
away. Quest. But what would you advise us ? Tell us
briefly, and at once, what you would have us to do ?

Ans. ' As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in him,' &c, ver. 6, 7.
Thus we see the order and general meaning and
dependence of all these first seven verses.
In this first verse, the apostle Would stir up the
Colossians to constancy in the gospel received, by
shewing his great care and daily strife for them and
their good.
It is not unlawful, in some cases, to praise a man's
self; the apostle here doth it. Nor is it unlawful to
use rhetorical insinuations, to win and excite affection
in the people. Paul would persuade, by shewing
his own care for them. But sure it is, ministers
shall hardly ever profit the people, or powerfully
persuade with them unto constancy, in receiving
and retaining the care of their doctrine, unless they
shew their own care in teaching, and their own love
to the people they would persuade.
What a great conflict. Paul shews his great love
to them ; he fighteth for them, and this he did when
in all likelihood he should employ his cares for
himself, being now in such straits, as it were in the
midst of death, and the rather they should be affected
with this proof of his love in them, because they
were absent from him.
For. This for shews an aitiology ; for it points
to a dependence upon the last verse of the former
chapter. There he had shewed what pain he took,
and how mightUy the Lord had shewed his power
in working through his ministry. Now he tells of
a fight and combat, which evidently imports that
when the gospel works upon men's consciences, and
the ministry of God's servants proves effectual and
powerful, there will follow some stir and opposition,
there will be a conflict and strife.
Yet hence also may be gathered, that the grace

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BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IL

of the gospel is excellent, and worthy the having,
else there would not be so much ado to hinder
it. What great conflict or fighting. 'Ayava, the original
word, is diversely rendered; some render it care or
solicitude, some danger ; sometimes it signifies a
race, as Heb. xii. 1 ; sometimes it signifies only to
strive ; but here and in divers places, it is fitly
rendered a conflict, or fighting, or wrestling. But
leaving the signification, the matter is plain, that
if ministers execute their offices sincerely, they must
look for a battle and opposition. Indeed, the life
of faithful ministers is but a continual battle ; they
must look to suffer, ancl be ' shamefully entreated,
1 Thes. ii. 2 ; if they be bold to speak the gospel of
God, it will be ' with much contention;' if they dis
charge the trust God hath put in them, ' not pleasing
men, but God that trieth the heart,' 1 Thes. ii. 4, war
they must. This is their comfort, it is ' a good war
fare,' 1 Tim. i. 18, and a good fight, 2 Tim. iv. 7:
to undertake the ministry, it is to go a warfare, 1
Cor. ix. 7.
If any ask how this fight should grow, I answer :
first, It is manifest the devil is the enemy of all
goodness, and will cross the gospel what he can.
Besides, the flesh, both in ministers and people, will
lust and strive against the spirit. A minister should
have something to do to ' beat down his own flesh,'
1 Cor. ix. 27. And in the apostle's times, tyrants
with their civil, or rather uncivil, sword, did fight
against the truth ; so did heretics with the tares
and poison of their infectious doctrine ; so did the
infidels also, with slanders and outrages. And
though these cease, yet opposition will rise from
other sorts of men ; for in general, all men of wicked
life will be ' contrary to sound doctrine,' 1 Tim. i.
1 0 ; and particularly both worldlings and epicures,
do in all places discover their dislike of the faithful
and diligent preaching of the gospel, inasmuch as
the word would restrain the excess of their pleasures
and cares of life; yea, the civil honest men of the
world, though they give heaven good words, and
can be long more quiet than the former, yet let
once their inward corruption be ransacked, or their
special evils powerfully unmasked, they will become
like horses and mules, they will strike at all that
crosseth the praise of their quiet estate. And for

temporisers, it is wonderful evident that in all
places they hold it a point of their care to see that
sound preaching be disgraced. For howsoever, by
God's singular mercy amongst us in this nation, by
the laws of the kingdom preaching is both estab
lished and protected with honour, yet because in
practice people of all degrees tend to liberty, and
many great ones like not that preaching that should
discover or restrain the grievous excesses of the
time, hence it is, that such as serve, the humours of
men, and run in the current of profaneness, do
everywhere take all advantages to# disgrace painful
and godly preachers and preaching. Besides, such
is the hellish spite and rage of papists and popish
persons in all places, that, in imitation of their ' holy
father,' who is noted to ' oppose and exalt himself,'
2 Thes. ii. 4, they, especiaUy the ' locusts ' among
them, are as ' horses prepared to the battle,' Rev. ix.,
as soon as the gospel begins in any place to be sin
cerely taught. Lastly, This opposition many times
is made by corrupt teachers, men that either are
poisoned with unsound opinions, or otherwise be of
corrupt and ambitious minds; ' as Jannes and
Jambres resisted Moses, so do these resist the truth,'
2 Tim. iii. 8, and ' withstand the words ' of faithful
men, and ' do much evil,' 2 Tim. iv. 14, 15 ; these,
'by cunning craftiness, he in wait to deceive,'
Eph. iv. 14. So that there are twelve opposites
that set against the sincerity of the preaching of
the gospel.
Now, if any ask how Paul, and so every faithful
minister, doth fight against these ? I answer, that as
the adversaries are divers, so their fight is divers
also ; for against their own flesh they fight, by
renouncing the world, and the care or confidence in
worldly hopes, making profit and credit stoop to the
calling of God.
2. Against the temptations of Satan, and the
many objections by which he labours to discourage
or hinder them, they fight by care ; that is by a
daily study, devising how to advantage the good of
the churches, devoting their best desires for the
people's good.
3. They fight by apology and just defence, and so
both against corrupt teachers and the calumnies and
slanderous reproaches of the wicked.
4. They fight against the corruptions and abuses

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

173

of the time, by reproofs and the denunciation of the
threatenings of God's word.
5. They wrestle and fight even in prayer to God,
Col. iv. 12 ; and so they fight by complaining against
the injuries of wicked men, or else by striving with
God himself to overcome him by importunity.
6. They fight even by their sufferings ; they win
many battles by their very patience and faith in
affliction, by enduring the ' fight of affliction.'
The consideration of this fight may first awaken
careless ministers, inasmuch as they proportion out
such a course of preaching as they can escape blows,
it gives just cause of suspicion that they are com
bined -with the enemies, in that they are let alone
and not opposed.
Again, this may both sound an alarm to all faith
ful ministers to arm and prepare for a fight ; and it
may comfort them in that this hath been the case of
the best of God's servants ; and withal the people
may learn how to be affected to their godly teachers.
Do your ministers so many ways labour and strive
for you, and shall not you strive for them, by apo
logy, prayer, care, and all ways of just defence?
1 would you knew. Quest. Why was the apostle so
desirous they should know his care, patience, fight
ing, &c, for them ?
Ans. There might be great cause of it: 1. To
remove all conceit that he did not respect them ; 2.
To encourage them to constancy in that doctrine for
which he suffered so much ; 3. It might arm them
with patience to suffer, if they should be called to
it, considering his example ; 4. That so they might
be stirred up the more earnestly to pray for him. In
general this shews that it is not enough that we love
one another, but we must manifest it ; especially
affection between the minister and his people should
not be concealed.
For you and for them of, &c. There were two sorts
of godly men in the apostle's time : 1. Such as were
converted immediately by the apostles in their own
persons ; 2. Such as were converted by others sent
of the apostles. The apostle here shews he loves
these latter as well as the former.
There is a communion with the absent members
of Christ, even with such as we never saw in the
face ; a communion, I say, in the same head, and in
the same spirit, and in the same privileges of a

regenerated life. And we see here we are bound to
desire and endeavour the good of the absent saints
as well as the present ; we may fight for the absent
by prayer, by apology, by our sufferings, and by
using the means of consolation or information ; yea,
herein is a lively trial of our true love to the brethren,
if we can love them we never saw, for the grace of
God we hear to be in them.
For them of Laodicea. Though there were many
cities of this name, yet I think this is the Laodicea
mentioned Rev. iii. If the estate of these Laodi-
ceans be well marked, as it is there described, we
may observe, that in matters of religion and God's
worship, they were neither hot nor cold ; that they
thought they had as good hearts to God as any; that
they were in love with no saving grace; that they
were utterly ignorant of the doctrine of their misery;
that they would take no pains either about justifica
tion or santification, &c; yet, no doubt, God had his
remnant among these. Christ was Amen in this
church, he did faithfully perform his promises, and
they were such as by a new creation of God were
begotten again, even amongst so careless a multitude.
The general security of a people doth not simply
dissolve the covenant with a people, and the gospel
is with all care to be taught, though but the tithe of
men be wrought upon by it.
And for such as never saw my face. Two things
may be here further noted :
1. That we have the profit of the prayers and
holy endeavours of such as we never saw in the
flesh. 2. That it is a great benefit to enjoy the presence
of those that are eminent in God's service, for that
is imphed in the words. Certainly it is one thing
should make us wUling to die, because then we shall
see the worthies of the Lord face to face. If so much
grief, Acts xx., because they should see Paul's face
no more, then what joy shall it be when we shall sit
down in the kingdom of heaven, with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob !
Ver. 2. Tliat their hearts might be comforted, and they
knit together in love, and in all riches of the full assur
ance of understanding, to know the mystery of God, even
the Father, and of Christ.
In the beginning of this verse is contained the

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BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

second reason, taken from the effects of the gospel,
which are two : the first, Consolation ; the second,
Establishment of their hearts in brotherly love.
The rest of the words of this verse belongs to the
third reason, as shall appear afterward.
This is the fruit of the care ancl earnest strife of
godly teachers in their painful labours of the gospel,
that it breeds much comfort in the hearts of God's
people, and likewise greatly confirms them, and set
tles them in the mutual love one of another — it knits
their hearts together. And contrariwise we may
generally here note the hurt and mischief that false
and corrupt teachers bring upon men ; they hinder
the consultations of God's people, in that they draw
them away from God the fountain of all consolation ;
and likewise they withdraw them from the society
and fellowship with the saints. But this is but
general. I consider distinctly of these effects.
That their hearts might be comforted.
Doct. 1, The people whose hearts are not effectually
wrought upon by the gospel, are void of the conso
lations of God ; they are in comfortless distress. A
natural heart is a comfortless heart ; and they must
needs be without comfort, for they are without God
and Christ, and the promises, and communion with
the godly, which are the wells of comfort. Besides,
by reason of the veil of ignorance, their souls sit in
darkness. And what comfort can they have in such
a continued spiritual night of darkness ? Neither will
the disorder of their affections, passions, or lusts,
suffer their hearts to enjoy any true ease, or rest, or
joy ; and how can comfort dwell where evil angels
have their throne? The powers of hell prevail in
every child of disobedience, and the joys of the
Holy Ghost are altogether restrained from them.
Neither can there arise any true consolation from
outward things, for in their own judgments most an
end they are at a want of contentment, they are
daily fretted with the interruptions befall them ;
and vanity and vexation of spirit are the inseparable
companions of earthly things, or if they were not,
what were the possession of all things if they be set
before the thoughts of death, or God's wrath, or the
last judgment, or hell ? Imagine a man driven out
of the light by devils, where he should see nothing
but his tormentors, and that he were made to stand
upon snares or gins with iron teeth ready to strike

up and grind him to pieces, and that he had gall
poured down to his belly, and an instrument raking
in his bowels, and the pains of a travailing woman
upon him, ancl an hideous noise of horror in his ears,
and a great giant with a spear running upon his
neck, and a flame burning upon him round about ;
do you imagine this man could be solaced in this
distress with bringing him straws or trifles to play
withal ? Alas, alas ! this is the estate of every
wicked man, if he had eyes to see what belongs unto
him, and what is his danger, as these places shew,
whence these comparisons are taken : Job xviii. 18,
vii. 8, xx. 24, 25, xv. 20, xxi. 26, 30. Certainly
heaven and earth shall pass away before one jot of
these miseries shall be removed out of the way, so as
they should not fall upon wicked men, being im
penitent ; and, alas ! what then can outward things
do unto them ? Oh, then, shall not men be warned
and awaken, and stand up from the dead, that Christ
may give them light ? and shall not our bowels turn
within us, to think of this comfortless distress of so
many thousand souls ? And will the rebellious world
still rise up against the messengers of God, that give
them warning of their miseries? shall he still be
made to sin in the word, and be taken in a snare,
that reproveth in the gate ? Oh, the inexpressible
senselessness and slumber that possesseth the hearts
of some men ! But I come to the second doctrine.
Doct. 2. This is a main end of the gospel, to bring
men to true consolation and contentment. The
gospel brings joy, because it brings knowledge,
which refresheth the mind, as the light doth our
senses ; it comforts as it revives God's favour in
Christ. How can it be but comfort, when it gives the
Spirit, which is the Comforter ; and it is a daily
refreshing against the guilt of sin and the afflictions
of life ; it shews mortality and the hope of glory to
come ; it discovers the mines of treasure that are in
God's promises, and it shews us also our right in
earthly things, as it is conferred upon us in Christ.
Uses. The use is first for confutation ; it doth not
make men desperate and melancholy, but contrari
wise it easeth and solaceth the hearts of men.
2. All that are in any distress, either inward or
outward, may here be directed whither to go for
heart's ease and comfort, viz., to the word, and
though any use of the word in sincerity hath much

Ver, 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

175

life, yet is the power of the word most available
in the sincere preaching of it. In the 19th Psalm
this is one evident fruit of the word, that it rejoiceth
the heart. Now, if we seriously consider the praises
of the word in that place, we shall perceive, not
only that this truth is maintained, but many objec
tions are answered too ; only this we must know,
that where the word hath this effect, it must first
convert us to God ; for to the unregenerate mind it
doth not so work, but where men's hearts are turned
to God, it is perfect, it is of excellent and exquisite
use, it is good for all occasions, it will direct in all
our ways, and comfort in all distresses.
Object. But may a man trust upon it, if he subject
himself to the word, and wait upon God in it, that
he shall be directed and comforted ?
Sol. Yes ; for ' the testimonies of God are sure,'
they never faU.
Object, But might one say, it may be great learned
men might find so much good by it, but, alas ! I am
unlearned and simple.
Sol. It. ' makes the simple wise.' The word can
help the unlearned as well as the learned.
Object. But can it be that the word should fit my
turn, to serve for my particular occasion, of need,
of direction, aiid comfort ?
Sol. Yes ; ' the statutes of the Lord are right,' and
out of the fitn.ess they have to our estates, they
greatly ' rejoice the heart.'
Object. But I am much troubled with evil thoughts
and continual infirmities and weaknesses, besides
many outward faults.
Sol. ' The word of the Lord is pure,' it is so by
the effect ; it will make thee pure; it will purge out
those evils, and greatly help thee against those
corruptions that molest, and trouble, and annoy
thee. Object. But I cannot tell how to do to order my
course for hereafter, if I were now comforted.
Sol. ' It gives hght to the eyes ; ' it will teach us
what to do.
Object. But yet there are many evils that I am by
nature so addicted to, or by custom so entangled in,
that I fear God will never take any delight in me,
&c. Sol. ' The fear of the Lord is clean.' That word
of God which tells us how to fear God, is clean by

effect, it will pull down and master any sin, and
cleanse our hearts and lives of it.
Object. But how may I know it will work this in
me, though others have found it so ; because I know
not how I shall persevere and hold out ?
Sol. The fear of God ' endures for ever.' That
word, I say, which works in us the true fear of God,
will never cease to be effectual, and there is as
much force in it now as ever was in it. No time
can ever wear out the efficacy of God's word in the
hearts of such as fear God. If it have wrought the
true fear of God in thee, thou mayst be assured thou
hast right to the directions and comforts contained
in it, and it will still be of force to thee, if thou
wait upon God in the true use of it.
Object. But I see many are otherwise minded, and
some teach otherwise.
Sol. Yet 'the judgments of the Lord are true.'
God's word must and will stand, howsoever we are
minded. Object. But may a man find help against any sin
from the word, and direction in all things ?
Sol. Yes ; for ' God's judgments are righteous
altogether.' They are exactly sufficient to make a
man a godly man, complete in all his ways, and to
order him in all that justice he should perform,
either towards God or man.
Object. But might not the hearts of men be de
lighted with other things, and men's estates made
happy with other treasures ?
Sol. No ; it is ' more to be desired (the word is)
than fine gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter
also than honey and the honeycomb.'
Object. But if I should devote myself thus to
the word, the world would account me a very
fool, and that I would grow to strange simple
ness. Sol. ' By them is thy servant made circumspect.'
Nothing teacheth men true discretion but God's
word, and if many hearers be not circumspect, it is
either because they attend not to the word, or be
cause they are not God's servants.
Object. But what profit will come of all this ?
Sol. In the sound practice of the directions of the
word ' there is great reward.'
Thirdly, This may comfort God's servants in their
choice ; they have chosen the better part, in that

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[Chap. II.

they have set their hearts upon the word, howsoever
the world think of them.
Fourthly, We may here see the state of scorners
and contemners of the word implied ; let them mock
on, but this they shall have, they shall never taste
of the joys of God.
Fifthly, God's servants should be admonished
from hence to express the power of the word in
their carriages, that the world might see and know
there is wonderful comfort and contentment in fol
lowing the word.
Lastly, This may serve for the humiliation of all
such as have long heard the gospel, and yet have
not gotten any sound contentment.
Now, that men may not be mistaken, it will not
be amiss to discover the true causes of this want of
contentment in many that enjoy the gospel. It is
true that the proper effect of the gospel is to com
fort ; but it is true also that it comforts only God's
servants, Isa. Ixv. 15. Again, if men have not
mourned for their sins, no wonder though they be
not comforted, Mat. v. 4, Isa. lxi. 1-3. Besides,
many do not lay up the word in their hearts, and
then how can it comfort their hearts ? We must be
a people in whose heart is God's law, Isa. li. 7, if
we would feel this inward joy and consolation.
Many also are ensnared with gross sin, whereas
only ' the righteous sing and rejoice,' Prov. xxix. 6.
Many want assurance, and therefore no wonder
though they rejoice not with those unspeakable joys
which are companions of faith and, the love of
Christ only, 1 Pet. i. 8, 9. Besides, many have but
little joy, because they use but little praying ; we
must pray much if we [would] have our joy full,
John xvi. 24. Further, some through unbelief resist
comfort, Ps. lxxvii. 3.
There are seven inconveniences of an uncomfort
able heart : 1. It is exceeding liable to temptations ;
2. It is under the reign of continual unthankfulness ;
3. It is easily perplexed with every cross, and
turned out of frame and quiet ; 4. It is a daily let
to the efficacy of all God's ordinances ; 5. It is ac
companied with strange infirmities in doing good
duties ; 6. It is usually barren in the very disposi
tion to do good ; 7. It provokes God to anger, Deut.
xxviii. 47.
Being knit together in love. Love is in God, in

Christ, in angels, in saints glorified, in godly men
converted, and in carnal men also. In the Trinity
it is infinite ; in Christ, without measure ; in angels
and men glorified, perfect, but measured ; in godly
men on earth, imperfect, but holy; in carnal men un
holy, yet natural ; in the other creatures without rea
son, by instinct.
It is a religious and holy love amongst the mem
bers of Christ that is here meant.
The author and fountain of this love is God, 2 Cor.
xih. 11. The bond internal is the Spirit, external
is the gospel ; the subject or seat of it is the heart,
yet not every heart, but a pure heart, 1 Tim. i. 5.
The effects^re a heavenly comfort in the gospel, with
all the fruits of it.
If thou ask whom thou must especially love ? I an
swer, the saints ; that is, such as thou seest to strive
after holiness of hfe, making conscience of their
ways. These, and all these, are to be loved.
Neither will bare affection to them serve, but thou
must seek to have fellowship with them in the gos
pel, Phil. i. 5, and ii. 1. If thy love to God's chU
dren be right : 1. It is diligent, 1 Thes. i. 3 ; 2. In
things indifferent it doth not willingly offend, Rom.
xiv. 15, Gal. v. 13 ; 3. It whT cover a multitude of
sins, 1 Pet. iv. 8, and it wUl forgive great offences
upon repentance, 2 Cor. h. 7, 8 ; 4. It is compassion
ate and liberal, 1 John hi. 17, 2 Cor. vih. 24; lastly,
It hath the properties mentioned, 1 Cor. xui. 4-7.
That this holy and religious love might be pre
served amongst Christians, divers rules must be ob
served : 1. Men must not so much respect their own
earthly things, Phil. ii. 4 ; 2. Men should labour
with all meekness for union in judgment, without all
contention and vain-glory, Phil. ii. 2-4 ; 3. Men
must take heed of rejoicing in the evils one of an
other, 1 Cor. xiii. ; 4. Men must get more patience
to suffer longer, and upon more occasion, 1 Cor. xiii.;
5. We should with all possible care endeavour to
increase in knowledge and sense of God's love, for
that inflames to the love one of another, Phil. i. 9;
6. We must study to be quiet and meddle with our
own business, 1 Thes. iv. 11 ; lastly, We must much
and often think of our living together in heaven,
for the hope of heaven and the love of the saints are
companions. Yet, that we may not mistake, there are divers

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

177

sorts of people with whom we may not hold open
and professed love, and union, and amity, and
society : 1. With such as are open enemies to the
truth, by infidelity or idolatry, 1 Cor. vi. ; 2. With
men that live in notorious wickedness and profane
ness, such as are atheists, swearers, drunkards, adul
terers, usurers, &c, Ps. xxvi. 5, 6, Eph. v. 6, Phil.
iii. 18 ; 3. With scandalous brethren, that make
shows of religion, and yet are lewd in conversation,
1 Cor. v. ; 4. With corrupt teachers and seducers,
that would draw men from the sincerity that is in
Christ, and speak evil of the way of righteousness,
Phil. hi. 2 ; 5. With those members of the synagogue
of Satan, whose tongues are set on fire with the fire
of hell, in respect of slandering and disgracing such
as truly fear God, Rev. ii. 9 ; 6. With such professors
of religion that live idly, and in that respect walk
inordinately, and will not be reclaimed, but in that
respect live offensively, 2 Thes. iii. 6 ; 7. With such
as openly refuse to obey the sayings and censures of
God's servants, 2 Thes. iii. 14-16.
As the knitting together of God's people is won
derful comfortable, and a gracious effect of the gos
pel, so to disturb the love and unity of the church
ancl people of God is most execrable and abominable.
It is a grievous sin to disquiet and disjoin God's
servants. Now if we observe in our own times who
they are that are disturbers of the church and unity
amongst true Christians, we shall find four sorts of
men may be justly taxed with this grievous fault :
1. Papists and half-papists; these in all places labour
to hinder the progress of the gospel and the unity
of the church. 2. Ambitious temporisers. Diotre-
phes had his hand deep in this sin. Too many there
are that scarce know any readier way to cover their
damned simoniacal practices, and to advance their
own aspiring ends, than to blaze and enlarge,
and with bitter exasperations proclaim, that heavy
rent and dissent of opinion that hath divided the
sons of the same mother. 3. Men of flagitious and
wicked life ; for wicked men disturb God's church,
both by their sins vexing the righteous, and by then
railing opposing the truth, and cause God by his
judgment to afflict his own Israel. 4. Sectaries and
humorous persons, that out of their hellish pride
despise all the assemblies of God's people, because
they favour not their fantastical projects. These

many of them divide from us both in church and
habitation. Thus of the affection itself. But I must more
specially yet consider of the manner in the words
' knit together.'
Knit together. The original word, e\iiJ.ZiZa<skvrmv,
when it is taken properly, it signifies to set in a
frame of building : but, usually, it is taken in the
New Testament in a borrowed sense. Sometimes it
is to demonstrate a thing by evident testimony, Acts
ix. 22 ; sometimes to assure, Acts xvi. 10 ; some
times to instruct, 1 Cor. h. 16 ; but most frequently
to knit together as the members are knit in a body,
Eph. iv. 16 ; and so it may well be taken here ; and
so we are considered as joined together in the mys
tical body of Christ. And we may hence observe :
1. That our union one with another must be sancti
fied in one head ; if we be not joined to Christ, we
do in vain plead our love to men ; 2. Our affections
must carry us to a thirst and constant desire to pro
cure the good of the body ; the body of Christ must
be dearer to us than our particular good ; 3. That
we must respect all that fear God, and not contemn
the meanest Christian. We are knit to the whole
body, and not to some one member only.
Thus of the second reason, viz., from the effect of
the gospel.
And unto all riches of tlie full assurance of under
standing. The third and last reason is taken from
the adjuncts of the gospel, which do more and more
appear by the power of it in the pains of God's
faithful servants. And these are three : 1. Cer
tainty ; 2. Sublimity ; 3'. Perfection. The first is
in these words.
The gospel is certain two ways: 1. In itself ; 2.
In the infallibility and steadfastness ofthe persuasion
of the elect. In itself, the apostle had good reason
to say so, for it was no new device, lately broached,
but long before from the beginning propounded to
God's servants, and confirmed in all ages by the
prophets, &c. But in this place it is considered in
the certainty of the persuasion of the godly, by faith
laying hold upon it and believing it. This he ex
presseth in the word full assurance, or plerophory.
The fulness of a Christian is either general or special.
The general is that fulness which every member hath
in Christ, their head, and by influence from him ;

178

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[Chap. II.

the special is that fulness wherein some members
excel. Thus, some are full of the Spirit, Eph. v. 18,
of love, 1 Thes. hi. 12, of joy, Rom. xv. 13, 2 Cor.
vii. 4; some in obedience and good works, Acts ix.
36, PhU. i. 11, Rev. iii. 1, 2 Cor. x. 6; some in faith
and knowledge. So Rom. xv. 14. So here.
Quest. But is full assurance essential unto true
faith? Ans. Some seem to say so, but I see no reason so
to think. And experience shows us many worthy
in the praises of the gospel, and yet have not gotten
full assurance. Full assurance is in the greatest
faith, but faith may be true in the least measure,
though it be not so confirmed ; it is essential to a
strong faith, not to a little faith.
Quest. May this plerophory, or full assurance, be
had in this hfe ?
Ans. It may without all doubt, as these scriptures
evidently prove : 1 Thes. i. 5, Heb. vi. 1 1, x. 22,
Rom. iv. 21.
Quest. But are we bound to labour for this full
assurance ?
Ans. We are. Heb. x., he saith, ' let us draw
near in the full assurance of faith;' and in the sixth
chapter they are exhorted to ' shew their diligence
unto the full assurance of hope to the end.' We
make no question but we ought to make sure our
houses and lands, &c, and shall life and happiness
lie unassured?
There are seven things wherein this assurance hath
been employed: 1. There is a full assurance of the
things done by Christ, mentioned Luke i. 1; 2.
There is a full assurance required in the knowledge
of our liberty in things indifferent; 3. There is a
full assurance requisite unto the persuasion of the
truth of their ministries to whom we subject our
souls, as the original word imports, 2 Tim. iv. 5,
17; 4. We must be fully assured of the doctrine of
the religion that we profess; 5. There is a full
assurance of the hope of a better hfe, Heb. vi. 12-
6. There is a full assurance sometimes in special and
particular persons, as that to Abraham about his
son, Rom. iv. 21; lastly, There is -a full assurance of
faith in God'-s favour, upon the warrant of God's
word and Spirit. This ie chiefly to be laboured for.
Now there are seven properties or signs of a ple
rophory, or full assurance of faith : 1. It will receive

the word in affliction with much joy, 1 Thes. i. 6 ;
2. It will not be ' carried about -with every wind of
doctrine,' Eph. iv. 14; 3. It is industrious and labo
rious in the duties of love to God's children, Heb. vi.
11, 12; 4. It is unrebukable, and full of innocence
and integrity of life : it cannot possibly stand with
any presumptuous sin, Heb. x. 22, 23; 5. It will give
glory to God against all sense and reason, Rom. iv.
20; 6. It mortifies and extinguisheth aU headstrong
affections, Isa. xi. 7, 9; 7. It is carried with full
sails unto holy duties, (for so the word signifies,) and
is fruitful in good works; 8. It is able to admonish,
Rom. xv. 14.
If we would obtain this plerophory we must be
much in hearing and prayer, for they do both exceed- -
ingly settle faith ; especiaUy we must attend much .
unto the promises of God, and the testimony of the
spirit of adoption; and we must get calm and quiet
affections ; we must grow in grace, and strive to be
strengthened in the inner man. But especiaUy we
must beg it often of God by prayer, and strive
against hardness of heart and unbelief, carefuUy dis
cerning and rejecting the objections of Satan and the
flesh; consulting daUy with such as have the over
sight of our souls.
Use. The consideration hereof may both confute
the papists, that plead so earnestly against the assur
ance of faith, and it may serve also to scourge the
wanton distempers of carnal protestants, that, against
a principle of their own rehgion, will so commonly
disgrace the assurance of faith, by saying men can
not be so certain of then own salvation. And it may
excite all that fear God to labour after it, and the
rather considering the worth of it, as the word ' riches
of full assurance ' imports.
Riches of full assurance. There are two sorts of
rich men : there is a worldly rich man, and a spiri
tual rich man. Now our spiritual riches lie: 1. In
the word of Christ dwelling in us, Col. hi. 16; 2. In
the Spirit of Christ, Titus iii. 6; 3. In works of
mercy and liberality, Eph. ii. 4, 2 Cor. viii. 1, ix. 11;
4. In sufferings and patience; 5. In prayers, Rom. x.
11; 6. In good wrorks, 1 Tim. vi. 18; 7. In utterance
and all holy knowledge, 1 Cor. i. 5 ; lastly, It hes in
our faith, James ii. 5 ; and so the more full assurance
we have the more rich we are. Now this in general
may inform how to conceive of rich men, and who

Ver. 3.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

179

are to be accounted indeed great rich men. And it
may lesson worldly rich men not to swell in the
thoughts of their greatness, but rather rejoice that
God hath made them low; and withal it should teach
them to think more highly of poor Christians, that
have the true grace of Christ, whom God hath en
riched with the faith and holy graces of his Spirit.
Worthily is fuU assurance of faith called riches,
for it doth all that riches can do unto men. It com
forts the heart, it defends from dangers, much better
than outward riches can, for the just live by their
faith. It gains the godly more true reputation than
houses, or land, or money could do. It abounds
more to spiritual mercy and well-doing with more
sufficiency than outward riches can, and it buys for
the soul all necessaries. It is unto God's servants
according to their faith, and unto faith all things are
possible; yea, it doth that that all the riches in the
world cannot do, for it will settle a man's heart
against all earthly mutations; yea, it will make a
man stand undaunted against the rage of tyrants,
yea, of death itself; yea, in some sense, it will fence
a man against the weapons, of God himself; though
God kill Job in the battle, yet he will not let go his
hold, but he will still trust in him ; yea, the Lord is
pleased many times to yield the victory to the wrest
lings of faith, and accounts it no disparagement to be
overcome of the faith of his servants, and to let them
bind his hands, that he should not do what other
wise he might and would have done. How can it be
but great riches, when it brings a man the assured
pardon of all his offences? And how doth it establish
the heart of a man in his rehgion, more than ten
thousand arguments or volumes of controversies ?
Thus of the adjunct certainty; the sublimity of
the gospel follows.
To the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, even the
Father, and of Christ. The gospel is a divine mystery,
both for the admirable depth of it, for it is a secret
only God can reveal, and for the excellency of the
subject it entreats of, which is God the Father, and
Christ. How the gospel is a mystery, and to whom, hath
been shewed in the former chapters, only let us, from
the repetition of it here, be confirmed in this, never
to trust to the judgment of carnal persons in matters
of godliness and salvation, for they pronounce of

things they never effectually understand, they can
not perceive the things of God; and withal we
should be excited to a daily care of faith, for reason
will not reach here.
Further, we may here observe, that when the Lord
doth reveal this mystery unto us, we must not only
believe it, but we must acknowledge it, even by an
outward profession of our faith in Christ, and our
consecration of ourselves to the worship and know
ledge of God. The world wonderful hardly brooks
acknowledgment; most men ask, What needs this
profession ? They will not understand that we must
bear about, and hold out the light of the truth
received, labouring to win glory to God by the
power of confession and obedience.
Of God, even the Father, and of Christ. Divers things
may be from these words particularly observed.
1. We may see here the glory of the gospel, and
the studies of Christians. They have the only excel
lent subject in the world ; other sciences consider of
the creature, but theology of the Creator.
2. Here is a plain proof of the divine nature of
Christ, for God is said to be the Father of Christ.
3. From coherence we may know, that as men
grow in faith and love, so they will be more and
more settled in the doctrine of the persons of the
Trinity. It is such a mystery as is revealed by degrees,
as holiness and other saving knowledges increase
in us.
4. That we never rightly know God till we know
Christ, Mat. xi. 27, 1 John ii, 23.
5. We may hence observe the misery of all unre
generate men ; they neither know God nor Christ
aright. 6. That howsoever we be ignorant in many other
knowledges, and that of matters of religion too, yet
it is glorious riches to know God to be our Father
in Christ, and to be fully assured of God's love in
Christ. Ver. 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.
In whom. In quo, is referred either to Christ or
the gospel; it is true either way ; or rather both are
conjoined together in one sense. In Christ, who is
the subject of the gospel, is all treasures, Sec, or in
the gospel, as it entreats of Christ, is all treasures,

180

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[Chap. II.

&c, so that these words contain a third adjunct of
the gospel, and that is singular perfection of wisdom.
Note here with what feeling the apostle speaks,
when he falls upon the mention of Christ and the gos
pel. He abounds in powerful affections and admira
tions of these things ; which may wonderfully abase
and humble us, for our barrenness both in thoughts,
and affections, and words, when we have to deal with
the things that belong to the kingdom of God.
Again, if there be any such treasures in Christ
and the gospel, we may conclude it is not in vain to
devote ourselves to the knowledge of Christ in the
gospel, though it cost us never so much pains, or
care, or cost, and though we be never so much op
posed by the flesh and the world.
Further, we need not doubt but that all things
needful to salvation and happiness are contained in
the word. Here are treasures of ¦wisdom and know
ledge; we need no traditions nor inventions of men,
nor decrees of popes, &c.
The ubiquitaries abuse this place to prove a real
communication of the properties of the divine nature
to the human. Now, for answer to their cavil, divers
things may be propounded :
1. If the words be understood of the gospel, then
their conceit wholly falls to the ground. 2. If they
be understood of Christ, yet there is no necessity to
understand them as these treasures are in Christ
himself only, but as they are in his members by
communication. 3. If as it is in him, yet it is not
necessary to understand it of all knowledge in
general, but of that which is needful for the salva
tion of the elect. 4. If of all knowledge, yet the
apostle saith not that it is in the soul of Christ, but
in Christ. 5. If in the soul, what wisdom? not in-
create and infinite, but created wisdom.
Thus in general.
In whom. Wisdom and knowledge are in Christ,
in angels, in men ; but indifferently : * in Christ by
union ; in angels by vision ; in men by revelation.
There are divers gifts conferred upon the human
nature of Christ, the gift of personal union, the gift
of office of mediator, and head of the church, the
gift of adoration, with his divine nature, and the
gifts they call habitual, which above the measure of
men or angels are conferred upon him.
1 Qu. 'differently'?— Ed.

Which may comfort us against all our defects in
ourselves, for though we have so many wants, yet
we have a head in whom we have all fulness : and it
should be our course to make use of this doctrine, by
stirring up ourselves daily to lay hold upon Christ
for the supply of our wants out of the riches of his
grace. Are hidden. The admirable excellencies of wis
dom and knowledge in Christ are said to be hidden :
1. In respect of our apprehensions, because we can
never reach to the depth of them. 2. In respect of
the cross that followed Christ and his members ; for
the cross, like a veil, obscured the glory of Christ's
perfections, both in himself and the communication
of his gifts to his members.
And may not this teach us singleness of heart and
humihty, even more to seek to be good than to seem
to be so ? Christ was contented his treasures should
be hidden, and shall we fret ourselves when our
drops of grace are not admired? shall it not be
enough to us that we shall appear in glory when
his glory shall be revealed ?
All treasures. Wisdom and knowledge in Christ
is called treasures, not for the quantity only, but
for the worth also, for grace and knowledge are the
best treasures.
Which may shew the misery of aU wicked persons,
for inasmuch as they are not of Christ, they are
destitute of the treasures of God ; and contrariwise,
they are most happy that have Christ, for in him
they find all true treasure and riches, he cannot be
poor that hath Christ, nor can he be rich that wants
Christ. Quest. But what is the cause that so many Chris
tians want treasures, and yet profess Christ ?
Ans. Either they want workmen to dig for the
mine, through want of preachers; or else they dig for
this treasure in a wrong earth, by seeking it, but not
in the scriptures ; or else men know not the mine
when they find it ; or else they let the earth fall
upon their work after they have begun, through
negligence in slightly working in their entrance.
Of knowledge and wisdom. The different terms
may note but the same knowledge in Christ, but for
our capacities varied; it is true that there is in
Christ a 'most admirable perfection, both of the
knowledge of contemplation, and of the wisdom and

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

181

direction of working and practice ; and thus it was
in him in his own obedience, and is still by partici
pation to his members, to make them wise and dis
creet, as well as full of understanding and judgment;
sure it is that Christ would be rich unto us in the
gift of holy discretion, as well as in the gift of holy
understanding, if we would seek it of him, for he is
' made unto us of God wisdom,' 1 Cor. i. 30 ; neither
can true wisdom be found in any men under the
sun that have not the true grace of Christ ; neither
can any Christian be found without the grounds of
heavenly wisdom ; such wisdom, I mean, as none of
the wisest men in the world could ever attain ; for
though it be true that there may be and are many
deficiencies in such as otherwise truly fear God, yet
if the best wisdom be inquired after, the meanest
and simplest Christian doth exceed the greatest and
exactest politician or disputer of this world. For
what wisdom can it be for a man to have exceeding
skill to know the secrets of nature, or the order of
civil affairs, or the ways to advance his own outward
estate, and yet know no certain and safe way how
to save his own soul.?
Ver. 4. And this I say, lest any should beguile you
with enticing words.
Whereas the Colossians might ask why the apostle
is so large in urging them to constancy, he shews in
this verse that it is to prevent the enticements of
seducers. 1 . It is the duty of every minister to labour by all
possible means to preserve his people, that they be
not beguiled. It is not enough to teach them true
doctrine ; but they must be watchful, that neither
Satan nor evil men infect and corrupt them.
2. It is the usual practice of the devil, when the
word hath wrought with any power in any place, to
essay by all means to draw away and deceive the
minds of the people. Let men look to themselves,
and not live securely, for certainly the devil will
attempt them with all cunning and fraud.
3. If these words be compared with the apostle's
exhortation in the 23d verse of the former chapter,
it wiU appear manifestly that one reason why many
are deceived is their unsettledness in the doctrine
of faith and hope. If they had been established in
their assurance of God's favour in Christ, and the

hope brought by the gospel, they could not have
been so deceived and beguiled, or not so easUy.
4. The way by which men are in points of religion
deceived, is not by apparent falsehoods, but by pro
babilities of truth. The apostle calls them para
logisms of pithanology, ha pring if/af irgaXoy/tyrai
In mdavoXoyia. Pithanology, which the apostle con
demns, is a speech fitted of purpose, by the abuse of
rhetoric, to entice, and, by tickling the affections of
men, to please and seduce. , And herein properly
lies the abuses of logic or rhetoric in matters of
divinity, when, out of affection and some subtle pur
pose to deceive, vain and false arguments are
varnished and coloured over, and made probable to
the minds of the simple ; yea, though the matter
taught be sometimes truth, yet many minds are
beguiled from the power and profit of it, by placing
their respects and affections upon the wisdom of the
words, and the affected artificial frame ; otherwise
there is singular use both of logic and rhetoric, when
they are applied to set out the wisdom of God in his
word, upholding the hidden depths of the power of
the word of God. The very preaching of the
gospel is exceeding effectual when without affectation
men use their art to express the native force and life
of the words of the Holy Ghost in scripture ; but
the chief thing in general, is for us hence to learn,
that heresy and error was never so unclothed but it
was presented to the world with great colours and
probabilities. Many simple people wonder that
papists or Brownists should be able to say so much
for their idolatry or schism ; but we must know,
that any heretics that ever were have brought great
probabilities for their heresies as well as they. The
devil were wonderful simple if he should think to
bewitch men so far as to believe with any confidence
things that had manifest appearance of falsehood ;
that cannot be. Thus in general.
Now, in particular, concerning the corrupting or
deceiving of the souls of men, we may consider three
things : 1 . The miserable estate of the soul that is
deceived, or beguiled, or corrupted ; 2. How the soul
is corrupted ; 3. The means to prevent it.
1. For the first, look what the carcase is when it
is putrefied; such is the soul when it is corrupted. It
is spiritually loathsome, and wonderfully unpleasing
unto God, and cast out of his sight ; and the more

182

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

is the misery of such souls, because to plead that
they were deceived will not serve turn. We may
deceive or be deceived, but God will not be
mocked. 2. For the second, if we ask by whom or how the
soul is deceived or corrupted, it is to be answered,
generally, we must take notice of it to beware. The
two great deceivers are the devil and antichrist,
2 Cor. xi. 3, 2 Thes. ii. It is true that by the malice
of Satan and frowardness of wicked men, God's
faithful servants are everywhere ¦ called deceivers,
2 Cor. vi. They that most labour to preserve
men's souls from corrupting are most charged with
seducing ; but these are so called, and are not.
The most ordinary deceivers are : 1. Carnal
friends ; 2. The profits and pleasures of life ; 3. Evil
company, — this corrupts like leaven ; 4. Carnal
reason ; 5. Sin, Heb. iii. 13; 6. But especially
corrupt and false teachers, Jer. xxiii. 1 4, Ezek. xiii.
10, Micah iii. 5, Gal. v. 9.
3. Thirdly, If we would not be beguiled and
deceived, we must look to three things : 1 . We
must get a steadfast faith in Jesus Christ. Plero
phory or full assurance of God's favour is a wonder
ful preservative against corruption of doctrine or
life. 2. We must constantly cleave to the means,
unto which God hath given testimony by the power
of his presence and blessing. We should get under
the shelter of a powerful ministry, and this will be
a rock of defence. 3. We must preserve uprightness
of life, and our care of innocency in what we know
to be required ; contrariwise, so long as we are un
settled, and want assurance, especially if we' live not
under the power of the word, we are in continual
danger to be drawn away. And so it is with us
too, if we fall into the love of any sin of know
ledge ; for corruption of life is many times scourged
¦with corruption of doctrine and opinions.
But if we would have more abundant caution for
our preservation, then I will follow the similitude of
beguiling amongst men, from whence by comparison
we may learn many things for our caution and
observation. Men that would thrive in their estates, and would
not be beguiled in the world or wronged, observe
most an end these rules: 1. They will buy such
things as are durable, not toys or trifles ; so should

we, we should set our hearts upon eternal things,
and not mind earthly things, which will last but for
a short time ; and when death comes, if we trust
upon earthly things, we shall find ourselves deceived.
2. They will know their commodities themselves
that they sell or buy ; so should we, both for the
sins we would part with, and the opinions or duties
we would purchase. 3. They wUl know the persons
with whom they deal ; so should we try the
spirits. 4. They wUl have aU the security may be
had ; so should we see all warranted by the scrip
tures, for other security we cannot have put in that
is sufficient, if the devil, or the world, or corrupt
teachers tempt and entice us ; we must put them to
it, to put us in security from the scriptures, which
because they cannot do, we must wisely reject
them. 5. Men that deal for much are glad to seek
the protection of great men ; so should we seek the
protection of the great God. 6. If men doubt in
anything about their estate, they wiU presently
consult with their friends, and in difficult cases they
will have opinions of lawyers too ; so should we do
if we would have our states safe ; we must propound
doubts one to another, especially to our teachers,
that they may resolve us out of the word of God.
Ver. 5. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I
with you in the spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order,
and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
These words depend upon the former, as the
answer of two objections : first, They might say, How
doth he know our estates? To which he auswers,
in the first words, that though it were true that
he were absent in respect of the flesh, yet it was also
true that he was present in the spirit, both in that
his affection carried him to a daily thought of them,
and so to a willingness upon all occasions to take
notice of their estate ; and besides, as some think,
he was acquainted with their estate extraordinarily,
by revelation of the Spirit. And thus also he
secretly gives them notice to look to their ways ;
for he takes notice of all that passed amongst them.
How careful should we be in all our courses, as well
as they ! for we have the Spirit of God in us, and the
people of God round about us. Here also ministers
may take notice of their duties : their spirits should
cleave to their people, and their daily thoughts and

Ver. 5.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

183

cares should run upon them ; they should still
observe them, and watch over them in the Lord.
Object. 2. But, might some one say, is it charity in
the apostle, being thus absent, to entertain -surmises
and hard thoughts of us, as if we were falling away,
&c. ? Now to this he answers, that though he wrote
this to exhort them and to warn them, yet he did
greatly rejoice to know so much as he did of their
order of life, and steadfastness of faith. Many are
so diseased, that they think if a man reprove them
or admonish them, that then he hates them alto
gether, and likes nothing in them ; but the apostle,
to prevent that, acknowledgeth the praise of their
life and faith. A holy mind can rejoice in the good
things of those he warneth or reproveth.
Your order. Order hath original in God, he is
the God of order, 1 Cor. xiv. 33, as all disorder and
confusion is of the devil. Order is that wonderfully
commends whatsoever it is in. There is a kind of
seed of order sown in the creatures. This order in
man is their eutaxy, or well disposing of themselves.
The apostle might commend their order generally,
both in relation to the commonwealth, and to the
church, and in their families, as also in their parti
cular conversation.
That there might be order in commonwealths,
God hath set man in authority, (for by him kings
reign and have their power,) Prov. viii., Rom. xiii. ;
and hath communicated a part of the honour of his
own divine laws to their civil laws, viz., that they
should bind men's consciences so far as they are not
disagreeing from his word. Besides, he hath re
corded threatenings against the disobedient, and
acknowledgeth magistrates to bear his image, to be
as it were gods by representation, and he guides
them by his Spirit for the time, many times quali
fying them with gifts, and guiding their mouths in
judgment, (for a divine sentence is in the mouth of
a king,) yea, he himself drew a platform of rules for
commonweals, to give them a taste of government.
Now that men may attain to this eutaxy and
good order in commonweals, they must read the
law of God, and let that be a general guide to them,
and they must propound sanctity as well as felicity,
as the end of their government ; and in calling to
office, they must be careful not to set the feet where
the head should be, but to choose men that fear

God and hate covetousness, and are men of courage.
The fear of God and courage is wonderfully wanting
in all sorts of magistrates. And as for courage in
respect of the people, what are they the better if
they have a good man that will do no good, than if
they had evil men that would do no evil? Yet in
truth, magistrates, whether good or evil men, do
much evil by suffering evil to be unpunished. But
to return to the point, magistrates that would pre
serve order, must give good example themselves,
and mend the disorders of their own households,
and bring such a sympathy and love of the people,
as they should both preserve their authority, and
yet remember that they rule then brethren. And
in their government, they cannot observe order,
unless they punish vice, as well as command or pro
vide for virtue and wealth. Besides, they must
take away the persons or places that are occasions of
disorder, and they must charge and remunerate, as
well as punish. Finally, the people out of the ob
ligation of conscience, must strive to live in order,
with reverence and fear, yielding ready obedience
and furtherance to those that are placed in authority
over them.
There is order also in the church ; and thus there
is order in doctrine ; for milk must be propounded
before strong meat, or with sufficient reference to
the parties to be taught. There is order also to be
observed in the time, places, and manner of celebra
tion of God's worship. There is order also to be
respected in the use of things ecclesiastically in
different. There is order in the subordination of
persons in the ministry, some to rule, some to teach,
some to exhort, some to distribute. There is order
also to be observed in the discipline of the church,
proceeding by degrees with offenders, so long as they
are curable.
Neither may our families be without order ; order,
I say, not only in the duties that concern the main
tenance of the family, but also in the exercises that
concern religion and the service of God in the family.
In families there must be a care also of reformation,
especially that openly profane persons, only for
temporal advantage, be not retained or admitted
there. In the family also, there must be a daily
exercise of patience, humility, knowledge, and all
other Christian graces that concern mutual edifica-

184

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

tion. What should I say? There is a mutual
relation in all the members of the family one to
another, and the discharge of their several duties
one to another is charged with a daily care of order.
But I think the apostle commends the order of
holy life, unto which every Christian is bound. It
is certain we can never soundly proceed in godliness
without a care of a settled frame and order of living.
We may not live at a venture in religion. It is not
enough to do good now or then, by flashes. There
is an order in holy conversation. We must walk
by rule, Gal. vi. 16. There is a holy disposing of
our ways required, Ps. 1. ult. It is required of us
that we should ponder the paths of our feet, Prov.
iv. 26. We must order our affairs with discretion,
Ps. cxii. 5 ; this is called the way of prudence or
understanding. There is a guiding of our feet unto
the ways of peace, Luke i. 79. It is a wonderful
curse to be left to our security, to walk in dark and
uncertain ways ; and contrariwise the vision of the
salvation of God, is promised to such as dispose of
their ways aright, Ps. 1. ult. And to be careful of
an orderly course of life, is to keep our souls, Prov.
xix. 16, and peace shall be unto such. But alas !
men have corrupted their ways, and their under
standings are darkened, and they are strangers from
the life of God ; neither will men cease from then
rebellious ways. The civillest men walk after the
way of their own hearts, yea, the most men hate
those that are right in their ways, and are like Dan,
that would bite the heels of such as endeavour to
walk in sincerity. Some hypocrites there are that
will know the way of the Lord, and ask of him the
ordinance of justice, as if they would be careful to
please God ; but alas, they were never washed from
their old sins, and they quickly return with the dog
to their vomit, and corrupt their ways, being of
purpose set on by the devil to make a clamorous
profession, that so their fall might more dishonour
the glory of an exact and circumspect conversation.
Alas ! what should I say ? There is wonderful want
of order in the very lives of God's children. Scarce
the tithe of professors in sincerity of the gospel that
have gathered a catalogue of holy duties, and ob
served out of the word that frame and order of
settled holy conversation.
There are ten helps of order in holy life : 1.

Knowledge ; 2. Uprightness, that is, an unfeigned
resolution to shew respect to all God's command
ments ; 3. Constant diligence ; 4. Watchfulness ; 5.
Contemplation or meditation ; 6. Prayer ; 7. Read
ing the word daily; 8. Frequent hearing of the
gospel preached in the power of it ; 9. A tender
conscience; 10. Society ancl fellowship with gracious
Christians in the gospel.
There are many impediments of an orderly con
versation : 1. Men are not reconciled to God, and
so not being in Christ they receive not influence of
grace from Christ to enable them to walk in a holy
course. 2. In others it is negligent mortification; the
stain of former sins being not washed away, there
remains in them an ill disposition to sin. 3. Many
are ensnared with evil opinions, either in doctrine,
(and so error of life is the scourge of error in
opinion,) or else about practice, as that such strict
ness is not required, or it is impossible, or none do
live so. 4. Many know not what order to appoint
unto themselves. 5. Many are confirmed in a heart
accustomed to evil, and they love some one sin,
wherein especially they break order. 6. Satan
strives above all things to keep men in a dead sleep,
that they might not awake to live righteously, or
express the power of godliness. 7. Many are so set
in the way of the ungodly, that their very evU society
chains them down to a necessity of dissoluteness. 8.
Many are put out of all order by their daUy distem
pers and disorders in their families. Lastly, Some
fail and fall through very discouragement, received
either from opposition, or contempt, or scandal.
Now, if any be desirous to know in general what
he should do to bring his hfe into order, I shall pro
fitably advise four things : first, That he do resolutely
withdraw himself from the sins of the times, and
keep himself unspotted of the world in respect of
them. Now the sins of the times are apparent:
pride of life, contempt of the gospel, coldness in
faith and religion, swearing, profanation of the holy
Sabbath, domestical irreligion, contention, usury,
whoredom, drunkenness, and drinking, oppression,
ancl speaking evil of the good way ; secondly, That
he observe the more usual corruptions of the calling
of life he lives in, and with all needfulness shun
them, whether he be magistrate, minister, or private
person ; thirdly, That he especially strive against

Ver. 5.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

185

, ,and subdue the evils that by nature he is most prone
unto ; fourthly, He shall do wonderfully profitably,
if he would get a catalogue of duties out of the
whole law that directly concern himself in particular,
which is very easy (especially by the help of some
that are experienced) to be distinctly gathered,
labouring to shew all good faithfulness in duties of
piety as well as righteousness, and to strive for in
ward piety as well as outward, resolving to continue
as well as once to begin. Hence it is, if we mark it,
that the Holy Ghost, in divers scriptures, draws for
the people of those times divers catalogues, either of
grace which specially tended to their praise, or of
duties that most fitted their state, or of sins that
they must most carefully avoid, as being most com
monly committed ; yea, it could not but be of excel
lent use, if we did task ourselves to the more strict
observation of some of those catalogues, either of
grace, or sins, or duties, as we might perceive they
most fitted us.
But if ever we would go about the order of our
lives, we must in general : 1. Labour to weaken the
love of earthly things ; 2. We must resolve to keep
our hearts with all diligence, — I mean we must with
all care and conscience strive against inward sins ;
3. We must put on a mind to live by faith whatso
ever befall us ; 4. If we fall we would speedily recover
ourselves by confession and prayer, and not accustom
ourselves to sins either of omission or commission.
Uses. Upon the consideration of all this, what
should we do, but even pray the Lord that he would
make his way plain before our face, Ps. v. 8, and direct
the works of our hands, Ps. xc. ult., and hold up our
goings in his paths, Ps. xvii. 5, that our steps do
not slide. And to this end we should every one be
piecing and amending his ways, making his paths
straight, being ashamed and confounded for all the
disorder of our lives past. But if thou go about
this, be not ii-^uyog, a man that hath two hearts, for
then thou wilt be unstable in all thy ways ; either
go about it with all thy heart, or else let it alone.
What shall I say but this, let us all learn the way of
God more perfectly.
Thus of order.
The second thing he commends is their faith,
which he praiseth for the steadfastness of it.
The steadfastness of their faith. Concerning stead

fastness of faith, I propound five things to be con
sidered of: 1. That it may be had, and ought to be
sought ; 2. What the nature and properties of it are ;
3. What is the cause why the faith of many is not
steadfast ; 4. What we must do to attain it ; and,
lastly, Concerning unsteadfast faith.
1. For the first, That it may be had is manifest ;
for God, that giveth the earnest of his Spirit, and
sealeth and anointeth us in Christ, doth stablish us
in him, 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. There is a sure foundation
of God, 2 Tim. ii. 19, Mat. vii. 24, upon which we
may found our affiance. And God, ' willing more
abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the
immutability of his counsel, interposed himself by
an oath to confirm his promise, that by two immut
able things, in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have strong consolation, which flee
for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us ;
which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both
sure and steadfast,' Heb. vi. 17, 18. And we are
commanded to resist steadfast in the faith, 1 Pet. v. 9.
And wavering is secretly threatened and disgraced
by the apostle James, after he had charged that we
should pray in faith without wavering, James i. 6.
2. Now, for the second, There are many excellent
properties and praises in a steadfast faith ; for a man
that is indeed settled and steadfast in his faith knows
both thetruth and the worth of the love of Christ, Eph.
iii. 17-19 ; he is able to contemn and deny the allure
ments, examples, customs, and glory of this world,
1 John v. 4, Gal. vi. 14; he can bear adversity with
singular firmness of heart, without hasting to evil
means, Rom. v. 4, Isa. xxvi. 16, or limiting God
for the manner, or time, or instruments of deliver
ance ; he can stand in the combat against frequent
and fiery tentations, and go away without prevail
ing infection ; he can believe without feelings, Rom.
iv. The promises of God are not yea and nay, 2
Cor. i. 18, 19, but always a sure word and undoubted.
He hath a kind of habitual peace and contentment
in his conscience, with easeful delights and refresh
ing in the joys of God's favour. He hath a kind
of spiritual boldness ancl confidence when he ap-
proacheth to God and the throne of his grace.
Lastly, He can look upon death and judgment with
desire to be dissolved.
3. And for the third thing, The reasons why many
2 a

186

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[Chap. II.

men shew not this unmovableness, and steadfastness,
are divers : some have not faith at all, 2 Thes. iii. 2 ;
some have not a true justifying faith, but either rest
upon common hope, or a historical or temporary
faith. In many the presumption of certainty doth
hinder steadfastness itself. Some want powerful
means that should establish them; and some, having
the public means, are justly blasted in their faith
because of then daily neglect of the private means.
And this reason may be given also why some of the
better sort are not yet established, namely, because
they are so hardly excited and persuaded seriously
to try their own estates by the signs of God's favour
and marks of salvation. And for the worser sort
they shun trial, because they know beforehand their
state is not good, and besides they live in some one
master sin or other, which they cannot be persuaded
to forsake, and therefore resolve at least for a time
to hve at a venture, and refer all to the unknown
mercy of God.
4. If we would be established in believing : 1. We
must be much in the meditation of the promises of
God ; 2. We must be much in prayer, and the ac
knowledgment of secret sins, observing the comforts
of God's presence, and keeping a record of the won
ders of his presence, and striving to retain constantly
the assurance we sometimes feel in prayer ; 3. We
must cast about how to be more profitable in well
doing. An orderly life, especially fruitfulness in our
places, doth marvellously, though secretly, establish
and settle a man's heart in faith, 1 Cor. xv. 58,
whereas it is almost impossible that a barren life
should have much steadfastness of assurance. Again,
would we yet further know how it comes to pass
that some men get such a steadfastness above many
others ? Observe, then, and you^shall find, that when
they find the pearls of grace, and the means, they
will sell all to buy them. Now the love to the
means is like death or jealousy, that cannot be
resisted ; there is in them a constant coveting of the
best things, with a true hunger and thirst after them ;
and if they offend God, *hey cannot be quiet till
jhey return and confess their sin and get favour.
They will not live days and weeks in a voluntary
neglect of communion with God, and therefore reap
this unmovableness as the fruit of their daily con
versing with God.

Thus of steadfastness in itself.
5. Now, in the contrary, concerning an unsteadfast
faith, I propound two things to be considered : 1.
The effects or consequences, and concomitants of it ;
and then the kinds of unsettled faith.
Not scripture only, but usual experience, shew
the many inconveniences that attend such as are
not stablished in the faith.
1. They want the many comforts the ^steadfast
faith feeleth; 2. They are disquieted with every
cross ; 3. They are tossed with the wind of contrary
doctrine, yea, the very truth is sometimes yea with
them and sometimes nay; sometimes they are per
suaded and sometimes they are not ; 4. They find a
secret shunning of the ordinances of God when any
approach should be made unto God ; 5. The fear
of death is almost inseparable ; 6. They are some
times frighted with fears of perseverance, besides
their daily danger to be foiled by the baits of Satan
and the world.
Unsteadfastness may be considered three ways :
1. As faith is weak; 2. As faith is weakened; 3.
As steadfastness is lost.
For the first, in the first conversion of a man
unto God, while they lie yet hi the cradle of godli
ness, they are assaUed with much doubting and
many fears, &c.
Quest. But what, might some one say, How can
faith then be discerned in the midst of so many
doubts and fears ?
Ans. The truth of their faith and grace appears :
1. By their earnest and constant desire of God's
favour ; 2. By the tenderness of the conscience in
all their actions, and their daily fear of sinning ;
3. By their frequent complaints of unbehef and
secret mourning for it ; 4. By the lowhness of then
carriage, even towards the meaner sort of those that
truly fear God ; 5. By their desire after the sincere
milk of the word; lastly, By their endeavour to
walk inoffensively.
Quest. But seeing their faith is true, what is the
cause of the unsettledness of it ?
Ans. They are unsettled, partly because they
have yet but a small measure of saving knowledge,
and partly because they discern not the consolations
offered to them, and partly for want of application
of particular promises that belong unto them ; and

Ver. 5.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

187

sometimes it is for want of some of the means, and
in some it is because they see a greater power in
some of their corruptions than they think can stand
with true grace.
Now, for the remedies of this unsettled ness :
This weak faith will grow settled more and more
if they continue upright in the use of the means ;
especially as their reformation and victory oyer sin
increaseth, and as they grow more and more con
firmed in the divorce from the world and carnal
company, and they grow more expert in the word
of righteousness, especially after the Lord hath re
freshed them with the frequent comforts of his pro
mises and presence, besides conversing with the
faithful and established Christians. And all this
the sooner, if they do propound their doubts, and
by asking the way seek daily direction, especially
if they resign over their souls to the ministry of
some faithful and merriful man of God, who as a
nurse shall daily feed them with distinct and parti
cular counsel and comfort.
Thus of the unsteadfastness that accompanieth
faith weak.
Now there is an unsteadfastness accompanieth
faith weakened, that is such a faith as was sometimes
stronger. For the clearer understanding hereof, I
consider three things : 1. The causes of this weak
ness of faith ; 2. The signs to discern it ; 3. The
remedies. There may be divers causes or means to weaken
strong faith : 1. Loss of means; 2. Secret sins ordi
narily committed, not lamented nor reformed ; 3.
Presumptuously to use ill means to get out of adver
sity ; 4. Relapse to the love of the world.
The sighs to discern it are: 1. The sleepiness of
the heart; 2. Fear of death; 3. Constant neglect
or secret contempt of fellowship with the godly ;
4. The ceasing of the sensible working of God's
Spirit within ; 5. Reigning discontentment.; 6. Secu
rity under known sin.
The remedies are : 1. A serious and sound exami
nation of the wants and faults which by this weak
ness they are fallen into ; 2. A constant and daily
judging of themselves for their corruptions till they
recover tenderness of heart, ancl some measure of
godly sorrow for them; 3. It wUl be expedient
that they plant themselves under the droppings

of a daily powerful ministry ; 4. The medita
tion of their former feelings ; 5. The use of the
sacrament of the Lord's supper — this is a means to
confirm faith both weak and weakened ; lastly,
They must hold a most strict watch over their hearts
and lives till they be established in a sound course
of reformed life.
Thus of faith weakened.
3. Steadfastness may be lost ; note that I say
steadfastness of faith may be lost ; I say not that
faith may be lost, that is true faith. This steadfast
ness was lost in David, Solomon, and it is likely in
Job too.
The causes of this loss of steadfastness are divers :
in some it is the inundation of afflictions, violently
and irresistibly breaking in upon them, especially
raising the fierce perturbation of impatience ; thus
it was in Job. 2. In some it is some horrible sin ;
I say horrible sin, either because it is some foul
transgression, as in David and Solomon, or made
horrible by long continuance in it.
Now into this evil estate some fall suddenly,
some by degrees ; commonly it begins at spiritual
pride, and proceeds after from the careless use of
the means to the neglect of them, and from thence
to a secure disregard of the inward daily corruptions
of the heart, joined with a bold presumption of
some unfolded mercy of God, till at length they fall
into some special sin or wilful relapse.
The effects and concomitants of this relapse and
loss of steadfastness are divers and fearful, as: 1.
The ceasing of the comforts of the Spirit, the Spirit
being asleep and in a manner quenched ; 2. The
heart is excommunicated from the power of God's
ordinances, as they may feel when they come to use
them ; 3. Sphitual boldness or encouragement to
come unto God is lost with it ; 4. They are secretly
delivered to Satan, to be whipped and buffeted
with tentations, many times of blasphemy or
atheism, or otherwise through his spiritual wicked
ness held in internal vassalage ; 5. Most an end
the outward providence of God is changed towards
them, yea, sometimes they are scourged with hor
rible crosses ; 6. Many times they are given over to
be punished with other sins.
Yet for the more full understanding hereof, it
will be profitable to consider of some distinctions

188

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

both of the persons, and 'the cause, and the effects.
For of these that fall from their steadfastness some
are sensible of it, some are insensible. Those that
have their hearts wakened after this loss, do. usually
feel a strong conflict of terrors, the conscience being
wearied with the tortures that their wounded spirit
is tormented withal under the sense of God's fierce
anger, and in many of these their terror is renewed
upon every cross, yea, almost at every word of God,
so doth the conceit of God's fighting against them
prevail with them.
Now, in the insensible, the special effect is a
spiritual slumber or lethargy, with the rest of the
ill effects before in common propounded.
Secondly, A distinction must be made of the
cause, for the sin is sometimes secret, sometimes
open. Now the consequents or fruits of open fall
ing by open sin is divers. Usually ' the fall thereof
is great ;',it makes a wonderful noise in the church ;
besides, it wounds the hearts of God's children, and
breeds exceeding great distaste in them. Further,
their falls make them wonderful vile before the
world ; the mouth of every beast will be open to
rail against them ; wicked men will keep the assize
for them ; yea, the banks of blasphemy in wicked
men will be broken down, so as they will with full
mouth speak evil of the good way of God. Besides,
it cannot be avoided but many will be defiled by it,
and wonderfully fired and confirmed in sinning.
Again, we must distinguish of effects or conse
quents, for some are ordinary, some extraordinary ;
for sometimes, besides the ordinary events, the Lord
scourgeth those falls with satanical molestations,
either of their persons or houses, yea, sometimes
they are smitten with death.
1. Quest. But do all these come always for sin?
Ans. Not always ; but where sin is presumptuous
they do.
2. Quest. But do all these things befall all such as
fall into presumptuous sins ?
Ans. The judgments of God are like a great
depth, and he afflicts how he will ; but these are his
rods ; he may use all of them, or any of them, as
pleaseth him.
3. Quest. But are these things found in those that
lose their steadfastness by the violence of crosses ?
Ans. Though many of them are, when the cross

hath a mixture with any special impatience, as in
Job's case ; yet properly they are rods for pre
sumptuous sins.
Object. But is it not better, may some say, to con
tinue as we are, than to acknowledge and make
profession, and be in this danger to. fall into so evil
an estate ?
Sol. Is it best to. live and die a beggar because
some one great heir, through his own default, hath
ruined for a time his house ? Or is the condition of
a beggar better than of a prince, because Nebuchad
nezzar was. seven years hke a beast ?
4. Quest. But if his losses be thus many and
miserable, is there anything left in him ?
Ans. There is : 1. His seed abides in him, the
holy seed of the word can never be rooted out of
him wholly; 2. He hath faith, though it be in a
trance ; 3. Graee is ahve in him, though he be in
the state of a palsied man, or as one that hath a
dead palsy, and yet is alive ; 4. He hath the Spirit
of God in him, but he is locked up and taken
prisoner. Now, for the remedies of this loss of steadfastness,
they must know that there is required of them a
special humiliation ; note that I say a special humi
liation ; for they must in private afflict their souls
before the view of their special sins and God's fierce
wrath, with strong cries and sighs unspeakable
making their moan before God : they must ' cry
unto God out of the deep,' as the psalmist saith.
Besides, they must shame themselves openly by
making themselves vile before the people of God ;
so did David, and Solomon, and Paul : yea, they
must voluntarily resign over themselves unto God's
scourging hand, being so desirous to be cleansed of
their sins as to be contented God should wash them
thoroughly, though it were with many crosses. And
further, they must be revenged of their own flesh,
by straitening and curbing themselves in their law
ful desires and delights. Thus of their special
humiliation. Now, secondly, They must take spe
cial pains to recover their faith in God, and to get
pardon of their sins. They must cry daily unto
God, they must search again and again in the re
cords of God's promises, especially waiting upon the
preaching of the gospel, to see when the Lord will
return and have mercy, by reviving of their hearts

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

189

with the comforts of his presence. And for this
they must be wonderful careful of the Spirit of
grace, to stir it up by daily prayer, and to observe
with aU watchfulness the stirring of it, resolving
with all thankfulness to acknowledge any measure
of the reviving of the Spirit.
Lastly, When they are in any measure recovered,
they must look to two things : 1. They must forsake
all appearance of evil ; 2. They must use a continual
watchfulness, and, with fear and jealousy, look to
their hearts, even in their best actions, lest Satan
beguile them, and they revolt again, and then their
case of residuation be worse than the former :
' Blessed is the man that feareth always.'
Thus of the loss of steadfastness, especially as it is
in the curable ; for there is a loss of steadfastness, and
the joy of God's salvation, even in the elect, which
in this life is incurable. Of this I can say little,
because the scripture is in this point exceeding
sparing, and because the judgments of God, espe
cially of this kind, are exceeding deep. Who can
wade into them ? Only a word or two of it. This
loss is incurable two ways ; sometimes in the cross
or judgment it brought upon the offender, some
times in the unsteadfastness itself; for sometimes,
though the Lord restore inward joy and assurance,
yet he will not remove the outward sign of his
wrath ; sometimes he draws back the outward afflic
tion, but doth not restore the inward comfort, or
not in so great a measure ; so as some of God's chil
dren may die without the sense of the joy of God's
salvation tUl they come to heaven ; yea, they may
die in great terror and despair : yet the Lord may
be reconciled, and they may truly repent, though
these terrors or judgments be not released ; because
God many times wUl thereby purge the public
scandal and clear his own justice. Besides, such
spectacles do give warning to a careless world, to let
them know that God hath treasures of wrath for sin
if they repent not. Thus of the doctrine of stead
fastness of faith, and unsteadfastness also ; now briefly
for some uses of it.
Uses. It may serve for great reproof of the great
neglect of seeking this steadfastness of faith. We
may complain as well of the common protestant as
of the papists herein, for they are alike adversaries
to the assurance of faith. Let such as are touched

with fear of God and desire to believe travail more
and more for attainment hereof, and to this end
cleave to the sure word of the prophets and apostles,
and labour in the practice and exercise of all holy
and Christian graces.
And for particular consideration of the troubles
and losses of God's children, we may note : 1. That
it is a wonderful fearful thing to fall into God's
hands, and that the promises of God yield no pro
tection to a wiUing offender. Woe unto profane
beasts ! If sin make God angry towards his own
chUdren, and make them also vile before men, then
where shall those beasts that wallow in sin appear ?
If they be justly abased that fall once into one, sin,
what shall be the confusion of face and heart in
those men, when all the sins they ever committed
shall be revealed before God's angels and men at the
last day ? 2. They that stand have great reason to
take heed lest they ' fall from their steadfastness,'
and be ' carried away with the error of the wicked,'
Ps. lvi. 9, and cxvi. 7. 3. We should be wonderful
thankful if God hath kept us from falling ; it is his
singular grace to ' keep the feet of his saints.'
Ver. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk ye in him ,
Ver. 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished
in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding with
thanksgiving. In these two verses, the apostle concludes the
exhortation begun in the twenty-third verse of the
former chapter ; for whereas after all these reasons,
and the answer of sundry objections, they might
finally have said, tell us then at once what it is you
would have us to do? The apostle answers
summarily, that concerning holy hfe, he would have
them walk as they have received the Lord Jesus
Christ ; and concerning faith, he would have them
to be rooted and soundly edified and established in
the faith, especially to abound in thankfulness to
God for their happy estate in Christ Jesus.
The sixth verse contains a precept concerning
holy life, viz., to walk on in Christ, and a rule by
which that precept is to be squared and deter
mined, viz., as they have received Christ Jesus
the Lord.
As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, &c.

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[Chap. II.

These words may be diversely urged upon them,
according to the divers senses may be conceived of
them. For :
1. To walk as we have received Christ, may bear
this sense, namely, to frame our obedience according
to the measure of the knowledge of Christ we have
received ; it shall be to us according to what we have.
To whom God hath given much, of them he requireth
much ; and judgment certainly abideth for him that
hath received the knowledge of his Master's will
and doeth it not. If our practice be according to the
knowledge we have, this may be our comfort, God
will accept of us ; and otherwise they are but in a
miserable case that are barren and unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. i. 9.
2. Such a sense as this may be gathered, viz.,
so live with care of a godly life, as ye neglect not
to preserve the doctrine concerning Christ ye have
received. Certainly it ought to be the care of every
godly mind to do his best to preserve the purity of
the doctrine he received together with Jesus Christ;
great is the general neglect of many sorts of people
herein. 3. Or thus : Let the doctrine you have received
from Christ Jesus be your only rule both for life
and manners ; so live and walk as you have received.
The apostle commandeth to 'separate from every
brother that walketh inordinately, and not after the
traditions which they had received of the apostle,'
2 Thes. iii. 6. By tradition he meaneth the holy
word of God delivered by lively voice unto the
churches while yet it was not written, even the same
which now is written. The elect lady and her
children are commended for ' walking in the truth,
as they had received commandment of the Father,'
2 John 4. Yea, so must we stick unto the word
received, as if any man teach otherwise he should
he 'accounted accursed,' Gal. i. 9, 1 Cor. xv. 1, 2.
For the apostles received it ' not of men, but by the
revelation of Jesus Christ,' Gal. i. 1 2 ; and as they
have ' received of the Lord, so have they delivered '
unto us, 1 Cor. xi. 23. Therefore we must conclude
with the apostle, 'These things which we have
learned and received, and heard out of the holy
word, those things we must do,' Phil. iv. 9.
4. The sense may be thus : As ye were affected
when ye first received Christ, so walk on and

continue. At first men receive Christ with single
ness of heart, with great estimation of the truth,
with wonderful joy, with fervent love to God's
children, with a longing desire after spiritual things,
with endeavour to bear fruit, and without the
mixture of men's traditions and inventions.
Now then they are exhorted to take heed that
they ' lose not what they have wrought,' 2 John 9,
but preserve those holy affections and desires still ;
striving against the witchcrafts of Satan and the
world, that they be ' not beguUed from the simpli
city that is in Christ Jesus.'
The doctrines hence to be noted are :
1. That Christians do receive Christ, and that
not only publicly into their countries and churches,
— which yet is a great privilege, for Christ bringeth
with him many blessings, and stays many judgments,
brings a public light to men that sit in darkness and
shadow of death, and raiseth immortality as it were
to light and life again, — but privately, and particu
larly into their hearts and souls. This is the
happiest receiving of Christ, Phil. iii. 9. Oh, the
glory of a Christian in receiving Christ ! for he that
receiveth Christ into his heart, receiveth excellent
illumination, unspeakable joy, 1 Pet. i. 8, sure
atonement, Rom. v. 11, and Ui. 25, hid manna, Rev,
ii. 1 7, eternal graces, 1 Cor. i. 6, and iv. 7, yea, the
very Spirit of Christ, Rom. viii. 9, to make him
know the things given of God, to set the soul at
liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 1 7, to mortify the deeds of the
flesh, Rom. vih. 1 3, to be a spirit of prayer, Zech.
xii. 12, to give answer concerning our adoption,
Rom. viii. 15, to furnish the soul with gUts, Gal. v.
22, to seal us up to the day of our redemption, Eph.
i. 14, to be an eternal comforter, John xiv., to be
life for righteousness' sake, Rom. viii. 10, to help
our infirmities, Rom. viii. 26, and to raise up our
dead bodies at the last day, Rom. viii. 11. Lastly,
He that receiveth Christ, receiveth with him the
promise of an eternal inheritance, Heb. ix. 15, into
which he is presently acknowledged an heir, yea,
a co-heir with Christ Jesus, Rom. viii. 1 7.
2. The second doctrine. It is not enough to
receive Christ, but we must walk in him. To walk
in Christ is not only so to live as we be sure that
Christ liveth in us, Gal. ii. 20, or to walk after the
appointment of his will expressed in his word, but

Ver 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

191

it is chiefly to continue a daily care of holy perse
verance in the graces and duties of holy hfe, holding-
fast our communion with Christ; this the apostle
thinks wonderful needful to be often urged and
pressed by all means upon us, so shamefully do
many fall away, and so cursedly is the sincerity
that is in Christ Jesus pursued by the devil,
and the flesh, and the world, and so necessary
is the endeavour to preserve the glory of perse
verance in all well-doing to the end. Oh, this
perseverance, it is a wonderful thing ! and where is
the man that doth not lose something of what he
had? Oh that we could be soundly awakened to
the care of it, or that we had minds that would be
wUling to do anything we could to further it ! but
alas ! there is not a heart in us ; there are divers
excellent directions in the word to confirm us
herein, if we were not overcome with sluggish
ness. There are divers things which, if they were looked
to at our first setting out, we were sure to hold out
and continue walking in Christ. As :
1. If men did at first put their hearts to these ques
tions of abnegation, so as they would be thoroughly
advised, if thou hadst asked thine own heart these
questions : Canst thou take up thy cross and follow
Christ? Canst thou suffer adversity with the
righteous? Canst thou profess Christ amidst the
different opinions of multitudes of men ? Canst thou
be content to deny profit and reason, and thy desires,
and pleasures, and credit, and all for Christ's sake ?
If not, thou wilt certainly faU away, and therefore
better never begin.
2. At men's first setting out they must take heed
they be not slightly in their reformation and morti
fication; but do it thoroughly, not sparing to afflict
their souls with sensible and sound godly sorrow ;
for els"e they will afterward repent of their repent
ance; whereas if it were done with sound advice and
serious humiliation, this would be an unmovable
foundation of rest and encouragement to faith and
well-doing. It is a great question whether such
will hold out, that come in without sorrow for sins.
3. Men must at first look to their kind of faith.
We see many are grossly deceived. Temporary faith
maketh such a show, that unless it be thoroughly
tried, it will deceive many; and there is a marvel

lous loathness in our nature to abide the trial,
though we know it be plainly here required, 2 Cor.
xih. 5 ; whereas if we did get a continuing faith at
first, we might have the more assurance of holding
out. 4. It would much further perseverance if we did
at first endeavour that knowledge and affection might
be inseparable twins ; not to be much proud of know
ledge without affection, nor to trust much to zeal
without knowledge : either of these may be alone in
men that will fall away shamefully.
5. When men go about reformation they should
do it thoroughly, and be sure their hearts are
renewed; for the old heart will not hold out long to
endure the hardship of a reformed life; and if some
sins have been favoured and spared, though they lie
still for a time, yet afterwards they will revive and
shew themselves. We see in some what ado there
is to leave some corruptions and faults; they are
seven years many times before they can be persuaded
to forget them, resting in the reformation of other
faults ; whereas there is no assurance that they walk
with a right foot in the gospel, till they make con
science of a ready reformation of every known sin ;
and till they reform thoroughly they are like to fall
away, whatsoever fair show of zeal and forwardness
they make.
6. In particular, divers men are to be warned of
passion and violent affections. If thou mean to
prosper in thy persuasion of reformation, then
speedily 'cease from anger, and leave off wrath,'
else there will be little hope that thou wilt not re-
return ' to do evil,' Ps. xxxvii. 8, 9 ; the promise of
constant protection is with such as are sheep, John
x. 28, and are so far humbled as they have left their
wolfish qualities and passions.
7. To make thy standing more sure, acquaint thy
self with such as fear God, and join thyself to them
by aU engagements of a profitable fellowship in the
gospel. There is a secret tie unto constancy in the
communion of saints, Jer. xxxii. 39, 40. He is not
like to walk long that walketh alone, especially if he
might walk with good company; and this is a clear
mark of temporary faith in such as for many things
go far, when men see they shun society with the
godly. 8. It is an excellent help, also, at first to strive by

192

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[Chap. II.

all means to get the testimony of Jesus confirmed in
us, 1 Cor. i. 6, 1 Tim. ii. 6. Christ gives testimony
especially three ways: 1. By the promise of the
word; 2. By the graces of his Spirit; 3. By the
witness of the spirit of adoption. Now if we did
study the promises diligently, especially recording
such as we had interest in upon our conversion to
God, and did withal try ourselves diligently and
particularly concerning those saving graces which
are marks and signs, of regeneration and salvation,
and did also beg the witness of the Spirit, waiting
for those unspeakable and glorious joys of the Holy
Ghost, and with all thankfulness acknowledging
God's seal for our confirmation, when he is pleased
so to set it to, methinks this threefold cord could
never be broken. Oh, the heavy slumber and slug
gishness of our natures ! How wonderful ' rich is God
in compassion !' How ready is he to forgive and
' multiply pardon !' How willingly doth he ' lift up
the light of his countenance ' upon us ! and yet men
have not the heart answerably to wait upon him, or
to be at the labour of this confirmation. How are
many, that seem somewhat unto many, — how are
they, I say, bewitched with security, so as they can
not be fired out of it, but live at a venture, and
neither seek nor esteem the testimony of Jesus.
9. Would we be set in a safe condition, and stab
lished? Then we must strive for a free spirit,
remembering David's prayer, ' stablish me with thy
free spirit,' Ps. li. 12. Now, if any ask what a free
and ingenuous spirit is, I answer ¦ 1. It is a mind
that will not be in bondage to the corruptions of the
times; it acknowledgeth no such bonds or relations
to any as to sin for their sakes. 2. It is a mind
that apprehends liberty in Christ ; a mind that will
not be in bondage to legal perfection, but discerns
his release from the rigour and curse of the law ; it
will not be subject neither to a corrupt conscience,
nor yet to a conscience erring or over-busy, but sees
his prerogatives he enjoys in Christ, either in the
hope of glory, or sense of grace, or use of outward
things, or his liberty in things indifferent. There is a
kind of servileness or spirit of bondage in many, that
wonderfully holds them down, and if they be not
better lightened of their daily fears and burdens, the
flesh will lighten itself by rebellion and apostasy. 3.
It is a mind not chained down to the love of or lust

after earthly things. 4. It is a mind ready pressed
to do good, full of incitations to good things, and
careful to preserve itself from the occasions of evil;
as resolved to stand upon the sincerity of his heart,
as rather to lose his life than his integrity; as neither
caring for those things which the common sort seek
after, — as praise, profits, outward shows, &c, nor
fearing their fears.
10. Men must at first labour to get a sound and
hearty love of the truth, desirous to store and fur
nish themselves with the treasures of holy know
ledge. If the law be written in the hearts and
bowels of men, Jer. xxxi. 33, Ps. xxxvii. 31, they
will hold out to the end.
Lastly, Men must be sure that they be good and
true in their hearts, Ps. cxxv. 1, 2, 4, as the psalmist
saith, for then they shall be ' as the Mount Sion that
cannot be moved,' and the Lord will always do well
unto them.
Now the signs of a good and true heart are such as4
these V.A true heart is a new heart; that must be .
taken for granted, else in vain to inquire any further,
if there be not a newness of the heart to God; 2.
It loves God with unfeigned and undivided love;
though it cannot accomplish all it would, yet it hath
holy desires, without hypocrisy, after God above all
things; 3. It labours for inward holiness as well as
outward, both seeking the graces that should be
within, and mourning for inward sins as well as out
ward; 4. It will smite for small sins, as weU for
numbering the people as for murder and whoredom;
he hath not a good and true heart that is vexed only
for great evils and offences; 5. A true heart is a
constant heart, it is not fickle and mutable, as many
are in all their ways, but that it is once it desires to
be always; 6. It desireth the power of godliness
more than the show of it, and is more affected with
the praise of God than of men; 7. It quickly finds
the absence of Christ, and cannot be at rest till he
return; 8. It constantly pronounceth evil of sin and
sinners, and well of godliness and good men.
Now, on the other side, the reason why many fall
away, was because they were not true in then hearts
at first; they set up a profession of repentance, with
carnal ends, and through hypocrisy beguiled them
selves ancl others.
Secondly, If men find that they have been rightly

Ver. 7.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

193

formed in the womb and birth of their change, then
there are other directions for them to observe
. throughout their lives, that they might continue
in this holy walking with God and his saints.
Wouldest thou be sure not to fall away? Then look
to these things.
1. Be sure thou continue in the careful use of the
means : as the word, prayer, conference, and sacra
ments; else know that when once thou givest way
to a customary hardness of heart in the use of the
means, or neglect of them, thou art near either some
great sin or temptation, or some great judgment and
apostasy ; and therefore, concerning the means,
principaUy look to two things: 1. Preserve appe
tite; 2. Practise that thou hearest without omission
or delay.
2. If thou discern any spiritual weakness or decay,
or feel any combat with the flesh, or the temptations
of Satan, be sure thou complain betimes and resist
at the first, for then the grace of God will be suf
ficient, and the weapons of our warfare mighty
through God ; prayer will easily master sin at the
first through the victory in Jesus Christ.
3. Resolve with thyself not to let go thy assurance,
or cast away the confidence of thy hope, whatsoever
befall thee, Heb. x. 35 ; or at least, not till thou
mayest see wonderful evident reason. It is a mar
vellous great fault to call the love of God into
question upon every occasion, w-hereas men cannot
glorify God more than to live by faith, and to be
immovable in it ; God takes httle delight in a soul
that wUl withdraw itself upon every occasion by un
belief. Are they not strangely foolish that will
wear their helmets when there is no stir, and as soon
as they see an adversary, or any blows towards, then
to cast away their helmets and do it so usually?
Such are we and worse that stand bragging of our
faith and hope in prosperity and ease, and when
affliction and temptation comes, then most child
ishly we cast away both faith and hope, and till
reason and sense g,re satisfied we will not be per
suaded, 4. Set perfection before thine eyes to strive after
it, Phil. iii. ; and to this end acquaint thyself with
the rules of holy life, and consider the examples of
such as have walked therein, and the woeful events
that befall the contrary-minded, especially think

much of the great recompense of reward, even the
price of our high calling in Jesus Christ.
5, Take heed of the occasions of falling, such as
are spiritual pride, known hypocrisy, desire to be
rich, discord with the godly, and vain janglings
without discretion, neglect of our particular callings,
and ungodly company.
Hitherto of perseverance in life. Now in the
next verse he entreateth of perseverance in faith.
Ver. 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished
in the faith, as ye liave been taught.
In these words is both a precept and a rule ; a
precept to be rooted, built, stablished ; a rule, as ye
have been taught. The substance of the precept is
but to counsel them to increase more and more that
they might be steadfast in the assurance of God's
favour in Jesus Christ. Of this steadfastness I have
at large entreated in the fifth verse. Only we may
here again be instructed and informed.
1. Of the necessity and excellency of steadfast
ness. The apostle would not thus often peal upon it,
but that he knew it to be of singular worth in the
life of man, and of great necessity unto our consola
tion ; besides, it implies that people are, for the most
part, slow-hearted herein, and hardly drawn to the
unfeigned and diligent labour after the establishing
of their faith and assurance.
2. That all this steadfastness of assurance is not
the work of a day ; a great tree is not grown or
rooted but successively ; a great house is not built
all at once ; we must be every day adding something
to God's work, that the building of grace may be in
due time finished ; none are so established but they
may grow in fa;th ; none have such great roots but
they may take root yet more ; many men strive
hard to make their trees shew in branches and
leaves — I mean in outward profession in the world —
but alas ! what should this great bulk, and so many
branches aud leaves do, unless there were more roots
within ? Yea, many dear children of God mistake
wonderfully ; they every day carry together heaps
of precepts for life, but alas ! poor souls, so great a
building will not stand unless they lay their founda
tion sure— I mean that they get their faith in Christ
—the only sure foundation — more confirmed and
established. 2 B

194

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

As ye have been taught. Note here the apostle's
candour. He doth not arrogate the glory of their
establishment to himself, but sendeth them to their
minister, and teacheth them to depend upon him,
to wait upon the blessing of God upon his labour,
and to acknowledge the good they have, to have
been received by his ministry.
Here divers things may be noted :
1. That the people should labour for a reverent
estimation of the doctrine they receive from then
faithful teachers.
2. That as faith cometh by hearing, so doth the
establishment of faith also.
3. That it is wonderful dangerous to neglect
either the charge of our teachers when they urge us
to assurance, or the rules by which they guide us
out of the word of God for the attainment of it ; if
we would go about it when our teachers call upon
us, the Lord would be with his ordinance to bless it
to us ; we should be afraid to delay, when we are
taught how to confirm our souls in faith and grace.
4. That faithful ministers do greatly labour to
estabhsh their hearers in the assurance of God's
favour, and the duties of holy life.
Abounding therein with thanksgiving. In these
words the apostle shuts up all, wherein his intent is
to stir them up to thankfulness, that as they did
thrive in the mean or matter of faith and holy life,
so they should glorify God by all possible thankful
ness for it ; as he would have them abound in faith
and holiness, so also in thankfulness to God. This
may wonderfuUy smite our hearts ; for if we observe
our wretched evil dispositions, we may find that we
are wonderfully bent to the very habit of unthank-
fulness; and therefore it is just with God many
times that we do no more thrive in victory over our
corruptions, or in the power of divers graces, or in the
progress of duties, because we do not more tenderly
and constantly acknowledge the goodness of God we
have had experience of. Oh that it were written
upon our hearts, and graven deep in our memories,
that nothing becomes us more than to abound in
thankfulness, no fairer sight than to see the altar of
the Lord covered with the calves of our lips ! Never
can the estate of a child of God be such but he hath
exceeding great cause of thankfulness for his happi
ness in Christ.

Ver. 8. Beware lest there be any man that spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, through the traditions
of men, according to the rudiments ofthe world, and not
after Christ.
Hitherto of the exhortation. From this verse to
the end of this chapter is contained the dehortation,
wherein the apostle labours to dissuade the Colos
sians from receiving any corrupt doctrine, or any
vain observations, either borrowed from phUosophy,
or from human traditions, or from the abrogated
law of Moses.
The dehortation hath three parts :
1. He setteth down the matter from which he
doth dehort, ver. 8.
2. He gives seven reasons to strengthen the de
hortation, to ver. 16.
3. He concludes against the things from which he
dehorts, and that severaUy, from ver. 16 to the
end. In this verse he dehorts from three things :
1. From philosophy, — that is, doctrines taken out
of the books of philosophers not agreeing to the
word of God, which, though it had a show of
wisdom, yet indeed was but very deceit.
2. From traditions, — that is, observations, and
external rites, and vain superstitions concerning
either ordinary life or else God's service, devised by
men, whether learned or unlearned, and imposed as
necessary upon the consciences of men.
3. From the elements of the world, — that is, from
the ceremonies of Moses, now abrogated, and so from
Judaism. In general, we see in the church of God men
must bear the words of dehortation as weU as of
exhortation. Men are in a strange case that love to
eat poison, and yet cannot abide to receive any
antidote. Again, from the coherence we may note that the
best way to be sound against the hurt of corrupt
doctrines or traditions is so to cleave to the doctrine
of the gospel as we grow settled in the assurance of
faith, and experienced in the way of a holy life.
He cannot be hurt that minds hohness and assur
ance. Beware. When we find these caveats in the scrip
tures, we must think of them as more than bare
notes of attention, for they shew some great evil or

Ver. 8.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

195

deceivings ; and withal, it imports that we of our
selves are inclinable to fall, — as in this place this
beware imports that men naturaUy are inclined to
falsehood more than truth, to evil more than good,
to wise men more than the wise God, to traditions
more than the written word, to their own devices
more than God's precepts, to false teachers more
than the true apostles, to ceremonies more than the
weighty things of the law.
Any man. See here the vanity and levity of
man's nature. Many men, either by word or
example, cannot reduce unto order or unto truth,
yet any man may seduce unto sin and error. AU
sorts of men may be fountains of evil ; but in case
of returning, an obstinate sinner or superstitious per
son is usually wiser than seven men that can give a
reason. Spoil you. This word is various in signification ;
it signifieth, as some take it, to make bare, or to
prey upon, or to circumvent, or to deceive, or to
drive away as a prey, or to lead away bond and
captive, or, as here, to spoil ; it is so to seduce or to
carry away as a spoil. For the matter expressed in
this word we may note :
1. That a Christian stands in danger of a combat,
and if he look not to himself may be spoiled and
carried captive ; for the word seems to. be a military
word, and so imports a battle.
2. That there are worse losses may befall us than
the loss of goods or children. A man is never worse
spoUed than when his soul suffers spiritual losses.
Job's losses by the Sabeans was great, yet theirs
were greater (1.) That lost the good seed sown in
their hearts, Mat. xiii. ; (2.) That had those things
taken away that sometimes they had in spiritual
things, Mat. xiii. ; (3.) That lost their first love, Rev.
ii. ; (4.) That lost the kingdom of God in losing the
means of the kingdom, Mat. xxi. ; (5.) That lost
what they had wrought, 2 John 10 ; (6.) That lost
the presence of God, Hosea v. 15 ; (7.) That lost
uprightness and sincerity ; (8.) That lost the taste of
the powers of the life to come, Heb. vi. ; (9.) That
lost the joys of their salvation, Ps. li. ; and lastly,
Much more theirs that lose their crown, Rev. iii. 11.
3. We may here see that corrupt opinions mar
all and spoU the soul, and make it into a miserable
prey to evil men and angels.

4. That matters that seem small things and trifles
may spoil the soul, and bring it into a miserable
bondage, such as those traditions might seem to be.
You. This word noteth the persons spoiled, and
so, gives us occasion to observe two things :
1. That we may be in the sheepfold of Christ and
yet not be safe. You, yea, you Christians. The
devil can fetch booties even out of the temple of
Christ. 2. When he saith you, not yours, it shews that
howsoever it be true that most an end false teachers
seek theirs, not them, — that is, seek gain, not the
souls of the people ; yet it sometimes falls out that
even the most dangerous and damned seducers may
be free from seeking great things for themselves.
It is not any justification to the popish priests, nor
proof of the goodness of their cause, that they can
deny their own preferments and liberty on earth to
win proselytes to their religion. There have always
been some even in the worst professions of men that
have at least seemed outwardly to care for nothing
but the souls of the people.
Through philosophy. This is the first kind of
corruption here condemned.
Quest. But is philosophy naught and here re
jected ?
Ans. It is not simply condemned, but in some
respects, namely, as it doth not contain itself within
its bounds, or is not to the glory of God, or as it is
' vain deceit.' So that vain deceit may be here
added interpretatively ; it explains the sense.
Quest. But how became philosophy to be vain
deceit ?
Ans. It is vain deceit four ways : 1. When it
propoundeth and teacheth devilish things, as the
philosophy of the pagans did ; as in their magics,
when they taught the divers kinds of soothsayings,
conjurings, casting of nativities, and a great part
of judicial astrology. 2. When the placets and
opinions of philosophers that are false are justified
as true ; as their doctrine of the world's eternity, or
the soul's mortality, or the worship of angels, or
their Stoical fate and destiny, or their wild opinions
about the chief good. 3. When the principles of
philosophy, that in the ordinary course of nature are
in themselves true, are abused to deny things pro
pounded in the gospel above nature ; as those maxims,

13G

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

' That of nothing nothing is made,' and ' That of a
privation to a habit there is no regression,' and ' That
a virgin cannot conceive.' The first is brought
against the creation of God, whereas it is true of the
second cause only ; so the second is brought against
the resurrection, whereas it is true only in the ordi
nary course of nature. 4. When the truest and best
things in philosophy are urged as necessary to salva
tion, and imposed as meet to be joined with the gospel.
Philosophy may yet be used, so as she be content
to be a servant, not a mistress. If, when God's
word reveals anything absurd in her, that then she
will humble herself, and acknowledge her blindness,
and be admonished by divine light. And, on the
otlier side, men may be corrupted with philosophy,
and that divers ways : 1. If men use any part of
philosophy that is devilish, as too many do ; 2. If
men neglect the study of the scriptures, and spend
their time only in those. human studies ; 3. When
men measure all doctrine by human reason and
philosophical positions ; 4. When men depend not
upon God, but upon second causes ; 5. When men
strive to yoke men's consciences with the plausible
words of men's wisdom. Hence, also, we may note
that false doctrine may be supported with great
appearance of wisdom and learning, as was the
corruption of those false teachers. We may not
think that papists are fools, and can say nothing for
their religion ; but if the Lord should let us fall into
their hands to try us, we must expect from divers
of them great shows of learning and colours of truth.
Thus of philosophy.
After the traditions of men. The word ' tradition'
hath been used three ways : Sometimes to express
the doctrine of God's servants by authority from
God, delivered to the church by lively voice, but
afterwards committed to scripture ; so the doctrine
of Christ and the apostles, aiid of the patriarchs
before the law, was first delivered by tradition.
Sometimes to signify such opinions as ate in scrip
ture, but not expressed ; they are there, but not
spoken therein, — that is, are drawn but by con
sequence or impliedly. Sometimes to express such
observations as were never anyway written in the
word, but altogether unwritten in the scripture, as
being devised merely by men. So it is taken ordi
narily, and so traditions are to be condemned.

There is another distinction about traditions, and
that is this : 1. Some things are founded upon scrip
ture, and did always tend to further godhness, and
are therefore apostolical, and to be observed ; as aU
the doctrines of the word, and the public assemblies
of prayer and preaching; 2. Some things were
founded in scripture, and were sometimes profitable,
but now are out of all needful use, and therefore,
though they be apostolical, yet they bind not, as
the tradition of abstaining from things sacrificed to
idols, and strangled, and blood ; 3. Some things have
not foundation in the word, yet may further piety
if used without superstition, and therefore not un
lawful, as the observation of the feast of the nativity
of Christ, and such like ; 4. Some things have no
foundation in scripture, nor do at aU further piety,
but are either light or unnecessary, or repugnant to
the word : those are simply unlawful.
Traditions were both in the church of the Jews,
and in the churches of the GentUes ; the Jewish
traditions were called the traditions of the elders,
not because they were enjoined them by their
Sanhedrim, or coUege of elders, but because they were
brought in by their fathers after the captivity, the
most of them after the rising of the sect of the
pharisees. For among them was that distinction
of the law written, and the law by word of mouth ;
this law by word of mouth is the cabahstical
theology, a divinity so greatly in request amongst
the pharisees ; but how well our Saviour Christ
liked those traditions may appear, Mat. xv.
The traditions in the churches of the GentUes,
may be considered two ways : 1. As they were in
the times of the primitive church ; 2. As they were
in the times after, under antichrist.
In the primitive church they had by degrees, one
after another, a great number of traditions, such as
these — to stand and pray every Sabbath, from Easter
to Whitsuntide ; the sign of the cross ; to pray
towards the east ; the anointing of the baptized with
oil ; the canonical hours ; Lent and divers kinds of
fasts ; the mixing of water with wine ; the addition
of divers orders in the church, as canons, exorcists,
ostiaries ; holidays, &c. ; to sing hallelujah at Easter,
but not in Lent, and such like.
Now, if any ask what we are to think of those
and the like traditions then in use, I answer : 1.

Ver. 8.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

197

That the church had power to appoint traditions
in indifferent rites, so that the rules of the apostles
for indifferent things were observed, as that they
were not offensive, nor against order, or decency,
or edification, — as to appoint the time and place of
public prayer, to set down the form of it, to tell how
often the sacraments should be administered, &c.
2. We must understand that the word 'traditions'
used by the fathers did not always signify these
and such like things devised by men, but sometimes
they did mean thereby such things as were warranted
by scripture, though not expressly, — as the baptizing
of infants, the observation of the Sabbath, &c.
3. There were some traditions in some churches,
in the first hundred years, that were directly im
pious, — as the invocation of saints and images.
4. Some other things were then used that were
not every way impious in their own nature, and yet
not greatly justifiable in their use, and such were
divers of the afore-named observations.
5. That divers things at the first brought into
the church with good intent and to good purpose
afterwards grew into abuse, — as, for example, in the
primitive order of monks.
6. The worser traditions were brought in by false
teachers, and too pertinaciously observed by the
people, the fathers bewailing it, and sometimes
complaining of it.
7. The fathers themselves in some things shewed
levity and unconstancy of judgment ; sometimes, to
please the people, approving things ; and again,
sometimes standing upon the sole perfection of the
scriptures. Lastly, It cannot well be denied but that the
liberty taken in the primitive times to bring in
traditions opened a door to antichrist.
Now, concerning the traditions in popery under
antichrist, their doctrine is abominable, for they
say that the word of God is either written or un
written ; and they say tlieir unwritten verities are
necessary as well as scripture ; yea, that they are of
equal authority with scripture. And those traditions
they would thus exalt are, for number, many ; for
nature, childish, unprofitable, impious, and idola
trous. But that we may be fully settled against
their impious doctrine of traditions, we may profit
ably record in our memories these scriptures, Deut.

xii. 32, Rev. xxii. 18, Mat. xv. 1, Pet. i. 18, Gal. i.
9, Isa. viii. 20, 2 Tim. iii. 16, Jer. xix. 5, Col. i. 28,
Luke xvi. 29, 1 Cor. i. 5-7.
Object. 1. But our Saviour told his disciples, ' I
have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot
bear them now ; but the Spirit, when he is come,
shall lead you into all truth,' John xvi. 12, 13.
Ergo, it seems there are divers truths of Christ
which were not revealed - in scripture, but by the
Spirit uttered by tradition after.
Sol. This may be understood of the gifts of the
apostles, and of the effects thereof, and not of
doctrine ; for of doctrine he had said in the chapter
before, ' All things that I have heard of my Father,
I have made known unto you,' John xv. 15. 2. If
it were understood of doctrine, yet he doth not
promise to lead them into any new truths, but into
the old, and those Christ had already opened,
which should be brought to their mind, and they
made more fully to understand them. For so he
saith of the Comforter, in the 14th chapter, ' He
shall teach you all things, and bring all things to
your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you,' John xiv. 26. 3. Be it he had not revealed
all as yet, what, did he therefore never reveal it?
Why, the very text is against it, for he said, ' I
have yet many things to say unto you,' John xvi.
12 ; therefore he did say them, namely, after his
resurrection, Acts i. 3. 4. Let it be noted that he
saith, ' Ye cannot bear them now ; ' the things he
had to say they could not then bear ; why should
we think that they could not then bear these grave
traditions, as the anointing and christening of bells
and such like ? Lastly, Let them prove it to us that
those toys are the things Christ promised to reveal,
and then they say somewhat.
Object. 2. But in the 20th of John, he saith, ' There
were many things which were not written which
Jesus did.'
Ans. He saith that ' the things which are written
are to this end written, that we might believe, and
believing, might have eternal life,' John xxi. 25,
xx. 30 ; so that what is needful to faith and eternal
life is written. 2. He saith there were other things
not written ; he saith other things, not things differ
ing from these; other things in number, not in
substance or nature, much less contrary things.

198

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[Chap. II.

" Object. 3. But the Thessalonians are charged to
' hold the traditions they had been taught.'
Sol. The scriptures were not then aU written. 2.
The apostle understands not traditions as the papists
do. For in the same place he calleth the things
written in scripture traditions, as well as those that
were not yet written.
To conclude this discourse concerning traditions,
we must further understand that the traditions in
any church, though they be things indifferent in
their own nature, become unlawful if they be such
as be taxed in these eight rules.
1 . If they be contrary to the rules of the apostles
concerning such things ecclesiastically indifferent ;
2. If they be urged and used with superstition ;
3. Or as any parts of God's worship ; 4. Or with
opinion of merit ; 5. Or as necessary to salvation ;
6. Or if they be equalled with the law of God, or the
weighty things of the law neglected, and those more
urged ; 7. If they be light and childish ; lastly, If by
their multitude they darken and obscure the glory
of Christ in his ordinances. Thus of the second
thing. The third thing from which he doth dehort is the
rudiments of the world.
The rudiments of the world. By the ' rudiments of
the world,' he meaneth the laws of Moses, especially
concerning meats, washings, holidays, garments, and
such like ceremonial observations.
Those laws were called ' rudiments' or ' elements,'
as some think, because the Jews and false apostles
held them as needful as the four elements of the
world ; or else because in their first institution they
did signify the most choice and fundamental prin
ciples of the gospel, that were necessary for all to
know that would be saved ; but it is most likely
they are called so by a grammatical relation to the
abcedaries, that as little children begin at the
alphabet, and so go on to higher studies, so did the
Lord give those laws as the A B C of the Jews to
be their pedagogue in the infancy of the church.
Now they might be said to be 'of the world,' be
cause they were external rites, and subject to the
sight and sense ; and because they consisted of a
glory that was more worldly than spiritual, and
because worldly men do most stand upon that
which is external.

It is the drift of the apostle to dissuade from the
observation of those rites, because now the law of
Moses was abrogated. Abrogation is a plausible
doctrine in popular estates. Proclamation concern
ing immunities from tributes and taxations, or con
cerning isonomy, — that is, indifferent liberty for all
to be competitors for honours or free for profits of
a commonwealth, those were wont to be wonderful
grateful to the multitude. And such is the doctrine
of abrogation in divinity; yet because it may be
abused by epicures, it is to be more carefully
opened. The law may be said to be abrogated divers ways :
1. When it is antiquated or obsolete, so as men are
neither bound to duty nor punishment, and thus the
ceremonies are abrogated ; 2. When the punishment
is changed, only the obedience still remaining in
force, as in the law of stealth ; 3. It is abrogated to
the guilty, when the punishment is transferred on
another, so as the law cannot exercise her force
upon the guilty person ; 4. It is abrogated when it
is weakened and enervated by transgressors. To
break the law is to loose or dissolve the law. Thus
wicked men by their lives abrogate it.
Quest. But is the whole law of Moses abrogated ?
Ans. No ; for though Moses be said to give place
to Christ, that doth not import a change of the law,
but of the lawgiver. Moses gave three kinds of
laws, moral, judicial, ceremonial.
For the moral law, it may in some sort be said to
be abrogated as : 1. In respect of the curse and
malediction, as it did work anger, and made
execrable ; for so ' there is no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus,' Rom. viii. 1, 2. Inas
much as 'the law of the spirit of life hath freed
them from the law of sin and death.' 2. In respect
of the inexorable rigour and perfection of it ; for we
are ' not now under the law, but under grace,' Rom.
vi. 14. 3. In some sense it is abrogated in respect of
justification ; for now it is no more required of the
godly that they should seek justification by the law,
but by Jesus Christ. Again, we must distinguish
of the persons ; for the law still lieth on the neck
of the unregenerate, but in the former respects is
abrogated to the faithful ; for ' against them there
is no law,' Gal. v. 23 ; but the law is given to the
unrighteous, 1 Tim. i. 9.

Ver. 9.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

199

Now, for the judicial laws of Moses, they were, as
it were, civil laws, concerning magistrates, inherit
ance, order, and process of judgments, contracts,
marriage, bondage, divorce, vows, usury, and tres
pass between man and man.
These judicial laws must be considered two ways :
1. As they bind the Jews as they were men, — that is,
in a common and general right ; and so those laws
are perpetual in the nature and equity of them.
2. As they bound the Jews as they were Jews in a
personal, national, or singular right ; and thus
where the reason of a law is particular, there the
law is so, and binds not other people, but as it may
fit their commonwealths.
The ceremonial laws did concern sacrifices, and
sacraments, and other holy things, and ritual obser
vations. Divines have a saying, that the judicials
are dead, but the ceremonials are deadly. That the
ceremonies are abrogated was signified by the rend
ing of the veil of the temple ; yea, the temple itself
is destroyed, as wUl more fully appear when I come
to the 15th verse.
And thus of the rudiments of the world. Hither-
unto also of the matter of the dehortation. The
reasons follow.
And not after Christ. These words contain the
first reason against philosophy, traditions, and cere
monies. They are not after Christ, and therefore
to be avoided, lest our souls be spoiled. These
things were not after Christ : 1. Because they no
way tended to the furtherance of heaven and recon
ciliation with God, which in Christ we should prin
cipally look to. 2. Because they were no way
warranted, or approved, or commanded by Christ.
Christ, when he came, imposed no such things.
3. Because they do now no way lead us after Christ,
but from him rather, inasmuch as we rest in those
things done, and neglect the commandment of God.
Lastly, They feed the humours of carnal men, and
draw away men's minds from the spiritual worship
of God in Christ.
Hence we may note an answer to that question,
Whether the Gentiles may not be saved without
Christ by philosophy ? The apostle determines that
the soul is spoiled by philosophy, if it be not after
Christ. Again, hence we may learn a note of trial con

cerning the truth of religions. That religion which
is not after Christ is a false religion ; for this is a
foundation, that everlasting happiness must be ex
pected from Christ alone.
Lastly, Here we may note that sins against Christ
will be accounted for, though they were not forbidden
in the moral law. We have now another law in the
gospel, so as whatsoever is not after Christ is a great
transgression; neither may we think that we sin
not against Christ but only by traditions and cere
monies ; for there are many other ways of offending
against him, — as, to live without Christ and com
munion with him, Eph. ii. 12 ; to be an enemy to
the cross of Christ, Phil. iii. 18 ; to make the doc
trine of redemption an occasion of liberty to the
flesh, 1 Pet. ii. 16; to live after the lusts of men,
and not after the will of Christ, 1 Pet. iv. 1, 2 ; to
harden our hearts against the doctrine of reconcilia
tion, 2 Cor. v. 20 ; to hold false opinions concerning
the person or office of Christ ; to pervert the gospel
of Jesus Christ, Gal. i. 7 ; to persecute or despite
Christ in his members ; to trust in the merit of our
own works, Rom. x. 3, 4 ; to deny him before men,
Mat. x. 33 ; to reproach the servants of Christ,
Heb. xi. 26 ; not to believe the report of his mes
sengers, Isa. lih. 1, Rom. x. 16; not to imitate his
graces, Mat. xi. 29 ; to offend one of Christ's little
ones, Mark ix. 42 ; to make division or schism,
1 Cor. i. 12 ; not to discern his body in the sacra
ment, 1 Cor. xi. 28 ; to build again things destroyed,
Gal. ii. 17-19 ; to break our vows, 1 Tim. v. 11, 12 ;
to fall away from the doctrine of Christ, 2 John 9 ;
to grieve the Spirit of Christ, Eph. iv. 30 ; to be
beguUed from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus,
2 Cor. xi. 3 ; to cast away their confidence, Heb. x. ;
or to fashion ourselves to the lusts of our ignorance,
1 Pet. i. 14.
Thus of the first reason.
Ver. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
godhead bodily.
These words contain the second reason ; and it
stands thus : If in Christ there be all divine fulness
and sufficiency, then there needs no supply from
human inventions, either for doctrine, or worship,
or manners ; but in Christ there dwells all fulness,
even from the ocean of all perfection ; and therefore,

200

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

let no man spoil you through philosophy, traditions,
or ceremonies, &c.
For the explication of the minor, we may conceive
of the words of the text thus : There is in Christ
all fulness of wisdom as the prophet of the church,
therefore there needs no philosophy ; 2. There is all
fulness of merit in Christ's satisfaction as priest of
the church, therefore there needs no expiating cere
monies ; 3. There is all fulness of power and efficacy
in Christ as king of the church, therefore there is
no need that we should help him with inventing
traditions to uphold the lives or godliness of Chris
tians, or any way to further the ordinances of
Christ. This verse contains in itself an excellent proposi
tion concerning Christ, viz., that the godhead is in
the body, — that is, in the human nature of Christ ;
and this is amplified : 1. By the manner of presence,
he 'dwelleth' there; 2. By the measure, in all 'fulness.'
The word ' corporally' hath been diversely inter
preted. ' Corporally,' that is, truly and indeed.
' Corporally,' that is, not in show or shadow only, but
completely, in comparison of the shadows of the law
or prefiguring signs. He dwelleth not in Christ as he
did in the temple. ' Corporally,' that is, according
to flesh. ' Corporally,' in respect of the manner of his
presence, not as he is in all creatures by efficacy or
power ; nor as he is in the saints by his grace ; nor as
he is in the blessed by glory, but corporally, — that is,
by union with the person of the Word. But I think
it is safest and plainest to take it in the third sense,
viz., corporally, — that is, in his human nature.
Christ is commended in the praise of his relation :
1. To the godhead, in this verse; 2. To saints and
angels, ver. 10.
'In him' notes his person; 'godhead' expresseth
his divine nature ; ' corporally' imports his human na
ture; and ' dwells' tells us ofthe union ofthe natures.
The sum of all is, that inasmuch as the Lord hath
saved us by so wonderful salvation in Christ, and
in that our Saviour was true God as well as man, as
being the second person in Trinity, therefore we
should wholly rest upon him, and not distract our
thoughts, or faith, or services with either philosophy,
or traditions, or ceremonies, as supposing that our
salvation should be anyways furthered by those.
Now, in that the Holy Ghost is so careful to teach

the divinity of Christ, we should also learn to be
affected with the wisdom of God that hath designed
the second person in the Trinity to be our Media
tor. Think of it often, and weigh with yourself the
glory of God's wisdom herein. Who is fitter to re
store the world than he that made it? John i. 1,
Col. i. 15. Incarnation is a mission: now it was
not fit he should be sent by another, that was not
of another ; as the Father was not. It is wonderful
suitable that the natural Son should make sons by
adoption, John i. 11. Who fitter to restore the
image of the Father lost in us than he that was the
eternal image of the Father? Col. i. 15, Heb. i. 3.
Who was fitter to break open the fountain of God's
love than he that was the Son of his love ? Col. i. 13.
The personal Word became the enunciative Word
to declare unto us his Father's nature and wiU : he
that is the middle person in the Trinity is fittest to
be the middle man or mediator between God and
man. Is our Saviour God then? Then he is eternal,
Rev. i. 7 ; omnipresent, Mat. xxviii. 21 ; omniscient,
Rev. ii. 23 ; and omnipotent, PhU. hi. 21.
The consideration of the divinity of Christ may
and ought wonderfully to comfort us against the
greatness of our sins and God's wrath, remembering
that the Lord Jehovah is he that is our righteous
ness, Jer. xxiii. 6, Mat. i. 21, and justification from
all our sins; as also against the greatness of the
enemies and adversaries of our souls, and the truth
or true grace of Christ in us. Our Saviour is the
mighty God, Isa. ix. 6, 7, and therefore can and will
easily subdue all our enemies under our feet : be
sides, hereby we are assured of the supply of all our
wants, seeing he that hath all the fulness of God in
him hath undertaken to fill all things in the church,
Eph. i, 23. And as this may comfort, so it should
instruct : why should we not come ' wUlingly at the
time of assembly,' Ps. cxx. 3, seeing we serve the
God of heaven, and have all our service done in
the name of the Son of God, and presented by his
mediation to the Father? And further, shall we
not account unbelief to be a monstrous sin, con
sidering how little cause we have to fear or doubt?
But especially, shall we not learn humility of him
that, being in the form of God, humbled himself for
our sakes to take upon him the form of a man, and

Ver. 9.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

201

to be subject to the very death ? Ps. ii., Mat. xi. 29.
Lastly, shall we not learn hence the hatefulness of
sin, and the odious filth of it? We may commit
sin, but God must remit it, and become a sufficient
propitiation for sin.
Corporally. Quest. How can the whole divine na
ture be said to be in the human, seeing the one is
infinite, the other finite ?
Ans. 1. It is no more than to affirm that the
human nature is united to the divine in the fulness
of it ; or, 2. That it is incorporate, or made flesh,
incarnate, or hath a body joined to it ; or else, 3.
Let it be granted of the inhabitation in the flesh of
Christ, yet it followeth not that therefore it is there
included ; for it is so in the flesh whole, that with
out the flesh it is everywhere. For the divinity is
not only immense that it can be everywhere, but
also most simple, that it can be, and be everywhere
whole, as the soul in the body, and the light is in
the sun, and yet not included there, yet truly and
whole there.
Quest. But since this text plainly affirms that
Christ had a body, and so by synecdoche a true
human nature, it may be here inquired whether his
human nature was like ours, and the rather since
the godhead did dwell in him bodily ?
Ans. That this may be clearly resolved, we must
know that, what is said in this verse notwithstand
ing, Christ in his human nature was like unto us.
But for evidence, I shew briefly in what he was like,
and then in what he was not like. He was like :
1. In that he took a true body, not fantastical; 2.
He took a true human body, and not a celestial
body, and he was endued with a reasonable soul ;
3. He had the essential faculties of both ; 4. He
had the very infirmities of our nature, I mean such
as were not sinful. Now, Christ was unlike us in
body, in soul, in both. In body : 1. In his concep
tion there was a difference, for we are of Adam, and
by Adam, but he was of Adam, and not by Adam ;
for he was not begotten, but made, and so original
sin was avoided, and some think his very body had
all the parts at the first conception formed ; 2. His
body was not corruptible, it saw no corruption. In
soul he differed two ways : 1. In that it was without
sin ; 2. In that it was endued with gifts above men
and angels. In both there was difference; for, 1.

They subsisted from the beginning in the divine
nature, and did not make a person of themselves ;
2. They are admitted unto the grace of adoration,
so as now Christ-man is worshipped, though not
properly as he is man.
Thus of the natures of Christ ; the union of them
follows in a double consideration : 1. Of the man
ner, in the word dwell ; 2. Of the measure, in all
fulness. Dwell. There are two kinds of unions in Christ :
1. Of the soul and body ; 2. Of both those with the
person of the Word; the latter is here meant.
There are two questions about union in theology,
that are wonderful full of difficulty : 1. The union
of three persons in one nature ; 2. The union of two
natures in one person. This latter is in Christ, he
is begotten as God, created in respect of his soul,
and born in«respect of his body.
There are divers unions : 1 . Substantial in the
trinity ; 2. Natural in soul and body ; 3. Carnal in
man and wife ; 4. Mystical in Christ and the church;
5. Personal in Christ, for in him as soul and body
are one man, so God and man are one Christ.
It is much easier to tell how this union in Christ
is not, than to tell how it is. Negatively thus : —
Things are united three ways : some things are
compounded and made one, yet the things united
are not changed, mingled, or confounded, but remain
perfect, as many stones united in one building ; 2.
Some things united are perfect, but yet changed, and
not what they were, as the body of a man made of
the union of the four elements ; 3. Some things
remain whole and not changed, but imperfect of
themselves, as the soul and body of themselves apart.
Now this union of Christ is not after any of these
ways. Again, this union in Christ is : 1. Not by bare
assistance or presence ; 2. Not by habitual union,
either by affection, as friends are one, or by grace,
as the saints are one with God ; 3. Not by worthi
ness or authority ; 4. Not by harmony or consent
of will or opinion, as the angels are one with God,
and as the saints shall ; 5. Not by joint authority,
as two consuls are one; 6. Not by homonomy or
giving of the same name to each nature ; 7. Not of
pleasure only, as if it were so only because God
would have it so ; lastly, Not by bare inhabitation,
2c

202

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[Chap. II.

for the Word is made flesh; and therefore, though the
Holy Ghost use the similitude of dwelling here, to
note the continual residence of the divine nature in
the human, yet that similitude doth not express this
union clearly, for the householder and the house
cannot be fitly called one.
The effects of this union may be considered either
as they are in Christ or to usward.
In Christ from this union flows :
1. The predication of the things of each nature to
the person, and that truly and really, as when his
blood is said to be the blood of the Son of God, Acts
xx. &c.
2. The enriching of the human nature with ad
mirable gifts, as great as could possibly be in a
created nature ; in respect of which he came the
nearest unto God of any that ever was or could be.
Nay, if all the goodness of man and angels were con
ferred on one creature, yet it were not comparable
to that that is one Christ.
These gifts in Christ were either natural or
supernatural. By natural gifts I mean as these : In
the mind, the best wit or memory, and such like
faculties, better than ever were in anyman, — I except
not Adam himself. In the body, most fair form and
divine face ; his very countenance did express a
divinity in him. The very temperament also of his
body was such as nothing could be better tempered or
more excellent, as being formed by the Holy Ghost.
His supernatural gifts were either in body or
mind : In body, as that he could with his eye pierce
the heavens, and see there what he would ; for Ste
phen could see into heaven, as is recorded, Acts vii.,
much more must we believe of our Saviour, for in
Stephen there was but a small parcel of divine light.
Now, I say, those gifts were above nature in Christ,
but yet not against nature. In mind there was in
him exceeding holiness, goodness, wisdom, and all
the gifts of the Spirit.
But all these supernatural gifts, both in soul and
body, must be considered in Christ two ways : 1.
In the state of humiliation ; 2. In the state of exal
tation. Such gifts as he. received in the state of
humiliation were properly the effects of this union,
the other were given in respect of his obedience unto
death. Of the first sort, I propound these: 1, In the

whole soul, so great holiness as can be imagined to
befall a creature; 2. In the mind, most exquisite
wisdom; 3. In the heart, such bowels of charity,
love, and compassion, as was never in any man or
angel; in the whole man, wonderful power.
Now, amongst all these, I only consider of his
wisdom and power.
There was a twofold wisdom in Christ : increate,
and that was only in his divine nature ; and create,
and that was in his human. This created wisdom
in Christ was threefold: 1. Knowledge by imme
diate vision, Mat. xi. 27; 2. Knowledge by heavenly
habits infused, Isa. xi. 3 ; 3. Knowledge gotten by
experience, Luke ii. 52. By the first knowledge he
knoweth immediately the Word of God, to which his
human nature is united, and in God as in a glass he
sees all other things. Thus he sees God face to face,
and this is a certain created light in the soul by par
ticipation of divine light.
Concerning this first sort of knowledge in Christ
strange things are said by divines, but the sum of
all is this : 1. That the soul of Christ by this created
light and vision sees God ; and that first, whole ;
secondly, perfectly ; 2. That in this vision he sees
all things.
Object. Then might some one say, the knowledge
of Christ in his human nature is made equal to his
divine. Sol. Not so : for, 1. Though he see God whole,
yet he seeth him not wholly, that is, not so much as
can be seen by God himself, though more than any
creature can attain unto ; 2. Though he know the
things that are and shaU be, yet he knows not such
things as shall not be, and yet God can do them ; 3.
What he doth know by this finite light, he knows
not so plainly as the Word doth; 4. It seeth not things
at one view or altogether, but one thing after another.
Thus of his immediate or blessed knowledge.
The second kind of knowledge is habitual or in
fused knowledge. By this knowledge he knows all
that can be known of man or angels, yea, of all of
them together. Of this he speaks, Isa. xi. 3. There
are four words to express it, wisdom, understanding,
knowledge, and counsel. By the first, He understandeth
celestial and divine things ; by the second, Things
separate from matter, as the angels ; by the third,
things natural ; and by the last, Things to be done.

Ver. 10.]

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203

But this knowledge is much inferior to the former,
for thus he knows not the divine essence. Of expe
rimental knowledge the Holy Ghost spake, Luke ii.
52, when he said, Jesus ' increased in wisdom,' and
that must needs be in such knowledge as he got
by observation by degrees in the world. Thus of
the wisdom of Christ.
Concerning the power of Christ, many things are
controverted in other churches, and I have spoken
of it before; more than men of wrangling natures and
corrupt envious minds did well take, though no more
than what is ordinary in the writings of learned men ;
I shall not need, therefore, to say much of it in this
place. The power of Christ is twofold, — increate and
create. Increated power is the power of his divine
nature, and so he is omnipotent. Created power is
an admirable force in the human nature of Christ,
above man or angels, to accomplish that unto which
it is directed. By his divine power Christ worketh
divine things, and by his human power he worketh
human things ; thus is he powerful above all crea
tures, in understanding, memory, will, and in acting
whatsoever the law of God can will.
Hitherto of the power of Christ ; and so of the
gifts in the state of humiliation.
In the state of exaltation, there befell Christ four
things : 1. A wonderful excellency of glory; 2. The
grace of adoration with the divine nature ; 3. The
power of administration of all things in heaven and
earth, Mat. xxviii. ; 4. A judiciary power, viz., to
be the judge of the whole world, Acts xvii. 30.
Thus of the second effect.
The third effect of this union in Christ was his
mediatorship, as remaining perfect God he became
man ; so without any mutation of himself, he is by
this union become perfect mediator between God and
man, the true high priest, and the only head of the
church. The fourth and last effect of this union is the
communion of the effects. There are divers opera
tions of both natures, yet they meet in one work
done. The worker is the person ; the fountains of
operation are the two natures according to their
properties ; the actions are some proper to the divine
nature, some to the human ; yet the outward fact, or
thing effected, is the work of both natures. Thus
of the effects of this union in Christ.

Now, the effects that flow to us from hence are
either in Christ for us, or in us by Christ. In
Christ for us, there are two effects, expiation and
reconciliation to the Father. In us by Christ, are
three effects, justification, sanctification, and glori
fication. In all fulness. The ubiquitaries do abuse this
place, for they allege that this place proves that
the essential properties of the divine nature are
communicated really to the human, and so they say
Christ is in his human nature omnipotent, every
where present, and omniscient ; this they fall upon
to establish his real presence in the sacrament.
But that this place cannot fit then turns, may ap
pear by these reasons : 1. He saith 'in whom,' that is,
in which person the Godhead dwells, &c. Now it is
not doubted by any, but that the person of Christ
is omnipotent, everywhere present, Sec. 2. Be it ' in
which body' the Godhead dwells, Sec, yet this proves
nothing for them, for so he dwells in the saints,
and yet they do not say they are everywhere
present. 3. When he saith ' all fulness,' this fulness
notes the essence as well as the properties. Now I
hope they will not say the essence is whoUy com
municated to the body of Christ ; 4. ' AU fulness '
imports all attributes as well as some. Now all
attributes are not communicated, as for example,
the body of Christ was not eternal. Lastly, the
same was cleared before ; the fulness of the Godhead
is there, as the light is in the sun.
Uses. From the consideration of all which
doctrine, we may see cause to be abased and con
founded in ourselves, that we should not more
admire the wonderful glory of the person of Christ ;
and for the time to come, we should heartily strive
with God by prayer, and the use of aU good means,
that he would be pleased to ' reveal his Son in us,'
and shew this rich mystery of ' God manifested in
the flesh.' Lastly, this should confirm us in the
faith of all the good things promised in the Messiah,
seeing hence we know how infinitely complete he is
in himself. Thus of the ninth verse.
Ver. 10. And ye are complete in him, wJio is the head
of all principality and power.
The third reason of the dehortation, is taken
from our perfection in Christ. We need not go to

204

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[CflAP. II.

traditions, or philosophy, or ceremonies, seeing we
are so complete in ourselves as we are in Christ.
Observe in the first words : 1. The persons, ' ye ;'
2. The time, ' are ; ' 3. The benefit communicated,
'complete;' 4. Theauthor, 'Christ;' 5. Thelimitation,
' in him.' In general, we may observe, that Christ
doth derive of his fulness to his members, ' of his
fulness have we all received grace for grace,' John i.
16 ; 'out of his fulness he filleth all in all,' Eph. i.
23 ; he ' ascended far above all heavens, that he
might fill all things,' Eph. iv. 10.
Now, if any ask wherein Christians are complete,
or what it is Christ doth derive unto Christians out
of his fulness ? I answer, he maketh them complete,
or filleth them out of his fulness with knowledge,
Mat. xi. 25, Rom. xv. 14 ; grace and truth, John
i. 16; peace, power, Acts vi. 8; joy and righteous
ness, Rom. xiv. 1 7 ; .strength against temptations
and death, Heb. ii. ; abundance of blessings in the.
gospel, Rom. xv. 29 ; and he supplieth all their
necessities out of the riches of his glory; but espe
cially they are complete in the imputation of his
most perfect righteousness.
Thus of the author and the benefit. Where he
saith, ' ye are complete,' he teacheth them that there
must be a particular application of this fulness of
Christ. Though there be water enough in the sea,
or in the river, or fountain, yet it helps not us,
unless it be derived to us by conduits, Sec; though
there be food enough in the market, yet we are not
filled with it, unless it be brought and dressed, and
taken by us.
Now for the time ; when he saith ' ye are complete,'
he shews that it is not enough that men's hearts
have been full of Christ, but they must be so still.
Quest. How can they be said to be already filled
and complete in Christ, seeing many things for their
perfection are not yet given, and there is a differ-
ance of fulness in the children of God ?
Ans. That this point may be more clearly under
stood, I consider of this completeness more exactly,
both in what it is, and what it ought to be, for they
may be said to be complete, in that they ought to
labour after it.
The faithful are complete, or implete rather,
either comparatively or positively ; comparatively in
this sense, because they are in the absolutest estate

that any kind of people are in, and far more happy
than all the world beside; for the earth is cursed to
all other men, the felicity they would desire cannot
be had, or if it were, yet the wrath of God for then
sins lieth like fire in the midst of all, and who
knows when it will burn ? How can there be any
completeness in their estate, seeing the unregener
ate heart cannot be filled, and the things they can
get serve but for the flesh and bodily life ? Thus
they are comparatively complete. Now positively,
they are so four ways : 1. In respect of the fulness
of the body mystical; it is a glorious weU-compacted
complete body, Eph. i. 23, iv. 16 ; and so the church
is ' the fulness of Christ.' 2. In respect of justifica
tion, and that two ways ; for every child of God
hath whole Christ given him, and his whole right
eousness imputed ; and besides, he hath forgiveness
of all sorts of sins, original, actual, of infirmity or
presumption, &c. 3. In respect of sanctification ;
4. In respect of glorification.
Now for glory. We must understand, that
though they are not yet in heaven, yet they have it
in respect of promise, Heb. ix. 15, and in hope,
Heb. vi. 14, and in the means, 2 Tim. iii. 16, and
in the beginning of it, John xvii. 3 ; and for sancti
fication and grace, it must be considered according
to the threefold degrees of it : 1. In inchoation ; 2.
In ripe age ; 3. In perfect consummation in heaven.
Now for tho first, even the weakest babes and in
fants in grace are complete four ways : 1. They have
complete and perfect promises, even of completeness
itself, Ezek. xxxvi., Jer. xiii. 39 ; 2. They are com
plete in respect of the means of sanctification, for
first, they have full liberty to use them as they have
opportunity, and they may make their best profit of
them; besides the respect of the efficacy of the
means, their God is the holy one of Israel, Christ is
the head in all fulness of virtue, Sec, they may pray
for what they will and be heard, and the word is the
arm and power of God to salvation ; 3. They are
complete in respect of the parts sanctified, they have
grace in every part, though not in every degree ;
4. They are complete in their desire and respect to
all God's commandments.
Thus of weak Christians and their completeness.
Now the strong Christian's completeness may be
considered negatively : and so they are not com-

Ver. 10.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

205

plete that are not full of knowledge, that cannot
bear hard sayings, that hath not a plerophory of
assurance, that is not filled with contentation, that
cannot hve by faith, or is not filled with the fruits
of righteousness.
The last thing is the limitation, ' in him.'
In him. Nothing will be had by Christ till we be
in Christ, 1 John v. 20. Things are said to be in
Christ : 1. In respect of creation, all things were
' created in him,' Col. i. 16 ; 2. In respect of pre
servation, all things 'consist in him,' Col. i. 17;
3. In respect of the mystical union, and so the
church only is in him.
In him we are elected, Eph. i. 4 ; in him ' the
righteousness of God is revealed from heaven,' Rom,
i. 17, 1 Cor. v. 21 ; in him ' all promises are yea and
amen,' 2 Cor. i. 20 ; in him we are made rich, 1 Cor.
i. 5 ; in him Jews and Gentiles are made one, Eph,
ii. 6 ; in him the building is ' coupled together and
grows,' Eph. ii. 20 ; in him we have life, 1 John
v. 11.
Now men may know whether they be in Christ, if
they examine themselves whether they be new crea
tures or no, 2 Cor. v. 1 7 ; and whether they have
the Spirit of Christ, Rom. viii. 9 ; and whether they
love the appearing of Christ, 2 Tim. iv. 8, 2 Thes.
iii. 5, 2 Pet. iii. 12 ; whether the world hate them,
John xv. 18, 20 ; whetlier they love the brethren,
1 John iii. 14, Eph. iv. 16, 17; and whether they
walk in the light in all desire of holy conversation,
1 John i. 6, Heb. ix. 14, 1 John iii. 6.
Who is the head of all principality and power. It is
true that magistrates be in great place on earth, and
have principality and power, and may be so called
justly ; but that is not meant here. These princi
palities and powers are the angels, and so these
words contain the fourth reason. Christ is the head
of angels, therefore whatsoever they have they have
it from Christ, and therefore what should we do to
go to angels to help us when Christ the head is
given to be our mediator ?
The angels are diversely called in scripture : they
are called spirits, to express their nature, and angels,
to express their office, as messengers sent of God ;
they are called sons of God, Job xxxviii. ; they are
called cherubims, Gen. hi., from the form they ap
peared, viz., like youths ; they are called seraphims,

Isa. vi., for their order and fierceness in the execu
tion of God's anger ; they be called stars of the
morning, Job xxxviii. 7, from their brightness of
nature; they are called watchmen, Dan. iv. 10, they
are in heaven as a watch-tower, and they keep the
world ; they are called flaming fire, Ps. civ., because
God useth their help to destroy the wicked. Here
they be called ' principalities and powers,' which are
words of greatest excellency amongst men, and are
used here to shadow out the glory of those heavenly
creatures. Angels are most? spiritual creatures with
out bodies ; they move like the wind irresistibly,
easily without molestation, and in an unperceivable
time. And, for their number, I am not of then fond
opinion that think they are meant in the parable of
the ninety and nine sheep, as if they were so infinite
beyond the number of mankind ; yet, without ques
tion, their number is exceeding great and almost in
comprehensible, and cannot be known of us in this
world, Dan, vii. 10, Hosea xii. 24, Mat. xxvi. 53.
They wonderfully excel in knowledge, and that na
tural and supernatural and experimental. But to
speak a little more expressly, I consider in the
angels : 1. What they are in themselves, here called
principalities and powers ; 2. What they are in
relation to Christ, who is said here to be their
head ; 3. What they be in reference to the body of
Christ. The angels in themselves are principalities for
their excellency of nature and estate. They are
called powers for their wonderful force they have
over other creatures at God's appointment. The
words do not import any hierarchy among the
angels, for howsoever we are not to think there
is any ataxy among those glorious creatures, so it
hath been bold presumption in those, either Jews or
schoolmen or papists, that have travailed in it, to de
scribe a fantastical number of orders amongst them.
For their excellency of nature, as they are here called
principalities, so elsewhere they are called stars of
the morning, sons of God, yea, gods, Elohim. And
for their power it is exceeding great over the crea
tures : as when an angel could destroy all the first
born of Egypt ; and to overthrow so many thousands
in Sennacherib's army. An angel set Peter out of
prison ; an angel carried Philip in an instant, — they
can strangely wind themselves into men's imagina-

206

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Chap. II.

tions, so as they can appear to men in their dreams,
Mat. i. As evil angels can suggest tentations, so do
good angels holy motions. They have power over
the devils to restrain them, but work miracles they
cannot but by the power of God. The angel, in the
5th of John, could move the waters, but he could
not of himself cure the sick.
Thus of angels in themselves.
In relation to Christ, so they are implied to be of
the body, and Christ to be their head. Now we
may not marvel at it, that Christ should be the head
of angels, for there be divers distinct benefits which
angels from thence do receive, which by natural crea
tion they had not : 1. It is a benefit that they are
vouchsafed a place in the mystical body under Christ,
that they might be received, as it were, into the new
order in Christ. 2. A peace is made between them
and man in Christ. 3. The rooms of angels fallen
are supplied by the elect, the society of angels being
much maimed by their fall. 4. They are refreshed
with singular joy for the conversion of the elect ; be
sides the enlarging of their knowledge, that they are
vouchsafed the understanding of the secrets of the
gospel. 5. They receive from Christ confirming grace,
and so assurance that they shall never fall, which is
their chief benefit. 6. Their obedience in its own na
ture is imperfect, Job iv., though not sinful, and there
fore may need to be covered by Christ's perfections.
Thus of the relation to Christ. Now, if any ask
what relation they have to the body of Christ, and
what they do unto it ? I answer, by propounding
both what service they do to the body, and in what
manner. For the first, They are like masters and
tutors, to whom the great King of heaven sends out
his children to nurse. God out of the rabble of best
men doth adopt children to himself, and after com
mit them to be kept by those most noble citizens of
heaven, Ps. xxxiv. Besides, they execute judgment
upon the enemies of the church. They attend us at
the hour of death, and carry our souls to heaven,
Luke xvi. They shall gather our bodies together
at the last day, Mat. xxiv. Lastly, For the accom
plishment of all designments for, our good, they stand
always looking on the face of God to receive com
mandments, Mat. xviii. 1 0. Now, for the manner ; in
the Old Testament they are reported to have some
times appeared unto men, sometimes in their dreams,

sometimes in visions, — the prophets being ravished
into an ecstacy, — without true bodies, but not with
out the form of bodies. Sometimes they appeared in
true bodies, either such as were for the time created
of nothing, or else formed for the service of some
pre-existing matter, or else they used the bodies of
some living creatures. For if the devil could speak
in the serpent, why might not some good angel use
other creatures, as some think the angel spake in
Balaam's ass ? But for this kind of declaring them
selves to men, in the New Testament it is ceased, espe
cially since the primitive times, so as now we cannot
describe how the angels do perform their service to
the church.
Now for the use of the whole, inasmuch as Christ
is the head of principalities and powers, we may com
fort ourselves divers ways. If Christ fill the angels,
how much more can he out of his fulness fill us in
the supply of all our wants ? Again, shall we not re
joice in the grace here is done to us, in that we are
united into communion with angels under our head?
yea, and that such glorious creatures axe appointed
to be our attendants, why should we fear when
Christ and his angels will be so ready about us ?
Further this may also instruct us, we need not be
ashamed of Christ's service, seeing the very angels
follow him and depend upon him. A prince that
kept great princes to be his domestic servants, were
like to be much sought to for preferment of such as
would follow him. Oh ! how should we long after
Christ who is head over such glorious creatures as
the angels are !
Ver. 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body
of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.
Here is the fifth reason, and is peculiarly ad
dressed against those Christians of the Jews which
joined the law with the gospel, as necessary to sal
vation. By circumcision they were initiated to the
law of Moses ; and if circumcision can add nothing
to us, nor perfect us any way in Christ, then neither
can the law itself. We have that in Christ of which
circumcision and the law were signs ; we are circum
cised in the spirit, and therefore need not to be cir
cumcised in the flesh, and in Christ we have the ac
complishment of what was shadowred in the law.

Ver. 11.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

207

Object. Might some one say, The consequence is
strange : we are circumcised in spirit, therefore we
need not be circumcised in the flesh. Why, Abra
ham was circumcised in spirit as well as we, yet he
needed to be circumcised also in the flesh.
Sol. For answer hereunto, we must know that in
the time of the Old Testament, this consequence
was of no force ; yet now in the New it is exceeding
strong. For now we have not only accomplished
what was signified by circumcision, but Christ hath
appointed another sign instead of it, viz., baptism ;
especially this is clear amongst the Gentiles, which
never were circumcised in the flesh.
There is imported unto us in this verse a twofold
circumcision : 1 . The circumcision made with hands ;
2. The circumcision made without hands. The one
external, in the flesh by Moses ; the other internal,
in the spirit by Christ.
Concerning circumcision made in the flesh, there
is an observation of a fourfold time : 1. There was
a time wherein it was not, viz., from the creation
till Abraham's days ; 2. There was a time wherein
it was necessary, viz., from Abraham till Christ ; 3.
There was a time wherein it was tolerable, viz., for
some few years after Christ ; 4. There was a time
wherein it was intolerable and utterly unlawful, viz.,
since the apostles' times to the end of the world,
Gal. v. 1.
Circumcision had a double significance, for partly
it looked to Christ, and partly to the members of
Christ. As it looked to Christ it signified : 1 . That
they should have a Saviour that was circumcised,
that is, free from all sin. 2. That he should come
of the seed of Abraham. 3. That he should satisfy
for sin by effusion of blood, for all blood in the Old
Testament was typical. Now as it looked to man,
it signified : 1. That by carnal generation we were*
unclean, and out of covenant with God. 2. That
the faithful have interest in the blessed seed. 3.
That our hearts must be circumcised, by the painful
mortification of sin, and the painful casting away of
sin, as a wretched foreskin ; and that we should
suffer affliction of spirit for sin, till our hearts were
as sore as the Shechemites' bodies. 4. That we are
adopted into God's favour and communion with
saints, and distinguished from all other men. 5.
That all holiness of life and forgiveness of sin must

be had in society with the seed of Abraham. 6. That
through bearing the cross, the first-fruits of our blood
should be ready to be offered for him that died for
us. The ends why circumcision was appointed were :
1. To teach them by signification the things before
mentioned. 2. To be as a sacrament initiatory to
let them into the church. 3. To be a partition-wall
between them and the Gentiles, and as fetters to re
strain them from society with them. 4. To bind
them to keep the whole law, Gal. v. 3. 5. To be -a
seal both of the righteousness of faith, Rom. iv. 11,
and of their right and possession of the land of
Canaan as a type of heaven, Gen. xvii. 7.
There were three sorts of citizens in the old
church of the Jews, — Israelites, proselytes, and reli
gious men. Israelites were of the seed of Abraham,
those were bound to circumcision necessarily, Gen.
xvii. 12-14. Proselytes were Gentiles converted to
the Jewish religion; those for the strengthening of
their faith did subject themselves also to circumci
sion and the ceremonial law. Now there were cer
tain rehgious men of the Gentiles converted, and
embraced the covenant of God, but were not subject
to circumcision : such were Naaman', and the eunuch,
and others.
Now this circumcision after the coming of Christ
was abolished : 1. Because all effusion of blood must
cease when Christ's blood was shed. 2. The parti
tion-wall was now taken down, and therefore there
needed no sign of difference. 3. The priesthood
was changed, and therefore the rites belonging to it
also. Object. But Christ himself is said to be the minis
ter of circumcision, Rom. xv.
Sol. That was true : 1. As he was given to the
Jews by expiation to perform what was promised to
their fathers. 2. He was a minister, not of the law,
(which he abolished and fulfilled in his coming,) but
of the Jews among whom he was conversant ; for he
preached not to the Gentiles. He was a minister of
circumcision, that is, he was a preacher among the
Jews, as Peter was the apostle of circumcision.
Thus of circumcision made with hands.
Now concerning circumcision made without hands,
five things in this verse may be noted : 1. The per
sons circumcised, 'ye;' 2. The time ' are;' 3, Theman-

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[Chap. II.

ner negatively set down, ' without hands ; ' 4. The
form of it, 'putting off the body of sins Of the flesh ;'
5. The efficient cause, ' the circumcision of Christ.'
In general we may note that the case of the Gen
tiles is not worse than the Jews. We want sacrifices,
types, oracles, circumcision, Sec, but we have the
thing signified ; before the law they had the
shadow, under the law they had the image, after the
law we have the body.
Quest. But what should be the reason that the
Holy Ghost in this place and in divers others useth
such hard phrases and dark kinds of speech ?
Ans. The Lord of himself in many places of
scripture doth use allegories or dark sayings. 1.
Thereby to execute upon wicked men a strange and
secret curse ; he speaks to them in parables, Mat.
xiii., Isa. vi. 2. The majesty of the matter some
times denieth to be expressed in more ordinary
terms. 3. In allegories the Holy Ghost doth not
only tell the thing, but explicate it by comparison,
as here. 4. The hard places of scripture are God's
chests, wherein he hides his treasure from wicked
men. 5. God hereby provides for the constant
nourishment of the faithful, that though now they
find a sweet relish in the word, yet if they come
again to the same word, there is such depth in it,
they may find more food in it. 6. God somewhat
aims at the humbling of the proud heart of man, and
will hereby make him see his wants, and many ways
buffet him. 7. To excite in us so much the more
diligence. 8. Some parts of scripture are for an
appointed time, Heb, ii. 3, and till then they are
sealed up. So a veil is yet drawn over some parts of
the revelation in things not yet accomplished ; so it
was in Daniel's time, Dan. xii. 8. Thus in general.
Circumcision without hands is a wonderful work
of the Spirit of grace, wrought by the word upon
the members of Christ, upon their receiving into the
mystical body, by which corruption of nature is
wounded, beloved sins cast away with sorrow, and
the sinner received into an everlasting communion
with God and his saints. Now that there is such a
work as this in every child of God is apparent by
these places of scripture : Deut. x. 16 and 36, Jer.
iv. 4, Rom. ii. 26, and this text.
The first thing here to be considered is the persons,
both in themselves, 'ye,' and in their relation to

Christ, 'in whom,' and to other gifts mentioned before,
and imported in the word ' also.'
Ye. What graces we hear to be in Christ's mem
bers we must look to it that they be in us. It was
no comfort to the Colossians that others were cir
cumcised with circumcision without hands, unless it
might be truly so said of them also. Which serves
for great reproof of many that neglect the power of
all doctrine, which is the application of it to them
selves ; but this comes to pass either for want of
faith, Heb. ii. 1, or through prejudice, Ps. h. 3, 2
Kings ix. 11, Jer. xxix. 26, or the slumbering of the
spirit, or the love of secret sin ; yea, many lose the
power of the doctrine by wondering observation
how it may suit unto others.
In whom. Circumcision without hands is only
found in such as are actually in Christ ; they only
wound corruption of nature, and cast away beloved
sins with sorrow ; this is the difference between
temporary faith and justifying faith. There are
three sorts of hearers in the city ; Some whoUy
profane, such as will mend nothing, nor like to hear
of mending ; some openly sincere, professing con
stantly this circumcision without hands ; a third
sort, partaking of the properties of both the former,
for they agree with the best in these things : 1. In
the love of the ministry and ministers that preach
faithfully ; 2. In the taste of the powers of the life
to come, finding the word often of singular power,
so as they receive it with joy and great admiration ;
3. In the defence of the truth they seem as forward
as any. These are near the .kingdom of God, as the
scribe was ; these are more than half persuaded, as
Agrippa was ; these are fired with desire many
times to know what to do to be saved, as the young
man in the Gospel was. But, alas ! aU this brings
•them within the compass of none of God's promises,
and if they look not to it, fearful apostasy will be
the end of all this, and they may prove most spiteful
adversaries to the same ministry they admired, and
proud contemners of the same remorse with which
themselves were often smitten, and so their latter
end be ten times worse than their beginning.
Quest. But what do these men want, or what are
their defects, that they should be right for all this,
having such great affection to the word, yea, even
when it is most sincerely taught ?

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209

Ans. Alas, there are divers things too apparent in
their estate : for, 1. They join not themselves with
such as fear God in feUowship in the gospel. 2.
They shun by all means the cross for righteousness'
sake. 3. They respect not all God's commandments ;
there are some sins they will not leave ; there are
some corruptions they are so engaged unto that they
will at no hand leave them. 4. Some of them for
sake not the very sins they seem to detest, and
sometimes to cry out against ; they cry out upon
swearing, and yet (vile beasts as they are) they will
swear still, yea, and that most fearfully, yea, after
many remorses of conscience for it. 5. They will
not be persuaded to use all God's ordinances;
indeed, they hear constantly, and, to any man's
thinking, with great attention, but they pray not
in their families ; they will not use the help of con
ference ; they read not the scriptures with any order
or conscience, &c. 6. You see they are not careful
of their company ; they neither shun the appear
ance nor the occasions of evil; they give not
over their going nor their resort unto ungodly
company; they have not been truly humbled by
godly sorrow for their sin. Lastly, They have
sincerity in respect of persons ; in some they like
it, in others they do not like it ; they love not all
the saints.
Also. This ' also ' leads us to the former privileges
in Christ, and imports that the circumcision without
hands here mentioned is to be accounted a marvel
lous grace of God, and worthily ; for our judging of
ourselves frees us from the condemnation of the
world, and our days of mortification are, as it
were, the wedding days of the soul, and godly
sorrow is accompanied with the spirit of prayer,
and a fountain of grace is opened when our
hearts are opened with true contrition. Thus of
the persons.
Are, This word designs the time of this spiri
tual circumcision : the time for the putting away
and cutting off of our beloved sins is in this
life ; it must be now done or never done ; besides,
till this be done, we can feel no profit or benefit
from Christ.
Quest. The Jews in the law did know directly
when they should be circumcised in the flesh. May
not we also guess at the time of the circumcision

without hands, when God would have lis go about it,
beyond which time it may not be deferred without
singular danger ?
Ans. There is a time, and it may be known, and
it is wonderful dangerous to stand out that time.
In general, the time to humble ourselves by morti
fication for our sins, and so to set about this spiritual
circumcision, is when God grants us the means of
salvation, Luke xiv. 1 7 ; more especiaUy when we
are pressed with God's judgments, Joel ii. 12; or
when the mouths of God's servants are in a special
manner opened unto us, and their hearts made large,
2 Cor. vi. 2 ; or when God dispenseth other graces,
as temporary faith, love to the word, and joy, &c,
2 Cor. vi. 2 ; or when we are smitten with the axe
of God's word, and remorse for sin is wrought in us,
Mat. iii. 10 ; or when hearing hath kindled in us a
desire and thirst after the best things, Isa. Iv. 1, 6 ;
or lastly, when we first set out to make profession
of our being in Christ, John xv. 2.
Quest. But may not any man repent at any time ?
Ans. No: 1. A man may tarry so long till he
commit the sin against the Holy Ghost ; 2. Men
that go not so far may yet by obstinate impenitence
provoke God to cast them into a reprobate sense,
Rom. i., xi. 8-10, Isa. vi,, Mat. xiii. 13. We see
by experience that the most men that pretend to
mend afterwards, yet do not, but troops of men
that forget God go. into hell, Ps. ix.
Object. But the scripture saith at what time soever
a sinner repenteth him of his sin from the bottom
of his heart, God will forgive him, &c.
Sol. 1. Mark the words, they have a limitation,
thou must repent from the bottom of thy heart, or
else they comfort not thee. 2. For the extent of
the time, in so many precise words ; the text in
Ezekiel is not at what time soever, but in the day
that a sinner repenteth, which is not so universal
but that it may admit the exceptions before, and
though some men may and do repent at their latter
end, yet neither all nor the most.
Object. But yet the thief repented on the cross.
Sol. Shall one example make thee presume ? Why,
thou mayest know that worlds of people when they
came to die did not repent as he did ; — why shouldest
not thou more fear the example of so many not
repenting? what is one to thousands? 2. Thou
2d

210

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[Chap. II.

readest that the other thief upon the same cross died
without repentance. 3. Thou must know that an
ordinary rule cannot be drawn from an extraordinary
instance. His conversion was miraculous, one of
the seven wonders wrought by Christ in his death.
Christ made Peter walk on the sea — will he make
thee do so too ? will he, for thy pleasure, darken the
sun, or shake the earth, or cleave the rocks ? &c.
Thus of the time.
Without hands. Two things may here be noted :
1. That that is not circumcision which is out
ward, made with the hands of man, but that is true
circumcision which is inward. Hence there is two
sorts of Israelites : the one is a carnal Israelite, one
outward; the other is a true Israelite, for he is one
inward in his spirit. As it was then, so it is now;
the carnal Israelite hath the name of Israel, and the
sign of true circumcision ; as then, the circumcision
in the flesh, so now baptism; ancl besides, they pro
fess to be the seed of Abraham, and they speak fair
of God and heaven.
Quest. But what are the principal defects of the
carnal Israelite?
Ans. 1. He rests in the work done ; he bears him
self upon the external work of holiness; he served
God, for he was at church ; he is regenerated, for he
was baptized ; he hath prayed to God, for he stretched
out his hands. 2. His praise is of men, and not of
God. 3. He wholly neglects the power of godliness,
and the exercises thereof. 4. He is disordered in his
life, laden with iniquity. 5. He is senseless or in
corrigible under public judgments. 6. He usually
opposeth and pursueth him that is born after the
spirit. 2. We may note here that God is not tied to
means, he can work without hands. What is then
the estate of wicked men? No hands of men or
angels can make them happy, it is a work done with
out hands. Oh, how honourable is the work of
mortification of a sinner ! It was a glorious work to
make those huge heavens, and this mighty earth
without hands. Such is the glory of our spiritual
circumcision. We see also here how little beholden
the kingdom of Christ is to this world; their hands
will not be gotten to set it up, God must do it with
out hands. Lastly, We should learn in all estates to
live by faith, and rest upon God, whether in afflic

tion, or temptation, or mortification of sin ; though
we see not means, yet let this comfort us — God can
can help us without hands. And thus of the instru
ment of circumcision, as it is here set down nega
tively. Putting off the body of the sins of the flesh. Here is
the form of this circumcision without hands; it lies
in the mortification of the body of sins that are in
the flesh. Where note: 1. The matter to be morti
fied, the body of sins; 2. The manner, it must he put
off The flesh. The flesh is one of the three great
enemies of God and man's salvation ; it is a treach
erous domestical enemy. As it is treacherous, so it
is tyrannical; it will not be pleased unless it reign.
A most secret enemy, for she sits at the fountain and
poisoneth all. Most falsely she lets in the devil, and
permits him to set up his holds and fortifications in
the minds of men ; and is never quiet tiU it bring
the souLinto actual high treason against God. Itis
the flesh that causeth whoredoms, murder, drunken
ness, and all disorders. She opposeth all the ways of
goodness, both by objecting against them, and by
making evil present. She ' savours not the things
of God,' nor ' can understand them.' It is she that
makes the law impossible to us. What with her veil
of ignorance, and the slowness and hardness she dif-
fuseth upon our hearts and spirits, she makes the
service of God to seem almost always evU unto us.
Yea, if she get into her throne, she dare exalt her
self against God, and judge even God himsetf, and
his will, counsel, providence, and people: her very
wisdom is enmity against God. And so infectiously
vile is she, that she diffuseth her poison to our
very posterity, so as we beget a very race of
rebels; and in all this she fortifies herself by all
advantages, from evil example, or by riches and
worldly greatness, or carnal wisdom, or success
in sinning; yea, rather than she will be subdued,
or much pursued, she will entrench herself under
the very colours of Christ, making her pretence
of following him in words, that she may the
more securely follow her own lusts in deed. This
she doth, and thus spoils the image of God in us,
and makes us most filthy and loathsome, and so
opens the door of our soul unto Satan, that our
hearts are niade a very sty for unclean spirits

Ver. 11.]

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211

to dwell in; and thus she will do if she be not
mortified, till she bring men to hell, and eternal
condemnation there.
Now, for the taming of the flesh, God hath taken
divers excellent courses : 1 . He hath laid a necessity
of mortality upon it ; all flesh must know it is but
grass, Isa. xl. 6. 2. To cross the glory of the fleshly,
the Lord, of purpose, when he chooseth hens of sal
vation, will not take many of those the flesh com
mends for mightiness, or nobleness, or wisdom, or
the like, 1 Pet. i. 2, 4, 1 Cor. i. 3. God hath set a
standing curse upon the chief things desired by the
flesh, so as they cannot be used but with a kind of
experience of their vanity, and loathing and vexa
tion of the spirit. 4. He hath enacted terrible
decrees against such as walk after the flesh, and gives
proclamation that he will certainly judge men for all
the practices ofthe flesh, 2 Pet. ii. 9, 10, Eccles. xi.
9. 5. He placeth his Spirit within us to lust against
the flesh. 6. He sent his Son to take the similitude
of sinful flesh, that in the flesh he might subdue the
flesh, Rom. viii. 3. Lastly, He hath shewed us ways
what we must do that we might tame and subdue
the flesh, as when he tells us : 1. That we must be
sober, — that is, moderate in meat and drink, and
recreation and apparel, and what else may hamper
the flesh; 2. That we must put no confidence in
the flesh; 3. That we must mortify it by confes
sion of sin, and godly sorrow, with strong cries
calling upon God for help against it ; 4. That we
must search the records of God's promises, and
by faith lay hold upon him. For till we can
shew a better draught of happiness than the flesh
doth, we do in vain go about to charm it ; 5. We
must sUence it, not suffer it to object, or excuse, or
extenuate, or deny.
Hitherto in general of the flesh and the morti
fication of it. Now, more specially, we must con
sider here : 1. The matter to be mortified, viz.,
the ' body of sins ;' 2. The manner, in the words
' put off'
Sins. Two things may be here noted : the one is
implied, the other is expressed. That which is im
plied is, that God doth not require this circum
cision in other things, but only in sins. 1. Regen
eration doth not oppose the flesh in the substance of
it. We are not required to cut off any parts of the

body, nor to destroy any faculties of the soul;
and the same I say of the complexion or constitu
tion ofthe body ; it doth not require the melancholy
man should be made sanguine. 2. This circum
cision reacheth not to the natural desires of the flesh,
I mean such as are needful to the being of nature,
as to eat, sleep, Sec ; 3. Nor to the moral projects ;
4. Nor to the remainders of spiritual light, as
sparkles of God's image ; 5. Nor to the outward
necessary helps of life, as house, land, friends, Sec,
only it restrains those when they are hindrances to
godliness. The use is therefore wisely to discern
between the mere natural defects arising from the
constitution of our bodies, and the sins and dis
orders of our souls ; for this spiritual circumcision
will not cure men's bodies, but only sanctifies men's
minds. Again, we should learn of God here how to deal
with our enemies. He distinguisheth between na
ture and the sin of nature : so should we ; we should
oppose their sins, but love their persons.
The second thing here to be noted, is, that our
sins are from the flesh ; yea, if the flesh did not by
defect, action, approbation, or consent, give way to
sin, the devil and the world could fasten no sin upon
us. Divers persons should be informed herein ;
when they fall into grievous evil, they cry out of
their ill luck, or of ill counsel, or ill company, or of
the devil ; but they should indeed cry out of their
own ill nature, for the rest could not have hurt
them, but by the wickedness of their own disposi
tions ; and we should all grow suspicious of the
flesh and his motions, reasons, desires, Sec, and in
time to mortify her, with all her lusts.
Body of sins. He saith not only that there are
sins in the flesh, but a body of sins, that is, a huge
mass or lump of sins linked together as the members
of our body are. The sins of the fleshly may be
called a body in divers respects.
1. In respect of that harmony and union of sins
one with another in practice, so as if one sin be
practised, many will accompany it ; as in Adam's
sin, the sin was to eat the forbidden fruit, but that
would not be alone, but was attended with doubt
ing of God's word, with faith in the devil, with
most inordinate pride or desire to be like God, with
discontentment with their present condition, with

212

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[Chap. II.

vile ingratitude, with apostasy from all righteous
ness, with profanation of the sacrament, with wilful
murder of all their posterity, and evil concupis
cence. Cain was angry that God did not accept
his profane sacrifice, but would this sin be alone ?
No, for there follows it the hatred of his brother,
the falling of his countenance, the rejecting of God's
admonition, coloured hypocrisy, murder, and blas
phemy. When desire of gain infects the hearts of
tradesmen, we see by experience it will not be alone,
a number of transgressions grow with it, as love of
the world more than God, neglect of sincerity in the
use of God's ordinances, swearing, breach of Sabbath,
rigorous dealing with inferiors, unmercifulness to
the poor, selling by false weights and measures,
usury, if not otherwise, yet in selling time, deceit,
lying, oppression by engrossing of wares or encroach
ing upon the trade of others.
2. In respect of union in continuance after they
are committed, thy sins committed vanish not ; but
by adding sin unto sin, thou makest up a very body
of sin, and so in God's sight they stand compacted
together as the very limbs of a monster.
3. These sins may be called a body, because they
are committed by the body, as the external means
of them.
4. The mass of sin in the fleshly man may be
called a body of sins, for that it hath many things
like unto the body of man; or many comparisons
may be taken from the body of a man to express
the sins of the flesh. As the body of man is a fair
substance made of base matter, so sin in itself is
most vUe, though it be coloured over by the devil
or the world with the fair proportion of profit or
pleasure. And as there be many members in the
body, so there are in the sin of the fleshly man. As
some members in the body are outward, some in
ward, so are our sins. As men would be ashamed
of their bodies were it not for their clothing, espe
cially if there be any deformity, so would men of
their sins, were it not for their great places or fair
excuses and wretched shifts they have to hide their
deformities. And as the body of a prisoner in a
dungeon is alike a true body with his that sitteth
on the throne, so sins that are secret, that are never
so closely committed, are sins as well as such as are
openly done. As his body is a true body that yet

wants a leg or an arm, so it is in some, though they
be not murderers or adulterers, yet they may have
a body of sin in them. As the natural body cannot
live if you take away food and clothing, so neither
would sin if we did not love it, approve it, defend
it, excuse it, and if we take away carnal reason and
ill company. And as the body of princes is better
clad than the bodies of poor men, yet it is alike a
body of clay and corruption, so are the sins of
great men, though men do not speak so openly of
them. Uses. Now for use of all : first, Here we may see
a difference between the sins of the regenerate and
the sins of the unregenerate. In the godly after
calling there is not a body of sins ; the nest of sin
is scattered, sin is not in his full strength, he doth
not give his members as servants to unrighteous
ness. Secondly, Here men may try the truth of their
repentance. That is not true repentance that morti
fies some one or few sins, but that which mortifieth
a whole body of sins.
Thirdly, This shews the greatness of God's mer
cies, that can forgive or take away a whole body of
sins and transgressions.
Lastly, This may be a great comfort to afflicted
consciences, that cry out of the multitude of their
sins. If thy sins were as many as the joints of thy
body, and as strong as the body of Goliah, yet the
Lord can forgive, and true repentance will pull them
down. This is the matter to be mortified ; the
manner follows.
Put off. Sin must be put off as the beggar puts
off his rags, and as the master puts off his false
servant, and as the porter puts off his burden, and
as the husband puts off his vicious wife, and as the
serpent puts off his skin. .
There are four things in mortification distinct.
The first is the dislike of sin, the second is the con
fession of sin, the third is the godly sorrow for sin,
the fourth is forsaking of sin. This last is here
meant by putting off of sin. And this the Lord
stands upon as a thing he will never dispense with
the want of it, as these places shew : Prov. xxviii.
13, Isa. Iv. 8, Jer. vii. 3, 4, Isa. i. 16, 17, Ps.
cxix. 9, Eph. iv. 22, &c, 1 Pet. iv. 1-4, Ezek.
xviii. 33. Ancl there are exceeding comfortable

Ver. 11.]

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213

promises .made to such as are upright in the desire
and endeavour hereof, Prov. xxviii. 13, Isa. Iv. 8,
and xxvii. 9, Joel ii. 12, 13, Isa. i. 18.
Quest. But can the flesh be so mortified, and sin
so put off, that it shall cease to be any more, in this
life? Ans. No ; for even in the children of God the
flesh wUl raise infirmities. It will let the under
standing, it will be framing evil thoughts, it will
lust against the spirit, it will not always allow
what good is done or to be done, it will present
evU when good is to be done, it will rebel against
the law of the mind, yea, sometimes the soul df
the poor sinner is led captive for a time by his
imperious flesh.
Quest. But how can it then be said to be put
away? Ans. Sin is put away, first, If it reign not, nor
hold • a constant dominion over us. It may be put
away, even when it leads us captive, if it be an un
willing captivity, if the power of it seem unto us as
a most base servitude. It is put away if men take
no care to fulfil the lusts of it. Secondly, If there
be a constant combat in some degree against it ; if
we find a striving and constant fighting against the
corruptions of our nature; if we pray against it,
judge ourselves for it, and mourn over it with an
unfeigned desire to forsake it. This desire to be
put off, is one true degree of forsaking of sin.
That this may yet be better understood, we must
know that sin is put off five ways even in this life :
1. Sacramental ly ; in the sign, covenant, and seal,
that is, in baptism. 2. In the guilt of it, though
not in the act of it ; thus God puts off by not im
puting. 3. In act too, by inchoation, though not
perfectly. 4. Perfectly ; though not in us, yet in
Christ our head it is already put away, in his person
though not in ours. 5. It is put away in hope, in
that we do by hope wait for an absolute and full
redemption from all sin and misery. Thus of the
form of this circumcision ; the efficient cause
follows. By the circumcision of Christ. There is a twofold
circumcision of Christ : first, That which he suffered
in himself; secondly, That which he works in us.
The virtue of the first is a great cause of the
second.

Quest. But why was Christ circumcised, seeing
there was no cause of circumcision in Christ? for
nothing could be signified by it, seeing he was the
Messias himseff, perfect God and man, nor was there
any impurity in him, the amputation whereof should
thereby be signified; he was a Lamb without spot, a
High Priest separate from sinners ; the covenant of
the promised seed was in him fulfilled, and he came
to abolish circumcision ; and lastly, it is he that cir-
cumciseth the hearts of others.
Ans. 1. Christ was circumcised, thereby to shew
himseH to be true man. 2. Thereby to honour the
institution of circumcision, as he had done other
parts of the law. 3. That the Jews might not cavil
and say they would not receive an uncircumcised
Christ. 4. To commend the virtue of obedience by
his example. 5. That he might bear the burdens of
them that, being under the law, were not able to
bear the burdens of the law. God by this sign, as
by an initiating rite, did subject himself to the law,
he hereby professing himself a servant to the law to
make us free. 6. He was circumcised and baptized,
to signify his union with both churches, both of the
Old and New Testament, and that he ' came of twain
to make one.' 7. To ratify and sanctify the circum
cision of the fathers, as his baptism now sanctifieth
ours. 8. To signify the cleansing of our nature,
especially by bearing of the imputation of our im
purities. 9. He did in his circumcision begin to
satisfy God by those first-fruits of his blood ; it was
as an earnest or pledge of his blood, to be more
plentifully poured out ; it was a part of his humilia
tion, and of the price of our sins. Lastly, He was
circumcised, that our hearts, by the virtue of it,
might be circumcised ; for as his death killeth sin
in us, and his resurrection raisefrh us up to new
ness of life, so doth his circumcision circumcise our
hearts. Hence we may gather comfort against the difficul
ties of mortification, for Christ will be pleased to
derive virtue from his own circumcision ; yea, it is
a pledge to assure us, that as certainly as he was
circumcised himself, so he will see to it that our
hearts be circumcised. If we will cast ourselves
upon him, and by faith come unto him, there is no
sin so linked but in Christ we may have some
deliverance from it. On the other side, it shews

214

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[Chap. II.

the misery of all such as live in the love of their
sins, and mind not mortification ; this shews they
are not in Christ yet, for they cannot be in Christ
except they be circumcised. Lastly, it may serve
for instruction at once to all that hope for freedom
in Jesus Christ, to shew the proof of their interest
¦ by their circumcision spiritually ; and to speak dis
tinctly of it, we must understand that the Lord that
requires this circumcision of us, extends his precept
both to the heart, Jer. iv. 4, and the ears, Jer. vi.
10, and the tongue ; and contrariwise complaineth of
uncircumcised both heart, and ears, and lips, Exod.
vi. 3. In the heart we must especially look to the
circumcision or mortification : 1. Of ignorance; 2. Of
wicked thought; 3. Immoderate care; 4. Profane
ness of God's service in a wretched security, or a
neglect of inward worship ; 5. Disordered affections,
as lust, anger, suspicion ; 6. Discontent with our
estate ; 7. Unbelief. Now, for our ears, they must
be circumcised : 1. In the unpreparedness, or want
of attention, in hearing the word ; 2. In receiving
tales ; 3. In communicating with the sins of others,
by a willing hearing of their wickedness. Lastly,
look to the circumcision of the tongue, and that in
the care to avoid : 1 . The polluting of God's
name, either by swearing or blasphemy ; 2. Rash
censuring; 3. Rotten speech; 4. Lying; 5. Bitter
and furious words, and the spirit of contradiction ;
6. Flattery ; 7. Tale-bearing ; 8. Idle and vain
words. Ancl thus much now of the spiritual cir
cumcision and of the 11th verse.
Ver. 12. In that ye are buried with him through bap
tism, in whom ye are also raised up together through
Jaith of the operation of God, which raised him from the
dead. In the former verse the apostle hath laid down
the first reason, and directed it principally against
Judaism. We have spiritual circumcision in Christ,
and therefore we need not carnal circumcision, and
so by consequent none of the ceremonial law. Now
in this verse he meeteth with objections.
Object. 1. The reason seemeth not to follow, they
were spiritually circumcised, therefore needed not
the outward ; for so was Abraham, yet he received
outward circumcision.
Ans. The reason is of no force now in the New

Testament, because Christ hath appointed another
sacrament instead of it; for we are 'buried with
Christ by baptism.'
Object. 2. But was not circumcision a more lively
sign? Ans. It was not ; which he sheweth to be true,
both in respect of mortification and in respect of
vivification, baptism lively representing and sealing
unto both.
Quest. But have all that are baptized these things
signified by baptism ?
Ans. They are offered to all, but they are enjoyed
only by such as have faith in the operation of God.
Quest. But how may our faith be supported in
believing those things shadowed out in baptism ?
Ans. Two ways : first, If we consider ' God's
operation ;' secondly, If we consider Christ's resur
rection. This is the brief order and dependence of
this verse ; so that here he entreats of baptism, both
by the effects and by the causes. The effects are
spiritual burial and spiritual resurrection ; the
causes are three : faith, the operation of God, and
the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Buried together with him. Three things may be
here noted: 1. The burial of Christ; 2. The burial
of the Christian ; 3. The union of both. For the
first, that Christ was buried, was storied by the
evangelist, John xix., and foresignified by Jonas as
a type, Mat. xii. 39, 40, and foreprophesied^of by
Isaiah the prophet, Isa. Iiii. 9. He w-as buried in
Jerusalem, the place where the dying sacrifices had
given warning of his death ; but it was without the
city, both to answer the type, Lev. xvi., and to
signify that his sufferings belonged to GentUes as
well as to Jews. He was buried in Calvary, the
place commonly appointed for condemned men,
and not in Hebron, where some think Adam was
buried, to note that his death was to be available
for the condemned men of Adam as well as for
Adam himself. He was buried in another man's
grave, to signify that he died for other men's
sins. Now, for the second, viz., the burial of Christians,
they may be said to be buried even while they live,
— for the burial of the body he cannot mean here, —
in divers respects :
1. In respect of disgrace and reproach. The

Ver. 12]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

215

throats of wicked men are often ' an open sepulchre,'
Ps. v., into which, if the names of the godly fall,
they are buried for the extremity of disgrace and
reproach with which they cover them.
2. In respect of abnegation, or the denial of the
love and care for earthly things ; and so we are
buried to the world when like dead men we care not
for it, but devote ourselves to the contemplation of
heavenly things.
3. In respect of mortification of our sins. The
scripture, by divers metaphors, expresseth the divers
degrees of mortification. For, first, there is the
wounding of sin, when the sinner is pricked with
remorse by the law. Secondly, The condemning of
sin, when the sinner, keeping a spiritual assize, doth
examine, confess, and judge himself guilty before
the Lord. Thirdly, The crucifying of sins, when
the sinner racks his own soul by godly sorrow,
driving in the nails of God's threatenings, with
acknowledgment of his own deserts,_ and restraining
his flesh through a spiritual revenge, not caring to
expose himself to the shame of the world, so that in
Christ he may find atonement for his sins. Fourthly,
The killing of sin, when the sinner puts off the body
of sins, and forsaketh his evil ways. Now, then,
after this followeth the last degree,»and that is here
the burial of sins. Certainly there remains even
after true repentance in the very godly a great deal
of hidden corruption of nature, inward wanderings,
and distractions after the world, sudden evil propo
sitions against God, or his word, or providence, or
presence, or promises, or people ; impatience, secret
pride, and sometimes hypocrisy ; a frequent rebelhon
within against good duties, unthankfulness, frequent
omissions, either of holy duties or the care of the
power of them, hastiness or anger, impure desires,
thoughts of revenge, besides a great deal of disorder,
he may find in himself both at home and abroad.
Now it is not enough, nor may he rest in the former
repentance, but he must proceed even to the remov
ing of these remainders of corruption. Death com
monly ariseth out of the disease of some one part,
but burial covers all. The work of reformation and
repentance many times begins at the care of some
few principal sins ; but we must never be quiet till
we bury the whole old man with his works, so that
in one sense the burial of sin is nothing else but the

progress of mortification. Again, after we have
forsaken our sins, to bury them is to keep a diligent
watch over our nature, and to take down our flesh,
yea, sometimes with refraining of lawful delights or
pleasures. Further, the burial of sin, it may import
our care, after we have left our sins, to remove them
out of sight ; both out of God's sight, by suing out
our pardon, and out of the sight of our consciences,
by quieting them in the application of the blood of
Christ and the promises of grace, and out of the
sight of others, so far as our sins were scandalous
also, by shewing forth our repentance and care to
avoid all appearance and occasions of like sinning.
Great is the glory and happiness of Christians that
have attained to this burial of sin, for these serve
God in a near acquaintance with him ; these have
' overcome the world,' these can stand before death
and judgment unappalled, these are mighty in the
power of God's ordinance, these know ' the secrets
of the kingdom of God,' these are without the reach
of the law, and feel not the stings of crosses ; these
are had in singular honour with God and the holy
angels of heaven, and the providence of God is
usually eminent towards these.
Nowr, for the third, might some one say, What
hath the Christian's burial to do with Christ ? how
is there any relation between them ?
Ans. Our spiritual burial in the progress of mor
tification depends upon Christ divers ways : 1. In
that he hath required and made gracious promises
to it ; 2. In that the efficacy of the means by which
it is wrought comes from Christ ; 3. In that it is
accepted of God only for Christ and through his
intercession; 4. In respect of example — he was
buried as well as we. But chiefly in respect of
virtue, our burial of sin is wrought by a virtue
arising from Christ's burial in the grave.
Uses. The uses of all this follows : first, For in
formation. Here we may see how God stands upon
mortification, and that men must not think always
they have done enough when they have left their
faults ; and withal we may see how dangerous a
course they take that so soon give over the exercises
of mortification, for by this means we cause the old
sins many times to break out again, and their con
solations are small and seldom. Crosses daUy trouble
them, ancl the heart is often grieved and griped with

216

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[Chap. II. - -

fear and terrible doubts, or else they are quickly
overgrown with a spirit of slumber.
Secondly, For instruction, to be careful to bury
our sins. But here take heed of the dissimilitude,
for in some things the comparison cannot hold. As
here in two things : For first, When we bury the
bodies of our friends, we bury them in hope they
shall rise again ; and secondly, We mourn because
we must part with them ; but both these must be
denied here. It is the property of the wicked to
part with their sins with sorrow, because they must
leave them, or else with hope that at length they
may return to them again. But let all such as fear
God be otherwise minded ; especiaUy let us learn
from this comparison of burial to advantage our
selves in what we may in mortification. If the
master be buried, we know all his servants will at
tend the funeral. So it is with us in the mortifica
tion of sins, if we light upon the master sins and
drag them to the grave, we shall be sure of all the
attendants, they will follow to the funeral. The
Jews' manner was to bury with odours : so should
we, our odours and sweet smelling prayers offered
up in the mediation of Christ. And howsoever
this work may seem difficult, yet God many times
strangely relieves our infirmities. After Jezebel was
cast down and dead, they had not been long within,
but sending out to bury her, they found nothing but
the skull, and her feet, and the palms of her hands.
So many times would it be with us, if we cast down
the Jezebels, our sins, when we come to finish our
mortification, we may by the strange help of God
find the body of the master gone we know not how,
so as we shall not be troubled, unless it be with
some skull, or feet, or palm of sin. But certainly
though this kind of burial be somewhat difficult, yet
it is the true burial-place of kings, the most noble
funeral that can be.
Thus of the first effect ; the second is in the next
words. In whom ye are raised up together. Christ is said
to raise men up divers ways : 1. When he awaketh
men out of their natural lethargy, or spiritual sleepi
ness and security in matters of religion, thus Eph.
v. 14 ; 2. When he brings forth the minds of men
out of the dungeons of ignorance, and shews them
the light, Isa. lx. 1,2; 3. When he cures men of

discouragements and discomforts under their crosses,
Ps. xii. 10 ; 4. When he recovers the church from
security or relapses, either ordinary or extraordi
nary, Cant. ii. 10, 11, Sec, v. 3, 5, Prov. xxiv. 15,
16 ; 5. When he encourageth men to holy duties,
Cant. vii. 12. But principally there is a fourfold
resurrection : the first is out of desperate crosses,
Isa. xxvi. 19 ; the second is the lifting of men up
some special callings in the church, Mat. xi. ; the
third is the resurrection of our bodies at the last
day ; and the last is the resurrection of the soul
unto holy graces and duties : this is caUed the first
resurrection, and is meant here in this place, and
Rom. vi. 4 ; but most usually we say there is a
twofold resurrection, the onefrom the corruption of
the flesh, the other from the corruption of sin. This
latter is here meant, and this belongeth to vivifi-
cation. Now this first resurrection must be considered
either in itself or in the union or relation of it. In
itself, and so there is a double resurrection : first,
The resurrection of graces ; secondly, The resurrec
tion of duties. For the first, there are certain graces,
which are not in the heart of man by nature, which
by the mighty power of Christ are wrought in the
hearts of such as are truly converted, and are ac
tually the members of Christ : as first, A holy in
quiry after God, Hosea ii. 5, Jer. 1. 4 ; secondly, A
holy wisdom in spiritual things, James hi. 17;
thirdly, A lively faith in the favour of God in
Christ ; fourthly, A holy delight and meditation in
the word of God, Ps, cxix. 10, 11, 128, and xxvii. 4;
fifthly, A lively hope of an eternal inheritance, 1 Pet.
i. 3 ; sixthly, A holy love of God's chUdren, 1 John
iii. 14, such as is required, Rom. xii. 9-11 ; seventhly,
Godly sorrow for sin, 2 Cor. vii. 10 ; eighthly, Un
speakable and glorious joy even in affliction, Rom.
v. 2, 1 Pet. i. 7, 8 ; ninthly, A holy contempt of the
world, and sin, and sinful persons, Ps. xv. 4, 1 John
ii. 19 ; tenthly, A holy reverence and fear of God
and his goodness, Hosea iii. 5 ; eleventhly, A holy
zeal and fervency of affections, especially in the ser
vice and worship of God ; twelfthly, A holy love
even of enemies ; and lastly, A holy desire to be dis
solved and to be with Christ. Now for the effecting
of these, the Spirit of Christ is called, in respect of
wonderful working, the Spirit of God and of glory,

Ver. 12.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

217

1 Pet. iv. 14; the Spirit of power, of love, and of a
sound mind, 2 Tim. i. 7 ; the Spirit of prayer or de
precation, Zech. xii. 12 ; and the Spirit of revelation,
Eph. i. 17.
Thus of resurrection of graces ; now concerning
resurrection of duties.
We must know that there are divers duties which
the natural man wiTl never be brought unto, in
which lieth the very power of godliness, and the
experience of all sound and saving consolation. Now
these duties may be three ways considered : 1 . As
they respect holy life in general ; 2. As they respect
piety to God ; 3. As they respect righteousness to
men. For the first, there are four things wherein
the lives of God's children differ from all others :
1. In the manner ; 2. In the matter ; 3. In the
means ; 4. In the ends of holy life. For the manner,
three things are eminent : 1. That they are devoted
and consecrated to holiness, Rev. xii. 1 ; 2. That
they delight and love to be God's servants, Isa. hi. ;
3. That they have their conversation in simplicity
and godly pureness, 2 Cor. i. 12, xi. 3.
For the matter, they have respect to all God's
commandments, Ps. cxix. 31, and do endeavour
after inward hohness, Mat. v. 6, as well as outward.
Besides, they live by faith in some measure, Rom. i.
17, which is a way of holiness altogether unknown
in the practice of wicked men. And for the means
of hohness, the godly have a recourse to a threefold
fountain of sanctity, with such a sincerity and con
stancy as no wicked man can attain it, viz., the word,
Ps. i. 2, Luke viii. 1 5 ; prayer, Gal. iv. 6 ; and the
Sabbath, Isa. lvi. And for the end of their obe
dience, their praise is of God and not of men, Rom.
ii. 29, having a main respect always to exercise them
selves so as they may have a conscience void of
offence towards God or towards men, Acts xxiv. 16.
Thus of holiness of life in general.
Now in respect of piety to God, it is a very resur
rection through the power of Christ to bring a man
to acknowledge God and his truth and glory, against
reason, profit, or pleasure ; to make a man walk with
God, setting the Lord always before him ; to bring
the will of man to a holy subjection to God's will in
crosses, temptations, wants, Sec ; but especially to
create in man that sincerity of worshipping God in
spirit and truth without hypocrisy.

And as for righteousness, in that part of it that
concerns either men's own souls or the souls of
others, how is all the unregenerate mankind dead ?
It is the work of a godly man only to serve the
brethren by love. Only the members of Christ can
in their calling deny profit and pleasure, and make
the particular caUing serve the general : but espe
cially in the combat against concupiscence, only the
godly do make conscience of it.
And howsoever in the matter of holy duties there
are strange imperfections in the very godly, yet their
desire, prayer, purpose, and endeavour, is to approve
themselves to God herein ; and they do attain to it,
in some comfortable beginnings, and they go on
with a holy increase both of strength and desire.
Whereas it is evident by divers scriptures that
wicked men are dead men in the former respects, as
would appear if we should examine particularly. For
they seek not God, Ps. xiv. 1 . They respect not
the word of God aright, Jer. vi. 10 ; nor can they
love the brethren, John xv. 19. Though they be
smitten, yet they will not sorrow after God, Jer.
v. 3. And for the most part they are lukewarm,
without true zeal, Rev. iii. Their minds are covered
with a veil, Isa. lii. 8. They are without hope, Eph.
ii. 12 ; neither have all these men faith, 2 Thes.
iii. 2. And for the want of holy duties it usually
seems evil unto them to serve the Lord. They are
strangers from the life of God, Eph. iv. 18. They
call not upon the name of God with a pure heart,
Ps. xiv. 4 ; neither take they heed of God's Sabbaths.
But it were too long to run to particulars in matters
of duty, seeing the scripture everywhere points out
the ill lives of all wicked men.
In whom. Doct. The virtue by which Christians
are raised is from Christ.
Quest. But what is there in Christ which dis
tinctly causeth this resurrection in the Christian, or
plucketh up his heart to the care of holy graces or
duties ?
Ans. 1. The virtue of Christ; 2. The Spirit of
Christ ; 3. The example of Christ ; 4. The interces
sion of Christ ; 5. The loving invitations and allure
ments of Christ ; 6. The resurrection of Christ ; and
lastly, The second coming of Christ is like a loadstone
to pluck up the desires and affections of Christians
unto the study of heavenly things. 2 E

218

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[Chap. II.

Thus of the doctrine of the Christian's resur
rection. Use 1. Hence may presumptuous, secure, wilful
sinners gather secret terror and anguish. Where is
thy spiritual burial in this life ? Where is the first
resurrection ? It is most certain, if this work, this
strange work, be not wrought in thee, thou art in
the power of the second death, without God, with
out Christ, without hope. And here thou mayest
see the vanity of all thy shifts, for dost thou say
thou seest no such wretchedness in thy sinful course ?
Why, this doctrine teUs thou art dead while thou
livest, and how canst thou discern thine own wretch
edness ? Dost thou think that this will serve thy
turn, that thou intendest to mend hereafter ? Con
sider what is here implied, the work of true amend
ment is a true but spiritual resurrection. It is, then,
like that resurrection that shaU be of our bodies ;
and thou knowest when God shall raise our bodies
at the last day, when the trump shall blow, it will
be a silly pretence to say, Oh, let me alone now, I
will rise hereafter. So it is with thee ; the trumpet
of grace now bloweth, Christ is now coming in the
Spirit, the dead in sin must now be raised, Christ's
voice still reacheth unto thee. Now, if thou con
firm thyself in that spiritual grave of sin, dost thou
think thou hast reason to believe that Christ will
tarry thy leisure, and put off till thou appoint the
time 1
Use 2. Here is singular comfort for such of God's
children as are afflicted in spirit, especially about
the greatness of the power of sin, and the difficulties
of well-doing ; they should here consider not only
that it is Christ's work to make them holy, but that
he is pleased to resemble it to the resurrection of the
body. And can it be a harder thing to put down
thy sin, or to quicken thee in all well-doing, than to
raise thy body out of the dust of the earth ? Neither
ought their terrors to amaze them, for it is Christ's
manner to bring us down to the grave that he may
raise us up. The fear of hell now afflicteth thee
that thou mayest not be hurt hereafter. Besides,
sin doth so cleave to us that it will almost kill us
before we kill it.
Object. But I do not see either the graces or
duties mentioned to be wrought in this resur
rection.

Ans. 1. There may be grace though thou see it
not. 2. If one saving grace be in a man's heart, it
is a sign the rest be there, though not so easily dis
cerned. 3. The spiritual age of a Christian must be
distinguished : thou must not think that the graces
of God's Spirit, or the power of holy duties, wUl ap
pear so freshly or so strongly in thee while thou
art but an infant in grace, as th%y wUl do when thou
comest to be of riper years. Lastly, Thy endeavour
in Christ and desire is accepted and taken for the
deed : what graces thou unfeignedly desirest, and
constantly usest the means to attain, thou hast ; so
the sin thou strivest against thou hast not.
Thus of these effects, as they are in themselves ;
now as they are in their sign, which is here called
baptism. By baptism.. Baptism is a holy memorial of Christ
baptized in the seas of God's wrath for us. It is a
badge of distinction from unbelievers. It is a cer
tain initiating rite by which we enter into the visible
church. It is a seal of the righteousness of faith.
It is a sign to teach us by representation both our
deliverance and sanctification.
Quest. But what hath baptism to do here with our
mortification and vivification, or spiritual burial and
resurrection ?
Ans. Baptism stands in a threefold relation or
respect unto them : 1 . In signification, baptism doth
represent them unto us, setting out our dying to sin,
and rising to newness of hfe ; 2. By seal, for bap
tism is a seal of God's covenant, assuring us that in
Christ we shall be buried to our sins, and raised up
with him ; 3. It is a band, it ties us to the desires
and endeavours after the beginning and finishing of
these. There are many other benefits signified and as
sured unto us by baptism than these here mentioned,
for baptism doth signify and seal unto us : 1. Our
deliverance from the seas of God's wrath, Mat. iii.
8, 1 Pet. iii. 21 ; 2. The resurrection of our bodies,
1 Cor. xv. ; 3. Our communion with the whole
Trinity, Mat. xxviii. ; 4. Oui- adoption, Gal. iii. 27 ;
5. Our communion with the saints, 1 Cor. xii. 13 ;
6. Remission of all sins, Acts ii. 38, 39.
Baptism is available for these respects : When we
amend our lives and confess our sins, Mat. iii. 8 ; and
gladly receive the word, Cant. ii. 14; and lay hold

Ver. 12.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

219

upon the promises of grace, Mark xvi. 1 6 ; especially
when the conscience maketh request unto God,
1 Pet. hi. 21, for the application and fruition of the
things signified by baptism. Hitherto of the effects.
The causes follow: 1. Faith; 2. The operation of
God ; 3. Christ's resurrection.
Through the faith of the operation of God. The
faith that is mighty through God to make baptism
effectual, and to raise us up after the burial of sin,
is neither historical nor temporary, nor of miracles,
but that which is in scripture caUed the faith of
God's elect, and by divines justifying faith. Nor is
it enough to bring hither the persuasion of God's
mercy in Christ, which is the first and chief act of
justifying faith ; but we must believe the power of
God in the particular success of the means for effect
ing both of mortification and vivification, which, as
I suppose, is here meant, where he calleth it, ' the
faith ofthe operation of God.'
Quest. But shew us how faith hath to do in bap
tism or in sanctification.
Ans. In baptism faith is needful, not only the
faith of explication, but also the faith of application ;
for we are bound not only to believe that those
things there shadowed out are so as they import,
but that also they are fulfilled, not only to the
faithful in general, but to my own soul in parti
cular. And for sanctification faith must needs be of great
use, for without faith nothing we do can please God,
Heb. xi. 6 ; and by faith Christ lives in us, Gal. ii.
20 ; it quencheth the fiery darts of the devil, Eph.
vi. 16 ; it lighteneth our darkness, John xii. 46 ; it
purifieth the heart, Acts xv. 9 ; it overcomes the
world, 1 John v. 4 ; it breeds joy and consolation,
Rom. v. 2 ; and love to God's children, Gal. vi. ; it
maketh the scripture available to salvation, 2 Tim.
iii. 15 ; and, lastly, our prayers to be such as God
cannot deny.
Quest. How may we attain to it to believe that
baptism doth signify and assure these things to us ?
Ans. 1. Labour to express that which on thy part
is required, that is, set up the confession of thy
sins and amendment of thy life ; 2. Then go unto
God, and let thy conscience make request for the
answer of the Spirit of adoption, by which the Lord
may assure thee, that, in the mediation of Jesus

Christ, thy baptism is given to thee as a particular
seal of God's covenant and grace.
Quest. But how may I do to be assured that my
sins shall be subdued, and that I shall be raised up
in holy graces and duties ?
Ans. 1. Acquaint thyself with God's promises of
this kind, and grow skilful in them ; 2. Cry strongly
to God for the testimony of Jesus in thy heart, that
by his Spirit he would settle thee in this persuasion ;
3. Wait upon the word and prayer till God do effect
it ; 4. Strengthen thyself both by the experience of
others, as also with due observation of success in
the subduing of any sin, or the exercise of any
graces or duties.
Uses. The uses may be divers. First, For infor
mation. We may here see how vain the common faith
of the common protestant is : shew me thy faith by
thy fruits ; how canst thou believe aright, and yet
thy sins not mortified, and thy heart and life un-
sanctified ? Again, we see we have not comfort of
our baptism till the power of holiness in some mea
sure appear in our lives.
Secondly, For instruction. We should all examine
ourselves whether we have faith or no ; and while
we have means of assurance, make use of all advan
tages to settle our hearts in the faith ; and to this
end we should deliver up our souls to be nursed up
in the words of faith and wholesome doctrine.
Lastly, We might here be greatly comforted if we
had true faith. We see God can deny nothing unto
faith. It should be to us, in the sacraments, in
mortification, and in graces and duties, according to
our faith.
Of the operation of God. The doctrine of God's
power and working is of singular use in the church.
Great is the interest of God's servants in his power,
and therefore great cause they have to rest upon it.
The elect only can reason from God's power to the
effect : he is able to do it, therefore he will do it.
But then these three things must be noted : —
1. They must be believers that look for this privi
lege ; 2. They must bring a particular faith to draw
out this power of God into operation ; 3. It will
not be set a-work about everything, but such things
for which there is promise or meet examples in the
scriptures. Now, it is a matter of singular weight to know in

220

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

what things we may have warrant to bear ourselves
upon the power of God. The power of God is en
gaged for operation in four things for the benefit of
the faithful : first, In their afflictions ; secondly, In
their temptations ; thirdly, In the difficulties of holy
life ; fourthly, In his ordinances.
In afflictions, God hath bound himself to shew his
power : 1 . In giving strength to endure them, Phil.
iv. 13, Isa. xii. 10 ; 2. In moderating the afflictions
to their strength, Isa. xxvii. 7 ; 3. In guiding them
to the right ends, Job xvi. 22, Isa. xxvii. 11,
Zech. xiii. 9 ; 4. In deliverance out of them, Ps.
lxxi. 20, Isa. xliii. If we look upon the enemies of
the godly in particular, God shews his power : 1. In
restraining or disappointing them, Job xii. 16, Isa.
liv. 16, 17; 2. In rewarding ancl overthrowing them,
Exod. xv. 6, 7, Isa. xiii. 13, xii. 15.
So likewise in temptations, the power of God;
though it be secret, yet it is wonderful in dissolving
the works of the devil, ancl in upholding his ser
vants, and destroying the strongholds and fortifica
tions of Satan, 1 Cor. x. 12, 2 Cor. xii. 9, Isa.
xxvii. 1.
Thirdly, In the difficulties of holy life, the Lord
useth his power: 1. In making his servants able to
walk in his ways, both by giving them power ancl
strength, Ezek. xxxvi. 28, Isa. xxvi. 12, and by reliev
ing and reviving their strength daily, and renewing it,
Isa. xl. 29-31, and lvii. 15 ; 2. In keeping them from
evil 2 Tim. iv. 18; 3. In establishing them that
they may persevere and hold out, Phil. i. 6,
Jude 24, 1 Pet. i. 5, 1 Sam. xxix.
Lastly, God's operation is wonderful in the use of
his ordinances, and this is that is meant in this place.
In respect of this the psalmist saith, ' God is greatly
to be reverenced in the assembly by all them that
are round about him : 0 Lord God of hosts, who is
a strong God hke unto thee?' Ps. Ixxxix. 7, 8.
Thus the Lord is mighty through the ministry of
his servants, Gal. ii. -8, Col. i. ult. Thus the Lord
performeth the counsel of his messengers, Isa. xliv.
26 • his word returneth not to him in vain, Isa. Iv.
1 1 : yea, his ordinances are his power unto salvation,
Rom. i. 16, 1 Cor. i. 18 ; they are all mighty through
God, 2 Cor. x. 4. Thus it is in particular in the
sacraments : though for their outward show they do
not promise much, yet, by the marvellous operation

of God, they are available in effect for all that is
promised in them, only if we could get this faith in
this operation of God here mentioned.
Uses. The use of all is : first, For information.
We may here take notice of the difference between
hypocrites and the godly. In matter of godliness
they can know nothing but the form of it, the other
have experience of the singular power of God in all
the passages of holy life, both in the use of the
means, and in his preservation.
Secondly, For instruction. We should observe
and seek out ' the working of the Lord,' Ps. cxi. 2,
and daily ascribe power unto God, and pray for the
experience of it, and that he would ' establish that
which he hath wrought in us,' Ps. lxviii. 28.
Again, it may teach us not to despise the weak
Christian, for ' the Lord is able,' through his opera
tion, 'to make him stand.' And it should encour
age us all to the works of righteousness, Heb. xi. 35,
seeing God's operation is so ready to be found ; and
for hereafter in the use of all the means ' our faith
should be in the power of God,' 1 Cor. ii. 5. Thus
of the operation of God.
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many are
the benefits which we reap from the resurrection of
Jesus Christ. As first, The resurrection of our
bodies, 1 Cor. xv. 16, 20; secondly, The accomplish
ment of the promises made unto the fathers, Acts
xiii. 33 ; thirdly, Justification and forgiveness of
sins, Rom. iv. 25 ; fourthly, A secret virtue unto the
ordinances of God, 1 Pet iii. 21 ; fifthly, Regenera
tion; sixthly, Lively hope of an immortal inheritance,
1 Cor. xv. 14, 1 Pet. i. 3, 4 ; seventhly, The power of
vivification and raising of us up to new obedience.
And this last is acknowledged in this place.
Ver. 13. And you, being dead in your sins and the
uneircumcision qf the flesh, hath he quickened together
with him, forgiving you all your trespasses.
The sixth reason of the dehortation is contained
in this verse, and it stands thus : That which cannot
help us when we are in misery, nor further us to
happiness when we want it, is not to be followed
nor rested upon ; but such things are philosophy,
traditions, ancl ceremonies ; they cannot heal the
corruptions of our natures, nor raise us out of the
graves of sin, nor any way procure us the pardon

Ver 13.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

221

of our transgressions. Or thus, If in Christ we be
delivered from the power of our sins by his quick
ening grace, ancl from the guilt of them by the free
pardon which is to be had by his means, then we
need not go any whither else, neither to philosophy
nor traditions, Sec ; but so it is, and so the very
Colossians found it in their case, as the words of
the text express, ergo.
The words in themselves express the twofold
estate of Christians in this world, what they are by
nature in their unregenerate estate, ancl what they
are by grace in the estate of grace.
In the state of corruption two things are true of
them, and are true of all men : 1. They were dead
in actual sins ; 2. They were then in the uneircum
cision of the flesh, and likewise dead in it. In their
estate of grace he puts them in mind of two benefits :
1 . Regeneration ; 2. Remission of sins.
Thus of the coherence and order of the words.
Divers things may be noted in the general.
1. We may from hence be informed of the fruit-
lessness of philosophy, traditions, or ceremonies of
Moses : they cannot make a miserable man happy,
they cannot infuse the least spark of spiritual life
into any.
2. We see the apostle thinks it meet to put men
often in mind of their misery by nature ; and great
reason, for it exalts the praise of the riches of God's
grace in Christ. And it may serve to humble men
for their falls after calling, and to keep them still
suspicious and watchful over a nature that hath
been so prone to sin and security in sinning ; it may
serve to eat down the proneness of our nature to vain
boasting and confidence in the flesh ; and it should
much excite men to the love and care of godliness
and piety, with all hfe and power, seeing they have
been so long slaves to sin.
And lastly, The apostle rips up this matter of pur
pose to withdraw their minds from traditions and
philosophical dreams.
Dead in sins. They were dead in sins, both if you
respected their public estate, or each particular per
son. If you look upon public estates before they are
framed and reformed by the word, what are they
but heaps of men dead in the graves of sin, and
senseless in their sinful courses ? And thus it is with
every particular person ; the words import that he

is guilty of many sins, and he is dead in them also.
Naturally every man is guilty of secret atheistical
conceits, of unbelief, of ignorance, of hardness of
heart, of swarms of evil thoughts and affections, of
hurtful passions and lusts, besides his defects of the
knowledge of God, and that warmth of the holy
affections of love, fear, trust, and joy in God. Who
can sufficiently rip open the unthankfulness, luke
warmness, hypocrisy, inconstancy, and presumptuous
profaneness that is in our hearts by nature, in mat
ters of God's service ? How do men daily offend,
either by not calling upon the name of God, or by
taking it up in vain ? Who can number the oaths,
lies, reproaches, curses, flatteries, and filthy com
munication, hath and did daily infect the mouths of
men ? Oh, the world of sins we are actually guilty
of against God, or men, or our ownselves ; public,
private, secret, open, inward, outward, in prosperity,
and adversity, in the church or family, or abroad in
men's conversation ! Alas ! we can discern but a
glimpse of that sin and guiltiness that is in us by
nature; and this is the increase of their misery in all
their sins, they are dead in them.
Dead. There is a fourfold death : temporal, cor
poral, spiritual, eternal. The state of man being in
misery, he is dead temporally, Isa. xxvi. 19. The
body of man being in the grave, he is dead corpor
ally ; the soul of man lying in sin, is dead spiritually ;
and both soul and body being cast into hell, are dead
eternally. The Colossians were dead spiritually ; there is a
death to sin, and a death for sin, and a death in sin :
a death to sin, and so the godly die by mortification ;
a death for sin, and so malefactors die by execution ;
and a death in sin, and so every natural man kills
himself by enliving his sin.
The spiritual death in sin is an unutterable loss
of the life of God, by which the sinner is senseless
and careless in extremity of misery, unto his own
everlasting ruin, if the Lord prevent it not by re
generation. Now, that men are in this case by nature,
these scriptures prove: Eph. ii. 1, 2; Mat. viii. 22 ;
John viii. 25; Rom. viii. 10; Luke xv. 32; Rev.
iii. 2 ; Jude 12 ; 1 Tim. v. 6. Neither let any de
ceive themselves about their estate, for a man may
be dead in sin, and yet be ahve in the flesh ; yea,
thou mayest be a wise man in the flesh, Rom. viii.

222

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

7, or a prince of this world, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 14; yea,
thou mayest have a name that thou livest spiritually,
Rev. iii. 2, and yet be stark dead.
Now this spiritual senselessness is called a death :
1 . Because it is a privation of spiritual life from the
soul, as the natural death is from the body ; 2. Be
cause it tends to eternal death.
The use may be fourfold : 1. For information. No
wonder wicked men can come and go from the word
of God and not be touched. Alas ! they are dead
men ; and so is it with them in respect of the judg-.
ments of God. Alas ! if thou couldst roll a moun
tain upon a dead man, he would not feel ; so is it with
a man dead in sin. Andfurther, we may here observe,
that to live, yea, to die quietly, is no sign of a man
in a happy case ; for if this death in sin be not cured,
thousands of people may die quietly, because they
die senselessly ; they feel no more of the fear of hell,
or judgment, orGod's anger, than, if they were already
dead in their bodies, they would feel outward ex
tremities. I know that God many times can lay
terror upon the flesh of wicked men, and make their
spirits drink in of the bitter anguish arising from
the fervency of God's burning displeasure ; but I say
if God let them alone, usually the most would die in
a wretched senselessness and inconsideration, being
neither able nor willing to entertain the thoughts of
what must presently and necessarily befall them.
2. This may serve for confutation; and so (1.)
Of the papists about their free wiU. How can there
be this free will in a dead soul ? We are dead in
sin, and therefore of ourselves move not unto hfe
till God quicken us by his word and Spirit. (2.)
Of the carnal protestant, that bears himself so
strongly upon his supposed ' covenant with death
and hell.' His ' agreement must be disannulled;' nay,
his very security imports his unavoidable destruc
tion, if it be not removed by the power of Christ.
3. For instruction : Art thou a man that hearest
this, that hast lived all thy time without remorse for
thy sins, and never yet entertained the care of re
formation of thy life ? Be here warned of thy misery ;
let it be enough thou hast been dead in sin ; do not
lie still rotting in the graves of iniquity, but rise so
soon as thou hearest the trumpet of the gospel, the
voice of Christ sounding in thine ears, and piercing
thy heart.

4. Lastly, Here is consolation implied unto weak
Christians. If thou canst feel thy misery, and
struggle in any measure of true constancy against
the corruption of nature and the transgressions of
thy heart and life, thou art not dead, there is some
breath of life in thee, there is motion, and therefore
life. Thus of their actual sins.
Their misery in respect of original sin is expressed
in these words :
And in the uncircumcision of the flesh. These words
be diversely interpreted. Some thus : in the uncir
cumcision of the flesh, that is, in the flesh which is
uncircumcision, that is, a thing hateful to God.
Some make these words to be the sign of their death
in sin ; as if he would say, Your very uncircum
cision, that is, in your flesh (which are Gentiles), is
a token that yon are strangers from the life of God.
Some thus : And you hath he quickened which were
dead in respect of your sins and carnal life, which
ye lived in the uncircumcision — that is, in your estate
of Gentilism. Some make these words express the
cause of their death in sin. Thus, in the uncircum
cision of the flesh — that is, for your fleshly vices
which caused that death in sin. But I think with
those that understand by the flesh original sin, and
by the uncircumcision, their misery in respect of it,
implied in the allusion to the circumcision literally
taken. Original sin is called flesh, because the flesh is the
instrument by which it is propagated ; 2. Because
it is the subject in which it is ; 3. Because it is the
end it drives us to, viz., to satisfy the flesh, and to
seek fleshly things.
This original sin here called flesh is a spiritual
kind of disease — gall, leaven, and poison, which
daily diffuseth itself throughout the whole man, and
still infecteth it, though this be not the whole nature
of the sin ; for to speak distinctly, in original sin
there are three things : 1. The guiltiness of Adam's
fact derived unto us by just imputation ; 2. The
want of that original justice was in us in the crea
tion ; 3. The depravation and corrupt disposition of
our natures.
Here the word uncircumcision imports our misery
in respect of our very corruption of nature, for it
imports : 1. That we are hateful to God, children of

Ver. 13.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

223

wrath ; 2. That we have no portion in the heavenly
Canaan ; 3. That we have no fellowship in the com
munion of saints ; 4. That we have no part in the
promised Messias ; — for all these were shadowed out
by the want of circumcision in the time of the law.
Uses. The uses follow : First, From hence we may
inform ourselves in divers things ; as, first, we may
see why the fair works of wicked men, as their alms,
prayers, tears, sacrifices, prophesyings, preaching,
fasting, and professing, are not accepted of God ;
for the fountain is poisoned, the flesh infects all ; it
puts to either ill ends, or ill effects, or ill means ;
besides that, it keeps the person still loathsome to
God. Oh, what cause have civil, honest men to
know that though they come to church, and pay
every man his own, and be no drunkards nor adul
terers, &c, yet their case cannot be good, for though
they lived never so honestly outwardly, yet the very
uncircumcision of the flesh makes them miserable ;
the inward corruption of nature is an abomination
to God, who 'searcheth the hearts and reins !' yea,
what cause have all men to be humbled and abased
in tfiemselves, considering how unclean a beginning
they have ! How can men be so quiet, and yet be
so diseased with so filthy a leprosy as is original
sin ? If this disease were in the body, as it is in the
soul, how would men lament their distress !
Hence, also, may we see what a woeful estate all
wicked men are in that take care for the lusts of
this leprous flesh, and sow to it. What should I say ?
May we not see hence the necessity of regeneration ?
Assuredly ' except we be born again, we can never
enter into the kingdom of heaven :' this impure,
poisoned nature of ours may not enter into God's
holy place.
Secondly, We may here discern the fountain of all
actual transgressions. When we fall into evil courses
we must not cry out of our ill fortune, or of ill com
pany, or of the devil only, but especially we must
lay the fault upon our ill natures ; 'twas thy wicked
disposition made thee so to sin.
Lastly, From hence we may learn to know our
selves, and accordingly to keep a narrow watch over
our wretched natures, and daUy strive and struggle
against this infectious corruption and disease that
hangs so fast upon us, Heb. xii. 1 ; yea, we should
by confession and contrition endeavour the daily

crucifying of our wicked flesh, with the lusts thereof,
Gal. v. 24, condemning ourselves by a daily verdict
and sentence, as we are men according to the flesh,
1 Pet. iv. 6, so suffering in the flesh that we may
cease from sin, 1 Pet. iv. 1 ; yea, we should learn
constantly to deny ourselves, ancl not to give way to
the reasons, or objections, or desires, or excuses, or
delays of the flesh ; yea, and to this end we should
be willing to suffer afflictions, and to endure any
hardship, rather than the flesh should prevaU in us.
You hath he quickened. Hitherto of man's misery
and the state of corruption ; now of God's mercy in
the state of grace. In two things is their happiness
here described : 1. In their quickening; 2. In their
forgiveness. We are quickened two ways : 1. In Christ ; 2. In
ourselves. When our head Christ Jesus was raised
from the grave, we were quickened in him. In our
selves we were quickened three ways : 1. Sacra-
mentally, in baptism ; 2. By inchoation in our con
version ; 3. Perfectly, by hope of perfection in
heaven : by baptism, by conversion, by hope. The
quickening he here speaketh of is the quickening of
conversion, when we are begotten to God.
This life is called the hfe of God, Eph. iv. 17, the
life of grace, the life of Jesus, 1 Cor. iv. 16, the life
of immortality.
It is begotten in us by the whole Trinity : the
Father calleth up these generations, Isa. xii. ; the
Son giveth this life, Heb. vii. 16 ; so doth the Spirit
quicken also, John vi.
The means by wliich we are quickened is ordinarily
only the word, and that preached also, which is
therefore called ' the word of life,' Ps. xix. 8, 1 Pet.
i. 22, Phil. ii. 15, John v.
The necessity of this quickening is such as with
out it we cannot possibly enter into the kingdom of
heaven, John iii. 5.
They that are thus quickened and converted are
styled by divers names or titles : they are called the
holy seed, Isa. vi. ; the called of Jesus, Rom. i. 6 ; the
children of the Most High, Luke vi. ; the brood of
immortality ; they that follow Christ in the regenera
tion, Mat. xix. ; and the heirs of eternal life, Titus
iii. 7.
Many are the singular prerogatives of such as are
converted and quickened in Jesus Christ; 'godli-

224

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

ness,' in general, ' hath the promises of this life and
the life to come.' In special : first, great is the
honour of their birth, greater than if they were born
of the greatest bloods of men, John i. 13. These
prolong the days of Christ upon earth, being
begotten by the travail of his soul, Isa. Iiii. 2.
They are sweetly comforted and tenderly used in the
heahng of all their sorrows, Jer. xxxi. 25, Hos. xiv.
5, Isa. lvii. 15, 16, lxi. 1-3, Micah vii. 18, Ezek.
xi. 19, Isa. 1. 4, Acts iii. 19. 3. All then sins are
forgiven, as the coherence shews, and these scrip
tures further confirm : Isa. xliv. 22, Eph. i. 6, 7,
Rom. iii. 25, 1 Cor. vi. 11, Heb. viii. 12, 1 John i.
7. 4. They are in great account with God, Isa.
xliii. 4, Rom. i. 7. 5. They are delivered from this
present evil world, Gal i. 4 ; even from bondage
under the custom of it ; from the practice of the
vices of it ; from the fellowship with the men of it ;
and from the plagues that belong unto it. 6. They
are blessed with the seeds of all spiritual blessings
in heavenly things, Eph. i. 3, Isa. lxi. 10. 7. They are
happy in their heavenly relations, to God, to Jesus
the mediator, to the angels of God, to the spirits of
the just, and to the faithful everywhere, Heb. xii.
22. 8. They are assured of the success of all the
means of salvation, Isa. xii. 3, Ixv. 15-23, ancl
lvi., 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23, Isa. Iv. 6. 9. They have
great promises of comfort, audience, protection, and
deliverance out of all their troubles, Isa. iv. 5, 6,
Rom. viii. 17, &c, 2 Cor. i. 3, 4, Isa. xii. 12,
xiii. 13, and xlix. 14. 10. The Spirit of God is
poured upon them, to assure them of God's loving
presence, Ezek. xxxix. 29 ; to bring them forth unto
liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 1 7 ; to enlighten them, 2 Cor. iii.
18 ; to sanctify them, Rom. i. 3 ; to make interces
sion, and that by making them pray, Gal. iv. 6; and
by producing mighty success in prayer, Rom. viii.
26 Hosea xii. 5, 6 ; ancl to make them' fruitful both
in graces and duties, Ezek. xxxvi.. 27; and to be
the seal and earnest of the inheritance purchased,
2 Cor. i. 22, Eph. i. 13, 14. Lastly, They have an
assurance of a most glorious inheritance reserved for
them in heaven, prepared from the foundation of
the world, 1 Pet. i. 3, 4.
Now, if any enamoured with these privileges ask
how we may know whether we be converted ancl
quickened or not ? I answer, it may be known by

divers signs. Of these signs, some agree to the weak
Christian, and some to the strong Christian. The
first sign that usually breaks out in a convert is
affliction of conscience, which is such an inward
pricking in the heart, Acts ii. 41, as causeth him
voluntarily to remember his evil ways, Ezek. xx. 43,
and judge himself daily for it, Isa. iv. 4, mourning
for his sinful life, Isa. lxi. 2, 3, and confounded in
himself for his ways, which were not good. The
second is, affection to the word ; such an affection it
is as esteemeth the word above aU treasure, Mat.
xiii., and longs daily after it, Job xxiii. ; it makes
them fly as the dove to God's house, and as doves to
the windows, Isa. lx. 8, yea, their affections to it are
such as heaven suffers violence, Mat. xi. ; they feel a
savour of life in the word, 2 Cor. ii. 14; Christ's
words to them are spirit and life, John vi., yea,
such is their affection to the word, they can be
content to receive it with patience and much afflic
tions, 1 Thes. i. 6 ; and if they obtain a sanctuary of
God, they will endeavour tlieir own daily sanctifica
tion by it, Ezek. xxxvii. 28 ; they wUl practise the
word and be exercised by it. The third sign that
discovers itself in them is their love to such as fear
God, 1 John hi. 14, which they shew by their
admiration of them, Isa. lxi. 7, and by tlieir delight
in their fellowship, Phil. i. 5, and by a wUling
communicating to them in all ready service and
well-doing, Acts xvi. 14, 15, Heb. vi. 9, 10, Isa. xxiii.
18. The fourth sign is their ceasing from sin, even
their daily endeavour to subdue and forsake all
sorts of sins, inward as well as outward, secret as
well as open, lesser as well as greater, yea, not
sparing their most pleasing, gainful, or beloved sins,
2 Tim. ii. 19, Ps. xiv. 6, 4, Isa. Iv. 8, Mat, xviii. 8.
The fifth sign is a holy constant desire after God's
favour, and .remission of sins, as the greatest happi
ness, rejoicing in all the hopes and signs of it, Isa.
Iv. 1. The sixth is, that they can love and forgive
their enemies, Mat. v. 6.
Now, there are other signs in stronger Christians,
such as these V.A full assurance of faith in Jesus
Christ. 2. A longing and constant desire of death,
and love to the appearing of Jesus Christ in a sensible
and ardent measure, and that in prosperity. 3. A
great conquest and victory in overcoming the world
and the flesh. 4. The spirit of prayer, and such like.

Ver. 13.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

225

Uses. The use of this point concerning the
quickening of the godly by true conversion to God
is divers : First, Since this is the first and common
work, without which we can never get out of our
natural misery, here may the cursed and damnable
waywardness of the most be reproved, who live
snorting in sin, as if they needed no conversion to
God. How hath a very spirit of spiritual fornica
tion intoxicated men, and besotted them that they
cannot mind to return, Hosea v. 4.
Three sorts of men grievously transgress against
this doctrine :
1. The careless, that freeze in their dregs, and
consider not whether God wiU do good or evil ;
2. The inconstant, whose righteousness is as the
morning dew, that by flashes and fits only think of
turning to God ; 3. The profane scoffer, that speaks
evil of the good way of God, and reproacheth by
consequence the very blood of Christ, without which
he can never be saved.
2. Here is an excellent comfort to weak Chris
tians. Note that the text saith quickened, not born,
to assure the weak that though their strength be but
as the child's when it lieth in the womb and is first
quickened, and not so much as the strength of a
child new born, yet they are accepted with God.
The first springings in the womb of grace is precious
before God, though everything be not yet so clearly
performed ; yet if grace be but conceived in them,
God knows them, and owns them, and will not
deny his own works, but annexeth here forgive
ness of sins, even to this first sprouting and forming
of true grace.
3. How should the consideration of this work,
and the glorious privileges belonging to it, even
compel all men to ' awake and stand up from the
dead,' and never give over till ' Christ be formed in
them!' labouring above all things to be made new
creatures ; resolving to beg this quickening at God's
hands, till by his word he be pleased to beget it in
them. Lastly, How should they walk in newness of life
that are born again of God ! There is a path and it
is called holy, and they must walk in it, Isa. xxxv. 8.
Seeing this grace hath appeared, how should they
deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, for ever resolv
ing to live ' soberly, and godly, and righteously in

this present world,' Titus ii. 12. And they should
'give all diligence to make up their assurance of
their holy calling and election,' 2 Pet. i. 10, Heb. vi.
12, 'girding up the loins of their minds, that they
might trust perfectly on the grace that is brought
' unto them, in the revelation of Jesus Christ,' 1 Pet.
i. 13. And since they are in so happy an estate,
they should ' always rejoice,' and 'let then modera
tion of mind be known to all men, being in nothing
careful, but in all things making request unto God,
with prayers and supplications, and giving of thanks ;'
so should ' the peace of God that passeth all under
standing, keep their hearts and minds,' PhU. iv. 6, 7.
And for our carriage towards others : first, We
should for ever in all places, acknowledge such as
are horn again of God, 1 Cor xvi. 10, 2 Cor. i. 14;
secondly, We should ' exhort one another, and pro
voke one another to love and good works,' and, 'not
forsake the fellowship ofthe saints,' Heb. x. 24-26;
praying one for another, that God would 'fulfil the
good pleasure of his will, and the work of our faith
with power, that we might abound in love, and be
established in holiness before God, in the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ with all the saints,' 1 Thes.
iii. 12, 13.
Thus of our quickening; only we may observe
that he saith, we are quickened together with him,
which is true divers ways. Men are quickened to
gether with Christ : 1. Because we are quickened as
well as he ; 2. Because, being quickened, we are
united unto him ; 3. Because we are quickened by
the same Spirit and power that raised him from the
dead. All which may increase our consolation in
this gracious work, and confirm us unto the end.
Forgiving you all your trespasses. First, for the
meaning of the words : the word ' forgiving,' as it is
in the orginal, signifieth to acquit them gratis, and
as a free gift of his grace, to send them the news of
their pardon ; the word rendered ' trespasses,' usually
is understood of actual sins. But yet we must not
think that original sin is not forgiven ; for either it
is a synecdoche, and so one sort of sins is named
instead of all ; or else he speaks according to the
feelings of many of the godly, who even after for
giveness are marvellously troubled with the flesh
and the wicked proneness to daUy sins.
But for the matter itself, we may here note :
2 F

226

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[Chap. IL

1. That God doth certainly forgive men their
sins, when he gives them repentance, and converts
them by his word.
2. That where God forgives our sins, he heals
our natures too, therefore quickening ancl forgiving
are here joined together ; and herein God's pardons
differ from all the pardons of kings. Men may for
give the treason or felony, but they cannot give a
nature that will offend no more ; but now if God
forgive a man, he wUl certainly give his good Spirit
to mend his nature, and cleanse him from his sin.
3. That howsoever justification go before sanctifi
cation, yet it is sanctification first appears, therefore
quickening first named.
4. That it is a singular happiness to obtain of
God the forgiveness of our sins.
5. That if we were used according to our deserts,
God must never forgive us ; it is his free grace.
The use of all may be, first, for great reproof "of the
general carelessness of the most men, that will take
no pains at all to get the pardon of tlieir sins, but
wholly neglect the seeking of the assurance of it.
Now this monstrous neglect of so admirable a be
nefit comes: 1. From ignorance. Men know not
their woeful misery in respect of their sins. 2.
From the hardness of man's heart ; and their hearts
in this point of neglect of remission of sins are
hardened both by the effectual working of Satan,
and by the example of the careless multitude, and
by the entertainment of false opinions about it, as
that it need not be sought, or cannot be known, or
hereafter will be time enough to inquire ; or else
men are conceited in false acquittances. Either they
rest in this, that Christ died for them, or that God
makes promises of forgiveness in scripture, or that
their civil course of life, or their works of mercy
or piety, will make God amends, &c. Again, this
neglect ariseth from the forgetfulness of man's latter
end. If men knew the time of the day of the Lord,
they would get their pardon confirmed if it were pos
sible, lest it should come upon them unawares.
Lastly, this comes from the love of sin. Men are
loth to leave their sins, and therefore not careful to
seek forgiveness of them.
2. Here is a confutation of merit of works ; for
if we pay the debt,, then it is not forgiven us ; and
if it be forgiven us, then certainly we pay it not : be

sides the word denotes that it is freely done, as
hath been shewed before.
3. Shall we not be stirred up to seek forgiveness
of sins ?
Quest. What should we do that we might be con
firmed in the assurance to obtain the forgiveness of
sins? Ans. 1. Thou must forgive men their trespasses,
Mat. vi. 16; 2. Thou must acknowledge thy sins,
1 John i. 9 ; 3. Thou must pray, and get others
to pray, for the forgiveness of thy sins, James v.
16 ; 4. Thou must often receive the sacrament of
the Lord's supper, for this is God's seal of for
giveness of sins, Mat. xxvi. ; 5. Thou must bewaU
thy sins, Zech. xii. 12, 13, and xiii. 1, and beg the
witness of the Spirit of adoption in the intercession
of Jesus Christ, tiU those unspeakable joys of the
Holy Ghost ^fall upon thee, and seal thee up unto
the day of redemption.
And thus far of the thirteenth verse.
Ver. 14. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took
it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
This verse and the next contain the seventh reason
of the dehortation. It is laid down in this verse,
and amplified in the next. The argument may
stand thus : If the ceremonies were a chirograph or
handwriting against us, when they were in force, and
if now Christ have cancelled that writing, then we
ought not to use them again ; but such they were,
for they were a handwriting against us, and Christ
hath removed them by fastening them upon the
cross, therefore we ought not to revive them again.
Or thus, If the debt be paid and the obligation can
celled, then is it a fond course to cause the obliga
tion wilfully to be of force again.
Handwriting. This handwriting is by divers di
versely referred ; for some think it to be referred to
the covenant with Adam. All mankind in him
was bound to God. This obligation he brake, and so
the forfeiture lay still upon our necks tiU Christ
paid the debt, and cancelled the obligation. Some
refer it to the law of Moses in general, and say the
people did bind themselves unto it, Exod. xiv., by
the rites they used. The bond was forfeited by the
Jews, and lay upon them. Some refer it to the

Ver. 14.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

227

moral law in special, ancl therein we did enter into
bond, which was called the covenant of works.
The rigour and curse of this law Jieth upon all
mankind, and when God sues out this bond, men are
carried to prison, even to the prison of hell. Some
refer it to the conscience of men, and say that an
evil conscience is a chirograph, a bill of debt, and it
accuseth by ordinances, that is, it taketh conclu
sions from the law of God to arrest or condemn the
sinner. But most usually it is referred to the cere
monial law. By some of them, men did enter into
bond, as by circumcision. So saith the apostle,
' He that is circumcised is bound to keep the
whole law, ' Gal. v. 5. By others of them men
made bUls of debt. Circumcision confesseth corrup
tion of nature by propagation. The washings were
open confessions of the foulness of our lives ; in the
sacrifices men subscribed to their own death and
damnation, for they confessed they had deserved to
die instead of the beast.
The words may be true of all, but most princi
pally of the ceremonial law. In general he here en-
treateth of deliverance from the ceremonies of
Moses. Then two things may in particular be
noted : 1. What the ceremonies were in themselves ;
2. The manner or means how the church was dis
charged of them. For the first, if we require what
they were ; they were : 1. For honour, ' ordinances '
of God; 2. For use, 'handwritings;' 3. For effect,
they were ' against us,' or contrary to us.
Ordinances. Some read 'for' ordinances, some read
' by ' ordinances, some ' with ' ordinances, and some
'of ordinances. They that read ' for ordinances,'
say the handwriting was for ordinances, that is,
either in favour of the decrees that were against us,
or for the better assuring of the keeping of the ordi
nances ; it was ' by ordinances,' viz., evangelical, for
they say the decrees of Christ did evacuate the
laws of Moses. They that read ' with ordinances '
say that the handwriting was the debt of death which
Christ took away with the ordinance, that is, the ex
ternal rites and rudiments of Moses. But I think
the sense is clear as it is here rendered, of ordinances.
And so the point to be observed is, that the
ceremonies imposed upon the Jews were God's
ordinances, which may shew us that God did take
upon him the right to bind the conscience of men

by ceremonies ; 2. Seeing Christians are freed from
them by God himself, therefore the apostle would
have them stand to their liberty ; 3. This should
exalt the praise of the moral law ; if they were
bound to observe the very ceremonies, because they
were God's ordinances, then much more should we
be careful to keep the moral.
Handwritings. This word notes their use ; be
cause men are by nature wonderful slow to acknow
ledge their misery, therefore the Lord in all ages
did drive men under their hands, as it were openly,
to make profession of their own sin-guiltiness and
fall, that so God's justice might be cleared. There
fore were the sacrifices required presently after
the fall, and baptism now is of like nature, to shew
us our natural uncleanness that needs to be washed.
Against us. In effect they were against us. The
ceremonies were against us, that is, against the Jews,
four ways : 1. As they were bills of debt ; 2. As
they told the longing wife that her husband was long
after to come ; 3. As they proclaimed God infinitely
hating sin, so as he must have atonement in blood,
and that daily ; 4. As they were transgressed in
respect of the right manner of observing them.
Now, though these ceremonies belong not to us
Christians, yet we are in the same debt by nature
that they were, though we have not that way of
expressing our debt.
Quest. But how could that which God commanded
them to do be against them ?
Ans. Many ways. 1. When they failed in the
matter, as when they offered strange fire, or sacri
ficed their sons. 2. When they did anger God by
omissions or delays, as when Moses trifled out the
circumcision of his son. 3. When they did it for
wrong ends, as when the whore would sacrifice to
colour her whoredoms, Prov. v., or when men did
think thereby to make amends for their sins, Jer.
vii., or when they used them for the hurt of God's
children, as Balaam used his sacrifice. 4. When
they mingle their own inventions with God's ordin
ances, and their fear towards God was taught by
the precepts of men. 5. When they did use them
as a burden, and it was a weariness to them.
Lastly, when they that used them were wicked men,
and did use them without knowledge, or faith, or
repentance ' for their sins, or the care of the due

228

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[Chap. II.

manner, as many places of scripture shew. And
thus may the very law of God be against us still,
as well as against them.
The use of all this chiefly may be to shew the
misery of every impenitent sinner. His sins are upon
record ; there is the handwriting against him. Let
him look upon sacrificing Jews, and there he may
behold man daily, in effect, saying thus : thus must
it be done to the man that repenteth not of his sins ;
the obligation lies forfeited, and the Lord may call
upon him for his debt of ten thousand talents when
he hath not a farthing to pay, and then he will be
cast into prison.
Again, when he saith 'us,' he shews that this is the
estate of all men by nature ; there was a handwrit
ing against the very apostle himself, and such as
were in the visible church, therefore he saith 'against
us.' Thus of what the ceremonies were in them
selves. Now of the discharge from them, these two
things may be noted : 1. The manner, Christ 'put
them out,' 'took them away, "fastened them;' 2. The
means, viz., 'the cross.' The sum is, that Christ
Jesus, by his sufferings on the cross, paid our debt,
and freed us from the handwriting that was against
us ; the anger of God conceived against us for the
forfeiture was thereon, by the blood of Christ, ap
peased, Rom. v. 9, and forgiveness of sins and
debts therein merited, 1 John i. 7. And by the
blood of Jesus, the faithful overcome the devil,
Rev. xii. 11, Heb. xi. 28 ; that had power to destroy,
by reason of the forfeiture ; and because none of the
former agreements would serve by reason of man's
weakness, therefore God makes a new covenant,
and seals it by the blood of Christ upon the cross,
Zech. ix. 11, Heb. ix. 18; and if we would be
assured of our release in particular, first, for the
forfeiture in paradise, we receive an atonement in
the blood of Christ, Rom. v. 11, 12, 17 ; and he
that, from the curse in paradise, had power over
death, was now by Christ destroyed, Heb. ii. 15.
And for the law of Moses, we are by Christ delivered
both from the rigour of it and from the curse of it,
his own sacrifice being the propitiation to still the
cry of the law, and to hide it from the eyes of God's
justice. And as for the writing of the conscience,
the blood of Christ cleanseth it from dead works,
Heb. ix. 14, and quieteth it in the declaration of

forgiveness, Eph. i. 7, 8 ; and it maketh intercession
for sin after calling to keep it quiet, Heb. xii. 14.
And as for the ceremonial handwritings, they were
both fulfilled, Col. ii. 17, and abolished in the sacri
fice of Christ on the cross, he himself saying, ' It
was finished.' And the more to assure us of our
safety from these forfeitures, he useth those divers
phrases, of ' putting out,' ' taking out of the way,'
and ' fastening it to the cross.'
Uses. The use of all is : 1. For information. We
may see what a case sin sets us in by nature, and
how hateful the nature of sin is : if we have any
thing to do with God, why, our sins he like so many
blocks in our way, and Christ Jesus only can lift
them out of the way. And can our wretched hearts
delight in sin, seeing they naUed Christ to the
cross ? It is an easy thing to rend an obligation
amongst men, but it was not so easy to get ours
cancelled ; it could be rent in no place but on the
cross ; Christ Jesus himself must be fastened to the
tree, that he might fasten our canceUed handwriting
thereto. And if God spared not his own Son, when
he came about this business of cancelling the hand
writing, what think we shall be the case of all
wicked men that die in their sins, and must suffer
the whole forfeiture to faU on their necks? If
what Christ endured on the cross were so painful,
they must not think to escape. Hence also we
may see what wonderful cause we have to love the
Lord Jesus, that hath done all this for us. Oh, how
precious should his memory be amongst us!
Finally, here the faithful should gather singular
comfort against the law, sin, death, and hell, seeing
here they may be informed all these were nailed
upon the cross, and Christ hath openly declared
that he hath canceUed whatsoever might be to shew
against us, for any forfeiture or debt of ours what
soever. And shall not we take heed of running in
debt again by sinning, after the sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ? Or shall we wretchedly
bind ourselves to the law again, by pleading our
justification before God, by the works of the law ?
Ver. 15. And having spoiled principalities and
poivers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over
them in it.
These words are an amplification of the former,

Ver. 15.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

229

wdierein he sheweth that, not only the bill in which
we were made infinitely indebted was cancelled,
but the devils also (who had power to serve exe
cutions upon us, and prove from the ceremonial
law, as is before declared) mightily conquered by
Christ, and therefore to revive again the cere
monies was to renew the bond, and so stand still in
danger of the devil's executions.
The words are a most portly and deep allegory,
and they carry news of a remarkable victory. The
battle was fierce, cruel, prodigiously difficult, bloody
on the best side ; and if Christ had been a jot less
than he was, there had been no remedy nor hope.
The battle was first fought between Satan and man,
with a depth of fraud and cruelty, and hellish in
visible spite ; the day was lost, man with the woeful
issues of the conquest was either cast down wallow
ing in blood, or scattered with pursuing cruelty ; no
sooner sprouting in the life of nature, but smitten
with the venom of sphitual infection, plagued with
the bondage of more than cruel servitude, not
pitied, not helped ; more forfeitures laid upon him
than he could find words to acknowledge. Now one
man cometh into the field in the right of millions,
(that could not stand their own quarrel,) chaUengeth
the victors, with singular compassion calleth back
the scattered, raiseth a mighty expectation, exposeth
himself to the danger, with incredible fury is en
countered, one with milhons or legions of devils, of
incomprehensible rage, and long-beaten experience;
and the infinite anger of God was kindled against
this one man as a surety for the rest.
Now in this text is a report of the happy success
of the battle ; news of a most victorious conquest ;
the devils spoiled, the elect restored, with unutter
able hymns attend the conquest ; the wretched
spirits are in chains, exposed to infinite shame, and
dragged after the chariot of triumph, as he ascended
into the New Jerusalem.
In general two things may be observed : first,
That Christ is God ; he was brought in before, quick
ening, pardoning, filling, circumcising the heart, now
here spoiling the devils, and triumphing over them.
2. We may here comfort ourselves with this, that
the devU shall never have success against Christ
and his kingdom. God hath cursed all his ways ;
and yet we find by experience the devil will not give

over, though he hath never so ill success from day
to day ; which may awaken many wicked men, who
are herein like the devil, — no ill-success can make
them give over their UI courses. Again, would we
not be spoiled and crossed in the success of that we
take in hand, and be made like the devil in ill-
success, then let us take heed of his quahties, be not
like him in cruelty, in fraud, in lying, in accusing,
or envying the children of God ; for if thou be, thou
art sure, with the devil, to be accursed and rebuked
of God.
Now for the particular opening of these words,
we must understand that they have been three ways
interpreted : first, Some papists say this battle was
fought in hell, when Christ fetched the fathers out
of Limbus. This interpretation I reject, not only as
a fond conceit obtruded upon the world, but because
the most popish writers could see no such thing in
this place, but expound it otherwise.
Secondly, Some orthodox writers say this battle
and triumph was both begun and ended before
Christ's death. The devils encountered Christ two
ways upon the cross : visibly and invisibly. Visibly,
by inspiring wicked men with vile provocations to
vex him, and molest him ; as the impenitent thief,
Luke xxiii. 38; the rulers ofthe Jews, Luke xiii.'38;
and the soldiers, Luke xxiii. 37. Invisibly, the
devils themselves, with all might, fury, malice, and
slight encountered him upon the cross, in the sight
of God and the holy angels.
The victory is described in this verse, and it is
said first he ' spoiled ' them, which is diversely read
and referred; for some understand it, he spoiled the
devils ; some of the fathers put in a word, and read
it, ' after he had spoUed himself of his flesh,' and so
it is a comparison borrowed from wrestlers or run
ners, that first put off all might hinder them ; and
so Christ, that he might overcome, first laid down
his flesh upon the cross. And where the text saith,
he made a show of them openly, the Holy Ghost
alludeth to the trophies of great victors. Their man
ner was, in the place where they did overcome,
either to cut down the arms of great trees, and
thereupon hanged the spoils or weapons of the van
quished, or else they built some stately pUlars, and
there painted or wrote upon, the conquest, with othef
monuments of victory ; so did Christ openly serve

230

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[Chap. II.

the devils, openly before God, angels, and the world
he defeateth them, ancl by a new way, by suffering,
gave occasion to all to see the shaking of the hellish
kingdom. Where he is said to triumph over them,
therein is an allusion to the third degree of victory.
They were wont to lead their captives after the
chariot of triumph into the city with great pomp ;
thus did Christ to the wicked spirits, either upon
the cross, or in his resurrection.
Quest. But might some one say, What appearance
was there of any victory when Christ suffered ?
Ans. Great every way ; for if we observe it in
every branch of the process, there is evident signs of
victory. For do they attach him ? why, first the offi
cers are smitten to the ground with a very word, and
Judas, the chief leader, is made to go and hang him
self ; the ear of Malchus was miraculously cured,
and they are suffered to do no jot more than will
fulfil the scriptures, Mat. xxvi. 26. Will they arraign
him in the consistory ? why, there sits a high priest
that was made whether he would or no to prophesy
of Christ's death for the people, John xi. 50, withxvih.
1 4 ; and Christ casts a spirit of giddiness upon the wit
nesses, so as their testimonies could not agree ; yea,
he there foretells them of his most glorious and ter
rible second coming in the clouds of heaven, and then
miraculously recovers Peter, a lapsed sinner. Will
they arraign him in the common hall ? why, there
he overcomes by patience ; no indignities could stir
him; and the judge's wife from a dream gives warn
ing that he was a just man, yea, the judge himself
was compelled to pronounce him innocent. Will
they have him to the cross ? there are wonders of
victory, — a thief without means saved, the veil of the
temple rent, signs in heaven and earth, and a title
of victory superscribed by his very adversaries, ' This
is the King of the Jews ; ' besides his incorruption
in the grave, and glorious resurrection, and visible
ascension to heaven.
All this being considered, where is the ignominy
of the cross, seeing the devils erected a cross for
themselves when they plotted to crucify Christ?
And why should we be afraid of sufferings, seeing
the cross is Christ's triumph? and let us resolve also
to overcome by sufferings, Rom. viii. 34. It is an
excellent and lofty praise to overcome by suffering.
Lastly, Let us never judge of Christ or Christians

by tlieir outward show ; great things may be done
in the kingdom of Christ, which are not discerned
by carnal reason. Here we see a great ado, trophies,
triumphs, yet the world took no notice of it ; so is
there incomparable glory, even in this world, in the
souls and lives of Christians, which the blind multi
tude never takes notice of.
And thus much of the second interpretation.
The third and last interpretation is of those that
limit not the time of this victory to the cross, but
consider it generally, and instead of the words 'upon
the same cross,' read ' in himself; ' and thus do the most
interpreters, new and old, read it ; and so this vic
tory is understood not so much of what Christ did
attain in his person, as what he doth in us. By the
conversion of sinners, by the gospel, he daily spoils
principalities and powers, and triumphs over them,
Sec ; and so these words are a consequent of the put
ting out of the handwriting mentioned in the former
verse. Four things are in these words to be considered :
Who, whom, what, and by what means. For the
first : It is the second Adam that undertakes this
battle, he that is God and man, he of whom the
prophecies ran, he that by a voice from heaven at
his baptism was acknowledged the only champion,
it was he that sent the challenge by bis forerunner
John Baptist, he it is that foiled Satan in many
monomachies, this is he that now comes forth in
the gospel in the several ages of the church to spoil
these principalities and powers.
Now for the second : The spoiled are caUed prin
cipalities and powers.
Principalities and powers. These terms are given
to the good angels, Eph. hi. 10, and to great magis
trates and princes on earth, Eph. i. 23. In effect
they are given to Christ, Isa. ix. 6, 7 ; but usually
they are restrained to evil angels, and so they are
called, either considering them as they were before
their fall, or, as it is usually conceived, it notes then
estate even since tlieir fall.
The two words note two things in the evil angels :
excellency and ability ; excellency, so they are prin
cipalities ; ability, so they are powers. Their ex
ceUency is two ways to be considered : 1. In
themselves ; 2. Their sovereignty over the world.
In themselves and their own nature, ever since their

Ver. 15.J

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

231

horrible fall, they are creatures of wonderful know
ledge, swiftness, discerning, and such like.
And in respect of the unregenerate world they
have a principality : hence called worldly rulers,
Eph. vi. ; the prince of this world, John xii. ; yea,
and the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4. We may
observe here in the Holy Ghost a wonderful pattern
of candour, he praiseth what is praiseworthy even
in his enemies ; and it may wonderfully comfort
God's children in their acceptation with God; for if
God can yield these titles, and acknowledge that is
yet good in the very devils, sure, then, it cannot be
he should not like what he finds good in his own
saints, though they have many wants and sins,
seeing they sin not of malicious wickedness, as the
devils do.
As they are called ' principalities,' so for their ability
and force of working, they are called ' powers.' The
wonderful power the devils have may be considered
either in the world or in the church.
In the first race of men before the flood, how
soon had they drawn away Cain's race into apos
tasy, and not long after Seth's, till they had chased
the light of sincerity within the walls of one house,
and not all sound there neither. After the flood
the world is no sooner filled again, but, together
with the building of Babel, a most dreadful con
fusion was wrought by the devils, even the begin
ning of a general falling away into Gentilism and
idolatry, which will never be utterly recovered
again while the world stands, all the families mak
ing apostasy in the beginning of the Babylonish
monarchy, and such an apostasy, as they continued
in for many hundred years in the generality of
them, so as there was only a little light left in the
race of Shem.
Now leaving the whole world lying under this
powerful wickedness, come to Abraham, a brand
taken out of the fire of the Chaldeans, in whom the
hght shined with great glory, see the power of these
wicked spirits over his race. The Ishmaelites went
quickly off to Gentilism ; then the Edomites were
easily gained after ; then in Egypt the light that did
remain was almost put out, the bondage of the
Israehtes being as great in soul, as it was in body,
Ezek. xx.
In Moses' time the light was diffused in that

people all abroad again, and a kingdom of priests
was raised up to God. This light held with various
increase and decrease till the captivity, after which
time it waxed dimmer and dimmer, tUl Christ, the
day-star, arose, and filled heaven and earth with the
brightness of his coming.
After, in the very first hundreds of years, these
cursed spirits not only persecuted religion by in
credible tyranny, but infected it with the tares of
strange errors, and prodigious superstitions and
heresies, till all grew together in one body in anti
christ. Under antichrist all sincerity was again almost
universally put out, the face of religion corrupted,
and idolatry brought into the churches 1260 years.
Lastly, In our own days, when the prophecies were
accomplished, and the everlasting gospel published
again, alas ! yet consider the state of the world !
One part of the world lieth in paganism, another in
Turcism, another in Judaism, another in papism ;
and in all these four these wicked spirits reign, and
hold the world captive at tlieir pleasure.
Come we to the visible assemblies of the true
churches of Jesus Christ, and consider there then
power. How mighty it extends ; for there they have
secret atheists, church-papists, persons excommuni
cate, witches, and such like diabolical practisers,
hypocrites, apostates, the unmerciful troops of the
ignorant, besides the swarms of vicious livers and
profane persons, such as are swearers, drunkards,
filthy persons of all kinds, liars, usurers, railers, and
such like workers of iniquity.
It is true worlds of men feel not this power of
theirs ; but, alas ! this war is spiritual, these enemies
are invisible, their sleights are of infinite depth,
their souls are already in their possession, and all is
covered with gross darkness, ancl done in a spiritual
night, and wicked men are like dead men in their
sinful courses, senseless, and secure.
Uses. The use is to shew the misery of all impeni
tent sinners, though they go in brave clothes, dwell
in fair houses, possessed of large revenues, abound
in all pleasures of life, &c, yet, alas, alas ! for their
woeful estate with all this. Oh, the devils, the
devils are their masters, and rule over them as
effectually as ever did tyrant over his slave ! Oh
if men have ears let them hear, and awake and

232

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[Chap. II.

stand up from the dead, and not dare to continue in
so woeful a condition ! and let the righteous leap
and sing for true joy of heart, whatsoever their out
ward estate be in the world ! Oh, let them praise
the rich grace of God, that hath ' translated them
out of this kingdom of darkness, and given them a
lot among the saints !'
The third thing is the victory, expressed in three
degrees. He spoiled them. This is to be understood in the
behalf of the faithful, for whose sake he hath and
doth daily smite them with his great sword, Isa.
xxvii. 1. He reproveth them, and rebuketh them,
Zech. iii. 1-3 ; he casteth them down like lightning,
Luke x. 20 ; he breaks their head, Gen. hi. 15 ;
yea, and sometimes treads them down under the
feet of his saints, Rom. xvi. 20 ; making them in
many tentations and tribulations more than con
querors, Rom. viii. 34 ; pulling down their strong
holds, which they had within, 2 Cor. x. 4. When
they compass the righteous with their tentations, he
ever openeth a door for issue, and delivereth the
righteous, 2 Pet. ii. 9 ; sending succours, Heb. ii. 18 ;
and making his servants often to lead Satan captive.
He spoiled them by taking from them the souls
of the righteous, which they possessed as their
booty, Acts xxvi. 18; he spoiled them by loosing
the works of Satan, 1 John iii. 8 ; he spoiled them
by taking from them altogether the power they had
over death, Heb. ii. 14, so far as concerns the right
eous. He hath so far spoiled them that they are
not only judged by the word of the saints in this
life, John xvi. 11, but the saints shall also sit upon
them to judge them at the last day, 1 Cor. vi. 3.
Uses. And all this may serve for constant comfort
unto all the godly, each word being a well of conso
lation if we wisely apply it. And withal it may
encourage them against the remainder of the power
of evil spirits. It is true they accuse still, they
hinder the word what they can still, they will steal
the seed still, they wUl raise trouble and oppositions
still, they sow tares still, they will be casting their
snares still, they buffet them by tentations still;
but yet the same God and our Lord Jesus Christ
that hath thus far subdued them will prosper his
own work, and make us ' stand in all the evil days,'
so as we will ' put on the whole armour of God.'

Now, whereas he saith he hath spoiled him, it is
true of the time past : 1. In the person of Christ
himself ; 2. In the merit of our victory ; 3. In our
justification he is perfectly spoiled ; 4. In our
sanctification he is spoiled by inchoation.
And made a show of them openly. These words
contain the second degree of victory, and are true
in a double sense : for first, He hath made a show
of them in that he hath discovered them, and made
them known to the church. This is a dragging
them out of their ceUs of darkness in the hght of
observation, by shewing their natures and practices,
by unmasking them to the view of the soul. Thus
are they displayed in the doctrine of the gospel, and
the souls of the righteous behold this detection of
Satan from day to day by the word with as much
admiration as ever the Romans did behold any great
rebel, or barbarous rebel or monster, subdued, and
in triumph brought into Rome. Neither may this
detection of Satan seem to be the least part of
Christ's victory ; for it is certain it is a work that
evil men or evil angels never hear but are vanquished.
There is a hot opposition in all places before Satan
will abide this.
Secondly, He made a show of them — that is, as
some think, he made them to be for examples, and
that three ways : 1. In shame, making detestation
to be their portion ; 2. In confusion, and an inex
plicable kind of astonishment, and benumbedness,
and blindness ; 3. In torments and punishments, 2
Pet. iv. 5, Jude 9.
Use. The use may be for increase of consolation ;
we see Christ will never cease tUl he hath finished
this victory. Why should we, then, fail through
unbelief, or faint in the resisting of the devil ? The
Lord will more and more make a show of them, and
give us increase of experience of the power of his
word and presence herein. Here also men's way
wardness may be reproved, that cannot abide to hear
talk of the devil or his courses. This is but a work
of Satan in them to hinder their salvation ; for to
make an open show of them is one part of Christ's
victory. The word rendered ' openly' signifieth sometimes
eminently, John vii. 4 ; sometimes without autho
rity, Acts iv. 29 ; sometimes with confidence and
undaunted resolution, with assurance or plerophory,

Ver. 16, 17.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

233

1 John v. 14'; sometimes with plainness and evi
dence, John xvi. 25, 29 ; sometimes with liberty, 1
Tim. iii. 13. But I rest in the word ' openly,' here
used. And triumphed over them. Here is the third part
of the victory. This triumph was first begun in the
resurrection and ascension of Christ, Eph. iv. 7.
2. It was continued in the publication of the gospel,
2 Cor. ii. 14, (which is news of victory,) and in the
life of Christians ; for what is the life of every
Christian but the show of a brand taken out of the
fire, or of a soul preserved out of darkness ? The
soul is mounted in the chariot of the word, prayer,
and holy living. This chariot is followed with the
applause of angels, and the approbation of the saints :
the place is in the New Jerusalem on earth, in the
temple of their God. The chariot is drawn with
white steeds, sincere teachers ; it is provoked and
driven on by the Spirit of God ; and the effect of
all is a heart inspired with heavenly joys and refresh
ings. 3. As it began in Christ, and is continued in
the life of a Christian, so this triumph shall be per
fected in death, and consummated in the resurrec
tion, to the eternal dissolution and confusion of all
wicked men and devils.
Use. Now for the use of this. 1. What just cause is
there to take up bitter lamentations for the wonder
ful frowardness of the natures of the most men, who
had rather be miserable and serve the devil still
than be made glorious by conquest in repentance
for their sins. They had rather be his prisoners,
than such princes ; rather slaves to Satan, than sons
to God ; rather dragged into captivity with the
devil, than carried in the chariot of triumph with
the saints.
2. If such honours be done to Christians, and
such joys had in a Christian estate, oh, then, let it
be the prayer of every godly man daily to God, as
Ps. cvi. 4, ' Remember me, 0 Lord, with the favour
of thy people, visit me with thy salvation,' &c.
Lastly, How should it excite in us a desire to walk
worthy of such a victory ! yea, how should it inspire
us with spiritual magnanimity to resist Satan, and
with a holy scorn to disdain his filthy tentations,
and in all estates to demean ourselves so as might
become men that know and believe that Christ hath
spoiled principalities and powers for us ! &c.

4. For the means of this victory, it is added in
these words :
In himself. So it is read in the Greek, and in the
most interpreters ; and this ' in himself,' either it
notes his mystical body, or else it notes Christ him
self alone ; and in this latter sense it is continually
taken. And so we may here learn that it is the
Lord Jesus Christ alone, even himself alone, that
hath wrought this victory for us ; there was none
other able to stand in the field against the adver
sary ; there is no name else under heaven by which
we can be saved ; and therefore we should give aU
the glory to Christ alone, and not to any man or
angels, for they never fought for us, nor were they
able to stand in this battle of our redemption.

Ver. 16. Let no man therefore condemn you in meat
or drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new moon,
or of the sabbath-days :
Ver. 17. Which are but a shadow of things to eome ;
but the body is in Christ.
Hitherto of the seven reasons of the dehortation.
The conclusion follows in these words and the rest
to the end of the chapter ; and it hath three
branches : for 1. He concludes against Judaism in
these words; 2. Against philosophy, ver. 18, 19;
3. Against tradition, ver. 20 to the end.
In these words is contained both the conclusion
itself, ver. 16, and the reason, ver. 17; and the
drift is to shew that the ceremonies of Moses are
abolished, and therefore they should not receive
them, or hold themselves bound unto them. This
was foretold, Dan. ix. 17 — it was signified by the
rending of the veil ; and these ceremonies were
solemnly and publicly laid down in the first council
which was held by the apostles at Jerusalem, Acts
xv. And they were then so laid down that the
apostle after gives order to the church that those
ceremonies should never be used, nor any other
devices, but such as might be to edification, order,
and decency, and were without offence.
The ceremonies named in the text are the differ
ence of meats and drinks, and the observation of
times, concerning which he whites more sharply,
Gal. iii. 1, 3, iv. 10, v. 9, and vi. 12.
In the law there were three sorts of meats that
legally were required : first, The meat-offerings ;
2 G

234

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

secondly, The shewbread ; thirdly, The clean beasts.
The meat-offering was a type of Christ, our nourish
ment ; the shewbread was a type of the church in
her mystical union ; ancl the clean beasts (known by
chewing the cud and dividing the hoof) were types
of the Christian's both meditation and discretion in
the means of his holy conversation. And for the
confirmation of this place, the apostle elsewhere
shews evidently that the difference of meats is taken
away, 1 Tim. iv. 1-4.
The difference of times in the law is here said to
be threefold : of days, of months, of sabbaths.
In respect of an holy day. The original and most
translations word for word have it thus : ' in part of
a holiday,' but in divers senses : some say, in part of
a holiday — that is, in partition of a festival day
from a not festival day, as well in days, as in
months, or sabbaths. Some say, ' in part,' for they
could not observe all ceremonies, being absent from
Jerusalem. Therefore the apostle would have them
to receive none at all, seeing they could not receive
them all. Some say in part of a holiday — that is,
in that part of them which concerns days, &c. But
it is more plainly as it here rendered.
Or of the new moon. They did observe the calends,
or first days of every month.
Or of sabbath-days. There were divers sorts of
sabbaths : of days, of years, of sevens of years.
The sabbaths of days were either moral, viz., the
seventh day, which God did choose, or ceremonial.
The ceremonial sabbaths were either more solemn,
such as were the three great feasts, passover, pente-
cost, and tabernacles ; or less solemn, such as were
the feasts of blowing the trumpets, Lev. xxiii. 24,
and the feast of expiation, Lev. xvi. 32-34. The
sabbath of years was every seventh year, Lev. xxv.
4, 6-11. The sabbath of sevens of years was the
jubilee, which returned every fifty years. We see
here, then, that the apostle shews that we are de
livered from the bondage of the observation as
before of meats, so now of sabbaths.
Object. But is the sabbath-day that was moral
abrogated ?
Sol. No ; the apostle speaks here of the ceremonial
law, not of the moral ; and of ceremonial sabbaths,
not of the moral sabbath : the word is in the plural
number.

The manner of propounding the conclusion is to
be observed.
Let no man condemn you. These words may be
referred either to God's children or to false teachers.
In the first sense it is thus : let none condemn
you — that is, do not shew such love to these cere
monies hereafter that thereby you incur justly the
blame and censure of God's chUdren. And if they
be referred to false teachers, then it is thus : let no
man whatsoever persuade you that you are con
demned or judged of God for omitting the observa
tion of the ceremonies ; care not for their censures ;
never trouble your consciences about it.
Which are shadows of things to come. Here the
apostle with fuU sail drives into the haven, by shut
ting up with this unavoidable argument. These
ceremonies are but shadows of that substance which
now we have, and therefore it is a foolish thing to
strive about the shadow when we have the sub
stance. Ceremonies were shadows in divers respects : 1 .
In respect of certainty of signification : the shadow
is a sure sign of the body ; so was this of Christ to
come. 2. In respect of causation : the body causeth
the shadow, so is Christ the cause of all ceremonies.
3. In respect of the obscurity of signification : a
shadow is dark, so were the ceremonies. 4. In re
spect of cessation : a shadow is quickly gone, so
were the ceremonies ; they were not to last for any
long time. Lastly, They were shadows as they
were types : so the lamb was a shadow of Christ,
and the ark of the church, &c. They were shadows
not given to justify, but to shew justification by
Christ. It is added, ' of things to come,' to keep off the
blow from our sacraments, which are no shadows of
things to come, but of things past.
But the body is in Christ. The words are diversely
interpreted. Some refer the words to the next verse,
but without reason ; some supply a word, ' body,' and
read, ' but the body is the body of Christ : ' but the
plain meaning is, that the truth and substance of
all the ceremonies is now enjoyed by the church in
and by Christ, in whom all is now fulfilled; and
therefore heaven should now suffer violence, and
' the children of Sion should now rejoice in their
King;' and Christians should 'stand fast in the

Ver. 18.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

235

liberty' that is brought unto them in Christ
Jesus. Ver. 18. Let no man bear rule over you by humble
ness of mind and worshipping of angels ; advancing
himself in those things he never saiv, rashly puffed up
with his fleshly mind.
Ver. 19. And holdeih not the head, whereof all the
body, furnished and knit together by joints and bands,
increaseth with the increasing of God.
In these two verses he concludes against phi
losophy, and therein specially against angel-worship,
a device like the old doctrine of the Platonists con
cerning their d-mmones tutelares. The divines also that
first broached this apostatical doctrine in the primi
tive church were philosophers ; and if the papists
will persist in angel-worship, they must bear it to
be accounted better philosophers than divines.
The apostle makes four observations upon those
that bring in this worship of angels : 1. That they
attribute that to themselves which is proper to God,
namely, to bear rule over the consciences of men in
matters of religion, though they pretend to bring in
those things because they would have men think
humbly of themselves ; 2. That they thrust in for
oracles, not things they have seen and heard, but
devised of themselves ; 3. That those things were
founded on no other foundation than the opinions
of men immoderately pleasing themselves in their
own devices ; 4. That this course tends to the high .
derogation of the honour of Christ, who only de
serves all glory, and by whom alone all the sins of
the church are despatched. The men, then, that
urge these things are : 1. Hypocrites, they pretend
one thing and intend another ; 2. They are ignorant
persons ; 3. They are proud and insolent in self-
conceit ; 4. They are profane, without Christ.
Let no man bear rule over you. The original word,
xaraQoaQivirtij, hath troubled interpreters, but is for
the most part rendered, either bear rule over you,
and so play the part of a judge, or rector, or else
defraud you of your prize. It is granted by all to
be a word taken from the manners in the Olympiads
or other where, who run for prizes ; among whom
there was one they called Brabeutes — that is, one
that by appointment did sit as judge, and gave the
prize to the winner.

If it be taken in the first sense, viz., 'let no man
bear rule over you,' then the apostle's meaning is to
warn them, for the reasons above rehearsed and
herewith adjoined, not to suffer tlieir teachers to
lord it over them in their consciences, as before he
had charged them not tp let them carry away their
souls as a prey, ver. 18, or to condemn them, ver.
19. This may teach the ministers of the gospel to
know and keep their bounds, and the people like
wise not to suffer any to bear rule over their con
sciences with their own devices. It condemns also
the hellish pride and imperiousness of the popish
clergy, in playing the judges over men's consciences
at their own pleasure, seeing we have no judge nor
lawgiver but only Jesus Christ, to whom the Father
hath given all power.
Quest. But have not the ministers of the gospel
power, upon observation of the runners, to be as
judges to assign the crown to them that run well ?
Ans. They have, and tlierefore are called the
' disposers of God's secrets,' and ' watchmen,' and
' overseers ;' but yet they must be true ministers, and
they must give judgment by warrant from the word.
Let no man defraud you cf your prize. That is, see
ing you have begun to run so well, and have run so
long, let no man now beguile you of your prize, the
crown of glory.
The church is like a field ; the race is Christian
religion ; the runners are Christians ; the feet are
faith and love ; the goal or mark is death in Christ ;
the brabium, or prize, is the possession of eternal life.
Now the doctrine hence imphed is :
Doct. That men may run and come near the goal,
and yet lose the prize. Many run, yet one ob-
taineth, 1 Cor. ix. 24. Many receive the grace of
God in vain, 2 Cor. vi. 1. Many come near the
kingdom of God, with the scribe, and yet lose; Mark
xii. 34. Many lose what they have wrought, 2
John 8. Hence that exhortation, ' Let no man
take away your crown,' Rev. hi. 11.
The use may be, first, for reproof of such as do
wrong, either" the judges or standers-by, by a wrong
applause, such as give away the honours of God's
children to such as never run in the race, or not
aright, and give the titles of the church and Chris
tianity to wicked men ; but especially this reproveth
those men that having run well for a time, Gal. v. 7,

236

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[Chap

II.

suffer themselves to be hindered, and so lose the
prize. Many are the ways the devil hath to hinder
men in running : sometimes by raising up adver
saries, Phil. i. 29, and outward molestations, Rev. ii.
10; sometimes he casts shame in their way, and
names of reproach, 1 Thes.. ii. 2, Acts xviii. ; some
times he injects tentations, James i. 12 ; sometimes
he leaves them by keeping them in bondage, to the
defence or love of some lesser superstitions or smaller
sins, as the world accounts, Gal. v. 7, 9 ; sometimes
he hinders them by the domestic enemy, the sin that
hangeth so fast on, Heb. xii. 1 ; sometimes he casts
men into a dead sleep, and they lie along in the
middle of the race.
2. This may serve for instruction, to teach us
with all heedfulness to look to ourselves after we set
out in the race of Christian profession, that no man
take our crown ; and to this end we must consider,
both what to shun and what to follow. If we would
not lose our crown we must shun: 1. The sin that
hangs on so fast, Heb. xii. 1 ; 2. Profane babblings
and oppositions of science falsely so called, 1 Tim. vi.
20 ; 3. Scandal, Phil, ii. 15, 16 ; 4. The profits and
pleasures of the world, so as our hearts be not
set upon them, 1 Cor. ix. 25, 1 Tim. vi. 11, 12 ; 5.
Self-love and trust in our own judgment, when we
think ourselves wise enough to order our race with
out advice, Gal. ii. 2 ; 6. Uncertain running, 1 Cor. ix.
16. Now for the second, That we may run success
fully, divers rules must be observed : 1. We must
watchfully stop the beginnings of sin, and when we
feel ourselves begin to halt, we must seek a healing,
lest we be turned out of the way, Heb. xii. 13; 2.
We must follow peace with all men, so far as may
stand with godlines, Heb. xii. 14; 3. We must keep
the faith; 4. We must labour for the love ofthe
appearing of Christ ; 5. We must continue and resolve
not to give over till we have finished our course :
these three rules may be gathered out of 2 Tim. iv.
8,9; 6. We must pray that the gospel may run more
freely, 2 Thes. iii. 1 ; for that, like a mighty wind,
helps wonderfully in the race ; 7. We must order
riches so as they be no hindrances, 2 Tim. vi. 18;
8. We must use the advice of the best that can be
had for skill or experience, Gal. ii. 2 ; 9. We must
faithfully discharge the duties of our calling, 1 Pet.
v. 4,— we must so resolve upon the race, that we

labour to be undaunted and every way resolved
against all afflictions and trials whatsoever that may
befall us, accounting it all happiness to fulfil our.
course with joy, Acts xx. 24, arming ourselves with
this mind, that we wiU take up our cross, and endure
any hardship, 2 Tim. ii. 5, James i. 11.
At their pleasures. This is added as an aggrava
tion. The word notes they did it not ignorantly, or by
frailty, but they did wrong the conscience of men,
with desire, willingly, wUfuUy. It doth greatly in
crease the guilt of sin when men do it wUhngly and
wilfully, where men do it because they wiU do it.
So some men go to law because they wiU go to law,
Mat. v. 40; so some wUl be great, Mat. xx. 26 ; some
will do the lusts of their father the devU, John vhi.
44 ; thus are men daily doing the wills of the flesh,
Eph. ii. 3. The like waywardness may be observed
in the negative : men will not be gathered, Mat. xxiii.
37 ; men will not come to the wedding, Mat. xxh.
3 ; in some things they willingly knew them not,
2 Pet. iii. 5 ; and it is charged upon the idle they
will not work, 2 Thes. hi. 10 ; hence those condi
tional speeches, ' if ye will receive it,' Mat. xi. 1 4,
and ' if any man wiU save his soul,' Mat. xvi. 25.
The use may be for terror to stubborn offenders.
God takes notice of it that they sin at their pleasures ;
they sin because they will sin, and therefore let them
be assured he will be froward with the froward, Ps.
xviii., and therefore he will have his wUl upon them
irresistibly. Hence these threatenings) he will take
account, Mat. xv. 23 ; he wiU quicken whom he wiU,
John v. 21 ; he will give to the last as to the first,
Mat. xx. 14; it shall not be after the wills of the
flesh, John i. 13; the Spirit shall blow where he
will, John hi. 8 ; the mystery shall be made known
to whom he will, Col. i. 27 ; and he will not have
sacrifice, Heb. x. 5.
Secondly, Comfort is here implied : for if there be
so much infection in a will to sin, then there is hope
God will accept a will to be and do good; he will
accep't of the will in prayer, John xv. 7 ; and the
will to resist corruption of nature, Rom. vii. 15-17 ;
and of the will to live honestly, Heb. xiii. 18, John
vii. 17.
Hitherto the apostle hath charged them generally ;
now in the words that follow he enforceth his speech
more particularly, both for matter, pointing out

Ver. 18.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

237

' angel-worship,' as the doctrine he would conclude
against, and for manner noting four things in those
that brought in that worship : 1. That they brought
it in hypocritically, pretending 'humbleness of mind;'
2. Thatthey did it ignorantly, ' advancing themselves
in things they never saw ; ' 3. That they did it proudly,
' rashly puffed up,' &c, ; 4. That they did it danger
ously, ' not holding the head,' &c.
Worshipping of angels. The main matter the
apostle strives to beat down is the worship of an
gels : as a philosophical dream, as a superstition
that defrauds men of heaven, as a hypocritical and
ignorant worship, charging them to be proud and
fleshly persons that use it ; yea, he avoucheth they
cannot hold the head, which is Christ, if they main
tain or practise such a worship. All these reasons
are in the text and coherence against it.
Which may serve for confutation of papists, who
at this day still maintain it, not only without com
mandment or any approved example in scripture,
but directly against the prohibition of the scriptures,
as in this place, and so Rev. xix., the angel forbids
John to do it.
The papists offend in tlieir doctrine about saints
and angels three ways : 1. In giving unto them what
may be attributed only to Christ and to God ; 2. In
adoring them ; 3. In invocating and praying to them;
and all three contrary to scripture.
For the first, they attribute unto them : 1. Inter
cession ; 2. The knowledge of all things that concern
us ; they rob Christ of his intercession, and God of
his omniscience. Now in all this we have a sure word
of God to trust to. For, for intercession, it is plain
we have none in heaven with him, Ps. Ixxiii. 25 ; there
is ' one Mediator betwixt God and man, the man
Christ,' 1 Tim. ii. ; we ' offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ,' 1 Pet. ii. 5. Let
us, therefore, saith the apostle, ' by him offer the
sacrifices of praise always,' Heb. xiii, 15. Note the
words, 'byhim' and 'always;' andwhereastheyobject
the angel, Rev. viii., that offered the prayers of the
saints ; we answer, that angel was Christ, who only
hath the golden censer, and who only is meet to
bring incense to offer upon the golden altar. The
endeavour of Peter for their good after his decease,
was performed while he lived, as is apparent by
comparing the 13th verse with the 15th of 2 Pet. i.

And whereas they give the knowledge of all things
unto them, they rob God of his glory, who only is
the knower of the hearts of men, 2 Chron. vi. 30;
and it is granted, Isa. lxiii. 16, that Abraham knew
them not, and Israel was ignorant of them. And
whereas they Object that Abraham, in the 16th of
Luke, is said to know that they had Moses, and the
prophets' books, we answer that that is spoken para-
bolically, not historically ; they may as well say that
Lazarus had fingers, and Dives a tongue, Sec But
were that granted, yet it followeth not, because
the doctrine of the church was revealed unto him,
therefore he knew all things.
The second thing they give is adoration, contrary
to the flat prohibition of the angel himseff in the
Revelation, who chargeth, ' Worship me not,' Rev.
xix. 10 ; and without all example in scripture, or
the least syllable of warrant for it ; besides we see
here angel-worship in express words condemned.
The third thing is invocation, praying to them ;
which likewise is contrary to scripture, for ' how
shall we call on them on whom we have not be
lieved?' Rom. x. 14; ancl we are exhorted to ' go
boldly to the throne of grace,' with the help of our
High Priest, ' to obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need,' Heb. iv. 16 ; for Christ is ' the pro
pitiation for the sins of the whole world,' 1 John
ii. 2. Why then should we give his glory to any
other ? And invocation is a part of the forbidden
worship of angels, as well as adoration.
In humbleness of mind. It was the practice of
Satan, and pretence of false teachers, to thrust in
this corruption of angel-worship under this colour,
that it tended to keep men in humility, and to make
men to know their duties to the great majesty of
God, and to acknowledge their gratitude to the
angels for their service. This hath been the devil's
wont, to hide foul sins under fan pretences, and
vice under the colours of virtue.
This may serve notably for the confutation of the
papists about their saint and angel worship ; for is
not this their smoothest pretence, to tell us by com-.
parison, that men will not go to great princes directly
with their suits, but will use the mediation of some
courtiers ; and so they say they must do to God.
This you see was the old deceit in the primitive
church, and therefore worthily we may say to the

238

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[Chap. II.

people, let none of the popish rabble defraud you
through humbleness of mind.
Again, is the devil ashamed to shew sin in his
own colours ? Doth he mask it under the colour of
virtue ? Then where shall those monsters appear
that declare their sins as Sodom, and are not
ashamed of open villanies and filthiness ? Such are
they that will constantly to the alehouse, and never
be ashamed of it. Such are our damned swearers.
Such are those filthy persons that know they are
known to live in whoredom, and yet never blush
at it, nor learn to repent. Such are these, in this
city, that live in open contention, who care not,
against apparent right, to maintain continual suits
and wranglings, though they know all men detest
almost the very sight of them for their wicked pro
faneness and unjust contentions ; yea, though the
hand of God be apparently upon them, and they
know not how soon the Lord may turn them into
hell. Such also are the open and wilful sabbath-
breakers ; and many more of all sorts of presumptu
ous offenders.
Again, if vice masked in virtue's colours can so
please and allure men, how much should virtue it
self ravish us ? If counterfeit humUity can be so
plausible, how should true humility win to the ad
miration and imitation of it ?
Lastly, This may warn men to avoid counterfeit
gestures, and all pretended insinuating shows of de
votion, such as are open lifting up of the eyes to
heaven, sighing, and all pretended tricks that are
used only to pretend what is not. And thus of their
hypocrisy, their ignorance follows.
Advancing themselves in things they never saw. Two
things are here to be noted : first, Their ignorance,
in things they never saw ; and secondly, Vain
glorious self-liking, which the word Embateuon ex
presseth. For the first, There are some things cannot be
seen with mortal eyes while we are on earth, as the
nature of God, angels, and what is done in heaven ;
2. There are some things we ought not to see though
we might, and therefore he prayed, ' Lord, turn away
mine eyes from seeing vanity ; ' 3. There are some
things we may and ought to see, as the glory of God
in his works ; 4. There are some things we may and
so ought to see, as it is a great curse if we see them

not, as the favour of God and spiritual things, in re
spect of which to be blinded in heart is a miserable
judgment, Isa. vi. 10 ; of the first sort are the things
done in heaven.
There is a contrary waywardness in the nature of
wicked men ; sometimes men are wUful and will not
be persuaded even in the things which yet they see;
sometimes men are stiff-hearted and will not be re
moved in opinions about things which they never
saw ; and so here.
Ignorance is of divers kinds. There is a natural
ignorance, and that is of two sorts : for there is an
ignorance of mere negation, and so Christ knew not
the day of judgment ; so it is no sin in a husband
man if he be ignorant of astronomy or physic, Sec.
There is a natural ignorance which is of corrupt dis
position, as to be blind in our judgment in spiritual
things from our birth ; this is sinful, but not here
meant. There is a profitable ignorance, and that is hke
wise of two sorts, for it is either profitable, absolutely
and simply, or but only in some respects. It had been
simply profitable and good for the Jews if they had
never known the fashions of the Gentiles ; so it
had been good for Samson if he had never known
Delilah. But it had been profitable for the Pharisees,
but in some respects, not to have seen or to have had
so much knowledge, John ix. 41. So the apostle
Peter saith it had been good for apostates if they
had never known the way of truth, Sec, 2 Pet.
ii. 21.
There is wUling ignorance, and that is of two
sorts : of frailty or of presumption. Of frailty, when
men neglect the means by which they should know,
either in part or in some respects. Thus men fail
that see a wide door set open for comfort and direc
tion, and yet through carelessness or willing slack
ness neglect great riches of knowledge, which might
have been attained if they had made use of oppor
tunities. Presumptuous ignorance is when men not
wittingly only, but wilfully, contemn true knowledge;
' They will none of the knowledge of God's ways,'
Job xxi. 14.
Presumptuous ignorance is likewise of two sorts :
1. When men refuse to know God's revealed will,
needful to their salvation ; 2. When men wilfully
embrace fancies and superstitions in opinion, espe-

Ver. 18.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

239

cially in such things as they neither do nor can
understand ; and such is the ignorance here con
demned. Doct. But the main doctrine is, that it is a great
sin and a hateful vice to be rash and adventurous to
venture upon opinions in matters of religion, either
that concern worship or practice, where men are not
first well-informed in judgment by true grounds of
knowledge. Hence men are advised to ' take heed
how they hear,' and to ' try the spirits, and to be
wise to sobriety,' Rom. xii. 3, and to beware of
fables, 2 Tim. ii. 16, 23, iv. 3, 4, 1 Tim. i. 4, iv. 6,
7, vi. 20, Titus i. 14, iii. 9, 2 Pet. i. 16. This con
demns the strange coining of opinions, without all
warrant of the word, in the papists, that so confi
dently tell us of the rooms in hell, and of the queen
of heaven, and how many orders there be of angels,
Sec And, withal, it may restrain such as profess
the fear of God and reformation of life, to be well
advised in their opinions, and not pitch resolutely
upon opinions in things the word doth not warrant.
Blind zeal hath no more allowance than supersti
tion hath to coin opinions to tie men's consciences
withal. Advancing himself. The word signifieth to take
possession, and to go proudly and to search hidden
things with deep insight. As it is here applied, it
may note in their sin three things : 1. A deep in
sight or out-reaching into a thing beyond ordinary
knowledge ; 2. A mighty approbation or very pos
sessing of a man's self in a peculiar content arising
from his own invention ; 3. An external advancing
or vain-glorious priding of a man's self in his fancy.
There is a strange corruption in the nature of all
sorts of men, a secret inclination to devices and
reaches both in opinion and life. The scripture gives
warning of the ' doctrines of men,' Mat. xv. 9 ; of
' opposition of science,' 1 Tim. vi. 20 ; of ' the deep
ness of Satan,' Rev. ii. 24 ; of. transformation in
evil ministers into ministers of light, &c, 2 Cor. xi.
14. And thus are men in their practice : though
they commit the same foul evils they condemn in
others, yet they have such devices with which they
please themselves, that they are called ' counsels,' Ps.
v. 10, and they are said to ' seek deep to hide their
counsels,' &c. They have their ' turning of devices,'
Isa. xxix. 15. Every man almost thinks he hath

some conceit which others have not, Sec, such as
these : either they may do it though others might
not, or the manner is different, or the issues will not
be alike, or he will repent at such a time when he
hath tried so far, or he will make amends, or it shall
not be known, or God is merciful, or his fault is
not so great as others, or the scripture doth not
condemn it in express words. These and such like
conceits in themselves are dull and silly. But where.
the love of sin hath warmed the heart, and the devil
hath put life into them, it is incredible to conceive
how miserably pertinacious men will shew themselves
to be ; and so do men approve of their own devices,
that usually there is no error or sin so vile but men
can bless themselves against any terror or .threaten
ing : and if men find their devices to have any enter
tainment, they will advance themselves wonderfully,
and not only swell in great thoughts of themselves,
but outwardly vain-glory will overspread their car
riage, words, and actions.
The consideration hereof should teach us to trust
more in God and less in men, Ps. xcii. 8, 9 ; and to
labour for plainness of heart and simplicity, Prov. xii.
5, xxi. 8; and to long to hear God speak, and shew us
the secrets of his wisdom, Job xi. 5, 6 ; and to sus
pect ourselves when we feel a self-liking or an inclin
ation to boast of our device; especially we should
pray that the Lord would keep us from desire of
vain-glory ; and accordingly we should endeavour to
do nothing through strife or vain-glory, but rather
set our glory and boasting in knowing God, and in
the cross of Christ, and in the hope of the glory of
the sons of God, daily examining ourselves, and prov
ing our own works, lest we think ourselves something
when we are nothing. Thus of their ignorance.
Rashly puffed up. These words are a taxation of
their swelling pride, described : 1. By the nature of
it, 'puffed up;' 2. By the effect, 'in vain,' or
' rashly ; ' 3. By the cause, ' in the mind of their flesh.'
Puffed up. What is pride but a wind ? a wind
to fill, and a wind to torment. Men may be spirit
ually swelled both in life and opinion. There is a
swelling for abundance of riches, there is a swelling
behaviour in men's carriages, there is a swelling in
sin, but here is a swelling for opinions. Oh that
we could learn to abhor pride and swelling, by
considering how much the Lord abhors it, as many

240

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[Chap. II.

scriptures shew, Prov. viii. 13, xvi. 5, 19, Job xl.
6, Hab. ii. 5, Mai. iv. 1, and many such like. Oh
that we could be in love with a meek and quiet
spirit, in the hid man of the heart ! But let us
observe the effects of pride.
Rashly. The word is tixfi, and it signifies either
' rashly,' or ' in vain.' Sure it is- a great fault to be
rash, light, sudden, in opinion or practice. It is a
great fault to be rash in reproving, in praising, in
dispraising, or taking or mistaking doctrine, in
judging or censuring ; and we should pray that the
Lord would give us a staid spirit, and a mind not
easily hurried into distemper.
If we read it ' in vain,' it notes fitly that pride
always is in vain. In vain, I say : first, In respect
of God, who resisteth it, James iv. 7, Luke i. 51 ;
secondly, In respect of other men, who "will not
regard it, Prov. xi. 2, Ps. ci. 5 ; thirdly, In respect
of themselves, who inherit nothing by it but folly,
Prov. xiv. 18, 1 Tim. vi. 4. Our hearts' desire then
should be, that the Lord would hide our pride, and
mortify our natural corruption herein.
In the mind of the flesh. Here he shews whence
all this stuff and swelling comes ; it came from the
mind of the flesh, even from the fairest part of the
soul. The mind of the flesh is that acumen, that
sharpness of wit, that perspicacity that is in men ; and
so we may see that wit, sharpness of understanding,
carnal reason is in vain, (whatsoever men savour of
themselves,) a mere puff of wind, a very vanity,
whether it be in opinion or in hfe ; the very wisdom
of the flesh is enmity with God, our own very minds
are so defiled and corrupt. Which should teach us
to ' gird up the loins of our minds,' and restrain
what self-conceit might arise from the pride of our
own minds or carnal reason, we should (as the
apostle shews) 'become fools, that we might be
truly wise,' 1 Cor. iii. 18. Again, it should teach
us not to rest upon the wisdom of men, nor to think
of any above what is written, or be puffed up one
against another. Thus of the third thing.
Ver. 19. And not holding the head, whereof all the
body, furnished and knit together by joints and bands,
increaseth with the increase of God.
These words note the fourth thing, viz., their
danger; they did it not only hypocritically, and

ignorantly, and proudly, but also dangerously.
Their danger is both laid down and amplified in
this verse; it is laid down in these words,"' not hold
ing the head,' and amplified by a digression into the
praises of the mystical body of Jesus Christ, for
the union and increase thereof.
-Not holding the head. These words shew that
they that believe and practise such things are
themselves out of Christ, and by this kind of wor
ship they draw men from Christ. Four things may
from hence be observed :
1. That angel-worship razeth the foundation, so
that the churches that practise it fall from Christ,
and are not the true churches of Christ ; and this evi
dently proves the church of Rome to be no true church,
because, besides many other heresies and idolatries,
they maintain the worshipping of saints and angels.
2. That hypocrisy, ignorance, and pride are in
separable companions of apostasy from Christ.
3. That there is a difference between sin and sin,
error and error ; every sin or every error doth not
cut us off from Christ : there be some sins be sins of
infirmity Gal. vi. 1 ; some sins be such as there re
mains no more sacrifice for them, Heb. vi. ; there
be some ceremonies may be borne withal, Rom. xiv. ;
some ceremonies that abolish from Christ, Gal.
v. 3 ; there be some errors of mere fraUty and
ignorance, Ps. xix. ; some errors that altogether
corrupt the mind, and make men destitute of the
truth, 1 Tim. vi. 4. And therefore we should learn
with all discerning to put a difference, Jude 24.
4. That it is an utter misery not to be joined
unto Christ ; which imports a singular feebleness in
the hearts of men, that cannot be stirred with all
needfulness to make sure their union with Christ.
Head. The dream of Catharinus, that the pope
should be here meant, is to be scorned, not confuted.
The words note the relation that is between Christ
and the church.
The creature stands in relation to Christ : 1.
More generally in existence, and so all things are
in him, Col. i. 16. More especially in union, and
so man only is joined to Christ ; but this union is
threefold, for it is either natural, or sacramental, or
mystical. In the union of nature, all men are joined
to Christ. In the union of sacrament or sign, all in
the visible church are joined to Christ. In the

Ver. 19.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

241

mystical union in one body, only the faithful are
joined to Christ. And this is here meant.
And so we have here occasion again to take notice
of this truth, that the church of Christ is joined
unto Christ in a most near union, even to Christ as
her head. The doctrine hath been largely handled
in the former chapter ; only from the renewing of
the meditation of it, we may gather both comfort
and instruction; comfort if we consider the love,
presence, sympathy, influence, and communication
of dignity with which Christ doth honour us as our
head ; instruction also, for this may teach us to be'
careful to obey Christ willingly, as the member
doth the head, and to carry ourselves so godly and
discreetly, that we dishonour not our head.
From which all the body, Sec Hitherto of the
danger as it is laid down : now followeth the
aggravation by a digression into the praises of the
church, the mystical body of Christ. In general
three things may be observed :
1. That by nature we are wonderful blind in the
contemplation of the glory of the mystical body of
Christ, and therefore we had need to be often put
in mind of it.
2. That one way to set out the fearfulness of sin,
is by the fairness of the blessings lost by it ; the
fairness of the body of Christ shews the foulness of
lumps of profaneness and apostasy.
3. Digressions are not always and absolutely un
lawful. God's Spirit sometimes draws aside the
doctrine to satisfy some soul which the teacher
knoweth not; and sparingly used, it quickeneth
attention. But I forbear to plead much for it,
because though God may force it, yet man should
not frame it; and it is a most happy ability to
speak punctually, directly to the point.
But in particular, in these words the church,
which is the body of Christ, is praised for four
things : 1 . For her original or dependence upon Christ,
' of whom ; ' 2. For ornament, ' furnished ; ' 3. For
union, which is amplified: 1. By the parts, 'knit
together;' 2. By the means, 'joints and bands;' 4.
For her growth, 'increasing with the increase of God.'
Of whom. Doct. All the praise of the church is
from her head ; for of herself she is black, Cant, i.,
she is but the daughter of Pharaoh, Ps. xiv. ; she
was in her blood when Christ first found her, Ezek.

xvi. ; she needed to be washed from her spots and
wrinkles, Eph. v. ; and therefore we should deny
ourselves, and do all in the name of Christ, who is
our praise.
All the body. Doct. The care of Christ extends
itself to every member as well as any. Observe
these phrases in scripture: ' Every one that asketh,'
Mat. vii. 8 ; ' every one that heareth these words,'
Mat. vii. 24 ; ' every one that confesseth Christ,'
Mat. x. 32 ; ' every one that is weary and heavy
laden,' Mat. xi. 29 ; ' every one that the Father
hath given him,' John vi. 37 ; ' every one that
caUeth on the name of God,' 1 Cor. i. 2 ; and the like.
Use is, first, for comfort : ' Let not the eunuch
say, I am a dry tree ; or the stranger say, The Lord
hath separated me from his people,' Isa. lvi. ; ' nor
let the foot say, I am not the eye,' Sec, 1 Cor.
xii. ; and, secondly, We must learn of Christ to ex
tend our love also to all saints.
Body. It were to no purpose to tell that there are
divers bodies, terrestrial, celestial, natural, spiritual,
a body of sin, a body of death : it is Christ's body
is here spoken of. Christ hath a body natural, and
a body sacramental, and a body mystical ; it is the
mystical body is here meant. The mystical body
of Christ is the company of faithful men, who by
an unutterable union are everlastingly joined to
Christ ; though they are dispersed up and down the
world, yet in a spiritual relation they are as near
together as the members of the body are. If we
be faithful there can be no separation from Christ
and Christians, whatsoever become of us in our out
ward estate.
This body of Christ is • commended for three
things : ornament, union, and growth ; and well are
all put together, for not one can be without the
other, especially the first and the third cannot be
without the second. It is no wonder Christians
cannot grow nor be furnished if they be not knit to
Christ ; they may be near the body, but not of the
body. There is great difference between our best
garments and our meanest members ; the worst
member of the body will grow, yet the best raiment,
though it fit never so near, will not. So is it be
tween wicked men professing Christ, and the godly
that are members of Christ indeed.
Of these three, union is of the essence of the
2 H

242

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[Chap. II

body ; the other two are adjuncts ; the one needful
to the being, the other to the well-being of the
church. First, tlierefore, of this union :
This union is two ways here set forth : 1. That it
is, in these words, ' knit together ; ' 2. How it is,
in these words, ' by joints and bands.'
Knit together. The faithful are knit together : 1.
With Christ ; 2. With Christians.
Great is the glory of Christians knit to Christ,
for from that union with him flow many excellent
privileges, such are these :
1. The communication of names, — the body is
called sometimes by the name of the head, viz.,
Christ, 1 Cor. xh., and the head by the name of
the body, viz., Israel, Isa. xlix. ; 2. The influence of
the virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ,
Rom. vi. ; 3. The inhabitation of the Spirit of
Christ, Rom. 8 ; 4. Intercession, 1 John ii. 2 ; 5.
The communication of the secrets of Christ, 1 Cor.
ii. 16; 6. The testimony of Jesus, 1 Cor. i. 5 ; 7.
Expiation, as he is the sacrifice and passover offered
for us, 1 Cor. v. 7 ; 8. Consolation in affliction,
2 Cor. i. 5 ; 9. Power against tentations, 2 Cor. xi.
9; 10. The anointing or power of office to be pro
phets, kings, and priests unto God, 2 Cor. i. 21 ;
11. Universal grace, not in respect of persons, that it
reacheth to all the members only, but in respect of
parts, that hebeing the fulness that fiUeth all in all
things, Eph. i. 27; 12. Sympathy in all miseries,
Heb. ii. 15 ; 13. The sanctification of all occurrents
in life or death, Phil. i. 21 ; 14. The resurrection
of the body, both for matter, Rom. viii. 11, and
priority, 1 Thes. iv. 16; lastly, The opening of
heaven, Heb. x. 24, a lease whereof is granted and
sealed, and earnest given in this life, Eph. i. 14.
Thus of union with Christ.
From their knitting with Christians also arise
excellent advantages and prerogatives, for hereby
they have right to the external privileges of Zion ;
they stand in relation to all saints, they receive the
benefit of the prayers of the whole body, and from
the known saints they have the light of example,
fellowship in the gospel, outward blessings for their
sakes, assistance in the fight against the world,
sympathy in afflictions, the profit of spiritual mercy,
counsel, consolation, admonition, &c, and, lastly,
a part in their lot.

By joints and bands. The meaning is that God's
servants are tied together by as near, certain, and
sure means as any member in the body can be joined
to the rest by joints and bands.
We are tied to Christ both by his Spirit, and by
faith, and hope, and holy desires ; we are tied to
the church in one spirit, in one head, in the freedom
and use of his ordinances, the word and sacraments ;
in affection, in subordination of callings, and in the
covenant of grace, and in the same lot of in-
heritanqe. The uses of all follow : first, If we be thus tied
to Christ by joints and bands, then they are to be
reproved that like it so well to be still chained in
the bonds of iniquity, and seek not this holy union ;
let them take heed they be not reserved unto ever
lasting bonds. But especially the meditation hereof
should work in us a hatred of fornication and that
filthy coupling with a harlot, 1 Cor. vi. 15 ; and
we should take heed of offending, wounding or
wronging the brethren, for thereby men sin against
Christ himself to whom they are united, 1 Cor. vhi.
11, 12; and it should separate us from sinners, 2
Cor. vi. 15 ; and cause us to strive to shew our
selves new creatures, 2 Cor. v. 17 ; and to seek
those things that are above, where our head and
Saviour is, Col. .hi. 1. Here also is great comfort,
for our union with Christ may assure us that we
shall not be destitute of any heavenly gift, needful
for this life or the appearing of Christ, for present
sanctification or future preservation, for ' God is
faithful who hath caUed us to this feUowship with
his Son.' And seeing we are tied with such joints
and bands, ' who shall separate, us from the love of
Christ ? ' Rom. viii.
Again, are we united to Christians and knit
together as foUow members? Then we should be
faithful in the use of our own gifts, and dUigent in
our callings for tlmcommon good, Rom. xh. 6-8 ; to
all well-doing, to do it with love, sincerity, and
brotherly affection, ver. 9, 10; yielding honour to
the places and gifts of others, ver. 10 ; with all
uprightness, diligence, and respect of God's glory,
ver. 11 ; with hope, patience, prayer, ver. 12 ; with
mercy, sympathy and humility, ver. 13-16. Thus
of union ; ornament follows.
Furnished, The ehurch is furnished with un-

Ver. 20-23.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

243

searchable riches, Eph. iii. 9, with all sorts of
spiritual blessings in heavenly things, Eph. i. 3 ;
she is cleansed by the blood of Christ, Heb. ix. 14;
Christ is her wisdom, righteousness, and sanctifica
tion, and redemption, 1 Cor. i. 31 ; she is not desti
tute of any heavenly gift, 2 Cor. i. 6 ; and this he
took order for when he ascended on high and led
captivity captive, Eph. iv. 7. Oh, then, that the love
of Christ could constrain us, and that the Spirit of
, Christ would enlighten us, to see the riches of our
calling, and the glorious inheritance of the saints !
Thus of ornament ; growth followeth.
Increasing with the increase of God, Growth is a
marvellous glory to Christians.
The body of Christ groweth : 1. In the number of
parts or members, men being added daily to the
church; 2. In the powerful use of the means of
salvation; 3. In grace, 2 Pet. iii. 18, as knowledge,
and the like, Col. i. 9-1 1 ; 4. In practice of holy
duties, Phil. i. 11; 5. In the strength of Christ,
Eph. iii. 16.
There are many lets of the growth of grace and
holiness in Christians ; some are secret, some open.
The secret are: 1. Want of the true grace; 2. A
profession advanced for ill ends, inward hypocrisy ;
3. Errors, and wicked opinions, either concerning
the doctrine of godliness, or the practice of it, 2 Pet.
iii. 17, 18; 4. Want of knowledge how to perform
holy duties, and faith to beheve God's acceptation ;
5. Strong affections, 1 Cor. iii. 3, Eph. iv. 30, 31;
6. Spiritual pride, 2 Cor. xii. 6, 7 ; 7. Love of ease,
or loathness to endure either the labour or the
trouble of the power of godliness; 8. Want of
internal order in digesting the comforts or directions
of God, and unsettledness in assurance ; and lastly,
Some secret corruptions which they favour and will
not forego.
The open and external lets are : 1. Want of pubhc
powerful means, Eph. iv. 12, Sec ; 2. Discord with
the members of Christ, Eph. iv. 16; 3. Neglect of
private means ; 4. Want of order of life, Col. h. 5, 6 ;
5. Unfaithfulness in other bonds, 1 Pet. iii. 7 ;
6. Secret detractors and backbiters; 7. Ungodly
company ; 8. Living without a particular calling, or
not dUigently in it ; 9. Worldliness, as in Demas ;
lastly, Resisting of counsel and admonition.
There are divers motives even in this text which

may persuade us to strive after increase : 1 . It will
be a sign thou art far from fundamental errors in
opinion or worship, and from pride and hypocrisy ;
2. Thou shouldst do it for thine head's sake, —
dishonour not thine head by thy not increasing;
3. Increase for the good and glory of the body;
lastly, It is the increasing of God, and so it is four
ways : 1. In respect of kind, it is not a thriving in
estate or temporal things, but in the things of God ;
2. As he is the efficient cause of it, God only is the
author of all holy increase ; 3. In regard of the
worth of the matter, it is a divine thing to increase ;
4. In respect of the end, it tends to God's glory.
That we may increase we must look to three
things : 1. That we often purge our hearts by godly
sorrow, and humiliation for our sins ; 2. That we
love brotherly fellowship ; 3. That we willingly
resign ourselves to the ministry of the gospel, to be
subject, and obey it in all things.
And thus far of the conclusion against philosophy;
the last branch of the conclusion foUows.
Ver. 20. Wlierefore if we be dead with Christ from
the ordinances of the world, why as though ye lived in
the world are ye burthened with traditions ?
Ver. 21. As touch not, taste not, handle not.
Ver. 22. Which cdl perish with the using, and are
after the commandments and doctrines of men.
Ver. 23. Wliich things indeed have a show of wisdom
in voluntary religion, and humbleness cf mind, and not
sparing the body, which are things of no value, since they
appertain to filling cf the flesh.
In these wrords is contained the third branch of
the conclusion, ancl it is enforced against traditions.
Here I observe both the manner of propounding, and
the matter • For the first, it is to be observed, that
whereas he condemned the former by way of advice,
he condemns these by bitter and tart expostulation,
'why are ye burthened with traditions?' as if he should
say, Were there not a singular proneness of nature
to corruption, could they be so blinded as to suffer
false teachers to impose traditions upon them ?
In the matter consider : first, What he condemns,
viz., traditions, explicated in the kinds, ver. 21 ; 2.
The reasons why he condemns them ; and these are
six : 1. Ye are dead with Christ, and therefore ye
ought not to be subject to traditions, — of the force of

244

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

this reason afterwards ; 2. You are dead from the
rudiments of the world, that is, from the ceremonial
laws of Moses, which yet were as rudiments or
ways of instructing the world in the principles of
the kingdom of God, and therefore much more
should you now give over traditions ; 3. They are
burdens, and the greater by how much the less
sense you have of them ; 4. The matter of them is
light, and vain, and idle, ver. 21 ; 5. They are all
corruptible, and perish with the using ; 6. They are
after the accounts and doctrines of men, ver. 22.
Object. But there seemeth to be a depth in these
traditions. Sol. Ver. 23. He confesseth that they have a 'show
of wisdom,' and that in three things : 1. 'In volun
tary religion ; ' 2. 'In humbleness of mind ;' 3. 'In
not sparing the body,' which he censures two ways :
1. It is but a show or flourish, no true substance
either of worship or sanctity ; 2. It withholds the
honour due to the body.
Now that the whole may be better understood,
we must distinctly consider what he meaneth by
tradition, which will appear if it be considered nega
tively, with comparison with the two former.
1. They are not things required by scripture any
way ; for all such were condemned under the first
kind, viz., ceremonies, which though now abrogated,
were once required.
2. They are not such rites besides scripture, as are
practised with opinion of worship, for they are con
demned under the second kind, viz., philosophy.
So then the traditions here condemned are such
rites, customs, or observations, as men bind their
consciences to observe or practise in the civil life
of man. Besides the instances in the text, such are
the observation of evil days, or hours to be born in,
or to marry in, or to set out on a journey in ; the
rules observed about infants unbaptized, as that
they must not be washed, or they must lie in a
sieve, or such like about women that lie in ; such
is the not marrying with kindred at the font, as they
call it ; such are the observation of signs of ill luck,
or of death, gathered from the crying of birds, or the
running of beasts; such is praying at the lighting up
of candles, and the burning of candles over the dead
corpse, or the naming of children with names that
agree to men and women, to make them live the

longer ; such is not burying on the north side of the
church, and the like silly trash with which simple
people abound more than is ordinarily observed.
Thus of the general.
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ. In these words
divers things may be observed :
1. Here we see the necessity of our union with
Christ ; the apostle will not be done with it, he
remembereth it still.
2. When he saith, ' if you be dead,' it implies that
men may make a fair show, and profess long, and
live in true visible churches, and yet it is a question
whether they be in Christ or no, ' if ye be dead with
Christ.' 3. Note here the praise of a mortified life ; for
when he saith, ' if ye be dead in Christ,' it imports
that to be so is an excellent condition ; to be truly
mortified with Christ is a rare happiness ; to die
with Christ is better than to live with the world.
4. Penitent sinners have life and death, joys and
sorrows, Sec, common with Christ.
5. In special they have death common with Christ.
They die with Christ : (1.) Because Christ's death
was theirs. When Christ died they died, because
his death was for their sakes, and for their benefit.
(2.) Because when their bodies die they die in union
with Christ. (3.) Because the virtue of Christ's
death is derived to their souls ; whence flows death
to the law, that is, a release from the rigour and
curse of it ; 2. Death to sin, that is, a power to
mortify sin, conveyed in the ordinances of Christ,
and applied by the Spirit of Christ ; 3. The pres
ence of Christ in all the duties of mortification ;
though they be done never so secretly, yet Christ is
with them.
The use may be both for trial and comfort. For
trial : art thou not dead with Christ in respect of the
mortification of thy corruptions ? then art thou not
in Christ. For comfort to the mortified : thou art
in Christ, and he will never leave thee nor forsake
thee, till he hath raised thy body and cured thy
soul. Thus of the words in themselves. They are
also to be considered as they are here used against
traditions, and so they are two ways :
1. Christ is dead, and in his death ye are freed from
all bondage of soul to anything but the will of God,
and therefore it is a dishonour to Christ's death and

Ver. 20-23.1

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

245

the freedom purchased in it to make ourselves ser
vants to traditions.
2. You are dead with Christ, that is, you are
mortified persons ; and these things are too light for
any grave and penitent person to take up his
thoughts or cares about them ; fleshly persons are
only capable of this trash ; mortified persons without
teaching suspect them.
Thus of the first reason.
From the rudiments of the world. The second reason
stands thus : If by the death of Christ ye be freed
from the ceremonies of Moses, which were then
rudiments, or, as it were, the first grounds of in
struction, then much more are you freed from tradi
tions, which are but beggarly observations, that
nobody can tell whence they came, or what good
they do. This should be of force to prevail with us
against the multitudes of idle traditions that reign
amongst the people.
Why, as though ye lived in the world, are ye burdened ?
&c. Quest. Do not the faithful live in the world, that
he saith with such a salt interrogation, ' as though
ye lived in the world ?'
Ans. 1 . They live in the world corporally, yet not in
the world in respect of their profession of spiritual
and celestial life ; so Christ's kingdom was not of
this world. 2. In respect of subjection to all the
frame of rites and observations of the world : they
live not as men that are tied and vowed to the
service of the world in whatsoever observations it
shall propound.
Burdened. Traditions are a grievous burden to
the soul, and the worse the less they are felt. Men
will not willingly suffer unjust impositions in their
freeholds in the world, nor should men suffer the
world to impose burdens upon their souls.
The word also notes the audacious liberty of the
imposers : before they pestered the church with the
ceremonies of Moses, then they corrupted God's
worship with philosophical dreams, such as was the
worship of angels ; now they proceed further, they
clog the civil life of man and his private affairs with
imperious observations.
Thus of the third reason.
As touch not, taste not, handle not. These words
must be understood to be uttered mimeticos, in a

kind of scorn. See the wicked subtlety of the devil,
he turns himself into all forms to ruin us. Once he
destroyed the world by tempting man to eat, now
he goeth about to poison men's souls with restrain
ing them from eating.
Some observe that the haste of the words, without
copulatives, notes their eagerness in pressing these
things, and persuading men to the care of them.
Sure it is, men of corrupt minds are more eager about
these than about weightier matters.
Some learned render ' touch not' by ' eat not,' and
so note a gradation : first, they would not have them
eat ; then not so much as taste ; and when they had
gotten them to that, then not so much as to handle.
Ambrose runs against the stream of all interpreters
to understand these words to be- the commandment
of the apostle.
Thus of the fourth reason.
Which all perish with tlu using. These words are
two ways interpreted :
1. They bring destruction to the users ; they are a
doctrine of the devil's, and make men the children
of hell. This is true, but not the truth of this place.
2. They are of a perishable nature, and therefore
men ought not to load their consciences with neces
sity of observing them.
This is the nature of all outward things ; they
perish with the using ; all is vanity ; the glory of the
flesh is but as the flower of the field, Isa. xl. ; rust or
moth doth corrupt them, Mat. vi. ; even crowns are
corruptible, 1 Cor. iv. 24. Here we see a clear
difference between earthly things and spiritual.
Earthly things, not only in the abuse, but in the
very use, are either worn out or less regarded, or
have less vigour, fairness, power, Sec; but clean
contrary with spiritual things. Why should we not
then moderate our love to these outward things 1
Why should we not strive to ' use this world as if
we used it not,' no more ' trusting in uncertain
riches ' ? This should also stir us up to the care of
spiritual graces and duties that never perish, that we
may attain that ' uncorruptible crown of righteous
ness' which ' God will give to all that love his
appearing.' The very daily perishing of food and
raiment are types of thine own perishing also.
Thus of the fifth reason.
And are after the commandments and doctrines of

246

BYFIELD ON- COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. II.

men. The reason stands thus : whatsoever hath no
better warrant than the commandment and doctrines
of men is to be rejected as a burdensome tradition.
But these things are such, therefore why are ye
burdened ? See the wretched disposition of men's
natures, how ready men are to prescribe, and how
easy men are to be led on in these foolish vanities.
But are the commandments of God so easily obeyed ?
Are the doctrines of God's word so willingly em
braced ? Alas ! alas ! men's examples or counsel
will easily pass for laws, but the Lord is as if he
were not worthy to be heard in the practice of the
most. Thus of the six reasons.
Now follow the objections. Though these things
were not commanded in the word, yet they were
wisely devised by our fathers, and therefore are to
be observed.
Sol. Ver. 23. The apostle grants that there were
three things alleged to approve the discretion of the
founders of these things, and instanceth in one kind,
viz., abstinence or fasting, for that he confesseth
had a show of voluntary, not co-acted or forced reli
gion ; 2. Of humbleness of mind ; 3. Of the taming
of the body. But when he hath granted this, he
doth dash all as it were with thunder and lightning,
when he saith : 1. This was but the show of wis
dom ; 2. This sparing did withhold the honour due
unto the body.
Observe here that it is a fair property to use can
dour and ingenuous inquiry after the truth, and
willingly to acknowledge what they see in the
reasons of the adversaries. We see the apostle fairly
yields the full of the reasons, not mangling them,
but setting them out distinctly, and then confutes
them. It were happy if there were this fair dealing
in all reasonings, public and private, in print or by
word of mouth, in all that profess love to the truth
especially. Show of wisdom. There is a wisdom only in ap
pearance, and in men's account, in name only. Some
men have wisdom, others have tho praise of wisdom.
But in matters of conscience and religion, it is dan
gerous for man to lift up himself in his wisdom, or
to admit the varnish of carnal reason. The wisest
worldly men are not always the holiest and most re
ligious men. Oh that there were a heart in us

indeed, to acknowledge and to seek the true wisdom
that is from above !
The colours cast upon their traditions were three:
1. Voluntary religion ; 2. Humbleness of mind ; 3.
The taming of the body. All these, as base varnish
to smear over men's insolent wickedness, are here
rejected. Which may confirm us in the detestation
of popery, even in that wherein it makes the great
show. What are their works of supererogation, their
vows of single hfe, their canonical obedience, their
wilful poverty, and the like ? What can be said or
shewed in their praise, which was not pretended
for these traditions ? The apostle here gives warn
ing : let not men be deceived ; these fair pretences
of our papists are but the old objections of the false
apostles, new varnished over again by the pope and
his vassals. Oh that our seduced multitude would
consider this ! then would they not be thus led to
hell with their fair shows.
The last thing in this verse is the apostle's reason
against these colours.
They have it not in estimation to satisfy the body or
flesh. That is, they yield not due honour to the
body. The body of man is to be honoured, for, first,
the Son of God (as the fathers say) made it with
his own hands in the likeness of the body he as
sumed. 2. The soul, a divine thing, is kept in it,
and helped by it in great employments. 3. The Son
of God took the body of a man into the unity of his
person. 4. He redeemed the body by his blood,
and feeds it with the sacramental body. 5. The
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. 6. It is
consecrate to God in baptism. 7. It is a part of
the mystical body of Christ. Lastly, It shall be
gloriously raised at the last day. Then let men
know, they must give account that dishonour their
bodies, and if these superstitious persons must reckon
for it that punish their bodies without command
ment from God, where shall these beasts appear
that sin against their bodies by gluttony, and
drunkenness, and lust, and whoredom, and cruelty,
and murder? Oh, the condemnation that abides
these impenitent men, that glory in their shame,
and mind only to fulfil the lusts of the flesh !
Thus of the dehortation. Thus also of matters of
faith. Thus also of the second chapter.

THE LOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE THIRD CHAPTER.

HITHERTO the apostle hath entreated of matters
of faith; now he entreateth in these two
chapters of matters of life, prescribing rules for
conversation. These rules are either general or particular. The
general are from ver. 1 to, 18; the particular are
from ver. 1 8 of this chapter to ver. 2 of the fourth
chapter. The general rules concern : first, The meditation
of heavenly things, ver. 1 to 5 ; secondly, The morti
fication of vice, ver. 5 to 10 ; thirdly, The renovation
of hfe, ver. 10 to 18.
The exhortation to the care and study of heavenly
things is propounded, ver. 1 ; illustrated, ver. 2 ;
confirmed by reasons, ver. 3, 4.
In the proposition of this exhortation to the study
of heavenly things, two things are to be observed :
1. The duty required, 'seek those things that are
above;' 2. The reasons, which are four : 1. Ye are
risen with Christ ; 2. These things are above ; 3.
Christ is above ; 4. Christ is exalted there, and sits
at God's right hand.
This exhortation is illustrated, ver. 2 : first, By
repetition, in these words, ' Set your affections on
things which are above ;' secondly, By the contrary,
' and not on things that are on earth.'
The confirmation is set down by two motives ; the
one from the condition of the faithful in this world ;
the other from their glory in the end of the world.
In this world two things should incite them : 1.
Their distress, they are ' dead;' 2. Their hiding of
the happiness they have, their 'life is hid with
Christ in God,' ver. 3.
In the end of the world they shall appear in
glory when Christ shall appear, ver. 4. Thus of
the meditation of heavenly things.
The mortification of evil follows ; and so he
entreats : first, Of the mortification of vices that

concern ourselves most, ver. 5-7 ; secondly, Of the
mortification of injuries, ver. 8, 9.
In the first there is both the matter to be morti
fied, and the reasons.
In the first there is two things : 1. The pro
position of mortification, ' Mortify therefore your
members that are on earth;' 2. The catalogue of
vices to be mortified, which are either against the
seventh commandment, ' fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection,' or against the tenth command
ment, ' evil concupiscence,' or against the first com
mandment, ' covetousness, which is idolatry.'
The reasons are taken : first, From the evil effect,.
which is the ' wrath of God,' amplified by the per
sons on whom it falls, ' the children of disobedience,'
ver. 6 ; secondly, From experience, ' in which ye
also walked when ye lived in them,' ver. 7.
Thus of the mortification of vices.
The mortification of injuries follows, where ob
serve : 1. The exhortation itself; 2. The reasons
of it.
In the exhortation there is two things : 1. The
charge in general, ' put away all these things ;' 2.
The catalogue of injuries to be put away are either
the sins of the heart or the sins of the tongue : the
sins of the heart are ' anger, wrath, malice ;' the
sins of the tongue are ' cursed speaking, filthy speak
ing, lying.'
The reasons are three : first, Ye have put off the
old man and his works, ver. 9 ; secondly, Ye are
renewed, which is explicated by shewing that this
new birth is in general the putting on of the new
man in particular, it is the renewing of the mind
with knowledge, and of the whole man with the
image of Christ, ver. 10 ; thirdly, God is no accepter
of persons, without grace he will respect none, and
with it he will disregard none, for ' with him there
is neither Grecian now Jew, circumcision nor uncir-

248

THE ANALYSIS OF THE THIRD CHAPTER.

cumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond, free : Christ is
all in all things,' ver. 11.
Hitherto of the second thing needful to holy life,
viz., the mortification of vices. The third follows,
viz., the exercise of holy graces and duties, from ver.
12 to 18 ; and here the rules concern either : 1. The
matter of holiness, ver. 12 to 16; or, The means of
holiness, ver. 16 ; or, The end of holiness, ver. 17.
For the first, he gives in charge nine graces, but
first proposeth three motives : 1. The election of
God, ' as the elect of God ;' 2. Their sanctification,
' holy ;' 3. The love of God to them, ' and beloved.'
The graces are of three sorts ; some of them have
their greatest praise in prosperity, viz., ' mercy,
kindness, meekness, humbleness of mind ;' some of
them concern the times of adversity principally,
viz., long-suffering and clemency in forbearing and
forgiving, ver. 12, 13.
Some of these graces ought to reign at all times,
and these are three : —
First, Love, which is set out both by the dignity
of it, ' above all put on love,' and by the use of it,
it is ' the bond of perfectness,' ver. 14.
Secondly, Peace, amplified by the author, ' of
God ;' by the power of it, ' let it rule ;' and by the
seat of it, ' in your hearts.' To which he exhorts
by two reasons : 1. From their vocation, ' to which
ye are called ;' 2. From their mutual relation, ' as
members of one body,' ver. 15.
The third is thankfulness or amiableness, ver. 15.
Thus of the matter of holiness.
The means follows, which is the word.
The exhortation to the use of the word : 1. Con
cerns the word in general ; 2. The psalms in special.
For the first, he propounds three things : 1. The
author of it, ' the word of Christ ;' 2. The manner
of entertaining the word, ' let it dwell in you plente-
ously in all wisdom ;' 3. The end or use it should
be put to, viz., to teach in what we know not, and
to admonish in what we do not.
The second part concerns the psalms in particular,
where he sets down the sorts, ' psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs ;' and the right manner of singing of
psalms, ' singing with grace in your hearts to the
Lord.' Thus of the means of holiness, ver. 16.
The third thing is the end, which is considered
two ways : first, As the end of intention that we

aim at, and so he exhorts to it in these words:
' whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus ; ' 2. As the end of consum
mation that finisheth our works, and so they must
' give thanks to God, even the Father by him.'
And thus of the rules of holy hfe that concern all
men as they are Christians.
Now follow particular rules fitted for particular
callings, and that in the family. In the family
there are three couples : wives and husbands,
children and parents, servants and masters; and to
these he giveth rules distinctly.
First, The wife's duty is laid down and enlarged ;
laid down in these words, ' wives be subject to
your husbands ; ' enlarged, first, by a reason, ' it is
comely ; ' 2. A limitation, ' in the Lord,' ver. 18.
Secondly, The husband's duty is propounded : 1.
By exhortation, ' husbands love your vives ;' 2. By
dehortation, 'be not bitter to them,' ver. 19.
Thirdly, The duty of children is laid down in
these words, ' children obey your parents ; ' and
amplified: 1. By the extent, ' in aU things ; ' 2. By
reason, ' for this is well pleasing to the Lord,' ver. 20.
Fourthly, The duty of parents is expressed by
dehortation, in these words, ' parents provoke not
your children to anger ; ' and confirmed by a reason
taken from the ill effect, ' lest they be discouraged.'
FUthly, In setting down the duty of servants,
there is first the exhortation, ver. 22, 23 ; the
reasons, ver. 24, 25. The exhortation is both
briefly laid down in these words, ' servants be obe
dient to them that are your masters ; ' and expli
cated : 1. By provisos about their obedience; 2.
The manner how they must obey.
The provisos are two : one restrains masters, they
are their servants but ' according to the flesh ; ' the
other extends the duty of servants, they must obey
' in all things.'
The manner how they must obey is set down :
first, Negatively, ' not with eye-service, not as men-
pleasers ; ' secondly, Affirmatively; and so they must
obey : 1. ' With singleness of heart ; ' 2. With 'fear
of God ; ' 3. ' Heartily, as to the Lord.'
The reasons are two : first, From the certain
hope of reward from God, ver. 24; secondly, From
the certain vengeance of God upon them that do
wrong.

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE THIRD CHAPTER.

VER. 1. Hitherto you have been taught, exhorted,
and dehorted in matters that concern faith and
opinions. Now it followeth that I should stir you
in such things as concern your carriage, both gen
eral, as you are Christians, and particular, as you are
of several conditions of life. And the first thing
you should be careful of in the right order of your
lives, is to raise up your thoughts and affections to
the study and contemplation of heavenly things ;
for hereby you do effectually prove that you are
risen up in the first resurrection with Jesus Christ.
And heavenly things are above, and therefore for
their worthiness fitting your contemplation ; and
for their difficulty, they cannot be reached without
seeking, and diligent study and inquiry. Besides,
is not Christ above your head and Saviour, and
where should your hearts be, but where your trea
sure is, yea, where Christ is, there in singular
glory, advanced above all men and angels, next
in glory and power to God himself? Oh, then,
how should your minds run upon him ; and to
contemplate of these things is to ascend after
him. Ver. 2. And when I exhort you to seek the things
that are above, my meaning is that you should
study about them, and with all wisdom raise up not
your thoughts only, but your affections also to the
love of heavenly things ; and this you cannot do
unless you withdraw your affections from things on
earth, whether they be traditions, or worldly things,
or the works of the flesh.
Ver. 3. Now there are excellent reasons by which
I may briefly stir you up hereunto, both from the
consideration of your present estate in this world,
and from the meditation of your future condition in

the day of Christ. In this world two things should
much move you : First, That ye are but dead men;
for both you profess the forsaking of the world, and
the world accounts of you but as dead men ; and
your affections drown and overwhelm you many
times. Secondly, The spiritual happiness which you
have, which is the hfe of your life, is hid always
from wicked men, who have no judgment or dis
cerning in spiritual things ; and sometimes by the
violence of tentation yourselves discern not your
own happiness. Yet be not discouraged ; it was so
with Christ while he hved ; and though it be hid,
yet is it hid with God ; it is in him, it is in his
power, and he wUl preserve it.
Ver. 4. But especially, if you think of the coming
of Jesus Christ, you should be stirred to the love
and study of heavenly things ; for then shall there
be an end of all earthly felicities, then shall men
make accounts of all their actions and studies, then
will not riches avail in that day of wrath, then will
the incomparable gain and glory of godliness be
discovered. Oh, the invaluable dignity of heavenly-
minded Christians in that day ! And thus of the
meditation of heavenly things.
Ver. 5. The second main part of my exhortation
shall concern the mortification both of vices and
crimes. First, I would hence observe those special
sins which are most hateful to God in your former
course of life, and then have been most prone to.
When I say mortify, I mean that you should use all
the means indefinitely that serve to kUl the power
and practice of those sins, never giving over con
fession and godly sorrow till you find the power of
them abated and deadened. And this I would have
you do, not only in outward sins, but any sin, though
2 I

250

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE THIRD CHAPTER.

they were as dear to you as the very members of
your bodies, yet you must cut them off. Now some
of the sins that I would have you studious to avoid
or mortify are these : first, look to the filthiness
condemned in the seventh commandment; not only
avoid whoredom, but all kinds of wicked fleshly
filthiness and uncleanness; yea, look to that in
ternal burning or the flames of lust within, that
habitual effeminateness and passions of lust ; and
more than all this, see that you make conscience of
evil thoughts, and that contemplative wickedness
which may be in your minds without consent of the
will to practise it ; for even those thoughts are filthy
in God's sight. Now the last sin I will name is
covetousness, which is a kind of vile idolatry in
God's sight.
Ver. 6. For these and such like sins bring down
the fearful judgments of God upon the offenders,
and they wonderfully vex God ; and besides, to live
in these sins, and love them, and continue in them,
is a manifest sign that they are but wicked men,
children of disobedience, whatsoever they seem
to be, or what shows or profession soever they
make. Ver. L. J^ijk the "rather should you be for ever
careful to Keep yourselves from these evils and
the hke, or speedUy to subdue them and for
sake them, seeing you have felt by experience,
in your unregenerate estate, what it is to have
sin like a monster to live and reign in the heart
or life.
Ver. 8. You must also make conscience of injurious
dealing with others, and that not only of the gross
acts of injuries, but of doing wrong in your very
words ; yea, in the passions of your heart ; yea, to
approve that now ye walk not in sin, shew your
uprightness by putting away even everything that
might tend to the injury of others. To express
my meaning, I will instance in divers sins the
unregenerate would make no conscience of. And
first, in the heart there is inward fretting, and
that passion that discovers itself by outward signs,
and that inveterate anger called malice ; these
you must make conscience of. Besides, in the
tongue, there are three vices you must also
avoid, viz., cursed speaking, filthy speaking, and
lying.

Ver. 9. There are three weighty considerations
should move you thereunto : first, When you re
pent of sin you profess to put off the old man
and his works; this old man is the old tempter
of your natures, and his works are such as these
fore-mentioned passions, and distempers in the
tongue. Ver. 10. Secondly, You are now in the state of
grace; you are new men, and therefore must not live
after the old manner ; you are renewed in knowledge
to discern these things to be evU, and therefore
ought to shew it in your practice; and you are
renewed after the image of Christ. Now there was no
guile found in his mouth, nor any of these -wretched
perturbations in his heart, and therefore how suit
able soever they be to the harmony of the most
men, yet for that reason you must keep yourselves
far from them.
Ver. 11. Thirdly, God is impartiaUy righteous
and just. If men will not be reformed of those old
corruptions, he cares not for them, though they
were Jews, circumcised, free; and contrariwise, if
men strive after that holiness they see in Christ,
and mortify these corruptions that abound in the
world, he wUl accept them though they were
Grecians, Scythians, bounden. Thus of the second
main thing needful to holy hfe, viz., the mortifica
tion of vices and injuries.
Ver. 12. The third thing you must be careful of
is the exercise of holy graces and duties ; and
here I shall put you in mind of three things : the
matter, the means, and the end. For the first,
there are nine graces should principally be remem
bered in your practice ; and that you may be
quickened thereunto, be much in the meditation of
three things : 1. God's election ; 2. Your own
sanctification ; 3. The love of God to you.
Ver. 13. The graces are: 1. Tenderness in all
sorts of injuries ; 2. Courtesy ; 3. True and hearty
humility and lowliness ; 4. Quietness and meekness,
and tranquillity of heart ; 5. Long-suffering in
respect of crosses.
And sixthly, Clemency, which stands in two
things-: in forbearing and forgiving. Forbearing in
respect of wrongs and infirmities, and forgiving
freely one another. And this forgiving must be
extended to every man, and it must be as Christ

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE THIRD CHAPTER.

251

forgave us, and that is though they be our inferiors,
and though they have done us great wrong, and so
as we forget as well as forgive.
Ver. 14. But seventhly, Above all others, be
sure you clothe yourselves with love ; for this will
knit us together perfectly, and by this all the
saints, and all the graces of the saints,' tend unto
perfection. Ver. 15. Eighthly, Get peace, that peace, I mean,
that God only gives, and let it rule and prevail with
you ; and if you cannot be at peace in your life, yet
let it be in your hearts still, how unreasonable so
ever men be ; and the rather should you be careful
hereof, both because you are called of God to it, and
besides you are all members of the same body.
Lastly, Add unto all these, amiableness and thank
fulness one to another. And thus of the matter of
holiness. Ver. 16. Now, I must also stir you up to a due
respect of the means of holiness, which is the word.
And so both the word in general, and the Psalms
in special. For the word in general, you must
remember it is the word of Christ, both as the sub
ject and the cause of it ; and you should never be
satisfied till you grow familiar and plentiful in it,
¦ through the daily use of it, both in your hearts and
houses also, and that with all judgment and dis
cretion, not seeking or using it coldly, perversely,
carnaUy, or indiscreetly ; and this word you must
employ, both to teach you and one another what
you know not, and to admonish you and others for
what you do not. And in special, be careful of the
Psalms, remembering that they also are the word
of Christ, and the rather, considering the exquisite
variety of sweet matter in them ; but in singing,
observe these rules : first, Exercise the graces of the
heart according to the matter of the Psalm;
secondly, Do it with attention and understanding ;
thirdly, Respect God's glory in it, and his holy
presence. Ver. 1 7. Lastly, Be careful of the end of all your
actions, both that all be done to the glory of God
in Christ, (all, I say, both in word and deed,) begin
ning with calhng on the name of Christ, and ending
with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, which must be
offered unto God in the meditation of Christ, as
well as your prayers. Thus I have briefly laid

before you the rules that concern holiness, as you
are Christians in the general.
Ver. 18. Now, I think it meet to propound some
duties that are more particular ; and I will only
instance in the family ; and there I begin with
wives, whose word is 'be subject,' an epitome of their
duty, and a thing God most stands upon, and which
women most fail in. And great reason, for here
lieth the true comeliness and beauty of a wife; it is
not in her face and garments, but in her subjection
to her husband. And the rather should you be
subject, because God hath provided you shall not
be pressed but in the Lord, not in anything against
the word.
Ver. 19. Now for husbands, their word is ' love,'
as that God most stands upon, and they most fail
in. And in particular, I give them warning to look
to one vice above many, and that is, that they be
not bitter to their wives.
Ver. 20. And for children, their word is ' obedi
ence ; ' and they must know that God so enjoins it,
that he will have it done thoroughly ; they must
obey in all things, and submit their wills and
desires to their parents ; for this is a thing that
will not only keep and increase their parents' love
to them, but it is also wondrous well-pleasing to
God himself.
Ver. 21. Parents also must take heed they sin
not against their children, not only by too much
indulgence, but also by provoking them, and that
not only to sin, but to passion, by unjust precepts,
or contumelies and disgraces, or hard usage, or im
moderate correction ; and that as for other reasons,
so lest they be discouraged either from love of well
doing, or of obeying them.
Ver. 22. You that are servants must also with
great care attend your duties ; your word also is
' obedience ; ' and the rather because your masters
have authority, but only over your flesh, not over
your consciences. But in your obedience see to it,
it be in all things that concern the subjection of the
outward man. But let not your service be only
when your masters look on, or fitted only to please
men, but obey even in the singleness of your hearts,
as in God's presence, where you should fear to
displease. Ver. 23. Neither let what you do be done out of

252

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE THIRD CHAPTER.

a slavish fear, but from the heart, with all willing
ness, as doing therein service to God, and not to
men only.
Ver. 24. Knowing infallibly that if men would
not reward you for your pains and faithfulness, yet
God wUl, who wUl not use you as servants, but
provide for you as sons and heirs to him. For in

all this labour, God accounts you as the servants
of Christ, and will reward all as if all had been
done to him.
Ver. 25. And contrariwise, he that doth wrong,
be he master or servant, shall receive of the Lord
for the wrong that he hath done ; for God is no
accepter of persons.

CHAPTER III.

VER. I. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things that are above, where Christ sits at the right
hand of God.
Hitherto of Christian doctrine, now followeth
Christian life. The apostle hath before discoursed
of matters of faith, now he intends to entreat of
matters of life, and to prescribe rules of conversation.
And these rules belong either to our general calling as
we are Christians, or to our particular callings as we
are people of such or such condition or state of ltfe.
The general rules are set down from the 1st
verse of this chapter to the 18th, ancl the parti
cular rules begin at the 18th verse, and continue
to the 2d verse of the next chapter.
The rules of the first kind may be referred to
three heads; for either they concern, first, The
meditation of heavenly things; or, secondly, The
mortification of vice ; or, thirdly, The renovation of
life. The meditation of heavenly things is urged
from ver. 1 to the 5th, the mortification of vice is
urged from ver. 5 to the 10th. Renovation of life
is generally laid down ver. 10, 11, and more specially
opened ver. 12 to the 18th.
The exhortation to the care and study of heavenly
things is thus digested : first, It is expounded, ver. 1 ;
secondly, It is illustrated, ver. 2 ; thirdly, It is con
sidered x by motives and reasons, ver. 3, 4. And
thus for the order of the whole chapter, and the
general frame of this first part.
Before I open the words more particularly, there
are divers things may be noted from the coherence
and dependence of these words with the chapter
before and the matter following in this chapter.
From the coherence with the former chapter, I
observe these things : —
1 Qu. 'confirmed'!— Ed.

First, That there can be no holiness of life without
faith; and therefore the apostle first instructeth
them in matters of faith. It is a true rule, ' what
soever is not of faith is sin,' Rom. xiv. 23, and may
be extended further than things indifferent. While
we are out of God's favour, and know not our recon
ciliation and justification in Christ, our best actions
are but fair sins, for ' without faith it is impossible
to please God,' Heb. xi. 6.
Secondly, That the terrestrial blessedness of man
is, in respect of sin, two ways principally assaulted :
first, With errors of opinion ; secondly, With cor
ruptions in manners. And against both we should
learn from the apostle in the latter part of the former
chapter, and the first parts of this, to be armed and
furnished with holy direstions and meditations.
Thirdly, That these men that are so superstitiously
earnest and so zealously forward for ceremonies and
the traditions and observations of men, whatsoever
they protest, or pretend, or seem to be, are indeed
void of true devotion and fervent affection to
heavenly things, Eph. ii. 10.
Fourthly, That he that is by faith made a new
creature, must resolve to be at God's appointment
for his whole carriage in his general and particular
calling. Thus of the coherence with the former chapters ;
from the order of doctrine in this chapter two
things may be noted :
Doct. 1. First, That before a man can be good in
his particular caUing, he must first be good in his
general. Thou mayest be painful and diligent, but
thou canst not be every way a faithful and sound-
hearted husband, wife, servant, child, &c, till thou
be a good man or good woman, in respect of grace
and godliness ; and therefore we should ' first seek

254

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[Chap. III.

the righteousness of God's kingdom.' And it may
serve for direction unto such as choose wives, or
servants, or the like. If they be not faithful to
God, how canst thou be assured they will prove
faithful to thee ? Moreover, wouldst thou have thy
servants or children to be amended ? then bring
them to the powerful preaching of the word, and
call upon them to get into the fellowship of the
godly, that they may learn to be good abroad in
matters of religion, and then thou mayest hope to
find them by proof and daily experience trusty and
faithful in thy business. Finally, this reproves both
the sinfulness and folly of many carnal parents and
masters ; they never care, so their servants do their
work, though they altogether neglect God's work.
And many times they restrain their servants and
children, and will not let them hear sermons, or
come into godly company, as if that were the way
to make them idle and careless, whereas we see the
clean contrary to be true.
Doct. 2. Secondly, That men are never likely to
hold out and prove sound in the reformation and
new obedience of their lives till they fall in love
with heavenly things, and grow in some measure
weary of the world and the things thereof.
Thus of the general observations from the twofold
coherence. Now followeth the particular opening of
the words.
In the proposition of the exhortation to the
study of heavenly things laid down in this verse,
two things are to be considered : first, What, or the
duty required, viz., 'seek those things which are
above ;' secondly, Why, or the reasons to enforce the
duty, and they are four : first, Ye are ' risen with
Christ' in the first resurrection; secondly, These
things are ' above,' and not attained without seeking
or study; thirdly, Christ is above in his bodily
presence ; fourthly, Christ sits at the right hand of
God, exalted in the glory of his Father. Each of
these strongly conclude the exhortation, as will
further appear in the particular handling of them.
If ye be risen with Christ. There may be con
ceived to be a threefold resurrection of a Christian.
The first is sacramental, and thus we rise again
in baptism ; the second is corporal, and so we shall
rise again in the day of Jesus Christ, in our bodies,
out of the dust of the earth ; the third is spiritual,

and so we must rise in this life, in soul, from the
death of sin, or else we shaU never be dehvered
from the second death. Of this spiritual resurrection,
called elsewhere the first resurrection, Rev. xx. 6,
he here entreats. And it is a work of the Spirit of
grace, delivering us from the power of sin, by which
we are quickened to the heavenly desires and endea
vours of holy life, by virtue of the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, applied unto us by faith in the effec
tual use of God's ordinances. It is a work by wliich
we grow ' conformable to Christ,' being risen again,
Rom. vi. 4, 5 ; by which also we ' taste of the powers
of the life to come,' and are ' born again to a hvely
hope of an eternal and incorruptible inheritance,'
1 Pet. i. 3, 4 ; the earnest of which we have received,
and shall shortly receive the whole possession pur
chased, Eph. i. 14, though for a time we be absent
from the Lord. This first resurrection carrieth with
it a similitude or resemblance of Christ's rising
again, so as every Christian in this work bears the
image of Christ, and in him Christ riseth before our
eyes, not only because the Lord Jesus doth in this
gracious work give us a daily and fresh remem
brance of his resurrection, by renewing such fruits
of it, but also because he imprinteth a secret kind
of heavenly-mindedness, the Christian in some weak
measure living as Christ did in the interim between
his resurrection and ascension, waiting always for
his exaltation into heaven.
Now, the consideration of this work is here used
by the apostle to persuade unto the meditation of
heavenly things, and that fitly ; for if we be risen as
Christ was, then we must be minded as he was.
Now we know that after he was risen again, he was
not encumbered with this world, nor did he con
verse with the men of this world, but lived with
the Lord, as it were, immediately, in a heavenly
manner, waiting for heaven. So should a Christian
do ; he should every day be striving to get up his
heart, by faith, and prayer, and meditation, and
voluntary abnegation, by all means begging and
seeking the virtue of Christ's resurrection, that
being enabled to forsake the world, and the un
necessary society with worldly men, he might have
his heart and conversation in heaven, every day
'waiting when the time of his changing should
come.'

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255

Quest. How may a man know whether he be
risen with Christ ?
Ans. This question may be resolved both nega
tively and affirmatively. For first, They are not
risen with Christ that are in bondage to traditions,
as the coherence with the latter end of the former
chapter shews ; nor they that are drowned and
made senseless with the cares of this life, or the
pleasures of voluptuous living, Luke xxi. 34 ; nor
they that, confirming themselves in a dead presump
tuous common hope, plead the abounding of God's
grace, to avouch their continuance in sin, Rom. vi.
1, 4, 5, 1 Pet. i. 3. For the apostle in the Epistle
to the Romans, useth a reason taken from our con
formity to the resurrection of Christ, to confute this
vicious and profane plea of careless men. Further,
they that ' worship the beast,' (the great antichrist
of Rome,) and receive his mark upon their foreheads
or their hands, are reckoned among the dead men,
that have not their part in this first resurrection,
Rev. xx. 4-6. Also the prophet Isaiah seems to
say, that such men as wUl not see God's high hand
of judgment, nor will learn to do uprightly in the
land of uprightness, nor can be allured to godliness,
though mercy be shewed them, are to be accounted
among the dead men that shall not live, Isa. xxvi.
9, 10, 14. Lastly, They are not risen with Christ
that do not believe in Christ, John xi. 25. Now
for the affirmative. They may have comfort in the
first resurrection, that have felt a divine power in
the voice of Christ, quickening their hearts with
effectual desire and endeavour to rise out of the
graves of sin, John v. 25, and to stand up from the
world ofthe dead, Eph. v. 14. 2. That are constantly
affected with a holy estimation of the knowledge of
Christ crucified and risen again, (an effectual know
ledge I mean,) valuing the means and signs of it
above all earthly things, Phil. in. 9, 10. 3. That find
their hearts changed from the cares and delights of
this life, to a constant desire of the second coming of
Christ, to translate them to the presence of glory in
heaven. 4. That shew a daily care to walk in new
ness of life, yielding . their members as weapons of
righteousness, striving to crucify the old man, and
destroy the body of sin, as they that are alive unto
God, Rom. vi. 4-6.
2. Again, in that the apostle saith ' if ye be risen

again with Christ, seek those things that are above,'
we may note, that it is as hard a thing to get up the
heart of men to the study of heavenly things, as to
lift up a massy corpse out of the grave and to in
spire it with the desire of life ; there is need of the
Spirit and power of Jesus to do it. And therefore
we should not wonder to see natural men so heart
less ; nor should we attribute it to any inefficacy in
the means, if carnal men be not persuaded ; for a
man may long persuade a dead man to rise before
he will get up ; and it should touch us with all
thankfulness to acknowledge God's mercy if he have
given us a mind to heavenly things, to desire them
and delight in them.
Thirdly, In that he saith, ' if ye be risen,' speaking
not only conditionally, but doubtfully, it imports
that one should be exceeding careful to search and
try whether they have their part as yet in this first
resurrection, and withal implies that many a man
may seem to himself and others to be dehvered from
the kingdom of darkness, and yet lie buried still in
the graves of sin.
Seek those things which are above. Here the apostle
enters upon the proposition of the first main ex
hortation, or rule of new life. Now, before I bring
in the apostle urging this duty, imagine with thy
self how far the Christian (thus now to be in
structed for order of life) hath already proceeded
by faith ; for before a man can be truly capable of
direction of life, there be divers things requisite in
the preparations of faith. And these things are
necessarily to be presupposed : 1. ' That faith hath
plucked him out of the world of sinners or dead
men ; so that he is already withdrawn from the
society ofthe wicked. 2. It hath shewed him God's
favour and joined him to Christ. 3. It hath shewed
him in some measure such things in the kingdom of
Christ, as his natural ear never heard, or his natural
eye never saw, or his natural heart never conceived,
1 Cor. ii. 9. 4. It hath joined him to the hving
saints, so as he now with great desire and delight
converseth with them. 5. It hath made him to
suffer in the flesh for his sins, and withal hath re
freshed his spirit, and curedhim of his distrustful and
solitary sorrows. 6. It hath garnished his soul with
new budding graces, and opened for him a fountain
and spring of grace within him, even in his bowels,

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John vii. 38, 39. 7. It hath raised in him a true and
constant desire of new obedience of life, with a
secret resolution not to depart from anything the
Lord shall command, all the days of his life.
Now, presupposing the Christian to be thus far
proceeded, the apostle comes in, and to begin his
institutions of manners, he first chargeth him with
this rule: 'seek those that are above ;' teaching us,
that the first main thing to be laboured after in the
reducing of our lives into a holy order is to strive
by all means to get up our hearts to a constant
seeking and minding of heavenly things, according
to that serious charge of our Saviour Christ, ' first
seek the kingdom God and the righteousness there
of,' Mat. vi. 33.
That this rule may be more clearly understood,
and more carefully practised, it will be profitable to
consider distinctly what things are above, and how
they are to be sought. And so the things that are
above may be distinguished into eight sorts. First,
God is above ; for he ' dwells in the high and holy
places,' Isa. lvii. 15, and he must be sought, Hosea
iii. 5. And if you ask what we must seek in God, I
answer, we must seek the true knowledge of his
nature, Ps. xiv. 1, 2. We must seek his favour, and
the pacification of his just anger for our sins, Zeph.
ii. 3 ; we must seek his face and presence, Ps. xxiv.
6, Ps. xxvii. 8 ; we must seek his honour and glory,
John v. 44 ; and we must seek his salvation, Ps. cv.
4, lxx. 4. And if you ask how we must seek God,
I answer, we must seek God with acknowledgment
of our faults, Hosea v. ult., with weeping and repent
ance for our sins, Jer. 1. 4, Isa. xxi. 12 ; with the
desire of our hearts, Isa. xxvi. 7 ; with prayer and
supplication, Mat. vii. 7 ; with fear of his mercies,
Hosea iii. 1 ; with meekness, Zeph. ii. 2, 3 ; and in
the way of holy life, Ps. xxiv. 4, 5.
Secondly, Christ is above ; for so he saith to the
Jews, 'ye are from beneath, I am from above; ye
are of this world, I am not of this world,' John viii.
23 ; and he is the Lord whom every Christian ought
to seek, Mai. iii. 1. Now Christ is two ways sought
principally : first, In the sincere and constant use
of all his ordinances, both public and private, that
by them we might find his presence of grace on
earth, and thus the church sought him in the
Canticles, Cant. iii. 1, Sec; secondly, In the desires,

prayers, and preparations for our own dissolution
and his appearing, PhU. i. 21, Rev. xxi. 20, 2 Tim.
iv. 8, 2 Pet. iii. 12.
Thirdly, The New Jerusalem is above ; for so the
apostle to the Galatians expressly saith, Gal. iv. 26,
even that heavenly society of glorious spirits in
illustrious splendour. And these are to be sought
two ways: 1. By the constant desire of their presence
and to be gathered to them ; 2. By the imitation of
their graces and virtues which they shewed when
they were on earth.
Fourthly, Heaven is above ; for it is the prize of
our calling that is above, Phil. iii. 1 4, and the glory
of that eternal and immortal honour is to be sought,
Rom. ii. 7, and that five ways : 1. By prayer for
preparation, and that daily; for so our Saviour
hath taught us in the second petition of his prayer,
Mat. vi. 10. 2. By seeking the assurance of faith
and hope, and the pledges and earnest of it, Heb.
xi. 1, Eph. i. 14. 3. By meditation and contem
plation, striving to express our desires and sighs
after it, 2 Cor. v. 2. 4. By carrying ourselves as
strangers and pUgrims in this wrorld, weaning our
hearts and retiring our lives from the world, con
fessing and professing our travels towards a better
country that is above, Heb. xi. 13, 14, 16. 5. By
continuing in well-doing, Rom. ii. 7, striving to hve
a citizenhke life here, Phil. iii. 20, in aU things pro
vident, to send our works and prayers to heaven
before us, as our provision and treasure, Mat. vi.
14. Fifthly, Holy graces are above : for St James saith,
' Every good giving and every perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,'
James i. 17 ; and it is apparent that they are part of
the kingdom of heaven, and they tend to heaven, and
therefore the prophet Isaiah calls grace by the name
of glory, Isa. iv. 5 ; and they come down from heaven,
which will also appear in the particulars. Wisdom
is from above, James iii. 17; so is zeal, for it is the
zeal of God's house, Ps. Ixix. 9 ; so is lowliness, so
is faith, so is peace and joy, and all the rest. And
that these are to be sought many scriptures evidently
prove, 1 Cor. xiv. 1, Zeph. ii. 3, 2 Cor. xiii. 5, Rom.
xiv. 17, 38; and if you ask how they are to be
sought, it is shortly answered, by prayer, and the
use of the means which the Lord hath appointed as

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257

holy vessels and instruments, and as it were wombs
to conceive, convey, and derive grace unto us.
Sixthly, The means of salvation themselves are
things above, for they are called ' the kingdom of
heaven,' Mat. iii. 2 ; and the kingdom of heaven is
said to be taken away when the means is taken away,
Mat. xxi. 43 ; and these we must seek, Isa. xh. 1 7,
18; though it cost us much travail, if there be a
famine. Amos viii., or much cost, if the Lord give us
to find such pearls of instruction or comfort in the
field of any church or congregation, Mat. xiii. 45.
Seventhly, Holy duties are many of them from
above, for the wise man saith, ' the way of life is on
high to the prudent, to avoidfrom hell beneath,' Prov.
xv. 24, and that because both the will that enjoins
them, and the power to do them, and the success or
effects of them, are all from above. Ancl, therefore,
the author to the Hebrews, when he would discourse
of doing of God's will, quoting the place in the Psalms,-
seems to intimate that the true speech of such duties
is to speak from above, Heb. x. 8, 9 ; and these good
things are to be sought, Prov. xi. 27; we must seek
the old and good way, Jer. vi. 16; we must seek
judgment and righteousness, Isa. i. 17.
Eighthly, Many of the privileges of Christians are
from above, as the righteousness of God's kingdom,
Mat. vi. 33; forgiveness of sins, 1 John i. 7; deliver
ance from this present evil world, Gal. i. 4 ; both in
respect of the contagions and punishments of the
same ; all spiritual blessings in heavenly things, Eph.
i. 3 ; the revelation of hid mysteries, 1 Cor. ii. 9, Col.
i. 26; the Spirit ofthe Son, Gal. iv. 6, 7; the influence
of Christ's death and resurrection, Phil. iii. 9, 10;
the word with all the treasure of it, Ps. cxix. 94 ;
and the honour which is above, John v. 44; these are
to be sought. Thus of the particular things that are
above and we must seek.
Use. The consideration of all this may much abase
ancl humble us for our deadness of spirit, and egre
gious slowness of heart, in these things that so
greatly concern us. The devil takes more pains in
seeking to destroy us, 1 Pet. v. 8, than we either
do take, or are willing to take, to save our own souls,
by seeking these things, all of them so worthy to be
sought. The worldly man is more industrious to
seek riches, and the ambitious man more to seek
honour, and the luxurious man to seek his sport, lust,

or pleasure, than Christians are to ' seek those things
that are above,' though never any truly sought but
did find, Mat. vii. 7, and never less was found than
either the evidence or the possession of a kingdom,
Luke xii. 32, and that of God. Nay, nay ; how have
every one of us sought out all ways and all inven
tions, while we lived in the service of the flesh, and
had no fruit or wages, but that of which we are now
ashamed, Rom. vi. 21, and yet. are seldom or never
weary of such unprofitable and shameful labour.
But I refer the urging of motives till I come to the
next verse ; it followeth :
Where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. These
words contain the latter reasons, and comprehend a
principal part of Christ's exaltation ; the meditation
whereof is here used to excite vis to the love of
heavenly things, seeing our Saviour Christ, that
so entirely loves us, not only is in heaven, but is
there in great favour, and honour, and majesty,
and power.
There is a fourfold presence of Christ : for, first,
He is everywhere as God ; secondly, He is in the
hearts of the faithful only, by his Spirit of grace and
regeneration ; thirdly, He is by representation in
the sacrament ; fourthly, He is bodily in heaven.
Quest. But is not Christ with his church on earth
still? Ans. He is as God, but not as man. I say not as
man locally, for else he is present in his members
that bear the image of his true human nature, and
his very body is present sacramentally ; he is pres
ent by the imputation of righteousness, and by
mystical union.
' The right hand of God ' hath divers significations
in scripture : sometimes it signifieth the power and
help of God, Ps. xliv. 3, Acts ii. 33 ; sometimes the
place of eternal rest in heaven, Ps. xvi. 1 1 ; sometimes
it notes the majesty, and authority, and sovereignty
of God, Ps. ex. 1, Heb. i. 3 ; to ' sit,' signifieth to abide
or dwell, Luke xiv. 49 ; and to govern, 1 Kings i.
30, Prov. xx. 8, Isa. xvi. 5. Here to sit at God's
right hand comprehendeth three things : first, An
exceeding glory above all creatures, even the very
angels, Heb. i. 13, Acts vii. 55 ; secondly, Full power
of government, Eph. i. 20; thirdly, An equality
in majesty and sovereignty, even with God the
Father, in his person, Phil. ii. 6, 7, 9.
2 K

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Object. But Stephen saith he saw him ' standing'
at God's right hand, Acts vii. 75.
Sol. Divers gestures for our capacity are attributed
for divers ends : first, He stands to shew his watch
ful eagerness ancl readiness to take notice of -wrongs
to his members, to come to their succour ; secondly,
He sits, to note majesty and sovereignty.
Object. But to sit at God's right hand, seems to
import the real communication of divine attributes
to the human nature, so as in his very body he is
everywhere, &c.
Sol. It doth not. Christ's human nature is here
reckoned under the name of things above. And,
besides, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle
saith expressly, he ' sits at God's right hand in
heavenly places,' Eph. i. 20.
Use 1. The use of Christ's sitting at God's right
hand follows. And first, it may be a notable terror
to wicked men if they do but consider that he whom
they daily pierce by their sins, Rev. i. 7, and despise
by contemning his ordinances, by which he would
rule them, Luke xix. 1 4, is exalted to such glory,
that he hath all power to subdue his enemies under
his feet, Ps. ex. 1. But sure it is if they will not
now fear and repent, the time shall come when all
they that said, This man shall not rule over us, shall
see him ' sitting at the right hand of the power of
God,' Mat. xxvi. 64, and ' coming in the clouds,' to
render vengeance on all those his adversaries, that
would not obey his gospel, 2 Thes. i. 8, but strive to
break his yoke, and east his eords from them, Ps.
ii. 2, 3.
Use 2. Secondly, It may serve for singular comfort
to all God's servants ; for from his session at God's
right hand flow unto them many singular blessings,
as the places of scripture quoted in the margin will
shew. First, The casting out of all accusations of
Satan, Rom. viii. 34, Eph. i. 20; secondly, The
filling of the church with all needful fulness of
grace and blessings, Heb. i. 13, 14; thirdly, The
service of angels ministering to the heirs of salva
tion ; fourthly, Speed in all suits, 1 Pet. iii. 22 ;
fifthly, The providing of a place for us, John xiv. 2 ;
sixthly, Intercession, Heb. vii. 2<3 ; seventhly,
Power to subdue our enemies, Ps. ex. 1. As the
consideration of the several places of scripture
alleged will manifestly shew ; yea, his exaltation

may be our comfort, because in a sort we sit to
gether with him, Eph. ii. 6 ; not only because this
honour is done to our nature in his flesh, but also
because by our mystical union it is done to our
head ; and moreover, he doth in part communicate
this honour to us ; for as Christ is at the right hand
of the Father, so is the church at the right hand of
Christ, Ps. xiv. 9. Finally, In the second coming of
Christ, his glory shall be more fully and openly
communicated, when all the faithful shall be set
on his right hand, Mat. xxv. 33, to hear that most
gracious sentence, ' Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the
foundations of the world.'
Thirdly, The session of Christ at God's right
hand may teach us : first, To mind a spiritual wor
ship, seeing he hath taken his body out of the way ;
secondly, To ' go boldly to the throne of grace to
seek help in time of need,' Heb. iv. 16, seeing we
have so sure a friend to procure both audience,
acceptance, and success; thirdly, To wait with
patience under aU sorts of wrongs, for it is sure
that ' he that shall come wiU come' in his due time,
' and will not tarry,' and then he will make all his
enemies to be his footstool, Heb. x. 12, 13; lastly,
The apostle here useth the consideration of this
doctrine as a motive to stir us up to mind heavenly
things. And surely if we do seriously weigh it, it
should continually draw up our thoughts to think of
heaven, whither so loving and so glorious a Saviour
is gone before ; yea, it should do us good to look
up towards these visible heavens, remembering that
one day we shall be carried to that blessed place of
rest and holy joys that is above them, even to the
heaven of heavens, to reign with Christ for ever
more. And thus of the proposition.
Ver. 2. Set your affections on things ivhich are above,
and not on things which are on the earth,
The exhortation in the former verse propounded,
is in this verse illustrated and expounded : first,
By repetition ; secondly, By the contrary. The
repetition is in these words : ' Set your affections on
things whieh are above.' The contrary, from which
he doth dehort, is in these words : ' And not on
things which are on earth.'
Repetitions in scripture are not without their

Ver. 2]

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259

use; for thereby the Holy Ghost usually imports
our slowness and dulness of capacity in conceiving,
and backwardness in practice ; and besides thereby
enforceth both the necessity and the excellency of
the matter so repeated. And surely all three may
be applied to this repetition ; for the contemplation
and desire after heavenly things is a most gracious
ornament to a religious life; and without some
measure of holy affections, it is impossible to get
rid of the power of sin, or to practise with any suc
cess or acceptation the duty of a renewed life ; and
if in anything we are backward, or wanting, or
decaying, or languishing, it is in this rule here given
by the apostle.
Set your affections. The original word varieth in
signification. Sometimes it is rendered, to study;
and it is, out of question, our duty to study and
contemplate of heavenly things. Sometimes it sig
nifieth, to try by tasting; and it is sure that if
carnal people had but once tasted of the sweetness
of godliness and rehgious duties, they would not so
securely neglect the provision for eternity; but
especiaUy, they would see that they have spoken
evU of what they knew not. Sometimes it is trans
lated, to be wise about a thing; and certainly a
Christian should be wise in the matters of his reli
gion and profession, and shew it by forecast and
dUigence to compass what may be gotten of this
true treasure, and by serpentine discretion in the
manner and circumstances of well-doing, and by
stayedness in a Christian course, void of passion,
rash zeal, and fickle inconstancy, growing more and
more skilful and cunning in the soundness of know
ledge, how with more power and spiritual advan
tage to practise every duty, or exercise every grace.
Sometimes it signifieth, to savour of a thing ; and
it is true that all the carriage and dealings of Chris
tians should savour of the things above ; but I take
it as it is here rendered.
Set your affections. And so it manifestly teacheth
us that we must get not minds or thoughts only,
but sound affections to heavenly things, which may
both serve for reproof and comfort : for reproof, I
say, both of the loathsome lukewarmness of the
most, Rev. hi. 1 9, and of the dangerous loss of first
love in the better sort, Rev. ii. For comfort ; for
it is certain if thou canst find thy heart upright in

affections and constant desire after heavenly things,
thou mayest be assured of three things : 1. That
God -will accept thy will for the deed : he will bear
with many wants and weaknesses, where he sees a
man or woman come to his service with hearts de
sirous to do then best, and tenderly affected. 2.
That thou art not in danger of falling away ; for
apostasy never discovers itself to hurt us or endanger
us, till it hath stolen away our hearts and the care
of affections in holy duties. 3. That to that thou
hast, more is and shall be given, Mat. xiii. ; as thy
affections grow and continue, so doth true know
ledge, grace, and godliness grow also. And thus of
the repetition.
And not on the things that are on earth. From the
coherence and general consideration of these words,
three things may be observed :
1. That a man cannot both at once seek and
affect earth and heaven, for they are here disjoined
and opposed ; a man v cannot serve God and mam
mon,' Mat. vi. ; ' the love of the world is the enmity
of God,' James iv. 4 ; but this is thus to be under
stood, if the world be sought in the first place, and
with chief affection and care.
2. Nay more, this dehortation implies that it is
hard for a man to deal with the world, but a man's
affection will too much run after it. It is hard to
be much employed about profits and recreations,
but a man shall love them too much ; not that it is
simply unlawful to use the world, but that we should
be very jealous of ourselves, to watch our own hearts
that our affections be not set on the wrorld.
3. To be crucified unto the world, able to neglect
and contemn the glory and pleasure of it, is a notable
sign that one is risen with Christ.
Thus in general.
The things on earth. The things on earth here
meant by the apostle are either traditions, men
tioned in the former chapter, or worldly things in
themselves lawful, or the works of the flesh, simply
in themselves unlawful.
Traditions and man's inventions, which the apostle
hath before taxed, may well be called things on earth :
1. Because they spring from the earth and earthly-
minded men ; they were never inspired from God,
nor devised by heavenly-minded men. 2. Because
they hinder them that are devoted to them from

260

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[Chap. III.

looking up, or attaining any insight in things that
are above. 3. Because these by effect make men
more earthly and sensual ; but of these in the former
chapter. The works of the flesh ancl the corruptions of life
to be avoided and not affected are the third sort of
things on earth ; but of that also afterwards in the
second part of the general duties, especially in the
fifth verse. So that the second sort of things on
earth remaineth to be more largely considered ;
those are profits, honours, pleasures, friends, health,
and long life.
There be eight reasons to persuade not to affect
earthly things.
The first may be taken from the condition of man
on earth ; for we are here but pilgrims and strangers,
Heb. xi. 13; and therefore being but in a strange
place, to what purpose should we trouble ourselves
with more than what will serve our present need,
and the rather knowing that when we come into
our own country these things will serve us for no
use? Besides, our present lot lieth not in those
things, but the kingdom of God and righteousness
is our portion even in this life, all other things are
but cast upon us as additaments.
The second may be taken from the disability of
earthly things. For, first, They cannot so much as
fiU or satisfy a man's heart ; 2. They cannot fence a
man against any of the trials of God when the hour
of temptation comes, Rev. ii. 10; 3. They cannot all
of them redeem one soul, Ps. xlix. 7.
The third reason may be taken from the incon
veniences that follow the love of earthly things.
For, first, ' The cares of the world choke the word,'
that it can never prosper, Mat. xiii. ; 2. They breed
excuses and shifts in men's minds, and alienate by
degrees a man's heart from the use of the means,
Luke xiv. 17; 3. To seek after the world is to
sorrow after the world, for to the most the world is
a cause of much sorrow and vexation ; 4. The amity
of the world, as the apostle saith, is the enmity of
God, James iv.. 4, 1 John ii. 15, and that both ac
tively and passively, for it both makes us hate God,
and it makes God hate us ; Fifthly, The lust after
worldly things fills the world with corruptions and
sins, 2 Pet. i. 4 ; Sixthly, These earthly things thus
sinisterly affected, may one day witness against us,

James v. 1, &c. ; Seventhly, Many a man is damned
and gone to hell for ' minding earthly things,' Phil.
iii. 18.
The fourth reason may be taken from the sove
reignty that God hath over all earthly things, and the
power he hath given to Christ over them, Ps. xxiv.
1, Mat. xxviii. 18. Now why should we turmoil
ourselves with care about these, seeing they are in
God's hand in Christ, to have them and dispose of
them as may be for his glory and our good ?
The fifth reason may be taken from the baseness
of the nature of all these things ; for they are not
only on the earth, but of the earth ; and if they be
compared unto the soul of man, for which we ought
chiefly to provide, the whole world is not worth one
soul ; which may appear both by the price of a soul,
and the disproportion between the gains of the world
and the loss of one soul : it is no profit to win the
whole world and lose a man's own soul, Mat. xvi.;
and besides, if the whole world laid on one heap
would have been a sufficient sacrifice for the re
demption of the soul, the Lord Jesus would never
have abased himself to such a suretyship. But be
cause there could not be found, neither in heaven
nor earth, any other name or nature by which we
could be saved, therefore ' he humbled himself, and
took upon him the form of a servant, and was obe
dient unto the death, even the death of the cross,'
Phil. ii.
The sixth reason may be taken from the example
of the Lord's worthies, who in all ages have been
tried with all kind of trials, and ' wandered up and
down in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute,
afflicted, and tormented, wandering up and down in
wildernesses, mountains, and dens and caves of the
earth, whom the world was not worthy of,' Heb. xi. ;
all these seeking another country, and wilUngly
professing that they expected no abiding-place here.
Seventhly, It is somewhat to persuade us that our
Saviour Christ professeth of purpose to hinder and
interrupt our rest and ease in the use of those things,
when he saith, that he came not to send peace, as
knowing that much peace and liking of earthly
things was unprofitable for us.
Lastly, We may be moved by the consideration of
the fleeting condition of all earthly things : riches
have wings, Prov. xxiii. 5, and the fashion of this

Ver. 2.]

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261

world passeth away, l.Cor. vii. 31, 1 John ii. 17?
yea, heaven and earth shall pass, the earth with the
works thereof shall be burnt up, 2 Pet. iii. 10.
But that we may be the more deeply affected
with the contempt of the world, I further add these
reasons : —
1. Of Solomon, the wisest of all sinful men.
2. Of Christ, the wisest of all men.
Solomon, in his book of Ecclesiastes, is exceeding
plentiful, and indeed not without cause ; for such
is the strength of the rooted love of earthly
things in many men, that they had need to be en
countered with an army of reasons ; and if I single
out some of the chiefest out of divers chapters, I
hope it will appear tedious to none but such as will
hear no reason.
In the first chapter, among other things, these
may be noted : 1. That after a man hath travailed
to get what he can, how small a portion in compari
son of the whole hath he achieved, so as he may
say to himself, when he hath done, ' What now re
maineth to me of all my travail which I have suffered
under the sun?' Eccles. i. 3. 2. If a man could get
never so much, yet he eannot live to enjoy it long,
for the elements of which man was made are more
durable than man himself, for ' one generation
passeth and another cometh, but the earth remaineth
still,' ver. 4-6. The like may be shewed of the air
and water. 3. ' All things are full of labour, no man
can utter it,' ver. 8 ; and certainly many times
earthly things gained answer not the labour spent
about them. 4. Earthly things possessed will not
satisfy ; ' the eye will not be satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear with hearing,' ver. 8. 5. A man can
compass nothing that is new, for ' there is nothing
new under the sun : is there anything of which
one may say, behold this is new, and never was be
fore ? ' ver. 9, 10 ; they have been already in the old
time that was before us. 6. The Lord, in wonderful
wisdom and righteousness, permits in the nature of
man those cares, that they may be travaUs to humble
and break the heart of man, ver. 13. 7. The best of
these will not make a crooked thing straight, ver.
15 : they will not mend the perverse manners of
men : a man may be and continue vicious for all
these things, or for aught they will do unto him.
In the second chapter we may observe these

reasons : first, Let a man procure unto himself the
fullest and fairest use of all sorts of earthly things :
pleasure, laughter, great houses, gardens, orchards,
waters, fruit-trees, woods, servants, cattle, silver
and gold, treasures, and music, yet all these will
not deliver a man from satiety, loathing, and vexa
tion of spirit, so as he may truly say there is no
profit in them, chap. ii. 1, 12; 2. In these things
there is one condition to all, it befalleth to the wise
man as it doth to the fool, ver. 14, 15 ; 3. Let a
man excel never so much, yet within a short time
all will be forgotten, ' for all that that now is, in
the days to come shall all be forgotten,' ver. 16;
4. When thou hast gotten all thou canst together,
thou knowest not whether he shall be a wise man
or a fool that shall enjoy them after thee, ver. 19 ;
5. To attain those things men usually spend their
days in sorrow, travail, and grief, and their hearts
take no rest in the night, ver. 23.
In the third chapter, ver. 1-9, these further reasons
may be noted : first, All things are swayed with the
swing of their seasons and times, so as nothing is
steady, though it be born, and now plant, and build,
and laugh, and dance, and embrace, and sow, and love,
and live in peace ; yet there will be a time to pluck
up, and break down, and weep, and mourn, and cast
away, and hate, and mourn, and die too. Secondly,
Though the Lord should set the world in a man's
heart, yet he might spend all his days and never
know the full nature of these things, ver. 11.
Thirdly, AU things are subject to God's unavoidable
disposing : let man get what he can, yet God will
have the disposing of it ; and whatsoever God shall
do, it shall abide ; to it can no man add, and from
it can none diminish. And this God will do that
man may fear him, ver. 14. Fourthly, Such' is the
state of the chUdren of men, that they may lose all
they have at the very place of judgment, ver. 16.
Fifthly, Yea, the very state of mortified men, in
the reason of carnal men, because of these op
pressions and uncertainties, seems little better than
the state of beasts, ver. 18.
In the fourth chapter, ver. 1-3, note first, that
when a man hath set his heart upon these earthly
things, if ever he lose them, he is filled almost with
unmedicinable tears and sorrow, so as he would
' praise the dead above the living,' and wish he had

262

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[Chap. III.

never been born. Secondly, They are occasions of a
man's envy, ver. 4. Thirdly, The eyeing of these
things infatuates many a man's heart ; so as we may
see many a man that hath neither son, nor daughter,
nor brother, and yet there is no end of his travail,
and he hath not the judgment to say with himself,
' For whom do I travarl, and defraud myself of plea
sure ? ' ver. 8. Fourthly, A man may get much with
sore travail, and live to see himself despised of
him for whom he provideth them, so as they that
shall come after him will not rejoice in him, ver.
15, 16.
In the fifth chapter there are also seven other
reasons, ver. 8 : first, These earthly things lead
the greatest men into bondage by dependence ;
for ' the king cannot consist without the tilling of
the field.' Secondly, ' He that loveth silver shall
not be satisfied with silver, and he that loveth
riches shall be without the fruit thereof,' ver. 9.
Thirdly, When goods increase, they are increased
also that eat them, and what good cometh to the
owners thereof but the beholding of them with
their eyes? ver. 10. Fourthly, Many times the
servant sleepeth when the master can get no sleep,
ver. 11. Fifthly, There is an evil sickness, often
seen under the sun, that riches are kept for
the owners' ruin, ver. 12. Sixthly, Or else they
will perish while the master looketh on, ver. 13.
Seventhly, But certain it is, he can carry nothing
out of the world wiien he goeth, but must leave
them where he found them, ver. 13-15.
In the sixth chapter there are these reasons,
ver. 1-7 : first, A man may have all abundance,
and yet not have a heart to use them, and so be
worse than an ' untimely fruit.' Secondly, What
needs all this ado ? for ' all is but for the mouth,'
and nature is content with a little ; and, therefore,
to have a soul so insatiably greedy of having is a pro
digious madness, ver. 7 Thirdly, The having of all
these things makes not a wise man better than a fool :
and what wants a poor man, if he knows how to
carry himself with the wise ? Fourthly, All cannot
make thee cease to be mortal ; for it is known
man cannot strive with him that is stronger than
he, ver. 12.
In the seventh chapter there is this reason : A
man may spend all his days before he can come

soundly to know (after many trials) what is the best
use to put these earthly things to.
And for honour, in the eighth chapter three
things are worthy noting : first, A man is not
lord of his own spirit, to keep himself alive in his
honour, ver. 8. Secondly, Many men rule to their
own ruin, ver. 9. Thirdly, Men after death
are quickly forgotten. They that come back from
the holy place remembereth them not long; yea,
a man may be quickly forgotten in the city where
he hath done right, ver. 10.
And in the ninth chapter, two reasons more are
added, ver. 1 : first, No man can know the love or
hatred of God by these things . Secondly, They are
not gotten always by help of means ; for the race is
not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,
nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to
the wise ; which makes the atheist and epicure con
clude that time and chance cometh to all things.
The sum of all that Solomon can say is, ' vanity
of vanities, all is vanity.' And now that we have
heard Solomon, let us in the next place hear a
greater than Solomon.
Our Saviour Christ, in the sixth of Matthew,
divides the care of earthly things into two sorts.
For either men are greedily transported with the
desire of getting treasures, that is, abundance and
superfluities ; or else they toil their hearts with
distrustful and distracting cares about necessaries,
as what they shall eat and what they shall put on.
From the first kind of care, he dissuades with four
reasons : first, All treasures are subject either to
vanity or violence, either the moth will eat them,
or the thief will steal them, Mat. vi. 19, 20.
Secondly, These things bewitch and steal away
men's hearts, ver. 21. Thirdly, The minding of these
things darkeneth the eye of the soul with greater
darkness than can be expressed, ver. 22, 23.
Fourthly, A man cannot serve God and riches, ver.
24. From the second kind of care he dehorts with
eight reasons : first, The life is more worth than
meat, and the body than raiment, ver. 25. And if
the Lord have given the greater, why should he
not be trusted for the less? Secondly, God pro
videth for the very fowls that have not such means
as man hath ; and will he not provide for man ? ver.

Ver. 3.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS,

263

.26. Thirdly, All thy care wiU not add one cubit
to thy stature, ver. 27, but if thou wouldst swell
thy heart out, it is God only must increase thy
strength or health. Fourthly, This care is a sign
of httle faith, ver. 30. Fifthly, It is for Gentiles
that know not God, nor the covenant of his grace
and mercy in Christ, to seek after these things, ver.
32. It is a gross shame for any Christian to be so
heathenish. Sixthly, Doth not your heavenly
Father know all that you need?. ver. 32. If he be
a Father, hath he not will, and if he be in heaven,
hath he not power, to help ? Seventhly, You have a
flat promise, that if you seek the kingdom of heaven
and the righteousness thereof, which should take up
your chiefest care, all these things, without such
carking, so far as is needful, shall be cast upon
you, ver. 33. Lastly, Hath not every day his evil?
and is not the grief of the day great enough ? ver.
34. Why, then, dost thou distract thyself for
to-morrow ? Assure thyself the time to come will
afford thee matter of grief and trouble enough;
thou needest not disquiet thyself beforehand.
Use. The consideration of all this, as it may be a
comfort against all wants and crosses about these base
earthly things, so it may greatly reprove those that
' bury their talents in the earth,' that is, spend all
their gifts about earthly matters. But especially we
may hence learn divers lessons. And first, since we
have heard Solomon's opinion, after long discourse,
that all is vanity, we should learn of the same Solo
mon, therefore, to 'fear God, and keep his com
mandment, for this is the whole duty of man, and
the end of all,' Eccles. xii. 13. 2. Let the place of
the sanctuary, where we may get the best things for
our souls, be as a glorious throne exalted, Jer. xvii.
11, 12. 3. Let us 'use this world as if we used
it not. Let them that rejoice be as if they re
joiced not, and they that weep as if they wept not,
and they that buy as though they possessed not,'
1 Cor. vii. 30, 31. 4. If the Lord give us but
a little portion in these things, let us esteem
his mercy, and live with contentedness, resolving that
' better is a handful with quietness, than two hand-
fuls with labour and vexation of spirit,' Eccles. iv. 6.
And fifthly, we may hence be confirmed to take the
more liberty to use these earthly things for our own
joy and refreshings ; they are none of the things the

Lord would have us with such ado keep ; but he
allows us to ' eat and drink, and delight ourselves
with the profit of our labour,' Eccles. ii. 24. Lastly,
we should improve them and use them as means to
do what good we can with them in this life. 'I
know,' saith the wise man, ' there is nothing good in
them, but to rejoice and do good in his life,' Eccles.
iii. 12. And to this end we should ' cast our bread
even upon the waters, for after many days we may find
it ; and give our portion to seven, and also to eight,'
Eccles. xi. 1, 2. The best use of these riches is to
be rich in doing good with them.
Thus of the Ulustration ; the confirmation follows.
Ver. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with
Christ in God.
In this verse and the next the exhortation is
confirmed by two motives ; the one taken from the
condition of the faithful in this world, the other
taken from the consideration of their estate in the
revelation of the glory of Christ in the last day.
The first is in this verse, the latter in the next.
There are two things in the condition of the faith
ful on earth which should make them little to mind
earthly things, or desire to continue long in the
world. First, That in respect of distresses, they are as dead
men while they live ; secondly, That the happiness
they have, which is the life of their lives, doth not
appear, but is hid with God in Christ.
For ye are dead. The faithful are dead three ways
whUe they live : for, first, They are dead to sin in
respect of mortification ; secondly, They are dead to
the law by the body of Christ, Rom. vii. 4,
Gal. ii. 19, in respect of justification ; so as now the
faithful do no longer wait upon the law for right
eousness, but upon a second marriage they have it
from him that was raised from the dead for them.
They are dead to the world, and that in three
respects : first, In respect of their own voluntary
forsaking of the world, and their mortifying of
earthly desires, joined with a sense of their own
mortality; so was Paul as a man crucified to the
world, Gal. vi. 14. Secondly, In respect of the
world's account of them. For so soon as men get
any true grace, and retire themselves from the
excesses of the time, they are neglected and

264

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[Chap. III.

forgotten, as dead men out of mind. Thirdly, In
respect of the multitude of afflictions which do
many times overwhelm and drown Christians. It
is not unusual in scripture to say of men in
desperate crosses, they are dead men. The prophet
Isaiah calls the people in captivity dead men, when
he saith, 'thy dead shall live,' Isa. xxvi. 19. The
apostle Paul saith thus, ' If we be dead with him,
we shall live with him,' 2 Tim. ii. 11. Which he
seems to explain in the next verse thus : ' If we
suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.'
Thus David saith, he was ' as a broken vessel,
forgotten as a dead man out of mind,' Ps. xxxi. 12.
And in another place he saith, he was 'brought to
the dust of the earth,' Ps. xxii. 15. And in the
eighty-eighth Psalm he saith, his ' soul was full of
evils, he was counted among them that go down to
the pit, free among the dead, like the slain lying in
the grave, yea, he was laid in the lowest pit, in the
darkness, in the grave,' &c, Ps. Ixxxviii. 4-6. I
spare to allege other scriptures.
Uses. The use may be to teach us, as to observe
hence what may befall the best man, so in the
consideration of our own estate, to say within our
selves, as Job did, 'If I have done wickedly, woe
unto me, and if I have done righteously, I will not
lift up my head, being full of confusion, because I
see mine affliction,' Job x. 15. For though the
Lord hath not yet thus overwhelmed thee with
distress, yet inasmuch as he may do it to thee, as
well as to others, his dear servants, It should cause
thee to walk humbly before God, and to learn to
die to the world, before the world be ' dead to
thee. Again; Hath misery broken in upon thee, and
prevailed over thee, so as thou seemest to be laid in
darkness, as they that have been dead long ago?
Let not thy spirit be in perplexity in thee; no
strange thing is befallen thee; God's children are
but dead men in this world. Remember the time
past, and meditate of God's works of old ; stretch
forth thy hand unto God, and let thy soul desire
after him ; if he shew thee his loving-kindness, thou
hast enough ; hide thee with the Lord by daily and
secret prayer, and he will teach thee his will, and
his Spirit shall lead thee, and if he see it meet, he
will bring thy soul out of adversity, and execute his

righteous judgment upon all those that have op
pressed thee. It is the Lord that quickeneth the
dead, and calleth things that are not as if they were,
Rom. iv. Lastly, Hath the Lord delivered thee out
of desperate and deadly crosses? Then let 'the
vows of God be upon thee, and render thou his
praise, and confess his name before the sons of men,'
Ps. lvi. 12, 13.
Your life is hid. Doct. The happiness and spiritual
felicity of Christians is hid ; and that usually from
the men of the world, and many times from the
faithful. Their life is hid from the men of this world :
first, Because God, who is their life, Deut. xxx. 20,
is hid from them ; secondly, Because the glory of
their natural life is many times buried in the gulf of
outward trouble, 2 Cor. vi. 9 ; thirdly, Because the
life of grace, which is only brought to light by the
gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10, is hid from the perceiving of
the natural man, whom the god of this world hath
blinded, 2 Cor. iv. 4 ; fourthly, Because the way of
holy conversation is hid from them ; for carnal men
are all strangers from the hfe of God, Eph. iv. 18,
it is a narrow way, and few there be that find it,
Mat. vii. 14 ; fifthly, Because many of the privileges
of a gracious life are hid from them: as, 1. The
enrolling of a Christian in the book of life, Isa. iv. 3,
Phil. iv. 3 ; 2. The seal of the Spirit of promise,
2 Cor. i. 22 ; 3. Pardon of sin, — wicked men
perhaps know the faults of God's children, but
not the forgiveness of those faults ; 4. The power
of the means, — the word is a savour of life, 2 Cor.
ii. 14, and hath spirit and life in it, John vi., yet it
is as a treasure hid in the field, or a httle leaven
hid in three pecks of meal, Mat. xiii. ; 5. Comfort
in their affliction, — wicked men know their afflic
tions, but not their consolations, 1 Cor. ii. 9 ; they
seldom or never mark the glorious issue, and how
God compasseth them about with joyful deliverance.
And generally we may burst out with the psalmist,
ancl say, ' How great is the goodness thou hast laid
up for them that trust in thee ! ' Ps. xxxi. 19. It is
great goodness, but yet, note that he saith, it is laid
up. Lastly, In respect of the life of glory the world
knows not Christians ; for ' it doth not yet appear
what they shall be,' 1 John iii. 1, 2.
Seeing this is so, that the hfe of Christians is hid

Ver. 4.]

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265

from the world, as it should infer the apostle's
former exhortation, so it should further teach us,
not to respect nor care for the judgment, counsel,
censures, Sec, of carnal men, in the whole or any
part of Christian life, for it is hid from them, and
they know not of what they speak.
Nay, in the second place, sometimes the life of a
Christian" may be hid from Christians also them
selves, so as they cannot discern then own happiness,
especially in some fits of temptation, and seldom or
never do they fully discern in this world so much as
the glory of their present estate. David thought he
was cast out of God's sight, Ps. xxxi. 22, and he
most mournfully makes his moan in the seventy-
seventh Psalm, as if he were almost resolved that
the Lord would not be merciful to him. Jacob
cries out, ' My way is hid from the Lord,' Isa. xl.
27; and the people somewhat vehemently say,
'Verily thou 0 God hidest thyself, 0 God the
Saviour of Israel,' Isa, xiv. 15. Which should
comfort afflicted Christians, since they may here see
that it hath been an usual distress of God's dear
servants to have their life hid in God. And withal
it may warn us, let him that now standeth in the
refreshings of the comforts of God's presence, take
heed lest he fall. But especially it should quicken
us to a desire to be gone, and to be in heaven, that
we might be past all danger.
But lest Christians should be discouraged, he
addeth two comforts : first, It is with Christ ;
secondly, It is in God,
With Christ. The life of Christ also was hid
while he lived : for, first, The glory of his divinity
was covered as it were with a vail in his flesh ;
secondly, His outward glory of his life amongst
men was obscured by the many crosses he sustained
for our sins, Isa. Iiii. 7, so as the world did not own
him, and he was without form, and despised among
men ; thirdly, His life was hid in the grave ; fourthly,
It was hid in respect of the horrors he felt in his
soul, the Lord as it were hiding his loving counte
nance from him for the time ; fifthly, His glory in
heaven is hid from the world, and the saints on
earth have but a glimpse of it. All this may
comfort us, seeing nothing can befaU us but what
hath befallen our head ; and if the world will not
acknowledge our glory, and the beauty of the pro

fession of sincerity, it matters not ; it could, not see
the excellency of Christ when he was on earth.
In God. Our life is hid in God either in respect
of object, because it principally consists in the vision
of God, or causally, as God is the first cause to beget
it and still to preserve it ; or else with Christ in
God — that is, with Christ, who incomprehensibly
rests in the bosom of the Father ; or, lastly, in God
— that is, apud Deum, in the power of God, to dis
pose of it at his pleasure. Which should comfort
us, seeing none hath power over our life but God,
and teach us to commend our spirits into his hands.
Ver. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
These words contain the second motive to persuade
to the meditation of heavenly things. If men would
consider of the 'certain and glorious appearance of
the Lord Jesus Christ, when he shall come to take
account of all the actions of all men, and put an end
to all the earthly felicities which man hath with so
many inventions sought, and withal but thinkhow
unavailable all earthly things will be at that day,
either to deliver from the terror of the judgment, or
the horror of the everlasting misery will certainly
follow, if men be not more careful to provide for
their souls beforehand, by following the study of
better things ; but especially if men would consider
the great gain and 'profit that godhness at that day
will bring, and the incomparable glory that all
heavenly-minded Christians shall then be exalted
unto ; the thought of these things, daily and truly
laid unto men's hearts, would much excite and stir
up to a constant care of preparing ourselves against
that day, and would greatly wean us from the cares
and delights in these transitory and earthly things
here below, that will so little avail the owners in the
day of death, and .will be of so little use in that
immortal estate unto which after this judgment the
godly shall be translated. So that these words offer
two things to be intreated of: first, The glorious
appearance of Christ ; secondly, The glorious appear
ance of the Christian in the day of Christ.
But before I enter upon the particular and full
discourse of those two glorious appearances, some
things may be briefly and generaUy noted.
1. That the knowledge of those last things is not
2 L

266

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

a curious or unprofitable knowledge, but, contrari
wise, ought to be searched after, as exceeding useful
in the life of man.
2. That -the doctrine of the glory of Christ and
Christians in that last day is now but little known
or discerned, and that the word ' appear ' imports,
so as the fulness of Christ's majesty, or of the
Christian's .glory, will not appear till the very judg
ment-day. The better sort know but in part ; and
the worse sort are so blinded by. the devil, and be
sotted with sensuality and the love of earthly things,
and withal are so conscious to themselves of the evils
they are guUty of, that they have no desire to dis
cern, or to be taught to know the doctrine of Christ's
coming. 3. Those words, ' which is our life,' are not to be
altogether passed over ; they plainly affirm that
Christ is our life, — and .this is an honour that the
Lord challengeth to himself ; and therefore, as he
would be acknowledged to be ' the way ' and ' the
truth,' -so also he addeth, ' I am the life,' John xiv.
6 ; and to this end he came, that men in him might
have life, John x. 10. And with great reason is
Christ said to be our hfe, for he formed us at first
when we were not, and quickened us when we were
dead, and hath provided a better life for us, and
doth preserve us unto eternal life, and daily renew
life and power in the hearts of his people, and will
raise our bodies at the last day. The consideration
hereof may both teach us and try us. It may teach
us, as to acknowledge that we have received life from
Christ, so to dedicate what remaineth of our life to
the honour and service of him .that is .the author and
sole Lord of our lives, and withal to run unto him
for the daily preservation and renewing of life and
loveliness in us. And it may try, too ; for till we
can truly say out of feeling and experience, Christ is
the life of our lives, we shall hardly find reason of
comfortable hope in our appearance before him at
the last day. And they only may .truly profess that
'Christ is their life that first can live by the faith of
Christ, accounting themselves to have enough if
they may see comfort in God's promises made in
Christ, and feel the joyful fruits of Christ's favour
and presence, howsoever it go with them for out
ward things. Secondly, That do continually sacri
fice and devote unto Christ their best desires and

endeavours, and that with resolution to cleave to
his service all the days of their hfe. And thirdly,
That can bewail his absence or displeasure as the
most bitter cross ; so as they could feel, and out of
affection say of such times and such a condition, that
the true life of their life was absent of removed from
them. Now I come to the appearance of Christ. I have
not here to do with the appearanee of Christ as it is
considered in the fore-ordination of .God before the
foundation of the world, 1 Pet. i. 20, but of the
accomplishment of it ; and so. Christ's appearance is
of divers kinds : for first, He hath appeared unto the
whole world as the true light that .made the world,
and lighteneth every man that cometh into the
world, John i. 9, 10 ; and thus he appeared in the
light of nature. Secondly, He appears to the whole
church, consisting both of good and bad, by the
general light of doctrine and scripture ; but many
receive not his testimony, John ih. 31, 32. Thirdly,
He hath appeared corporally, ' in the days of his
flesh, once in the end of the world, to put away sin
by the sacrifice of himseU,' Heb. ix. 26 ; 1 John iii.
5 ; and to dissolve the workof the devU, 1 John iii.
8. Then was fulfiUed .that great mystery, God was
manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. iii. 16. Fourthly, He
hath and doth daily .appear in the hearts of all the
faithful by the manifestation of the spirit of grace, 1
Cor. xh. 7, whereby he doth not only shine, but also
dwell in them, Eph. iii. 16, 17. Fifthly, He hath
and doth appear in the day of death, by the minis
try of his angels, to translate the blessed souls to
their place of peace, rest, and joy. And lastly, He
shall appear in the end of .the world in glorious
majesty to judge all men and angels,— and this is
the appearance here mentioned.
There is noted to be a threefold judgment : The
first judgment ; and that was accomplished on man
and angels at their first fall. Then there is a middle
judgment ; ancl so God judgeth the wicked and the
righteous. every day. And there is a last judgment,
and that is this judgment about which Christ is
here said to appear.
The doctrine of the last judgment is in a ¦manner
only to ibe found in the church. They were dark
and uncertain things the philosopher could see by
the light of nature. And the Lord's messengers

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

267

have, in all ages, from the first beginning tUl now,
mightily urged the terror of this day, to awaken the
secure world. Enoch prophesied of it, Jude 15 ;
so did Moses, Deut. xxxii. ; and David, Ps. 1. ; and
Solomon, Eccles.. xi.. 9 ; and Daniel, Dan. vii. 13; and
Joel, Joel iii. -r and Malachi, Mai., iv. ; so did Christ
himself, Mat., xxiv. ; and Paul, 2 Thes. i. ; and
Peter, 2 Pet. hi. ; and John, Rev. ; and Jude, Jude
6. Neither is the assurance of the judgment to
come warranted by the words of God's servants
only, but the Lord hath left many works of his own
as pledges that he wUl once at length for all judge
the whole world for. sin. The drowning of the old
world,, the burning of Sodom, the destruction of
Jerusalem, Mat. xxiv., were assured foretokens that
the Lord would, not put up with the infinite
iniquities of the world,, but will most severely
punish for sin,. The pleading of the conscience
foretells a judgment to come, Rom. ii. 15, 16. The
sentence of death pronounced in paradise, and re
newed with such terror on Sinai, did evidently
assure that God meant to call men to an account.
The lesser judgments in this hfe are but fore-types
of that last and greatest judgment to come. And
lastly, The dragging of men out of the world by
death is nothing else but an alarm to judgment.
Yet as there is a necessary use of the knowledge
of this dreadful and glorious doctrine, so there is a
restraint to be laid upon us. This is one of the
things wherein we must be wise to sobriety, Rom,
xii. 3. We must repress the itching of our ears,
and be content to be ignorant of what is not re
vealed : this is a doctrine to be inquired into more
for use of life than to- feed the curiosity of contem
plation. Concerning the judgment to come, if any ask,
Who shall judge ? I answer, that in respect of
authority, the whole Trinity shall judge, but in re
spect of the execution of that authority, Christ
only shall judge, and that as. man, Acts xvii. 31.
It is true that the apostles and the saints are said to
judge the tribes of Israel and the world ; but they
only judge as assessors, that is, they shall sit as it
were on the bench with our Saviour Christ when he
judgeth. And if any ask, in the second place, Whom
Christ shall judge ? I answer, he shall judge the evil

angels ; for they are reserved in everlasting chains
under darkness unto the judgment of the great day,
Jude 6 ; 2. Pet. ii. 4. He shall judge also the man
of sin, even the great antichrist, that hath made
such havoc in the church, and seduced the nations
with the wine of his fornications ; even, him shall
he consume with the brightness of his. coming, 2
Thes. ii. 8. He shall judge also all reprobates, men,
women and children, of all ages,, nations and con
ditions; foi; though he shall not know them, in
respect of approbation, Mat. vii. 22, xxv. 12, yet
he shall judge them, and make them understand he
knew, their transgressions. Further, he shall judge
the very elect, though it shall be with a different
judgment ; for ' we must all appear before the
tribunal seat of Christ, that every one may receive
the things which are done in his body,' 2 Cor. v.
10., Lastly, in some sense it. may be said he shall
judge the whole world ; for ' the heavens and the
earth that now are are kept (by the word of God)
and reserved unto fire against the day of condem
nation, and of the destruction, of ungodly men,' 2
Pet. iii. And the apostle Paul saith that the fervent
desire of the creature (made subject to vanity by
man) waiteth, for this revelation of the sons of God
at the last judgment : for they are subdued under
hope, and shall, at that day, by the sentence of
Christ, be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, Rom.
viii. 19-21.
Thirdly, It any ask where this judgment shall
be ? I answer, that seeing the Lord hath not deter
mined it, it is curious to inquire, and more curious
to. assign the very place, as some have, that wrote it
should be in the valley of Jehoshaphat ; . or as
others would have it, on Mount Zion, whence he
ascended.. This we know, it shall be near the
earth, in the clouds of heaven, where Christ's throne
shaU be set, and further than this we need not in
quire. There have been also many opinions about the
time when it should be. Some thought, that as the
world was six days in creating, and then the sabbath
of rest came ; so the world should last 6000 years,
(reckoning a thousand years as one day,) and then
should come the eternal sabbath. Others distribute
the time thus: 2000 years before the law, 2000

268

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

years under the law, and 2000 years after the law,
and then comes the judgment. Others thought the
world would last after Christ so long as it was to
the flood from the creation, and that was, as they
say, 1656 years. Others thought it should be as
long to the judgment after Christ as it was from
Moses to Christ, and that should be 1582. This
experience hath proved false. Others say Christ
lived 33 years, and the world should continue for 33
jubilees after Christ. What can be said of all or
the most of these opinions and such like, but even
this, that they are the blind fancies of men ? For
is there not a plain restraint laid' upon men in this
question, when the Lord Jesus said ' It is not for
you to know the times and seasons, which the
Father hath put in his own power,' Acts i. 7 ; and
' of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the
angels of heaven, but my Father only,' Mat. xxiv.
36 ; Mark xui. 32 ; and the evangelist St Mark
addeth that the Son of man himself knoweth not
the day and hour. Not that simply Christ is
ignorant of the time of the last judgment, but he
was said not to know, because he kept it from our
knowledge. Or else he knew it not as he was
man, or rather in his estate of humiliation and in
his human nature he did not precisely know it.
But that hinders not but that in his estate of exal
tation, as he is now in heaven, and hath all power
and judgment committed unto him, he may and
doth fully understand it.
But letting these things pass, the principal things
for us to be informed in as concerning the day of
judgment, and this last appearance of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, are these three : first, The
signs of his coming ; secondly, How, or the form of
the judgment itself, when he doth come ; and
lastly, The use we should in the meanwhile make of
the doctrine of the last judgment.
For our. better remembrance, the signs of Christ's
coming to judgment may be briefly reduced into this
catalogue. Some signs go before, and are fulfilled before he
appear. Some signs are conjoined with his appear
ing. The signs going before are more remote or
more near. The more remote signs are these : first,
The universal preaching of the gospel to all nations,
Gentiles as well as Jews. Before the end come,

saith our Saviour, ' This gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached throughout the whole world for a
witness to all nations, Mat. xxiv. 14; secondly,
Most cruel persecution, even such tribulation as
was not from the beginning of the world, Mat. xxiv.
9, 10, 21, 29 ; thirdly, A general falling away or
apostasy of the churches in antichrist, 2 Thes. ii. 2,
3 ; fourthly, Wars and rumours of wars, famine,
pestilence and earthquakes in divers places ; fifthly,
False prophets and false Christs, which shall deceive
many, Mat. xxiv. 11, 24. The signs more near are :
first, The preaching again of the everlasting gospel,
Rev. xiv. 6 ; secondly, The detection and fall of
antichrist, and the spiritual Babel, Rev. xiv. 8 ;
thirdly, The calling of the Jews, after the fulness
ofthe Gentiles is come in, Rom. xi. 25, 26 ; fourthly,
Coldness and security in the world, as in the days of
Noah, Mat xxiv. 37 ; fifthly, The shaking of the
powers of heaven, the darkening of the sun and
moon, and the falling of the stars, Sec, Mark xiii.
14. The signs conjoined are especially two : first,
The wailing of all the kindreds of the earth;
secondly, The sign of the Son of man, Mat. xxiv. 30,
which what it shall be I cannot describe.
And thus we are come to the very time and
execution of the judgment. And therein consider :
first, The preparation ; secondly, The judgment it
self ; thirdly, The consequents of the judgment.
The preparation is twofold : first, of the Judge ;
secondly, of the judged. Unto the preparation of
the Judge may be referred these things : first, His
commission, or that singular power given him of
the Father to execute judgment upon all the world,
John v. 22 ; Mat. xxiv. 30 ; and this shaU be then
made manifest to all men ; secondly, The clothing
of the human nature with a most peculiar and un
searchable majesty and glory, most hvely expressing
and resembling the form and brightness of the
Father, Mat. xvi. 27; thirdly, The attendance of
thousand thousands of holy angels, in the perfec
tions of their splendour, Dan. vii. 10 ; Mat. xxv. 31 ;
Rev. xx. 1 1 ; fourthly, The choice of a place in the
clouds of heaven where he will sit ; fifthly, The
erecting of a most glorious white throne, which
what it shall be who can utter ? Yet without ques
tion, it shall visibly then appear. And thus of the
preparation of the Judge.

Ver. 4.]

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269

The judged shall be prepared four ways : first, By
citation ; secondly, By resurrection ; thirdly, By
collection; fourthly, By separation. First, they
shall be cited to appear. The world is three times
cited : first, By the prophets and fathers before
Christ ; secondly, By the apostles and ministers of
the gospel since Christ. And the last summons is
this here meant, which shall be performed by a
shout from heaven, and the voice of the last trumpet;
and this shall be the voice of Christ the archangel
of God, and ministered by angels. For that it shall
be Christ's voice, is plain ; ' The dead shall hear his
voice,' as he saith in John, John v. 28. And ' the
Lord himself shaU descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God,' 1 Thes. iv. 16. That the ministry
of angels shall be used, is manifest by the evangelist
St Matthew, who reporteth Christ's words thus, ' And
he shall send his angels with a great sound of a
trumpet,' Mat. xxiv. 31.
Secondly, Upon this voice shall a resurrection
follow, which may be two ways considered ; first,
Every man in his own body, ' whether he hath
done good or evil,' shall revive, and rise up out of
the grave, or other places of the earth, or sea, or
air, Rev. xx. 1 3, without any loss of any part, that
so every man may in his very body receive what
he hath done, whether good or evil ; secondly, The
living" shall be all changed in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, 1 Cor. xv.
52. And this change shall be instead of death, and
a kind of resurrection. Not a change of substance,
but of qualities. Our corruptible shall put on in-
corruption, 1 Cor. xv. 53.
Thirdly, Then shall the angels gather and collect,
and bring into one place, from the four winds of
heaven, that is, from all the four parts of the world,
all that are quick or dead, now raised or changed,
elect or reprobate, Mat. xxiv. 31, xxv. 32 ; and
such is their power, that they wiU be able to
drive in the mightiest, wickedest, unwillingest ;
yea, though they were never so many millions of
them. - Lastly, When they are thus brought together,
there shall be made a separation; for the sheep,
God's elect, shall all be put on Christ's right hand ;
and the reprobate, or goats, shall be compelled to

his left hand, Mat. xxv. 32. And thus of the pre
paration. The judgment itself followeth.
In the judgment itself, I consider three things :
first, By what law man shall be tried and judged ;
secondly, By what evidence; thirdly, What the
sentence shall be.
For the first, the Gentiles shall be judged by the
law of nature. The unbelieving Christians in the
visible church shall be judged by the word or law,
writ or preached to them, according to that of the
apostle, ' They that have sinned without the law,
shall perish without the law ; and they that have
sinned under the law, shall be judged by the law,'
Rom. ii. 12. And our Saviour saith, ' He that
refuseth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one
that judgeth him ; the word that I have spoken, it
shall judge him in the last day,' John xii. 48. And
the faithful shall be judged by the gospel, even by
all those comforts and promises contained in or
belonging to the covenant of grace, applied to them
in this life, and must fully then be confirmed and
accomplished. For the sentence at the last day
shall be but a more manifest declaration of that
judgment the Lord in this life, most an end by his
word, hath passed upon man.
For the second, The evidence shall be given in
principally by the opening of three books. The
one is the book of conscience, and the other the
book of life, Rev. xx. 12, and the third the book
of God's remembrance, Mai. iii. 16. The book of
conscience, Rev. xx. 12, is that record which is kept
within every man, of all sorts of actions. And that
conscience may at that day give in fuller evidence,
it is certain that, after the resurrection, it shall be
almost infinitely extended by the power of God to
express this last testimony, both in the good and in
the evil. The book of life is God's sacred and
eternal record of aU those persons that were fore
ordained into hfe, of all ages and nations. The
book of remembrance will exactly express, without
all failing or mistaking, all the inclinations, thoughts,
affections, words, and deeds, with all circumstances
or occasions, and whatsoever else may illustrate
either the goodness of good men, or the transgres
sion of the wicked.
For the third, The sentence will be upon either
the godly or the wicked. The sentence upon the

270

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[Chap. III.

godly will contain : first, The opening of God's
eternal counsel, and his unsearchable love, wherein
he hath resolved and begun to declare his will, to
bless every one of the elect, Mat. xxv. 34- Secondly,
A manifestation of all the righteousness desired,
thought upon, spoken, or done by the godly, 2 Cor.
v. 10, and that with such fervency of affection in
Christ, that he will see and remember nothing but
goodness in good men, Mat. xxv. 34-41. Thirdly,
A final and general absolving and redeeming of
them, from the guilt and power of all sin, from the
beginning of the world, in Adam or themselves,
so as there shall never be either sin in them, or
accusation of sin against them, 1 Cor. L 30.
Fourthly, Ordination to glory, by appointing every
one of them to inherit the kingdom prepared for
them before the foundation of the world. Contrary
wise, the sentence of the wicked shall contain : first,
A declaration of God's eternal and just hatred of
them, Mat. xxv. 41. Secondly, A full manifestation
and ripping up before all men and angels, of all
their sins, both of nature and action, both against
God or men, or their own bodies and souls, secret
and open, of what kind soever, Rom. ii. 15.
Thirdly, A most terrible denunciation of God's
eternal curse and horrible ordination to those eter
nal torments prepared for them, together with the
devil and his angels, 2 Cor. v. 10.
Hitherto of the judgment itself. The consequents
of the judgment follow, and they are five : first, The
firing of the world, that is, the dissolution of the
world by a wonderful fire that shall enclose all, so
as the world shall not appear till it be renewed
again, and come out of that fire as out of a furnace;
for as the apostle Peter saith, ' The heavens being
on fire shall pass away, and be dissolved with a noise,
and the elements shall melt with heat, and the
earth with the works thereof shall be burnt up,.'
2 Pet. iii. 10-12. And there shall be then 'new
heavens and a new earth,' that is, as it were anew
refined. And the apostle John saith, the heavens
and the earth shall fly away from the face of him
that sitteth on the throne, Rev. xx. 11, xxi. 1.
The second consequence shall be the chasing of
the wicked to hell ; execution being speedily and
fearfully done upon them, with all horror and haste,
by the angels. The third shall be the liberty of the

creatures, I mean the rest of the creatures besides
men and angels, Rom. viii. 19-23. But because
this is a point somewhat obscure, I will endeavour,
in a few words, to resolve a doubt or two.
Quest First, How are the creatures now in bond
age, that they shall need then any hberty ?
Ans. They are in bondage in divers respects.
For first, They are fraU and corruptible, and so in
bondage to corruption. Secondly, They are subject
to confusions and inconstancy, as may appear by
the almost infinite mutations in the air, earth, seas,
fire. Thirdly, They are now forced to serve wicked
men. The sun shines upon the unjust as weU as
the just. The heaven makes fruitful with her
showers and influence the field of the wicked as
well as the just. The earth is driven to feed, and
to receive into her bosom, the ungodly as well as
the godly, and this is a bondage. Fourthly, The
visible creatures are God's great book, to proclaim
the invisible things of God. Now,, they stand
always ready and reading too, and men wUl not
learn by them. And so these good masters lose
all their labour ; and this is a bondage, to be tied
to teach such as will not learn. Fifthly, The
creature is made, not only the instrument, but many
times the subject of man's punishment for his sins ;
as tlie earth is made iron, and the heavens brass
for man's sake, and this is a great bondage.
Sixthly, The creature intends immortality, which,
while it fails of in the dying or expiring of the
particulars of every sort, it would supply for the
preservation, at least of the kinds, by a perennial
substitution of new particulars in every kind ; and
yet loseth all this labour, because aU things must
be dissolved, and must be restored by another way
known to God, and not now to nature. But
especially, the creatures may be said to be in bond
age, because since the fall, the more illustrious in
stincts and vigours of the most of the creatures are
darkened,, decreased, dulled, and distempered in
them. Oh, but might some one say, how can this
bondage be ascribed unto the heavens ?
Sol. The heavens are not so perfect but they
may admit enlargement of their excellency. Be
sides, they serve now promiscuously to the use of
bad as well as good ; neither are the very heavens
without their feebleness, and the manifest effects of

Ver. 4.]

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271

fainting old age. And therefore, by a prosopopoeia,
they may be said to groan together with the rest
of the creatures under the common burden and
vanity unto which they are subdued. It is observed,
that since the days of Ptolemy, the sun runs nearer
the earth by 9976 German miles, and therefore the
heavens have not kept their first perfection.
Object. But how can this vanity or bondage be in
any sense ascribed to the angels ?
Sol. There is no necessity to include the angels in
the number of the groaning .creatures ; and yet it
will be easy to shew that they -sustain a kind of
bondage ; for they are now made to serve earthly
things, men have their angels to attend on them.
And it is thought they have a kind of regency or
presidency either over nations or in moving the
orbs of heaven. Besides, they are put to inflict
punishments on wicked men, as on Sodom. Further,
they perform service sometimes not attaining their
own ends. And lastly, comparatively, at least their
fehcity in the creation was not so absolute as it shall
be in Christ ; for if his coming add not unto them a
more -exceUent condition of nature, yet out of all
question it adds .a fuller measure both of knowledge
and joy.
Quest. 2. But what shall the creatures have in the
day of Christ they have not now ?
Ans. First, They shall have freedom from -all the
former bondage and vanity. Secondly, They shall
be dehvered into the liberty of the sons of God ;
that is, they shall have a most excellent estate when
the children of God are glorified. Wherein the
Lord shews his justice, in that the creature shall
have restitution for what is lost by .man,
Object. But shall there be a resurrection of crea
tures as well as .men .?
Sol. No ; for this restitution shall be made. mi specie,
not -in indwiduo. Not to every particular of every
kind or sort, but to the sort or kind of all creatures .;
and that shall be done to the creatures then found
in their .several sorts.
The fourth consequent of the judgment shall be
the possession of the glory of Christians appointed
by the sentence of the judge. But of this after
wards in the end of this verse.
The fifth consequent of judgment shaU be the
delivering up of the kingdom to the Father, and so

the laying down of Christ's office ; for when Christ
hath finally and fully subdued Satan, death, and
wicked men, and hath fully reconciled the elect to
God, then will there be no word of any such govern
ment in heaven as was on earth. He shall not need
any longer to rule them, either by civil magistrates,
or by preaching and discipline, or by any other way,
which only did agree to the times of the church's
warfare and pilgrimage ; but he shall never cease
to live and triumph with them in all perfections of
happy contentment and glory. Thus -of the conse
quents of judgment. And thus also of the doctrine
of Christ's last appearance. The uses follow.
The Uses. The consideration of the doctrine of
the last judgment may serve for three principal
uses: £rst,For terror; secondly,For comfort; thirdly,
For instruction.
First, This is justly a wonderful terrible doctrine
to wicked men, that heap up wrath against this day
of wrath, and by their wilful impenitency provoke
this glorious judge. How can it but be terrible,
when the Holy Ghost gives warning that the Lord
Jesus will then-shew himself from heaven, with his
mighty angels, in flaming fire, to render vengeance
on all those that know not God, and have not
obeyed the gospels How can it -be hut terrible,
when wicked men shall be punished with everlast
ing perdition, from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power? How .can it but be
terrible, when they shall feel their consciences ex
quisitely griping them and gnawing upon them, and
when they shall see the devils to torment them,
and hell to devour them ? when they shall see the
world burning about them, and the good angels
forcing them away, and all, both men and angels,
applauding their judgment, and knowing all their
sins? They must not think that the judge will deal
then as he doth now. Now he judgeth them secretly
every day, but it is many times insensibly, or with
lesser plagues; but then he will most openly pour
upon them the full vials of his wrath. Here they
are judged that they may be amended, but there
their judgment shall be that they may be con
founded ; for there wUl be no place of repentance.
Deceive not thyself; Christ will not come the second
time as he came the first. He came then to be
judged, but now to judge ; he shall then be seen

272

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[Chap. III.

with terror, that was before looked upon with con
tempt ; he shewed his patience in his first coming,
but now he will shew his power ; he appeared then
in the form of a servant, but now he will appear in
the form of a King, greater than all kings. Then
he professed not to judge any man, but now he
proclaimeth he wUl judge aU men. It was com
monly thought if any man saw God he should die ;
alas, alas ! how then shall these woeful wretches do
that must see him in the unutterable fierceness of
his ireful indignation? If the powers of heaven
shall be shaken at his pleasure, oh ! how shall the
miserable heart of the guilty sinner be rent into
a thousand pieces, with unmedicinable sorrows ? If
Fehx tremble to hear tell of judgment, what will
poor Felix do when he must feel judgment, both in
the sentence and execution ? If the word of Christ
on earth had such power, as it had in the garden,
to strike stubborn-hearted men to the earth, what
power, think we, will it have when he speaks as the
Lord from heaven? When Ezekiel, Daniel, and
the apostle John, and others, saw but one angel,
in a lesser manifestation of his glory, coming as a
messenger of good tidings, they fall clown, and are
full of singular fear. If the sight of one angel be
so terrible, what will the sight of all the thousand
thousands of angels be, especially when they come
clothed with all their brightness of glory ? And if
good men, that had good consciences, were so
frighted, what shall become of evil men with then
evil consciences? And if the messengers of good
tidings do so amaze, how shall the executioners of
a most terrible sentence compass them about with
confusion both of face and heart ? If the drowning
of the old world, the burning of Sodom, the open
ing of the earth to swallow up Dathan and Abiram,
and such like judgments, have so much horror in
them, how then can any tongue express or Jieart
now conceive the horror of this day, when all the
millions of wicked men shall be dehvered up to
those eternal and remediless torments ? If it be
such a shame to do penance for one fault in one
congregation, where men will pray for the offender,
what a shame will it be when all thy faults shall be
discovered before all the whole world, without all
hope of pity or help ?
Nor is it possible for them to escape this fearful

judgment ; the judge will not be unconstant, nor
will he take reward ; he will not be overlaid with
confusion of businesses, he will no way be corrupted
in judgment. Not to appear is impossible, and to
appear is intolerable; here wiU be no respect of
persons, nor will the judge care how it be taken,
nor will he be deceived with colours and circum
stances. He hath tarried so long he cannot be
charged with rashness, nor can there be a hiding
of any particulars from him. Every inclination,
thought, desire, word, and work, shall surely come
to judgment. And lastly, there can be no impedi
ment to hinder execution.
Quest. 1. But here a question may arise, viz., Who
are they that are in danger hereof ?
Ans. All impenitent sinners. But yet there
are some kind of sinners that are expressly named
in scripture, and therefore if thou be any of that
number, prevent thine own ruin by repentance, or
else thou shalt certainly perish. I undertake not
to reckon all ; it shall suffice to mention some of the
chief sinners that Christ will be sure to remember
in that day. The beast and the false prophet, and
all that worship his image and renew his mark, shall
be then cast alive into the lake that burns with fire
and brimstone, Rev. xix. 20. False teachers, which
privily bring in damnable heresies, or speak evil of
the way of truth, have then condemnation long
since determined and agreed upon, 2 Pet. n. 1-3.
All atheists, that make a mock of rehgion and the
coming of Christ, shall have a principal portion of
the fierce fury of Christ, 2 Pet. iii. 3, &c. All
covetous worldlings and greedy rich men shall then
be in a woful case; for the very rust of their cankered
gold and silver shall witness against them, and shall
eat their flesh as it were fire, James v. 13. All
merciless men shall then have judgment without
mercy, James ii. 13. All whoremongers and adul
terers, and all that defile the flesh, God wUl be
sure to judge, Heb. xiii. 4. A fearful looking for
of judgment and violent fire shall devour all those
apostates that sin willingly after they have received
and acknowledged the truth, Heb. x. 27. How sure
do ye suppose shall his punishment be that doth
despite the Spirit of grace by wliich he was sancti
fied? Heb. x. 29. All those that have troubled
God's servants shall bear their condemnation, who-

Ver. 4]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

273

soever they be, Gal. v. 10. '0 man, thou art inex
cusable that judgest another man, wherein thou art
guilty thyself; for the judgment of God must needs
be in truth against such as commit such things,'
Rom. ii. 1-3. Especially if men grow master-like
in censuring, it will increase to ' greater condemna
tion,' James iii. 1. All goats, or unruly Christians,
that will not be kept within God's fence, that is,
will not be ruled by God's ordinances and ministers,
shall be separate in that day from GodJs sheep, and
as a people accursed to be cast into an unavoidable
fellowship with the devil and his angels, Mat. xxv.
All hypocrites, that say and do not, or do all their
works to be seen of men, and take God's covenant
into their mouths, and hate to be reformed, how
shall they escape the damnation to come? Ps. 1.,
Mat. vi. and xxiii. All wicked men, with their
scant measure, and deceitful weights, and wicked
balances, shall never be justified in the day of the
Lord, Micah vi. 10, 11. -What shall I say? it
were too long to proceed to reckon all, and it is a
short -labour to conclude with the apostle, No
wantons, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extor
tioners, nor thieves, nor wrathful persons, nor glut
tons, nor idolaters, nor jesters, nor filthy talkers, nor
fearful persons, nor liars, nor any that love lies, shall
be able to stand in the day of Christ, but shall be
shut out of the kingdom of heaven, and cast into
the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. And
thus of the use for terror.
Use 2. Secondly, Upon the meditation of this
last judgment divers lessons for our instruction are
enforced : first, It should restrain uncharitable judg
ing and censuring one of another for less matters,
especially for things indifferent : ' Who art thou
that judgest another man's servant ? he standeth or
faileth to his own master. Christ is the Lord of
quick and dead. And therefore why dost thou con
demn thy brother? or why dost thou despise thy
brother? for we shall all appear before the judg
ment-seat of Christ.' Inasmuch as the Lord Jesus
Christ will judge the secrets of all hearts, and give
a just trial to the actions of all men, 1 Cor. iv. 5, why
should we forestall his judgment, or in doubtful
matters arrogate to ourselves this honour of Christ ?
If we could consider that we shall then every one
give account unto God for himself, Rom. xiv. 12,

13, we should find work enough to do to look to
our own score : ' Let us not therefore, brethren,
judge one another any more.' Secondly, Are there
any matters of difference amongst us ? Let the saints
judge them and end them, 1 Cor. vi. 2. God will
be contented to put his cause to them at the last
day ; ' for we know the saints shall judge the world,'
and therefore why should we refuse their arbitra
tion? Thirdly, It should order and moderate our
sorrows for our dead friends. We should not sor
row as people without hope, seeing we believe that
all that sleep in Jesus God will bring with him,
1 Thes. iv. 13, 14, 17, 18. We shall meet together
again in that day, and afterwards live with the Lord
together for ever ; and therefore we should comfort
one another with these words. Fourthly, This
summons to judgment gives a dreadful warning and
admonition to the world, even 'to all men every
where to repent, inasmuch as God hath appointed a
day wherein he will judge the world in righteous
ness, by the man whom he hath appointed, whereof
he hath given an assurance in that he raised him
from the dead,' Acts xvii. 32. Woe will be unto us
if that day come upon us unawares, before we have
made our peace, and humbled ourselves before God,
and by unfeigned repentance turned from all our
evil ways. It is an unsearchable compassion that
God shews when he offers us this mercy, that ' if we
will judge ourselves, we shall not be judged of the
Lord ' in that day, 1 Cor. xi. 34. And it will on
the other side excessively incense his wrath, when
having such grace offered, we neglect it, and death
and judgment find our sins both unremitted on
God's part and unrepented on ours. Fifthly, Seeing
all these things must be dissolved, how should it
fire us, and daily quicken our dead and drowsy
spirits to a constant care of all possible holy conver
sation and godliness, 2 Pet. iii. 12, unless we would
discover ourselves either to be atheists, that mock at
the judgment to come, or men given to a spirit of
slumber, that in soul sleep it out, and will not con
sider our latter end ?
Seeing we are all God's stewards, let us arm our
selves as they that must then give account of our
stewardship. And since we have all received some
of God's talents ancl gifts in our several places, let
us be careful to approve ourselves to be good servants
2 M

274

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[Chap. III.

and faithful, such as can return them with advantage,
lest the portion of the servant that hid his master's
talents in the earth fall upon us. Lastly, Since the
day of judgment is the day of our full and final
redemption, and since he shall come as a thief in the
night, even in the hour that we think not, let us
therefore watch, Mat. xxiv. 44, and be ready, always
careful and diligent, sighing and groaning, longing
and praying, Rev. xxii., hasting to and looking for
this glorious appearance and revelation of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. iii.
Use 3. Thirdly, This may be a singular comfort
to all mortified and penitent Christians ; they may
lift up their heads, and rejoice with joy unspeakable
and glorious ; for the Lord shall then ' come to be
glorified in his saints, and made marvellous in all
them that believe,' 2 Thes. i. 10.
Object. But the terror of the day may amaze a
Christian. Sol. There is no spark of terror in this doctrine
to a godly mind ; for what should he fear, if he
either consider the favour of the Judge or the
manner of the judgment ? For the Judge is he that
hath been all this while their advocate, to plead
their suits by making intercession for them, 1 John
ii. 1. And therefore when he comes to sit in judg
ment, he cannot go against his own pleading. He
is their brother, and carries a most brotherly affec
tion ; and will he condemn his own brethren ? He
is their head, and hath performed all the offices of
a head unto them, and can he then fail them when
they have most need of him? Nay, it is he that
hath been Judge for us on earth, and will he judge
against us in heaven ? What shall I say ? He died
for us to shew his undoubted love, even that he
might redeem us as a peculiar people to God, and
will he fail us in the last act, when he should once
for all accomplish his redemption for us? Besides
he hath already promised to acquit us in that day,
and it hath been often confirmed, both in the word,
and the sacraments, and prayer. He hath left
many pledges of his love with us, and therefore it
were shameful unbelief to doubt his terror. What
though he be terrible to wicked men? yet by judging
in severity he hath not, nor cannot, lose the good
ness of his own mercy. What should we fear him
judging in his power, when we have felt salvation

in his name ? Besides, the manner of the judgment
shall be in all righteousness and mercy. Thou shalt
not be wronged by false witnesses, nor shalt thou
be judged by common fame or outward appearance ;
the Judge will not be transported with passion or
spleen, nor will he condemn thee to satisfy the
people ; and besides, "there shall be nothing remem
bered but what good thou hast sought, or done, and
not the least goodness but it shall be found to thy
honour and praise at that day. And if it were such
a favour to a base subject if the king should take
notice of him to love him, and should in an open
parliament, before all the Lords and Commons,
make a long speech in the particular praise of such
a subject ; what shaU it be when the Lord Jesus, in
a greater assembly than ever was since the world
stood, shall particularly declare God's everlasting
love to thee, and recite thy praises, with his own
mouth, of all that hath been good in thy thoughts,
affections, words, or works, throughout all thy life,
or in thy death ; especially if thou add the singular
glory he will then adjudge thee to, by an irrevocable
sentence ? And so we come to the second appear
ance, viz., the appearance of Christians in glory.
Then shall ye also appear with him in glory. The
glory that shall then be conferred upon Christians
may be considered either in their bodies, or in their
souls, or both. The glory of their bodies after the
resurrection is threefold : for first, They shaU be im
mortal, that is, in such a condition as they can
never die again, or return to dust ; for ' this mortal
then shall put on immortality,' 1 Cor. xv. 53. Se
condly, They shall be incorruptible, that is, not only
free from putrefaction, but also from all weakness,
both of infirmity, and deformity ; for ' though it be
sown in weakness, yet it shall be raised in power ;
though it be sown in dishonour and corruption, yet
it shall be raised in honour and incorruption,' 1 Cor.
xv. 42, 43. Thirdly, They shall be spiritual ; not
that our bodies shall vanish into ghosts or spirits,
but because they shall be at that day so admirably
glorified and perfected, that by the mighty working
of God's Spirit, they shall be as able to live without
sleep, meat, marriage, or the like, as now the angels
in heaven are ; and besides, they shall be so admir
ably light and agile, and swift, that they shall be
able to go abroad with inconceivable speed, in the

Ver. 4.]

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275

air or heavens, as now they can go surely on the
earth. The glory upon the soul, shall be the Avon-
derful perfection of God's image in all the faculties
of it. Then shall we know the secrets of heaven
and earth. And then shall our memories, will, and
affections be after an inexpressible manner made
conformable unto God. The glory upon both soul
and body shall be those rivers of joys and pleasures
for evermore. And thus shall the man be glorified
that feareth the Lord.
The consideration of this glory may serve for
divers uses. First, Let us all pray unto God upon
the knees of our hearts, from day to day, that as he
is the Father of glory, so he would give unto us the
spirit of revelation, that the eyes of our understand
ing might be enlightened to know in some comfort
able measure, and that we might be able with more
life and affection to meditate of the exceeding
riches of this glory and inheritance to come, Eph. i.
17, 18. Our hearts are naturally herein exceeding
both dull and blind, marvellous unable with delight
and constancy to think of these eternal felicities ;
and this comes to pass by the spiritual working of
Satan, and the deceitfulness of sin, and too much
employment and care about earthly things. But a
Christian that hath so high a calling, and hopes
for such a glorious end, should not allow himself
that deadness of heart ; but as he gaineth sense by
prayer in other gifts of grace, so should he strive
with importunity and constancy, wrestling with
God without intermission, so as no day should pass
him, but he would remember his suit unto God, tiU
he could get some comfortable ability to meditate of
this excelling estate of endless glory.
Secondly, This should make us to be patient in
tribulation, Rom. v. 2-4 ; and without murmuring or
grieving, to endure hardness, 2 Tim. ii. 3 ; and tempta
tions in this world, for they are but for a season, 1 Pet.
i. 6 ; though they be never so manUold or great ; and
the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of
the glory to be revealed, Rom. viii. 18. Though we
might be dismayed while we look upon our crosses,
and reproaches, and manifold trials, yet if the Lord
let us have access unto this grace, Rom. v. 2, to be
able soundly to think of the glory to come, we may
stand with confidence, unappalled, and with unutter
able joy, look up to the glory we shall shortly enjoy,

when 'the trial of our faith, being more precious
than the gold that perisheth, shall be found unto
honour and praise through the revelation of Jesus
Christ,' 1 Pet. i. 7. Yea, what were it to lose, not
some of our credits, or our goods, but even our
lives, seeing we are sure to find them again with
more than a hundredfold advantage, at the time
when Christ ' shall come in the glory of his Father,
to give unto all men according to their deeds ' ? Mat.
xvi. 27, 28. Besides, we must know that there is
no talking of sitting at Christ's hand in glory, till
we have asked ourselves this question, Whether we
can drink of the cup he drank of, and be baptized
with the baptism he is baptized with? Mark x. 37,
&c. And then if we can suffer with him, we shall
reign with him, 2 Tim. ii. 12 ; ancl shall be glad and
rejoice with exceeding joy when his glory shall ap
pear. And in the meanwhile the spirit of glory and
of God resteth on you, 1 Pet. iv. 13, 14.
Thirdly, Seeing Christ will receive Christians into
such glory, it should teach us to receive one another
into both our hearts and houses, Rom. xv. 7. Why
shouldst thou be ashamed or think it much, with all
love and bounty, and bowels of affection, to enter
tain and welcome the heirs of such eternal glory ?
Oh ! if thou couldst but now see but for a moment,
how Christ doth use the souls of the righteous in
heaven, or will use both body and soul at the last
day, thou wouldst for ever honour them whom
Christ doth so glorify, and make them now thy
only companions, whom thou shouldst see to be ap
pointed to live in such felicity for ever.
Fourthly, The thought of this glory should win us
to a care to be such as may be capable of it.
Quest. What must we do that we may have com
fort that we are the men shall partake of this glory,
and speed well in the day of Jesus Christ ?
Ans. First, ' Every one that would have this hope,
must purge himself as Christ is pure,' 1 John iii. 3 ;
we must be much in the duties of mortification ;
for no unclean person can enter into the kingdom
of glory. And unclean we are all, till we be washed
in the blood of Christ by justification, and bathed
in tears of true repentance by mortification. It
hath been observed before, that if we would not
have the Lord to judge us, we must judge ourselves,
1 Cor. xi. 34. And if we would not have Christ to

276

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[Chap. III.

take unto him words against our souls, we must
take unto us words against our sins, to confess and
bewaU them in secret, Hosea xiv. 3. Secondly, We
must labour for the assurance of faith. It is faith
that is the evidence of the things not seen, Heb. xi. 1 ;
It is faith that shall be found to honour and praise
in the revelation of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. i. 7 ; it is
faith to which the promise of eternal life is made,
John iii. 18. Thirdly, We should labour to get
unto ourselves the benefit of a powerful preaching
ministry, for thereby our hearts may be wonderfully
stirred up to see the glory of sincerity on earth, ancl
it will open a wide door to behold, as in a mirror,
the glory to come with an open face, changing us
into the same image from glory to glory by the
Spirit of God. I say not that this is of absolute
necessity, as the former are, but it is of wonderful
expediency. Fourthly, We must be circumspect
and watchful, in special manner attending to our
own hearts, that we ' be not at any time oppressed
with the cares of this life, or voluptuous living,'
Luke xxi. 34, 36. If ever we would be able to stand
in the day of judgment, and escape the fearful things
that are to come, especially we must look to our
selves in these things, lest that day come upon us at
unawares. Fifthly, Do we look for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ into eternal life ? then we must
(as the apostle Jude sheweth) ' edUy ourselves in
our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, and
keep ourselves in the love of God,' Jude 20, 21; we
must be afraid of whatsoever may estrange the Lord
from us, or any way darken the sense of his love ;
for we may be assured, if we have his favour and
walk before him in the sense of it, we shall have
glory when we die. Likewise, praying in the Holy
Ghost, with constancy and frequency, doth marvel
lously enrich a Christian, both with the first-fruits
of glory, even glorious joy on earth, and with the
assurance of fulness of glory in heaven. Sixthly,
The apostle John seems to say, if love be perfect in
us, we shall have boldness in the day of judgment,
1 John iv. 17. As if he would import that to be in
wardly and affectionately acquainted with Christians
on earth, is a notable means to procure us gracious
entertainment with Christ in heaven ; especially if
we perfect our love, and grow to some Christian
ripeness in the practice of the duties of love, in a

profitable fellowship in the gospel. It is good dis
cretion to grow as great as we can with Christians,
that so we may win the favour of Christ. Lastly,
The apostle Paul shews in the second to the Romans,
that ' they that seek glory, and honour, and immor
tality, and everlasting life,' must be ' patient in well
doing,' for they shall be rewarded according to
their works ; and to every man that doth good
shall be honour, and glory, and power, to the Jew
first, and also to the Grecian, Rom. ii. 6, 7, 10.
For all that have any tidings of salvation in the
gospel, or look for that blessed hope and appearing
of that glory of the mighty God, must live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world, Titus
ii. 11-13. Without holiness no man can see God,
Heb. xii. 1 4. And therefore we should be abundant
in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that
our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor.
xv. 58. And thus far ofthe glorious appearance both
of Christ and Christians. And thus also of the first
rule of life, namely, the meditation of heavenly things.
Ver. 5. Mortify therefore, your members which are on
earth, fornication, uncleanness, the inordinate affection,
evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
These words, with those that follow to the 10th
verse, contain the second principal rule of holy lffe,
and that is the mortification of evU. These evUs to
be mortified are of two sorts, for either they are
vices that concern ourselves most, or else they are
injuries that concern the hurt of others also. Of
the mortification of vices, he entreats, ver. 5-7 ; of
the mortification of injuries, he entreats, ver. 8, 9.
In the first part, viz., the exhortation to the morti
fying of vices, I consider first, the matter about which
he deals, and the reasons. The matter is in ver. 5,
and the reasons, ver. 6, 7.
In the 5th verse there are two things : first, The
proposition of mortification, in these words, ' mor
tify therefore your members that are on earth ;' se
condly, A catalogue of vices to be mortified, or the
enumeration of certam special sins a Christian should
be careful to keep himself from, viz., ' fornication,
uncleanness,' &c.
The general consideration of the whole exhorta
tion to mortification should imprint this deeply in
our hearts, that unless we do repent of those sins

Ver. 5.]

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277

that have been in our natures and lives, and be care
ful to flee from the corruptions that are in the world,
we shall never have comfort that we are accepted
with God. We should bring to the particular open
ing of all the verses a mind resolved of the general.
And to quicken us a little the more to the respect of
this doctrine, and to enforce the care of parting with
our sins, I will briefly touch by the way some few
reasons why we should be willing to entertain all
counsel that might shew us any course to get rid of
sin. First, Our vices are the fruits of our corrupted
nature. They arise not from any noble or divine
instinct, but are the effects of base flesh in us, Gal.
v. 19. And we should carry the thoughts of it in
our minds when we are inclined or tempted to vice.
We should say within ourselves, this evil proceeds
not from anything that might declare greatness or
true spirit in a man. What is passion, or lust, or
covetousness, but the base work of the filthy degen
erated flesh. Secondly, Our vices are the only things
that defile us and make us loathsome before God and
men. It is not mean clothes, nor a deformed body,
or a poor house, or homely fare, or any such thing,
that makes a man truly contemptible. No, no ; it
is only sin can defile, Mat. xv. 19, and bring that
which is true contempt. Thirdly, The bond and for
feiture of the law or covenant of works lieth upon
the back of every man that lives in sin without re
pentance. For the law is given to the lawless and
disobedient, as the apostle shews, to ungodly and
shiners, to whoremongers, and liars, and to all that
live in sin, contrary to wholesome doctrine, 1 Tim.
i. 9, 10. Fourthly, Are not strange punishments'
to the workers of iniquity ? Is not destruction to
the wicked? Job xxxi. 2, 3. What portion can
they have of God from above? and what inherit
ance from the Almighty from on high ? The hearts
of holy men that have considered the fearful terrors
of God denounced in scripture against the vices of
men, have even broke within them, and their bones
have shaken, for the presence of the Lord, and for
his holy word, Jer. xxiii. 9. Fifthly, Christ will be
a swift witness, Mai. iii. 7, against all fearless and
careless men, that being guilty of these vices or the
like, make not speed to break them off by repent
ance. Lastly, ' Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven? Be

not deceived, for these things the wrath of God
cometh upon the children of disobedience,' 1 Cor.
vi. 9, Eph. v. 6.
Now I come to the words particularly.
Therefore. This word carries this exhortation to
something before. If it be referred to our rising
with Christ, ver. 1, then it notes that we can never
have our part in Christ's resurrection till we feel the
virtue of his death killing sin in us. If it be re
ferred to the meditation of heavenly things, then it
notes that we can never set our affections on things
that are above till we have mortified our members
that are on earth. The corruption of our natures
and lives are the cause of such disabUity to contem
plate of or affect heavenly things. And as any are
more sinful, they are more unable thereunto. If the
word be referred to the appearance of Christ in the
former verse, then it imports that mortification is of
great necessity unto our preparation to the last judg
ment, and will be of great request in the day of Christ.
Mortify. To mortUy is to kill, or to apply that
which will make dead. The Lord works in matters
of grace, in the judgment of flesh and blood, by con
traries. Men must be poor if they would have a
kingdom, Mat. v. 34 ; men must sorrow if they
would be comforted ; men must serve if they would
be free, John viii. ; and here, men must die if they
would live. God's thoughts are not as man's ; but
his ways are higher than man's ways, as the heavens
are higher than the earth, Isa. Iv. 10. Which may
teach us, as to live by faith, so not to trust the judg
ment of the world, or the flesh, in the things of God.
But the manifest doctrine from this word is this,
that true repentance hath in it the mortification of
sin ; and so it implies divers things : first, That we
must not let sin alone till it die itself, but we must
kUl sin while it might yet live. It is no repentance
to leave sin when it leaveth us, or to give it over
when we can commit it no longer. Secondly, That
true repentance makes a great alteration in a man.
Thirdly, That it hath in it pain and sorrow. Men
use not to die ordinarily without much pain ; and
sure it is sin hath a strong heart, it is not soon kiUed.
It is one thing to sleep, another thing to die. Many
men with less ado get sin asleep, that it doth not so
stir in them ; but, alas ! there must be more ado to
get it dead by true mortification. Fourthly, True

278

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[Chap. III.

repentance extinguisheth the power of sin and the
vigour of it : it makes it like a dead corpse, that
neither it stirs itself, nor will be stirred by occasions,
persuasions, commandments, or strokes. It is a
wonderful testimony of sound mortification when we
v have gotten our old corruption to this pass. And
constancy in prayer and hearing, and daily confession
and sorrow for sin, will bring it to be thus with us,
especially if we strive with God, and be earnest with
spiritual importunity, watching the way of our own
hearts, to wound sin so soon as we see it begin to
stir. Yet I would not be mistaken, as if I meant
that a Christian could attain such a victory over sin
that it should not be in him at all, nor that he should
never be stirred with the temptations, or enticements,
or occasions of evil. But my meaning is, that in
some measure, and in the most sins, a Christian doth
find it so, and in every sin his desire and endeavour
is daily to have it so. And his desire is not with
out some happy success, so as sin dieth, or lieth a-
dying every day.
Quest. But here a question may arise : Did not
the apostle grant they were dead before ? and if they
were dead to the world, they were without question
dead to sin also. How then doth he speak to them to
mortify sin ? doth it not imply they had not been
mortified before ?
Ans. I answer, The apostle may well use this
exhortation, for divers reasons : first, Many of them
perhaps were dead but in appearance, they professed
mortification but were not mortified ; secondly, It
might be some of them had begun to use some
exercises of mortification, but had not finished their
mortification. Sure it is, and we may see it by daily
experience, that many being won by the word, and
smitten with remorse, have sometimes the pangs of
sorrow for their sins, but quickly are aweary of
seeking sorrow in secret for sin ; they give over
before they have soundly and sufficiently humbled
their souls.
Quest. But may some one gay, How long should
we continue our sorrows, or how long should we
judge ourselves in secret for our sins ?
Ans. I answer, Thou must not give over thy
sorrows : first, Till the body of sin be destroyed,
Rom. vi., that is, till that general frame of sinful
ness be dissolved, till, I say, thou have set some

order in thy heart and life, so as the most sins thou
didst before live in be reformed ; secondly, It were
expedient thou shouldst stUl seek to humble thy
soul till thou couldst get as much tenderness in
bewailing thy sins as thou were wont to have in
grieving for crosses, till thou couldst mourn as
freshly for piercing God's Son as for losing thine
own son, Zech. xii. 10; thirdly, Thou must sorrow
till thou find the power of the most beloved and
rooted sins to be in some measure weakened and
abated ; fourthly, Thou doest not weU to give thy
sorrows over till thou find the testimony of Jesus in
thy heart, that is, tiU God answer thy mournful
requests of pardon with some joys in the Holy
Ghost, and the dews of heavenly refreshings.
Quest. But will some one say, Must we lay aU aside,
and do nothing else but sorrow till we can find all
those things ?
Ans. I mean not that men should neglect their
callings all this while, or that they should carry an
outward countenance of sorrowing before others, or
that they should all this whUe afflict their hearts
with discontentment, or the like. For when the
apostle wills men to pray always, he means not that
they should do nothing but pray, but he would have
them to keep a set course of praying every day ; and
besides, to watch to all the extraordinary occasions
or opportunities of prayer; which being done, a
Christian may be truly said to pray continually,
though otherwise he follow his calling dUigently.
The like I say of sorrowing always. But that I may
express my meaning distinctly, I think, till thou
canst attain the former things, thou must observe
these rules : first, Thou must lay aside thy recrea
tions and carnal rejoicings, for this the apostle
James imports, when he saith, ' Let your laughter
be turned into heaviness, and your joy into mourn
ing,' James iv. 9 ; secondly, Thou must beg sorrow
at God's hand every day constantly in the times set
apart for prayer, till the Lord give thee rest to thy
soul by granting the things before mentioned;
thirdly, Thou must not neglect the times of special
fasting and humiliation, if the Lord call thereunto,
Isa. xxii. 12 ; lastly, Thou must use special
sobriety in the restraint of thy liberty in earthly
things, and be watchful to make use of all oppor
tunities of softening thy heart. These things being

Ver. 5.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

279

observed, thou mayest seem unto men not to sorrow,
and mayest follow thy calhng seriously, and yet be
truly said to sorrow always. Thus of the second
reason why the apostle exhorts still to mortifica
tion. Thirdly, The dearest and humblest servants of
God may be called upon to mortify their members
that are on earth, though they have truly and
soundly repented of sin before, by reason of the
evils of every day, which daily and afresh, even
after calling, break out in their hearts and lives,
and for which they must still renew their repent
ance ; for their first repentance only delivers them
from sins past ; they must renew their mortification,
as their corruptions are renewed.
Members. It is certain by 'members on earth,'
the apostle means sin, and that fitly : for, first,
Actual sins in relation to original sin, are as so
many members that grow from it ; secondly, By a
metonymy of the subject, sin may be called our
members, because it is brought into action by the
help and service of our members; thirdly, If the
apostle' had spoken to wicked men, he might well
have called sin their members, because they love
sin as they love their members ; and therefore to
take away their sin, is to puU out their eyes, or to
cut off their hands or feet, as our Saviour shews,
Mat. v. 29, Sec ; fourthly, Sins in the Colossians,
and so in all the faithful, may be here called mem
bers comparatively with the body of sin mentioned,
Col. ii. 12, as if the apostle should say, the body of
sin is already cast off and destroyed in you by your
former repentance, but yet there remains some limbs
of sin, some members of it, these resist ; and in this
sense we may here note a lively difference between
sin in wicked men, and sin in godly men. For in
wicked men there is the whole body of sins, that is,
aU their sins unremitted, and unrepented. But in
godly men, the body of sin, even the greater number
of their sins, they have abandoned, only some few
members of their sins remain, which every day molest
them . But before I pass from these words, two things
are further to be noted : first, That he saith, ' your
members;' secondly, He addeth, 'which are on earth.'
Your. The apostle saith well ' your ' members ;
for indeed properly our sins are our own, and
nothing else.

Which are on earth. They are also well said to be
on earth ; because they are signs of the earthly man,
and because they tend only to earthly pleasures and
contentments, and because men with these unre
pented of, are not admitted into heaven.
Thus of the general proposition; now follows
the catalogue of sins to be mortified.
Before I enter upon the particular consideration of
them, something may be learned from the apostle's
order : first, He teacheth men to reform their own
personal vices, and then orders them for mortification
of injuries to other men. Sure it is, that every filthy
person will be an injurious person; and till men repent
of their lusts, and other such like personal corruptions,
they will never cease to be injurious to otlier men.
And ordinarily men that are notable for malice, or
blasphemy, that is, cursed speaking, and such like
sins as the. apostle after names, they are exceeding
vicious persons otherways. Instance but in such as
reproach God's servants ; mark it both in city and
country. Who are they that raise and vent all
slanders and strange reports concerning such as
preach or profess the gospel of Jesus Christ in the
truth and sincerity of it ? I say mark them particu
larly. For my own part, in my httle observation I
have found them always either to be papists, or
superstitious persons, or drunkards, or notable
whoremasters and filthy persons, or people guilty of
other notable crimes. Indeed, sometimes their abomi
nations are not so commonly and publicly discoursed
of, because either they are men of greater place, or
else their vices are more covered over and gilded
with cunning pretences ; yet seldom falls it out, but
their wickedness is commonly known; and many
times God's children that are unjustly touched
could upon sufficient grounds detect strange abomi
nations in their adversaries; and this was unto
David usually a strong argument of comfort, that
his adversaries were men whom he knew to be
workers of iniquity. And thus much from the order
of these catalogues.
The sins here reckoned up are sins either against
the seventh commandment — viz., fornication, un
cleanness, inordinate affections ; or against the tenth
commandment — evil concupiscence; or against the
first commandment — covetousness, which is idolatry.
First, Of the sins against the seventh commandment,

280

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

I might here observe, in that they are placed in the
first, that God would have Christians to be espe
cially careful to preserve their chastity ; for this is
one thing principal in ' the will of God concerning
our sanctification, that we should abstain from forni
cations,' and that every one should know how to
possess his vessel in holiness and honour, 1 Thes.
iv. 3, 4. Ancl to this end hath the Lord given us
so many precious promises, that we might resolve to
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and
spirit, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Now, in the handling of these
sins against the seventh commandment here men
tioned, I will keep this order : first, I will particu
larly entreat of the nature and effects of each of
these three sins, and generally make use of all
together, and therein shew the remedies against all
sins of uncleanness.
Fornication. There is fornication in title only, as
when victuallers were called by the name of harlots.
Secondly, There is a metaphorical kind of fornication,
or allegorical; so wicked men are said to be bastards,
Heb. xii. ; and the Jews were born of fornication,
Hosea i. Thirdly, There is a spiritual fornication ;
and so idolatry is fornication, and so usually termed,
both by the prophet Hose*a, and the apostle in the
Revelation. Lastly, There is corporal fornication ;
and that sometimes notes whoredom in the general ;
and sometimes it notes that filthiness that is com
mitted actually by unmarried persons ; and this
latter kind of filthiness was exceeding common
among the Gentiles in all nations, especially where
it was committed with such as professed to be
wdiores ; and so it was an effect of that horrible
blindness into which the nations fell upon their
idolatry. But I suppose it may be here taken for
all adultery and whoredom. And then I come to
the reasons which may be collected against this sin
out of several scriptures ; and generally it is worthy
the noting, that ever the more the world lessens the
hatefulness of this sin, the more the Holy Ghost
aggravates it ; as here it is set in the forefront, that
the first and greatest blows of confession and prayer
might light upon it. But I come to the particular
reasons against fornication.
1. It defiles a man worse than any leprosy, Mat.
xv. ; it is filthiness in a high degree of hatefulness.
2. It makes a man or woman unmeet and unworthy

all Christian society, as the apostle shews : ' If any
that is called a brother be a fornicator, with such
a one eat not,' 1 Cor. v. 9.
3. It is one of the manifest works of the flesh,
Gal. v.
4. It is so hateful, that it ought not once to be
named among Christians, Eph. v. 4.
5. It brings with it horrible dishonour. ' If a
thief steal to satisfy his soul, because he is hungry,
men do not so despise him ; but he that committeth
adultery with a woman is destitute of understand
ing ; he shall find a wound and dishonour, and his
reproach shall never be put away,' Prov. vi. 33. It
is better to be buried in a deep ditch than to live
with a whore, Prov. xxiii. 27.
6. It utterly makes shipwreck of innocency and
honesty. A man may as well take fire in his
bosom, and his clothes not be burnt; or go upon
coals, and his feet not be burnt, as go in to his
neighbour's wife, and be innocent, Prov. vi. 27-29;
the strange woman increaseth transgressors amongst
men, Prov. xxiii. 28. It is impossible to be adul
terous and honest.
7. It is a sin of which a man or woman can
hardly repent; for whoredom and wine, as the
prophet notes, take away their hearts, Hosea iv. 11.
The guests of the strange woman are the most of
them in hell, Prov. ix. 18 ; for the wise man further
avoucheth, Surely her house tendeth to death, and
her paths unto the dead, Prov. ii. 18.
8. It wiU bring God's curse upon a man's estate.
Many a man is brought to a morsel of bread by it.
Prov. vi. 26 ; yea, it may bring a man into almost
all evil in the midst of the congregation, Prov. v. 14;
for fornication is a fire that will devour to destruc
tion, and root out all a man's increase, Job xxxi.
11, 12, and therefore to be accounted a wickedness
and iniquity to be condemned.
9. By this sin a man may make his house a very
stew. The Lord may justly plague his filthiness in
his terrible wrath, suffering his wife, children, or
servants also to defile his house with like abomina
tions. 10. If it were not otherwise hateful, yet this is
sure : it will destroy a man's soul, Prov. vi. 32.
Lastly, The apostle Paul, in the First Epistle to
the Corinthians, and the sixth chapter, hath divers

Ver. 5.]

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281

reasons against this sin : first, The body was made
for the Lord as well as the soul; secondly, The body
shall be raised at the last day to an incorruptible
estate; thirdly, Our bodies are the members of
Christ ; fourthly, He that coupleth himself with a
harlot is one body with a harlot ; fifthly, This is a
sin in a special sense against our own bodies; sixthly,
The body is the temple of the Holy Ghost ; finally,
The body is bought with a price, and therefore is
not our own. These reasons should effectually per
suade with Christian minds to abhor and avoid this
wretched sin ; and those that are guilty of it should
make haste by sound repentance to seek forgiveness,
having their souls washed in the blood of Christ ;
for howsoever for the present they live securely
through the methods of Satan and the deceitfulness
of sin, yet may they be brought into the midst
almost of all evils before they be aware, Prov. v. 14.
Let them assure themselves that the end will be bitter
as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword, Prov.
v. 4 ; for he that followeth a strange woman is as an
ox that goeth to the slaughter, and as a fool to the
stocks for correction, tiU a dart strike through his
liver, as a bird hasteth to the snare, not knowing
that he, is in danger, Prov. vii. 22, 23; for if the
filthy person could escape all manner of judgment
from men, yet it is certain that whoremongers and
adulterers God will judge, Heb. xiii. 4 ; but be
cause God for a time holdeth his tongue, therefore
they think God is like them ; but certainly the time
hasteth when the Lord wUl set all their filthiness in
order before them ; and if they consider not, he will
seize upon them when no man shall deliver them,
Ps. 1. 21, 22 ; especially they are assured to lose the
kingdom of heaven, and to feel the smart. of God's
eternal wrath in the lake that burneth with fire and
brimstone, 1 Cor. vi. 9, Eph. v. 5, Rev. xxi. 8, xxii.
15 ; neither let them applaud themselves in their
secrecy ; for God can detect them, and bring upon
them the terrors of the shadow of death, when they
see they are known, Job xxiv. 15-17; the heavens
may declare their wickedness, and the earth rise
against them, Job xx. 26, and the fire not blown
may devour them.
Neither let any nurse themselves in security in
this sin, under pretence that they purpose to repent
hereafter; for they that go to a strange woman

seldom return again ; neither take they hold of the
way of life, Prov. ii. 19 ; for whoredom takes away
tlieir heart, Hosea iv. 11. If they reply, that David
did commit adultery and yet did return, I answer,
it is true ; of many thousand adulterers, one David
did return ; but why mayest thou not fear thou
shouldst perish with the multitude did not return ?
Besides, when thou canst shew once David's exqui
site sorrows and tears, I will believe thy interest in
the application of David's example.
Uncleanness. By uncleanness here I suppose is
meant all external pollutions or filthiness, besides
whoredom. As, first, With devils, and that either
sleeping, by filthy dreams, or waking, as is reported
of some witches ; secondly, With beasts, and this is
buggery ; thirdly, With men, and that is sodomy ;
fourthly, With our own kindred, and that is incest ;
fifthly, With more wives than one, and that is
polygamy; sixthly, With one's own wife, by the
intemperate or intempestive use of the marriage-
bed, as in the time of separation ; seventhly, With
a man's own self, as was Onan's sin, or in like filthi
ness, though not for the same end. These, as the
Gentiles, walk in the vanity of their minds, 'their
cogitations are darkened, they are strangers from
the life of God through their ignorance and hard
ness of heart, being for the most part past feeling,
and many of them delivered up to a reprobate sense,
as a scourge of other sins and foul vices which
abound in them : these are the shame of our assem
blies, and many times visited with secret and horrible
judgments, Eph. iv. 17, Rom. i. 24, 26, 27, 29, &c.
Inordinate affection. The original word notes in
ternal uncleanness, especially the burning and flaming
of lust though it never come to action, or the daily
passions of lust which arise out of such a softness
or effeminateness of mind as is carried and fired with
every occasion or temptation : this is the ' lust of
concupiscence,' 1 Thes. iv. 5 ; and howsoever the
world little cares for this evil, yet let true Christians
strive to keep their hearts pure and clean from it,
for they were as good have a burning fire in them,
1 Cor. vii. 9. Secondly, Those lusts fight against the
soul, 1 Pet. ii. 12, they wound and pierce the con
science. Thirdly, The devil begins the frame of his
work in these : he desires no more liberty than to
be allowed to beget these lusts in the heart ; he is
2 N

282

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Chap. III.

not called ' the father of lusts ' for nothing, John
viii. 44 ; he can by these inordinate thoughts and
affections erect unto himself such strongholds, 2
Cor. x. 5, as nothing but the mighty power of God
can cast down. Fourthly, The apostle saith lust is
foolish and noisome, and drowns men in perdition,
1 Tim. vi. 9. Fifthly, They hinder the efficacy ofthe
word ; that is the reason why divers men and women
are ' ever learning, and are never able to come to the
knowledge ofthe truth,' even this, they are carried
about with divers lusts. Sixthly, They greatly purge
upon faith and hope; they hinder or weaken the
trust on the grace of God brought us by Jesus
Christ; and therefore the apostle Peter counsels
Christians not to fashion themselves according to
the lusts of their former ignorance, 1 Pet. i. 1 3, 1 4.
Seventhly, Those monstrous crimes mentioned in
the first to the Romans grow originally from these
lusts, Rom. i. 24.
The uses of all these together now follow : And,
first, we may hence see great cause of thankfulness
if the Lord have delivered us and kept us from
these monstrous abominations ; and especially if the
Lord have made us sincere to look to, and to pray
against, and in some happy measure to get victory
over, those base lusts of the heart and evil thoughts.
If there were nothing else to break the pride of our
natures, this should, to consider seriously what mon
strous devihsh filthiness Satan hath wrought others
to, and if God should leave us, might bring the best
of us to ; but especially this should teach us to use
all possible remedies against these or any of these
uncleannesses. The remedies are of two sorts : first, For such as
have been guilty of any of the former uncleannesses ;
secondly, For such as would preserve themselves
against them, that they might not be defiled with
them. There are two principal remedies for the
unclean person. The first is marriage, or the right
use of it. If it be in single persons, they must re
member the apostle's words, ' It is better to marry
than to burn,' 1 Cor. vii. 9 ; and if they be married,
they must know that the love of their husbands or
wives is the special help to drive away these impure
pollutions ; for such is the counsel of the Holy Ghost
in the fifth of the Proverbs to them that are infected
with these vicious and predominant inclinations,

Prov. v. 15, 21 ; and if they find (as it is certain
every unclean person doth find) want of love to
tlieir own husbands or wives, then must they beg
affection of God by daUy and earnest prayer. But,
in the second place, unclean persons must know
that marriage alone will not serve turn, but they
must add repentance ; for lamentable experience
shews that marriage without repentance abates not
the power of lust. And therefore such as would
deliver their souls from the vengeance to come due
unto them for uncleanness, whether inward or out
ward, must seek to God, and with many prayers
and tears beg pardon ; they must be washed from
filthiness by the blood of Christ, and the tears of
true repentance. Neither let men deceive them
selves ; a little sorrow will not serve turn for these
pollutions, and therefore the apostle useth the word
' washed,' 1 Cor. vi. 9, 11, to note the repentance of
the Corinthians from these and such hke sins. Now
there can be no washing without water, neither will
a drop or two serve turn.
Secondly, That those that are not guilty may be
preserved against uncleanness, these things are of
great use and profit : first, The word of God, and
the sound knowledge of it ; for, saith the Lord, in
the second of Proverbs, ' If thou wilt receive my
words, and hide my commandments within thee, if
thou callest after knowledge and criest for under
standing, if thou seekest her as sUver and searchest
for her as for treasures, then shall counsel and under
standing preserve thee, and deliver thee from the
evil way, and from the strange woman, which flat
tereth with her words, and forsaketh the guide of
her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God,'
Prov. ii. 1, 3, 4, 12, 16, 17. And hereunto agreeth
David: for propounding this question, 'By what
means a young man might cleanse his heart?' he
answereth, ' By taking heed to the word,' Ps. cxix.
9. So St John, speaking to the young men, saith,
' The word of God abideth in you, and ye have
overcome the wicked one,' 1 John ii. 14.
Secondly, Meditation is another great preserva
tive : wouldst thou remove wickedness from thy
flesh, even aU the vanities of youth, then thou must
' remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth,'
Eccles. xi. ult. with xii. 1. Thou must much and
often think of the Lord God that made thee, not

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283

that thou shouldst wallow in the mire of these
swinish poUutions. Besides, it is profitable to force
thy heart to the often meditation of thine own mor
tality, that the thoughts of thy death may be a
kind of death to thy lusts. This the apostle Peter
implies when he saith, ' as strangers and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts,' manifestly importing that
if we did seriously think that we are here but
strangers and pilgrims, it would tame the violence
of these hateful lusts. Also we should much ponder
upon the examples of such as have sinned, and the
Lord hath fearfuUy visited them both for and in
their sin; for all those things came unto them for
' ensamples,' and were ' written to admonish us
upon whom the ends of the world are come,' 1 Cor.
x. 6, 8, 11.
The third preservative is daUy, earnest, and con
stant prayer unto God against them ; and if we feel
the beginning to rise in us, we should labour for
special sorrows, even with grief of heart, to rack
and crucify them. Lust will not usually out of the
soul, if it get any footing, till it be fired out with
confession and godly sorrow ; and therefore the
apostle useth the phrase of crucifying the lusts of
the flesh, Gal. v. 24. And that prayer is a remedy,
the apostle's own practice shews ; for, when Satan
buffeted him, he prayed unto God, and that thrice,
that he might get the temptation to depart from
him, 2 Cor. xii. 9.
The fourth preservative is to ' walk in love,' I
mean Christian love to God's children, and such a
love as hath both affection and society, and spiritual
employment in the furtherance ofthe gospel. When
the apostle would charge the Ephesians to avoid for
nication and all uncleanness, he doth first advise
them, and that seriously, to walk in love, Eph. v.
2, 3, as knowing that the exercise of true Christian
love breeds such contentment and desire of holiness
that it mightUy fenceth the heart against all base
lusts whatsoever. For they cannot stand together ;
and usually such as are withdrawn by concupiscence
are likewise withdrawm from all profitable fellowship
with God's children.
The fifth preservative is watchfulness in the daily
observing of the first motions of lust, and in careful
ness in directing the heart into God's presence, de
voting in our covenants and desires our thoughts

and affections to God. Thus Solomon, when he
would give direction against the whorish woman,
adviseth, ' My son, give me thy heart, and let thine
eyes delight in my ways,' Prov. xxiii. 26, 27.
The last preservative is to avoid the causes and
occasions of lust and uncleanness. The first is idle
ness. This was one of the causes of the detested
uncleanness of Sodom, as the prophet Ezekiel shews,
Ezek. xvi. 49 ; and contrariwise, diligence in our
callings is a notable help to keep out inordinate
desires and vain thoughts ; and commonly persons
overtaken with uncleanness abound with idleness.
The second is fulness of bread, — that is, by a synec
doche, excess in meats and drinks, either for the
measure or daintiness of them ; and contrariwise, to
beat down our bodies, 1 Cor. ix. 27, either by
abstinence or sobriety in the use of the creatures, is
a notable means to quench and abate those flames
if they be risen, and to keep them also from that
special aptness to rise. The third is, the high esti
mation of earthly things, and the too great liking
of them ; for this love secretly brings in lust : thus
the apostle to Timothy says that the love of money
and riches breeds noisome lusts, which, in short
time, ' drown man in perdition,' 1 Tim. vi. 9. The
like may be said of the estimation and too much
viewing of apparel, beauty, Sec The fourth is
ignorance and hardness of heart ; for thus it was in
those the apostle mentions in the fourth to the
Ephesians, that greediness to defile themselves with
all sorts of uncleanness arose and increased in them
by reason of the insensibleness of the heart, and the
blindness and emptiness of their minds, Eph. iv. 1 7,
18. And on the other side, lust cannot get such
a head so long as any sound measure of knowledge
is stirring in the mind, or tenderness remains in the
heart ; lust desires both a dark house and a dark
mind. The fifth is evil company ; and therefore the
Holy Ghost gives this rule to those that would not
be ensnared with the strange woman, ' Walk thou
in the way of good men, and keep the way of the
righteous,' Prov. ii. 20. The last is care for the
flesh. It is the liberty men take not only to feed
themselves in contemplative wickedness, but also to
plod and cast about how to satisfy and fulfil their
lusts, that doth so much confirm them in the custom
of uncleanness ; and therefore the apostle's counsel

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is, ' Take not care to fulfil the lusts of the flesh,'
Rom. xiii. 14. Thus far of the sins of the seventh
commandment ; the sin against the tenth com
mandment follows.
Evil concupiscence. This vice contains all sorts of
evil thoughts, and inclinations, and desires, after
any kind of pleasure, profit, honour, but especially
lustful inclinations or thoughts. And it differs from
inordinate affection, because inordinate affection hath
in it principally the burning of lust, and a kind of
effeminateness, the soul being overcome and en
thralled with the power of lust. Now, I think this
concupiscence notes lust as it is in inclination or evil
motion, before it come to that high degree of flaming
or consent. And it is well called evil concupiscence,
for there is a good concupiscence, both natural, and
civil, and spiritual : natural, after meat, sleep, pro
creation, &c. ; civil, which is an ordinate desire
after lawful profits and pleasures ; spiritual, and
that is a lust for and after heavenly things, and so
the spirit lusts against the flesh.
Now, that, we may know the apostle hath great
reason to counsel men to mortify evil thoughts,
though they never come to consent, these reasons
may shew : first, Concupiscence in the very inclina
tion and first thoughts is a breeder, — it is the mother
of all sorts of wickedness, if it be not betimes killed
in the conception. The apostle James shews that
concupiscence "will be quickly enticed ; yea, it will
entice and draw away a man though from without it
be allured with no object, James i. 14, 15 ; and
when it hath drawn a man aside, it will conceive
and breed with very contemplative pleasures ; and
when it hath conceived and lain in the womb of
the mind, and lain there, nourished from time to
time, unless God shew the greater mercy, it will
bring forth, — bring forth, I say, a birth of some
notable external evil action ; and when it hath gone
so far, like an impudent beldame, it will egg on still
unto the finishing of sin, by custom in the practice,
and so indeed (of itself) it will never leave till it
hath brought forth (as a second birth) death, and
that both spiritual and eternal death, and sometimes
a temporal death too. Secondly, If these lusts go
no further than the inward man, yet sin may reign
even in these. There may be a world of wickedness
in a man though he never speak filthy words or

commit filthy actions. There is a conversing with the
very inward lusts of the flesh, Eph. ii. 3, which may
prove a man to be merely carnal and without grace,
as well as outward evil life. Thirdly, This secret
concupiscence may be a notable hindrance to all holy
duties. This was that the apostle so bitterly cries
out against in the seventh to the Romans. This
was it that rebelled so against the law of his mind ;
and when he would do any good, it would be pre
sent to hinder it. This is it whereby the flesh
makes war and daily fights against the spirit, Gal.
v. 17 ; it is the lust after other things that enters
into man's heart, and chokes the word, and makes
it unfruitful, Mark iv. 19. What is the reason why
many pray, and speed not ?. ' Is it not by reason of
their lusts that fight in their members V James iv.
1, 3, 4.
Quest. But is there any man that is wholly freed
from these ?
Ans. There is not. Every man hath in him
divers kinds of evil thoughts ; but yet there is great
difference ; for then is a man's estate dangerous
when these lusts and evil thoughts are obeyed, Rom.
vi. 11, served, Titus iii. 3, fulfilled, Eph. ii. 3, and
cared for, Rom. xiii. 13. For those are the terms
by which the power of them in wicked men are
expressed ; but so they are not in a child of God
that walks before God in uprightness. The con
sideration of all this may break the hearts of civil,
honest men ; for hence they may see that God
means to take account of their inward evil thoughts ;
and that, if very concupiscence be not mortified, it
may destroy their souls, though they be never so
free from outward enormities of lUe. Paul, while
he was carnal, was unrebukable for outward con
versation ; but when the law shewed him his lusts
and evil thoughts, he then saw all was in vain,
Rom. vii. 7.
And covetousness, which is idolatry. Now followeth
the sin against the first commandment; and it is
described both in itself and in relation to God. In
itself it is covetousness, and in relation to God it is
idolatry. Covetousness is a spiritual disease in the heart of
man, flowing from nature corrupted and ensnared by
Satan and the world, inclining the soul to an immo
derate and confident, yet vain, care after earthly

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285

things, for our own private good, to the singular
detriment of the soul. Covetousness I call a disease,
for it is such a privation of good as hath not only
want of virtue and happiness, but a position of evil
in it, to be shunned more than any disease. For, as
the text saith, it is an evil sickness. And this dis
ease is spiritual, and therefore it is hard to be cured ;
no medicine can help it but the blood of Christ ; it
is not felt by the most, but hated only in the name of
it. The subject where this disease is, is ' the heart of
man,' for there is the seat or palace of this vice ; arid
therefore St Mark adds covetousness to those vices
St Matthew had said did defile a man, Mark vii. 22.
The internal efficient moving cause of this evil is ' na
ture corrupted.' It is a sin every man had need to
look to, for man's nature is stirred with it ; it is a
universal quare, ' Who will shew us any good V Ps.
iv. 7 ; and yet 1 say corrupted nature, for nature of
itself is content with a little ; it is corruption that
hath bred this disease. The external efficient causes
are the devil snaring, and the world tempting. The
form of this evil is an inclination to the immoderate
and confident care of earthly things, I say 'inclining
the soul' to take in the lowest degree of covetous
ness. For some have their hearts exercised in it,
and whoUy taken up with it : their eyes and their
hearts and their tongues are full of it. Now others
are only secretly drawn away with it, and daily in
fected with the inclinations to it. I add, ' immoder
ate and confident care,' because honest labour or
some desire after earthly things are not condemned.
Only two things constitute this vice : first, Want
of moderation, either in the matter, when nothing
will be enough to satisfy their having, or in the
measure of the care, when it is a distracting, vexing,
continual care, that engrosseth in a manner all the
thoughts and desires of a man ; secondly, Carnal
confidence, when man placeth his felicity and chiefest
stay and trust in the things he either possesseth or
hopeth for. I add, ' yet vain,' because' let the covet
ous person bestow never so much care, or attain to
never so much success of his cares, yet as Solomon
saith, ' He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied
with silver; and he that loveth riches, shall be
without the fruit thereof,' Eccles. v. 10. And after
all his travail, his riches may perish whUe he looks
on ; or if they were more sure to continue, yet he

shall not continue with them himself ; for ' as he
came forth of his mother's belly, he shall return
naked, to go as he came, ancl shall bear nothing
away of his labour, which he hath caused to pass by
his hand. In all points as he came, so shall he go ;
and then what profit hath he that he hath tra
vailed for the wind V ver. 14, 15. The object of this
care and desire is earthly things ; for if it were a
covetousness or desire of the best things, or spiritual
gifts, that were both commended and commanded,
1 Cor. xiv. 1. These words, ' for his own private
good,' note the end of the covetous man's care ; for
if all this care for earthly things were for God's
glory, or the good ofthe church, it might be allowed;
and I say for his good, because that he propounds to
himself, though many times when he hath gotten
much together, the Lord will not let him have the
use of it. Note the best thing in the description is
the effect of covetousness, and that is ' the singular
detriment of the soul,' which may appear diversely.
For first, covetousness doth infatuate and besot the
mind of man, that it cannot understand. The pro
phet Isaiah saith of those ' dumb and greedy dogs,'
that they could not understand, and he giveth the
reason ; ' for,' saith he, ' they all look to their own
way, every one for his advantage and for his own
purpose and profit,' Isa. lvi. 11, 12. And Solomon
seems to say, that if covetousness be in the heart of
a prince, it will make him destitute of understand
ing, Prov. xxviii. 16. And it is certain, mark it,
worldly-minded persons are the most dull and in
capable persons in sphitual things, almost of all
other sorts of men; for though they would get a
little understanding while they are hearing, yet the
cares of life presently chokes all. Secondly, Covet
ousness, 'pierceth the soul through with many a
sorrow,' 1 Tim. vi. 10. The covetous person is sel
dom or never free from one notable vexation or other.
His heart is troubled, and he will trouble his house
also ; as Solomon saith, ' he that is greedy of gain,
troubleth his own house,' Prov. xv. 27. All is con
tinually in a tumult of haste and hurry ; what with
labour, and what with passion and contention, the
covetous man and his household never live at heart's
ease and rest. Thirdly, Covetousness, and the desire
to be rich, bring into the soul a wonderful number
of temptations and noisome lusts, enough to damn

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him, if he had no other sins, 1 Tim. vi. 9. Fourthly,
It is here added that covetousness is idolatry ; it
makes a man an idolater. Mammon is the idol, and
the worldling is the priest that sacrificeth to mam
mon. Now, the covetous man serves his mammon
with a twofold worship ; for with inward worship he
loves, desires, delights in, and trusts in his wealth ;
and for his outward service he spends all his time
upon his idol, either in gathering, or keeping, or in
creasing, or honouring it. Lastly, What should I
number particulars ? Covetousness ! why, the apostle
saith, it is the root of all evils. For there is almost
no kind of sin but the sap of covetousness will
nourish it. If the Lord had but the ripping up of
the heart and life of a covetous person, and would
describe his vices before us, oh ! what swarm of all
sorts of evils could the Lord find out ? Well, let us
be assured of this general, that howsoever covetous
persons may. colour matters, yet indeed they are
wonderful vicious persons ; neither are their sins
the fewer or lesser because they discern them not ;
for the dust of earthly profits hath put out their
eyes, they cannot see nor discern, as was before
shewed. Quest. But who is covetous ? For all men, while
they cry out against the 'sin, deny that they are
covetous. It is rare to find any covetous person that
will confess that he is covetous ; and, therefore, for
answer hereunto, it will not be amiss, out of the
word of God, to shew the signs of a covetous man.
The first sign of a covetous man is the desire to
have the sabbath over, that he might be at his
worldly affairs. A covetous man thinks all the time
set apart for God's service exceeding tedious and
long ; and he hath a great inward boiling of desire
to have such times and employments past. The
sabbath is wonderful burdensome to a worldly mind,
especially if he be restrained from worldly employ
ments. The prophet Amos bringeth in the covetous
men of his time, saying thus in the discontentment
of their hearts, ' When will the new moon be gone
that we may sell corn, and the sabbath that we may
set forth wheat?'
The second sign of covetousness is oppression and
fraud, Prov. xxviii. 16, 1 Thes. iv. 6. When men,
to compass gain, care not how they vex and rack the
poor, or such as live under them, or in buying or

selling, out of greediness of gain, circumvent and
pill and defraud others, by customary lying, or false
weights, measures, or balances, or any other fraud
ulent course, this is an evil covetousness. Usury
also, that is, a desire to increase riches by interest,
is a palpable sign of covetousness, especially in these
times, when the sin of usury is so universally con
demned ; for if men were not besotted with the love
of riches, they would not dare to live in such a
damned sin. But I think all men easily know that
usurers are covetous, and therefore I need not
prove it.
The third sign of covetousness is greedy and dis
tracting care ; I mean such a care as devours a man's
thoughts, that every day will keep possession in a
man's soul, and run in his mind continually, both
sleeping and waking, plodding and carking cares.
Ancl this may be discerned by comparing these cares
with our care for eternal things. When we have-
more care for this world than for heaven, we need
go no further, but resolve upon it, covetousness hath
deceived us. Neither do I mean that they only are
covetous, that immoderately disquiet themselves
with continual cares for getting of treasures and the
superfluities of abundance ; for it is sure that covet
ousness may be in us in a high degree, though our
cares be but about things that are necessary, as about
the things we must eat or put on, as the comparing
of the 15th verse of Luke xh. with ver. 21, 22, will
shew. Now the care for necessaries is not simply
forbidden, because we are bound to use the means
with diligence and carefulness ; but the care that is
a sign of covetousness may be discerned by the very
terms the evangelist St Luke useth to describe it by ;
for in the 2 2d verse, our Saviour saith, ' Take no
thought for your life,' Sec ; and by taking thought
he notes a perplexed inward sorrowful and fearful
care about life, and the things thereof. And ver.
26, he saith, 'Why take ye thought for the raiment?'
as if he would have us note that it is a property of
covetous cares to be deeply drowned in perplexity,
even about trifles and small matters ; and surely we
may observe worldly-minded people, and one would
wonder to see how they vex and disquiet themselves
about every mean occasion, especialy if there be the
least colour of any profit or loss towards. Again,
our Saviour upbraideth those that are carried with

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287

those cares, that they have but 'a little faith;'
whereby he shews that then our cares are faulty,
and arise from the infection of covetousness, when
they are raised by unbelief and mistrustfulness of
God's providence or promise. Lastly, in the 29th
verse, our Saviour saith thus : ' Therefore ask not
what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither
stand in doubt,' or, as ye may see it rendered in the
margin, ' neither make discourses in the air ;' and
by these last words he notes another property of a
covetous person, and that is when he hath his head
tossed with cares or fears, either about the compass
ing of his profits, or preventing of losses, &c, he is
so full of words and many questions, what he shall
do, and how he shall avoid such and such a loss, that
he hath never done either moaning himself, or con
sulting to no purpose, in things that either cannot
be done, or not otherwise, Sec ; or it may note this
endless framing of projects for the compassing of his
desires. Thus of the signs. Yet notwithstanding
these signs, I must needs confess that covetousness
is not easily discerned, both because it is an inward
distrust in the spirit of a man, and also because there
comes to this vice usually feigned words, 2 Pet. ii.
3; to hide it from the view of others, or subtle
thoughts and evasions to blindfold the conscience
within; and besides it is the nature of this sin
quickly to darken the discerning of the mind ; and
therefore I think covetousness in the most may be
well called coloured covetousness, 1 Thes. ii. 5, it is
so on both sides masked.
The use of all should be to teach us, as the author
to the Hebrews saith, to ' have our conversation
without covetousness,' and to be ' content with the
things we have,' resting steadfastly upon the promise
of God, ' I will not fail thee nor forsake thee,'
Heb. xiii. 5. And to this end we should pray, as
David did, that God would ' inchne our hearts
to his testimonies, and not to covetousness,' Ps.
cxix. Quest. But what are the best remedies or preser
vatives against covetousness?
Ans. There are these things, among the rest, that
are of great use to preserve us from covetousness,
or to weaken the power of it.
The first is that which I mentioned before, viz., .
prayer to God daily that he would incline our hearts

to his testimonies, that so we might have our
minds drawn away from the cares of covetousness.
The second is meditation. And there are divers
things which, being seriously thought of, may pre
vail against the perplexed cares of covetousness.
As, first, Example, and that either of godly men and
the holiest worthies of the Lord, that in all ages
have willingly confessed themselves to be strangers
and pilgrims, looking for a city -in another country,
having a foundation whose builder and maker is
God, Heb. xi. 9, 10, or else of wicked men; for it
is so base a vice that it should be found in none
but Gentiles, Mat. vi., that know neither God's
promise nor providence ; and sure it is found in
none but ungodly men that are ' strangers from
the covenant of promise.' Secondly, The nature of
man ; for consider, the soul of man is a celestial
thing and divine, and hath nothing from the earth.
And the body of man is erected, with a face towards
heaven, and the whole earth is under man's feet,
and hath its name from treading upon it, to note
that man should walk on it with his feet, not dote
on it with his heart. Thirdly, The nature of covet
ousness ; it will never be satisfied, and how should
it ? For the desire of the covetous is not natural,
but against nature. Natural desires are finite, but
unnatural desires find no end, and therefore cannot
be filled with the finite things of the world ; besides,
earthly things are vain and empty. Now the vessel
that is only full of wind is empty still for all that.
So is the mind of the covetous. His heart will be
no more filled or satisfied with gold than his body
with wind. Non plus satiabitur cor hominis auro
quam corpus aura. Hereupon it is that a covetous
man is always poor, and hath not what he hath,
but hath his wealth as the prisoner hath his fetters,
viz., to enthral him. Fourthly, The nature, promise,
and providence of God. He is a ' heavenly Father,'
Luke xii. 30. Is he a Father ? Why then do we
doubt of his willingness to help us? And is he
a heavenly Father ? Why then do we question his
all-sufficieney to provide what we need? Besides,
hath he given us life, and will he not give us food
to preserve life ? Doth he daUy provide for thou
sand thousands of fowls, that are base creatures,
and will he not provide for man, whom he created
after his own image, and made him lord of all

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creatures? Doth he clothe the grass of the field,
which is to-day, and to-morrow is cut down, and
will he not clothe man ? Oh, the weakness of our
faith ! Besides, is not the Lord engaged by promise
never to leave us nor forsake us ? Fifthly, The con
dition of the covetous. All his care cannot add a
cubit to his stature. And besides, the poor and the
usurer meet together in many things. One God
made them both, -one sun lights them both, one
heaven covers them both, and one grave of earth
shall hold them both. Sixthly, The gain of godli
ness. It is better thrift to covet after godliness,
for it hath the promises of this life and the life to
come, 1 Tim. vi. 8. And who can count the gain
of godliness, seeing God is the godly man's por
tion, Ps. xvi., and his exceeding great reward? Gen.
xv. 1.
The third preservative is the daily practice of
piety. If we would seek the kingdom of God first,
both in the first part of our life, and in the first
part of every day of our life, as well in our houses
as in God's house, these religious duties constantly
performed would be a great and continual help
against worldly cares, they would cleanse our hearts
of them, and daily prepare our hearts against them.
But how can it be otherwise with a man than it is ?
They must needs live and die the drudges of the
world, seeing they have no more care of holy duties
at home or abroad; they live like swine, without
all care of anything but rooting in the earth.
The fourth preservative is the due preparation
for Christ's second coming. For when our Saviour
Christ had dehorted men from the cares of this life,
he adjoins this exhortation : ' Let your loins be
girded about, and your lights burning; and ye
yourselves like unto them that wait for their master,
when he will return from the wedding, that when
he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him
immediately : blessed are those servants whom the
lord when he cometh shall find watching,' &c. One
great reason why covetous men do so securely con
tinue in the immoderate cares for this world is
because they do so little think of death and judg
ment. Whereas, on the other side, Christians do
with some ease withdraw their hearts from the
world, when they have inured themselves to die
daily by the constant remembrance of their latter

end, ancl by holding fast the evidence of faith and
hope, waiting when Christ will call for them.
The fifth preservative is to shun the means and
occasions of covetousness. And to this end it is
good not to converse much with covetous persons,
or to get ourselves liberty to conceive the hope of
any long prosperity and rest in the world; and
generaUy we should labour to observe our own
hearts and other men's hves, and what we find to be
a means to kindle or inflame covetous desires, that
we should avoid, and betimes set against it, or
mortify it. And thus far of covetousness. And
thus also of the catalogue of sins from which he
doth dissuade ; the reasons follow.
Ver. 6. For the which things' sake, the ivrath of God
cometh on the children of disobedience.
Ver. 7. Wherein ye also walked once when ye Uved in
them. These words contain two reasons to enforce the
exhortation in the former verse. The one is taken
from the evil effects of the former sins, ver. 6. The
other is taken from their own experience, while they
lived in the estate of corruption, ver. 7. In laying
down the reason from the effect, two things are to
be noted. First, what sin brings, viz., the wrath of
God ; secondly, upon whom, viz., upon the chUdren
of disobedience.
Before I come to entreat of the wrath of God
apart, I consider it as it stands in coherence with
the former reason. For in these words we are as
sured that man living and continuing in filthiness
and covetousness shall not escape God's wrath;
for they incur both his hatred and his plagues, both
which are signified by the word 'wrath.' And if any
ask what plagues filthy persons and covetous per
sons shall feel, I answer briefly and distinctly, that
neither of them shall escape God's wrath, as the
scriptures plentifully shew. The filthy person
brings upon himself God's curse, temporal, corporal,
spiritual, and eternal. Temporal, for whoredom,
and any kind of uncleanness, brings upon men
many temporal plagues in their estate, the fire of
God's judgments consuming many times their whole
increase, as hath been shewed before. Corporal, for
God many times meets the sins of the body with
judgments upon the body ; so that many filthy per-

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sons, after they have consumed their flesh and their
body by loathsome diseases which follow this sin, in
the end say with the foolish young man, ' 0 how
have I hated instruction, and despised correction !
Now I am brought almost into all evil in the midst
of the assembly,' Prov. v. 12, 14. Spiritual, for
uncleanness breeds in many a reprobate sense, Rom.
i. 24, 29, Sec, and final impenitency. Many also
for their filthiness are pursued with secret and fear
ful terrors of conscience, and sometimes frenzy, and
desperate perturbations. Eternal, for the adulterer
destroys his own soul, and is shut out of the
kingdom of heaven, as hath been also before de
clared. Neither let the covetous person think he
shall speed any better, for God hates him wonder
fully. And therefore the prophet Ezekiel saith,
that the Lord smites his fists at the covetous, Ezek.
xxii. 13, which is a borrowed phrase, to express most
bitter and sharp threatenings. Now lest the people
should object that those were but great words, the
Lord would not do so, they would deal well enough
with the Lord ; he preventeth it, and saith, ' Can
thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in
the days that I shall have to do with thee? I, the
Lord, have spoken it, and wiU do it,' ver. 14. Let
covetous persons, without further inquiry, assure
themselves that covetousness is a main cause of all
the evils that are upon them or theirs, and besides,
they may be assured that all the service they do
to God is abhorred, and mere lost labour : ' it were
tp no purpose if they would bring him incense from
Sheba, and sweet calamus from a far country ; their
burnt-offerings would not be pleasant, nor their
sacrifices sweet unto him,' Jer. vi. 13, 20.
Object. But covetous persons are of most men so
well furnished, that there is not that means to bring
them to any great hurt.
Sol. The prophet shews that God can lay a -
stumbling-block before them, and father and son to
gether may fall upon it, and neighbour and friend
may perish together, Jer. vi. 21. The Lord hath
means enough, when men little think of it, to bring
clown rebellious sinners.
Object. But we see covetous persons and wealthy
worldlings escape the best and longest of many
others. Sol. The prophet Amos saith 'The Lord hath sworn

by the excellency of Jacob, I will never forget any of
their works,' Amos viii. 5-7. Though the Lord may
defer, yet certainly he will never forget ; and there
fore they are not a jot the better for escaping so long.
But howsoever theymight escape outward judgments,
they yet may be infallibly sure they have sinned
against their own souls, Hab. ii. 10, and that they shall
know in the day of their death ; ' their riches shall not
then profit them, when the Lord taketh away their
soul,' Job xxvii. 8 ; 'he that is a great oppressor
shall not prolong his days,' Prov. xviii. 16 ; for 'he
that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave
them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall
be a fool,' Jer. xvii. 11. How horrible then shall
that voice be, ' Thou fool, this night shall thy soul
be taken from thee.' Luke xii. 16. And thus far
of the words, as they concern the coherence with
the former words. Now I consider them as they
are in themselves. And first of the wrath of God.
Wrath of God. It is apparent that wrath in God
belongs to his justice. And justice may be con
sidered as it flows from God four ways : first, As he
is a free Lord of all, and so his decrees are just,'
Rom. ix. 13, 14. Secondly, as he is God of all : and
so the common works of preserving both good and
bad, are just, 1 Tim. iv. 14, Mat. v. 45. Thirdly, As
a Father in Christ, and so his excellency, the God of
believers ; and thus he is just in performing his
promises and infusing his grace, and in bestowing
the justice of his Son. Fourthly, As judge of the
world, and so his justice is not only distributive,
but corrective ; and unto this justice doth wrath
belong. Anger in man is a perturbation or passion in his
heart ; and therefore it hath troubled divines to
conceive how anger should be in the most pure,
happy, and bountiful nature of God, and the rather
seeing affections are not properly in God. Neither
is their declaration full enough that say it is given
to God improperly and by anthropopathy ; for I am
of their opinion that think anger is properly in God :
first, In such a manner as agrees to the nature
of God, that is, in a manner to us inconceivable ;
Secondly, In such a sense as is revealed in scripture.
The wrath of God in scripture is taken sometimes
for his just decree and purpose to revenge, John iii.
36 ; sometimes for commination or threatening to
2 o

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punish. So some think it is to be taken in those
words of the prophet Hosea : ' I will not do accord
ing to the fierceness of my wrath,' Hosea xi. 9, that
is, according to my grievous threatenings. Some
times it is taken for the effects or punishments
themselves, as in the epistle to the Romans, ' Is
God unrighteous* which bringeth wrath?' Rom. iii.
5. It is well rendered ' which punisheth.'
The wrath of God is distinguished by divers de
grees, and so hath divers names ; for there is wrath
present, and wrath to come. Present wrath is the
anger of God in this present life, and is either im
pendent, John iii. 36, or poured out. Wrath impend
ent is the anger of God hanging over men's heads,
ready to be manifested in his judgments ; and so
wrath hangs in the nature of God, and in the threat
enings of his word, and in the possibilities of the
creatures. Wrath poured out, is the judgment of God
fallen upon men for their sins by which they provoked
God, and so there was great wrath upon the people
in the destruction of Jerusalem, Luke xxi. 23 ; and
thus he revealeth his wrath from heaven upon the
unrighteousness of men, Rom. i. 17. Wrath to
come, Mat. iii. 7, Rom. ii. 5, is that fearful misery
to be declared upon the soul of the impenitent at
his death, and upon soul and body at the day of
judgment, in the everlasting perdition of both.
But that we may be yet more profitably touched
with the meditation of this point, I propound six
things concerning God's wrath further to be con
sidered : first, The tearfulness of it ; secondly, What
it is that works or brings this wrath upon us ;
thirdly, The signs to know God's wrath ; fourthly,
The means to pacify it ; fifthly, The signs of wrath
pacified ; and lastly, The uses of all.
For the first, The fearfulness and greatness of
God's wrath or anger for sin may appear three
ways : first, By scripture ; secondly, By similitude ;
thirdly, By example. That God's anger for sin is ex
ceeding terrible and fearful, I will shew by one place
of scripture only, and that is the first of Nahum the
prophet ; for he saith, ' God is jealous, and the Lord
revengeth, the Lord revengeth,' where the repetition
shews the certainty of it, that God will be as sure to
revenge as ever the sinner was to sin. But this is
more confirmed, when he saith, ' He is the Lord of
anger ; ' as if he Avould import that his anger is his

essence, as if he were all made of anger, and
that he is the author of all the just anger that is in
the world. And if the drops of anger in great men
have such terror in it, what is the main ocean of
anger which is in God himself? And to assure us
yet further of the terror of his wrath, he addeth,
' The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries ;'
which signifieth that the Lord wiU account of im
penitent sinners, as a man accounts of his worst
enemies, and therefore the Lord wUl shew his dis
pleasure to the uttermost of his deserts and his jus
tice. And therefore if any do object that they see
it otherwise, for the plagues of wicked men are
not so many nor so great as their sin, he answereth
that, and saith, that the Lord ' reserveth Avrath for
his enemies.' He hath not inflicted upon them all
they shall have, there is the greatest part behind ; the
full vials of his fury are not yet poured out. And
if any should reply, that they have observed that
wicked men have prospered long, and escaped for a
great while without any punishments to speak of,
the prophet answereth that, and saith, that the
Lord is ' slow to anger,' that is, he is many times
long before he manifests his great displeasure ; but
he is ' great in power,' that is, he is of singular
fierceness and irresistibleness when he doth enter
into judgment; he -will not fail, nor be hindered.
Ancl if any would hope that God would change
his mind, that also is prevented, the prophet
avouching it confidently that he wall not surely
' clear the wicked.' And this is the more certain,
because of the dreadful means that the Lord hath
to declare his anger : ' His way is in the whirlwind,
and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his
feet.' The meaning is, that God hath ways to exe
cute his judgment — ways, I say, that are irre
sistible (for who can stay a whirlwind?) — and
terrible like the storm, plagues falling thick and
threefold, like the drops of the tempest ; and in
the means the Lord can run hke a giant, running
fiercely, and raising the dust Avith his feet. And to
this give all the creatures witness : ' He rebuketh
the sea, and it drieth. Bashan is Avasted, and Car
mel, and the flower of Lebanon is Avasted. The
mountains tremble before him, and the hills melt,
and the earth is burnt at his sight ; yea, the world,
and all that dAvell therein. ' And therefore, ' Avho

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291

can stand before his Avrath ? or who can abide the
fierceness of his wrath ? His wrath is poured out
like fire, and the rocks are broken by him.'
The wrath of God, to shew the exquisite and in
tolerable and remediless pain that wicked men feel
when they bear it, is compared to a consuming fire ;
and, to note the infiniteness of it, God himself is said
to be a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29, Deut. iv. 24.
Moses also saith, that the fire that is kindled in
God's wrath shall burn to the bottom of hell, and it
were able to consume the earth with her increase,
and set on fire the foundation of the mountains,
Deut. xxxii. 22.
Thirdly, Who can think the anger of God not to
be infinitely terrible, that can but seriously consider
these examples and precedents of it ? — first, God's
reprobating or fore-damning of millions of men ;
secondly, The sin of Adam pursued Avith such incon
ceivable judgments upon him and his name ; thirdly,
The drowning of the old world, the burning of So
dom, the opening of the earth to swallow up the
rebellious, the sea swallowing up Pharaoh and his
host ; fourthly, The forlorn estate of the Gentiles,
not looked after for many hundred years ; fifthly,
The Jews, sometimes the only people to whom the
Lord drew near, now made a curse and astonish
ment and a hissing throughout the earth ; sixthly,
The torments which Christ himself endured when
he was but surety for sinners ; seventhly, What are
wars, famines, pestilences, diseases, seditions, here
sies, and the infinite molestations in the hfe of man,
but so many evident proofs of wonderful anger in
God ; eighthly, The testimonies of afflicted con
sciences be lively in this point : when but a drop of
anger lights upon the soul of man in this world,
how unable is he to sustain his spirit — what floods
of tears flow from his wounded heart ! lastly, The
burning of the world, and the flames of hell shall
one day make full proof of God's anger. And thus
of the first point.
For the second, Wrath is wrought or brought
upon us four ways : first, The law works wrath, for
being transgressed, it breeds displeasure, pleads for
judgment, records sin, and presents it in God's sight ;
secondly, Christ in the ministry of the word applies
wrath, or discovers God's indignation, and so he is
said to smite and slay the wicked, Rev. xix. 15 ;

thirdly, The magistrate is a revenger in executing
God's wrath, Isa. xi. 3 ; fourthly, Wrath is brought
upon us by God's army : the creatures are God's
warriors, they fight for the Lord against sinners, and
are speedily and irresistibly armed when God is
pleased to raise them.
Thirdly, Concerning the signs of God's anger, we
must understand that God's eternal anger towards
other men in particular cannot be known, nor his
temporal anger by any ordinary way of certainty,
except it be extraordinarily by revelation, as to the
prophets or apostles ; for by outward things we can
not know God's love or hatred to particular persons,
only God's public anger to public states may be
known, and so may his private anger to ourselves
in special.
There are three signs to know God's public anger :
First, The prediction of his ministers : as, extraor
dinarily, the prophets from vision or revelation did
foretell the judgments to ensue. And, ordinarily,
wrath may be known by the comminations of faith
ful preachers. For when upon observation of threat
enings in the law made to such sins as then abound,
they do Avith one consent in many places with in
stance and confidence give warning of plagues to en
sue, it is time for the Avorld to aAvaken. The Lord's
secrets are with' his servants, and he will make good
then righteous threatenings. Secondly, The signs
in heaven, or earth, or sea. Prodigious sights or signs
in the sun, or moon, or comets, or strange births, or
the extraordinary raging of the seas, and such like.
Thirdly, Public plagues are both signs of wrath pre
sent, and withal they give Avarning of greater wrath
to come if we do not repent. Such are famine, war,
pestilence, and other raging diseases, the death of
great princes, and the sudden and common death of
the best men, these all foretell evil to come. As we
may know fire, so may we know God's anger. We
know fire either by the report of men worthy to be
credited, or by the smoke, or by the flame beginning
to break out ; and so may discern God's wrath,
either by the relation of his ambassadors that are
faithful men, or by the smoke of prodigies or won
ders in heaven and earth, or else by the flame of
judgments already begun. And thus of the signs of.
God's public anger.
The signs of God's anger to a particular man are

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such as these : first, If a man have not the marks
of a child of God upon him ; for whom God loves
and is not angry with, they are marked with pecu
liar graces as indelibly as they were marked in
Ezekiel with the letter Tau, Ezek. ix. Secondly, If
he find himself directly under the threatenings of
God's word. Thirdly, If there be no effectual Avork
ing of the Spirit of grace in the use of the means. It
is a plain sign of God's anger when a man hears
the word powerfully preached, and reads and prays
without all affection or life, and is so constantly ;
for if the Lord were pleased, he would shew himself
in the use of the means of communion AAith him.
Fourthly, A man may gather something by his
crosses ; for if he find a sting in them, that God
fights against him in them, so as they pierce and
vex and disquiet his soul with perplexity, but espe
cially if he find his heart also closed with hardness,
so as he do not call when the Lord bindeth him, this
is in aU likehhood not only a sign of wrath, but that
the wrath increaseth, Job xxxvi. 13, this is the rod
of indignation. Fifthly, If a man live in some sins,
they are manifest signs of wrath ; as persecution,
1 Thes. ii. 16; whoredom, Prov. xii. 14; hatred of
the brethren, 1 John iii. 14; Avithholding the truth
in unrighteousness, Rom. i. 18 ; covetousness and un
cleanness, Eph. v. 3, 5 ; and generally all sins con
tained in any of the catalogues against which the
Lord denounceth his judgments in several scriptures.
Lastly, Sometimes God's anger is felt in the terrors
and pain of the conscience, the Lord making some
men to feel the edge of his axe, and fighting against
them AAith his terrors. Now wheresoever these are
felt by a soul that hath not been truly humbled for
sin, they are assured pledges and beginnings of God's
Avrath from heaven.
Hitherto of the greatness, means, and signs of
God's anger. Now of the way to pacify God's anger
when it is perceived. God's public anger is pacified
and stayed : first, By the prayers and fastings of the
righteous. And, therefore, it is the prophet Joel's
counsel, that if they would have the Lord ' repent
him of the evil, and return and leave a blessing be
hind him,' they must ' sanctify a fast, and call a
solemn assembly,' Joel ii. 13, 14, &c. ; secondly, By
the severe execution of justice by magistrates upon
notorious offenders, and thus Phinehas stayed the

plague, Num. xxv. 1 ; thirdly, By the general re
pentance of the people, and thus God's anger towards
Nineveh was pacified, Jonah iii. ; fourthly, and espe
cially, By the intercession of Christ entreating for a
city or nation ; so was Jerusalem delivered out of
captivity, as the prophet Zechariah declares, Zech.
i. 12. Concerning the pacifying of God's anger to parti
cular persons, I will first consider what Avill not
pacify it, and then what will pacify it. For the first,
N o multitude of gifts can deliver thee, and the most
mighty helps cannot cause the Lord to withdraw his
anger, Job xxxvi. 18. It will not avail thee to come
before the Lord with burnt-offerings and Avith calves
of a year old. The Lord will not be pleased with thou
sands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil.
Nor will the son of thy body make an atonement
for the sins of thy soul, Micah vi. 6, 7. To cry,
' Lord, Lord,' at home, Mat. vii., or ' The temple of
the Lord, the temple of the Lord,' Jer. vU., abroad,
will not a whit abate of his fierce anger ; and as
little wUl it avail to build churches, mend highways,
erect tombs for dead prophets, or the like works of
labour or cost.
Now for the affirmative, if we speak properly,
nothing will quench God's anger but the blood of
Christ; for he is the propitiation for our sin, 1
John ii. 2, Rom. v. 9. Yet in some respects, and
as means the Lord doth appoint unto us, that we
might be capable of reconcUiation, these, things are
available : first, The duties of mortification, as con
fession of sin, and judging of ourselves, and examin
ing of our hearts and lives. ' If we acknowledge
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins,' 1 John i. 9 ; and ' if we judge ourselves, the
Lord will give over judging us,' 1 Cor. xi. 34. If
disobedient Israel Avill return and know his iniqui
ties, the Lord will not let his wrath fall upon him,
Jer. iii. 12, 13. Godly sorroAv also is very avaUable
to quench wrath. If Jerusalem will Arash her
heart, she shall be saved, Jer. iv. 14 ; the Lord will
hear the voice, of our weeping, Ps. vi. 8. Prayer
also is of great use and force, for the Lord is a God
that heareth prayer, Ps. Ixv. 2. And the prophet
Zephaniah sheweth, that if the people can learn a
language once to call upon the name of the Lord
in the sincerity of their hearts, Zeph. iii. 9 ; he -will

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not pour upon them that fierce Avrath Avhich shall
certainly fall upon all the families that call not upon
his name.
Secondly, Faith in the blood of Christ procureth
reconciliation and forgiveness of the sins that are
past, through the patience of God, Rom. iii. 25 ;
especially the work of faith, whereby a Christian,
perceiving God's anger, and encouraged with the
support of God's covenant and promise in Christ,
doth in all tenderness of heart, importune God's
free mercy, and wrestle and strive with importunity,
casting himself upon Christ for shelter, and seriously
setting himself against every iniquity, even because
there is hope.
Finally, We may discern that God is pacified
divers ways : first, By induction from the practice
of the former rules ; for if we do what God requires,
we may conclude and infer we shall receive what
God promiseth. Secondly, It may be perceived by
God's presence in the means. If we find our hearts
unloosed, and the passages of the means again
opened, that is a comfortable testimony that the
Lord is returned. Thirdly, It may be perceived by
the witness of the Spirit of adoption, speaking peace
to our consciences, Ps. lxxxv. 8, and with unutter
able joys quieting and satisfying our hearts.
Uses. The use folloAveth. And first, The doctrine
of God's wrath may greatly humble and astonish
impenitent sinners. ' Is the anger of the Lord
kindled against thee ? How long then wilt thou be
without innocency?' Hosea viii. 5. Be not a mocker,
lest thy bonds increase, Isa. xxviii. 22. Art thou
an unclean person, a railer, a drunkard, an usurer,
a swearer, a liar, a profaner of God's sabbaths, a
voluptuous epicure, a carnal worldling, or the like ?
Be not- deceived, nor let any deceive thee with vain
words, crying peace, peace, daubing with untempered
mortar ; for assuredly the Avrath of God for these
things, cometh upon the children of disobedience,
and ' who knows the power of his wrath ? ' Ps. xc.
11. Secondly, Seeing God's wrath is so exceeding
terrible and fierce, blessed are all they that are
delivered from it in Jesus Christ. We should be
stirred up to constant thankfulness, because the
Lord hath forgiven us the punishment of our sins,
so as now there is no condemnation to us, being in
Christ Jesus, 1 Thes. v. 8, 9, Heb. iii. 11, 12.

Lastly, Seeing the Lord's anger is so dreadful, we
should all learn to walk before him in all uprightness,
and fear, and trembling, fencing ourselves with the
breastplate of faith, and the helmet of hope, being
in all things sober and watchful, taking heed to our
selves that we be not hardened through the deceit-
fulness of sin. And thus of the wrath of God.
The second main thing in this verse to be con
sidered of is, the persons upon whom it falls, viz.,
' the children of disobedience.' And by children of
disobedience, he meaneth generally wicked and un
regenerate men. Now, wicked men are of two sorts.
Some are clearly out of the church, and have been
branded in several ages with several terms of dis
tinction; as now the infidels, and before, all the
uncircumcised GentUes. Before the flood, they
¦were called sons of men. Now others are in the
church, ancl are children of God by creation, general
vocation, and external profession; but indeed are
Avicked and profane Esaus. The former sort were
disobedient men, and the latter are disobedient
children. And these disobedient children in the
church are of two sorts ; for some will not be tied
to live in their father's house, but that they may
the more securely sin and walloAV in all filthy
abominations, they shun God's house for the most
part, and live without any conscionable subjection
to any ministry. Such was the prodigal son, and
such are our common swearers, drunkards, ancl
unclean persons ; nay, they go further, for they speak
evil of their Father's house, and slander their own
mother's sons. Now, the other sort live in their
Father's house, they come to hear, and receive the
sacraments ; they are there at bed and board, but
yet they will do what they list. They will not be
persuaded by the word, Spirit, or servants of God ;
and so they are children of unpersuadableness.
They will not believe their Father's threatenings or
promises, and so they are children of incredulity.
They will not conform themselves to their Father's
will, and so are called children of disobedience.
Now, the estate of both these sorts of disobedient
children is, that the fearful wrath of God is upon
them ; no father can so plague and cast off a wicked
son, as they are sure to be plagued and cast off of
God. As they are children of disobedience by
their OAvn stubborness, so are they children of wrath

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[Chap. III."

by God's justice ; and if they continue thus, they
may prove children of perdition.
Quest. But how may the children of disobedience
be known ?
Ans. We may gather' signs either from the con
sideration of these words, or from other scriptures.
From these words two ways : first, He is a child of
disobedience that is led and ruled, and hath all his
thoughts and affections, and his actions, as it were,
framed and begotten, and nursed up by the corrup
tion of his nature, arising from the disobedience of
the first man, or by the temptations of Satan, the
prince of all darkness and disobedience. It is one
thing to sin by infirmity, to fall by oocasion into a
sin, and another thing to be led and ruled, and to
frame one's life and employment, after the rules and
projects that are hatched by the flesh or Satan. To
be a child to sin, that, is to be ruled and mastered
and led by it, to be as it were at the command of
lust and corruption, that is not in a child of God,
standing in uprightness. Secondly, The word here ,
rendered disobedience, imports unteachableness,
such a disobedience as is wilful ; Avhen a man sins,
and avUI sin, and will not be persuaded either by
God's word, or God's Spirit, or God's people, that
would advise or admonish him. To be of an in
curable or unteachable disposition, is a rank sign of
a child of disobedience.
Further, if we mark the coherence in the second
chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians, ver. 2, com
pared with the first, Ave may easily discern that a
child of disobedience is ' dead in trespasses and
sins.' His soul can lie at rest, though he be guilty
of never so many sins. Cast a mountain on a dead
man, and he avUI not complain or ail anything.
And sure it is a notable sign of a child of disobedi
ence, to be guilty of a multitude of sins, and yet to
be senseless under them ; to be able to go from day
to day, and week to week, and month to month,
and never to ail anything, for any sound remorse he
finds for his sin. Especially when men are at that
pass, that the prophet Jeremiah complained of, that
' though God strike them, yet they are not grieved;
yea, though the Lord consume them, they refuse to
receive correction, and make their faces harder than
a rock, refusing to return,' Jer. v. 3.
Quest. But may not the Avrath of God come upon

his own children? Is God never angry with his'
own servants ?
Ans. God may be angry with his own people; for
when the prophet David saith, ' his anger endureth
but a moment,' Ps. xxx. 5, he implies then that God
will be angry. And in the 89th psalm, though the
Lord saith he will not take away his goodness and
his mercy, yet if they keep not his laAV, he saith ex
pressly, he will ' visit then transgression Avith the rod,
and then iniquity with stripes,' Ps. Ixxxix. 32, 33.
And thus he is angry AAith them sometimes for their
covetousness, Isa. Iv. 17; sometimes for their care
less worship, Isa. lxiv. 5-7 ; sometimes for unworthy
receiving, 1 Cor. xi.; sometimes for their loss of then
first love, Rev. ii. ; but generally every gross sin
angers God, by whomsoever it be committed. But
yet there is great difference between God's anger
toAvards his own children, and that wrath that
cometh upon the children of disobedience ; and that -
principally in three things : 1. Wrath coming upon
the faithful is not eternal, but temporary, and
in this life only, for they are ' delivered from the
wrath to come,' 1 Thes. i. 10; for there is no con
demnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, they
are already passed from death to life. But so are
not wicked men ; for God is so angry Avith them in
this life that his anger may continue for ever, and
not be extinguished in their very death. And not
only so, but God's anger Avith his OAvn children, even
in this life, is not for all their days, but only a very
short time of their hfe. For as David saith, ' his
anger endureth but a moment : weeping may endure
for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,' Ps. xxx.
5. And in another place he saith, ' he avUI not
always chide, neither avUI he keep his anger for
ever.' Ps. cih. 9. And the Lord witnesseth by the
prophet Isaiah, that he forsaketh but for a small
moment, he hideth his face in a little Avrath, but he
hath mercy Avith everlasting kindness, Isa. liv. 7, 8.
When a child of God faileth, he is sure he shall rise,
Micah vii. 8 : but it is not so with the ungodly. 2.
As God's wrath differs in the continuance, so it
differs in the measure : it is milder towards his
children than it is towards the chUdren of disobe
dience ; which appears to be so tAvo ways : for, first,
God's anger, as it is manifested in outward judg
ments upon his oavii people, is ever proportioned to

Ver. 7.]

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295

their strength : he doth not consider what their sin
deserves, but Avhat their spirits are able to sustain.
' He will not suffer them to be tempted above that
Avhich they are able, but will give issue with the
temptation, that they may be able to bear it,' 1 Cor.
x. 13. And the prophet Isaiah sheweth that the
Lord hath great care lest, by contending over long
Avith his people, the spirit should fail, and the soul
Avhich he hath made, Isa. lvii. 16. And the prophet
David shews, that God ' deals not Avith his people
after their sins, nor rewards them after their ini
quities ; but as a father pitieth his children, so the
Lord pitieth them that fear him,' Ps. ciii. 10-14.
But now with the Avicked it is much otherwise, for
the Lord never asks what strength they have to
bear it, or how they will take it, but what sin they
have committed, and how they have deserved it.
Besides, the affections of God's children are sweetened
with many mercies ; for though the Lord be angry
for their sin, yet, if they will seek God and work
righteousness, Isa. lxiv. 5, they may hold out to
bear the cross, for the Lord avUI meet them in the
use of the means, to the great ease and joy of their
hearts. Excellently speaketh the prophet David
unto the Lord, acknowledging this point, when he
said, ' Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God ;
thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou
tookest vengeance of their inventions,' Ps. xcix. 8.
And the prophet Micah seemeth to say, that while
God's people sit in darkness, yet the Lord can be a
light unto them, Micah vii. 7, 8, for their God will
hear them. And herein also the Lord reserveth his
mercies from the wicked, so as when they fall they
have no assurance of' rising, nor is the Lord careful
to lighten their darkness : I mean, they have no
promise for it. For if the Lord shew them favour,
if they repent not, it will make them more inex
cusable, and their judgment the heavier. 3. It
differs in the end, for the end of God's wrath on his
own servants is their good and salvation: They
are judged, that they might not perish with the
world, 1 Cor. xi. 32 ; and they are whipped by the
Father of spirits, that they may bring forth the
quiet fruit of righteousness, Heb. xii. 11. In a
word, God's judgments are as medicines to heal
them. But, on the other side, wicked men are
vessels of wrath, and all tends to the fitting of them

to destruction. The Lord comes not to them to
try, but to consume ; not to better them, but for
their wilful impenitence to declare his justice upon
them. All these their differences are notably ex
pressed by the prophet Isaiah in his 27th and 28th
chapters ; for he sheweth that the Lord is a careful
and Avise husbandman, and the husbandman in na
ture hath this discretion, that he should not plough
all day to sow, Isa. xxviii. 24. So is it with the
Lord ; he doth not continue still ploughing Avith
long furrows upon the backs of the righteous. When
he hath ploughed up the fallow ground of their
hearts, he will not still go over them to break the
clods that remain ; but having once made himself a
furrow, he will sow and not plough. And for the
second, the prophet seriously expostulateth with
such as should anyway incline to think that the
wicked and godly were smitten alike. ' Hath he
smitten him,' saith the prophet, ' as he smote those
that smote him?' Isa. xxvii. 7. As if he should
ask, hath the Lord plagued Israel as he plagued
those that were enemies unto Israel ? And then he
shews this difference, that when the Lord came to
visit Israel, he contended with him ' in measure,'
and smote him ' in his bunches,' ver. 8 ; whereas
when God smites at a wicked man, he smites at the
root, and after many blows he Avill continually have
him down. And for the least * difference, the pro
phet shews further, that ' by this shall the iniquity
of Jacob be purged, and this is all fruit to take
away his sin,' ver. 9 ; as if he would plainly affirm
that God meant so to cast Israel into the furnace as
nothing should be left but the dross; his purpose
Avas therefore to afflict him that he might medicine
him against his sin. And thus of the sixth verse.
Ver. 7. In which ye also walked some time when ue
lived in them.
These words contain the second reason to enforce
the mortification of vice, and it is taken from their
own experience ; as if he would say, ye have lived
a long time in these corruptions and sins, and there
fore it is sufficient that you have spent the time
past in these lusts of the Gentiles, it is high time
noAV to abandon them. Besides, you should remem
ber the misery you lived in by reason of sin, and
1 Qu. ' last * ?— Ed.

296

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

from thence learn to confirm yourselves in a' con
stant course of resisting and striving against the
occasions and beginnings of those sins.
From the coherence ancl the general consideration
of the whole verse divers things may be briefly
noted : first, That the knowledge and meditation of
a man's misery by nature is a good medicine to kill
lust and covetousness. The apostle, like a wise
physician, useth here the counsel hereunto as a
principal part of his direction. For in that he puts
them in mind of it, it shows that they should mind
it by themselves much more. For not only it will
shew that these sins did then abound, but the very
thought of such a woful estate will beat doAvn and
kill by degrees the Aicious inclinations of nature unto
such sins. Secondly, In that the Colossians can
bear it to be told of their sins past, it gives us
occasion to take notice of this for a truth, that Avhere
a man hath soundly repented of any sin, he can
easily bear it, to be touched with the remembrance
of it, and with lowliness doth endure the needful
discourse concerning it. It is a notable testimony
that a "man hath not truly repented of sin, Avhen he
is so impatient and unquiet in the mention or re
membrance of sin. If a man have a wounded arm,
while it is uncured, the least touch of it makes a
man start and cry out ; but when it is whole, you
may grip it hard, and yet he aileth nothing at all.
So it is with our consciences in matters of sin. They
are but in a miserable case that rage, and fret, and
revile when the sins they have lived in are by public
doctrine disgraced or threatened. But may some
one say, To what end doth the apostle so often put
them in mind of their sinfulness and misery past ?
I answer, He doth it for great reasons. For the
more men think of their misery by nature, the more
it quickeneth to a sense and admiration of God's
mercy, that hath drawn them out of such a wretched
estate. Besides, it is a notable means to keep a
Christian humble, and to make him watchful over a
nature that by lamentable experience hath been so
prone to sin, and it serves to stir up Christians to a
more eager desire ancl diligence in using the means
to advantage them in knowledge and grace. 'Tis
now time to redeem the time that hath been so long
lost. And it will make a child of God industrious in
God's work, seeing he hath spent so much time in the

service of the devil, the Avorld, and the flesh. And
further it helps a man to some measure of patience and
meekness and compassion, in dealing with the sins of
other men, considering that he himself hath been ' un
wise, disobedient, servingthelustand divers pleasures,'
&c. And lastly, (as was before noted) it serves to kill
thedaily lusts thatmaybudand sprout out after calling.
Now concerning the remembering of the sins of
others, we must know the apostle had a warrant
by his calling and commission to rehearse the sins
of others. For God's ministers are enjoined to
shew God's people their sins. But a like liberty is
not laAvful to every private man. Private men may
remember others of their estate past, if it may stir
them up to thankfulness, or if it may further them
in humiliation for neAV offences, or they may exhort
one another, lest any be deceived by sin, and so for
prevention of corruption unto which they are by
nature prone, or in some special cases to clear God's
justice against hard-hearted sinners. Otherwise it is
a vile and sinful course to be raking into the lives of
others ; but especially to be grating upon the faults
past of penitent sinners. Where God hath pardoned,
what hath man to do to impute ? And thus of the
coherence and general consideration of the words.
This verse contains two specialities of their misery
by nature : first, Their continuance in sin, in that he
saith, ' ye Avalked ; ' secondly, Their delight in sin,
in that he saith, ' ye lived in them,' that is, it was
the life of your life.
In which. That is, in Avhich sins, and so it
teacheth us that Ave should be more troubled
for sin than for crosses. For he doth not say, in
which miseries or judgments, but in Avhich sins and
corruptions. As any are more spiritual, sin is then-
greatest sorrow, and as any are more carnal, they are
more troubled with crosses.
Ye, A man can never be soundly and profitably
humbled till he mind his own sins. The knoAvledge
of sin that is transient is dangerous, as we may see
in the pharisee : the more he knows by the pub
lican, the prouder he is in himself ; but the know
ledge that is reflected is profitable. And therefore
the publican that troubled himself about his own
sin, went home more justified than the other. And
therefore the apostle here tells not of the misery uf
other men, but expressly guides them to the consi-

Ver. 7.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

297

deration of their own misery. This should teach us,
without shifting or delay to search and try our own
ways, and to grow skilful in recounting the evils of
our own lives. The true knowledge of ourselves
is a great step in a holy life. It is that the most of
us never attain to. And yet it is of singular use ;
it would make us humble in ourselves, compas
sionate towards others, easy to be admonished,
tender-hearted in God's worship, more apt to godly
sorrow, and of great ripeness and dexterity of know
ledge in cases of conscience.
Also. Sin is a poison that overfloAvs all sorts of
men. This also takes in rich men, and great men,
and learned men, and old men, and the civiller sort
of men. There is no estate, calling, or condition of
men, nor sex, or nation, but they have been infected
with this plague. It hath run over the whole
earth. And therefore it should humble rich men,
and learned men, and all sorts of men. Look not
at thy wealth, or thy wit, or thy learning, or thy
nobihty, or thy fame amongst men, look at thy
filthy nature ; thou hast now, or thou hast had, the
plague upon thy soul ; and as wise, and learned, and
rich, and civU, and noble as thou, have died of this
sickness, and are in hell.
Walked. This word notes not only inchnation to
sin, but action ; not only words, but practice ; and
in practice, not only a falling by infirmity, but con
tinuance and progress in sin. To walk in sin is to
proceed in sin from one kind to another, and from
one sin to another, and to lie and dwell in sin.
And this is the wretched condition and thraldom
of every one by nature, thus hard is it to give over
sin, and were it not for the great mercy of God,
thus would all men continue.
Quest. But what should be the reason that men
continue so long in sin, and are so loth to get out of
this miserable path ?
Ans. The soul by nature is dead in sin, Eph. ii. 1,
and aU flesh is covered with a veU of blindness,
Isa. xxv. 8, and Satan, the prince of darkness,
works effectually in the children of disobedience ;
besides, the course and custom ofthe world, that lies
in Avickedness, 1 John v. 18, Eph. ii. 2, much
hardens and confirms the sinner, and the mind and
will of the flesh is stubborn. And withal every
wicked man is a great student; he deviseth and

imagineth, and forecasteth hoAv to find out ways, to
set himself in a way that is not good. And many
times God in his fearful judgment delivers many a
man up to a spiritual lethargy and slumber and re
probate mind, ' that hearing he may hear, and not
understand, and seeing he may see and not perceive,
having his heart false, and his ears dull, and his
eyes closed up, lest he should be converted and
humbled,' Acts xxviii. 27.
The use may be to teach us to enlarge our hearts
in the sense of God's goodness, that hath delivered
us from an estate that was in itself so fearful. Es
peciaUy it may comfort us against our infirmities,
that howsoever we fail by occasion, yet by God's
mercy we do not walk in sin. We proceed not from
degree to degree, and from sin to sin. It is a happy
time with a Christian when he getteth victory over
his sins, so as at least by degrees he gets down the
power of them. And on the other side, they are in
a woful estate that have their corruptions growing
upon them both for power and number and con
tinuance. 0 woe will be unto them when the
Master shall come and find them so doing ! And
thus of the first speciality.
The second is, 'ye lived in them,' that is, ye set
the delight of your hearts upon them. Sin was the
life of your lives. None many times more lively
and in greater jollity than such as are in greatest
danger of God's wrath; and so cursedly vile is man's
eAil disposition, that as many men are the more sin
ful, they are the more secure and full of carnal live
liness. Who more frolic than our drunkards,
swaggerers, swearers, abominable filthy persons?
Yea, they carry themselves as if they had found out
a life of excellency and contentment above all other
men, and yet are buried in the ditches of monstrous
wickedness, and are descending sAviftly to their own
place, hasting to the vengeance to come. Many
times the holiest men are most pensive, and the
vilest men most lively.
Lived. There is a fourfold life of men : the life
of nature, the life of corruption, the life of grace, and
the life of glory. The first ltfe Adam lived before
his fall ; the last, the blessed live in heaven ; the
third, the godly live after their conversion on earth ;
and the second is the life of all the unregenerate.
Sin is alive; it hath a hving being in the uncon-
2 p

298

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

verted sinner ; it is a monster engendered in the
heart of man by conjunction with Satan, seating his
several limbs in the several faculties of the soul.
Now, it will not be amiss to consider how we may
know when this monster is alive, and when he is
dead. Sin may be known to be alive : first, By the
flaming desires of the heart and thoughts of the
mind, inordinately bent upon things forbidden.
Secondly, By the command and authority it holds
over all the faculties and powers of the soul and
body, using them as servants and executioners __ of
the lusts of the flesh. Thirdly, By the contentment
men place in known evils. Fourthly, By customary
practice. And lastly, If this monster, by the deceit
ful working of Satan, should sit still for a time, (as
many times it doth even in the worst men,) yet
there is a way to try whether it be alive or no. For
bring it to the law, and it will presently revive. If
it be pricked and pierced with the terrors and re
proofs of a sound application, it will shew itself by
unquietness and unruly distempers. And on the
other side : first, It is certain sin is dead, if thy flaming
desires to evil be quenched ; secondly, If the com
mand over the faculty of the soul be ceased ; thirdly,
If a man seek and place his chief contentment in
spiritual things ; fourthly, If the customary practice
of evU be broken off and dissolved ; and lastly, If
the heart AviU abide the searching and sound appli
cation of the law.
In them. So wretchedly is the unregenerate heart
of man composed, that he doth not only live and
sin. but he lives in sin, ancl Avith sin, and by sin too.
He lives in sin, because he is drowned under the
power and guilt of sin. He lives with sin, because
he is not a guest only, but a sojourner also with his
sin ; sin keeps the house, and the sin 1 is at bed and
board there. And he lives by sin too, for most sin
ners cannot contrive how to live without them.
The letcher cannot hve -without his mistress, and
the usurer cannot live without his gain, and so of
the rest. All these are woful circumstances of
evil, and do marvellously decipher out a soul that
feels not the life of Jesus Christ in him, and they
impart also a further misery. It is easy to commit
sin, but it is not easy to be rid of sin ; a man may
also quickly forget his sin, but he shall not so
1 Qu. ' sinner ' ? — Ed.

quickly forego his sin ; for howsoever by God's sin
gular patience he lives for all his sin, yet by the
singular wretchedness of his condition all his sins
will live with him; they are not transient, but so
long as he lives his sin will live with him ; yea, it
will go with him too when he dies, if it be not pre
vented Avith speedy repentance.
The use also of all this may be to teach converted
Christians that are delivered from this woful misery,
to ' walk as children of the light ; haAing their fruit
in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth; having
no further fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness,' seeing all is now ' made manifest by the
light,' Eph. v. 8, 9, 11, 13; yea, they should strive
to express as much hfe of contentment in the works
of new life and light, as before they ever felt in the
paths of sin and darkness ; and if wicked men walk
on with such unwearied resolutions and endeavours
in such a dangerous estate, how should Christians be
stirred to all possible constancy in weU-doing, seeing
they are sure that aU that walk uprightly walk
safely ? Thus of the seventh verse.
Ver. 8. But now put ye away even all these things,
anger, wrath, malice, cursed speaking, filthy speaking, out
of your mouth.
Hitherto of the mortification of vices, especiaUy
against a maris self ; now follows the mortification of
injuries. And therein I consider : first, The exhorta
tion itself, in the 8th verse and a part of the 9th ;
secondly, The reasons, ver. 9, 10, 1 1. In the exhorta
tion I consider, first, The charge, ' put away even all
these things ;' secondly, The catalogue of injuries to
be put away and mortified, ' anger, wrath, malice,' &c.
From the coherence, in that the apostle fastens
this branch of the exhortation upon the remem
brance of their misery in the former verse, it shews
that the meditation of our misery is as good to kill
or beat doAvn the power of rage, and strong passions,
and distempers, as it hath been shewn to be good to
kill lust and covetousness. When you see men or
women of heady passions and violent affections fall
into affliction of conscience, then imagine they will
hurl off their natures and groAV more calm and meek,
but till then seldom do any mend, or not for any
long time.
Now. That is in the time of grace ; and so it

Ver. 8.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

299

gives us occasion to consider that grace yields no
liberty to sin. Now that thou hast received the
true grace of God, there is no time left for passion,
fretting, cursed speaking, or filthy speaking, or
lying, or any such injurious evils. Grace enjoins us
to take leave of our old affections and our own per
verse courses. Many such things as before thy con
version might in some respects been more borne
withal, must now be left; for the converted Christian
must live circumspectly and precisely, watching in
all things, and walking wisely both at home and
abroad ; he must part Avith his old humours and
perverse qualities ; and therefore their condemnation
sleepeth not that ' turn the grace of God into wan
tonness,' Jude 4.
Put away. Sin is not truly repented of till it be
put away. Now sin is put away two ways : first,
By justification, and so God puts away our sins; for
when God pardoneth iniquity, he casteth it away
and never sees it or remembers it more, Micah vii.
18, 19 ; secondly, By sanctification, and so we must
put away our sins. We must put away or pull
down sin, as the rebel puts down his weapons when
he seeks the service of his prince ; or we must deal
AAith our sins as God deals with the mighty, that is,
we must put them down from their seats. If we
cannot destroy them from living, yet we may dis
turb them sitting, or reigning, or resting in us ;
or we must put them away as the wronged hus
band doth his filthy wife. We must divorce our
sins, that by covenant they should never be ours
more. We will never love them, and let them sleep
in our bosom, and dwell with us, and be familiar
with our natures, as they have been. Now we put
away sins three ways : first, By confessing them to
God ; secondly, By godly sorrow, washing the stain
and filth of them from off our hearts ; thirdly, By
renouncing and forsaking the practice of them ; all
are here intended, but the last principally. And this
we must know will not be done AAith ease, if it be
truly and soundly done. The prophet Micah means
something when he saith of the Lord, ' He will sub
due our iniquities;' and then after saith, 'He will
cast them away into the depths of the sea,' Micah
vii. 19. Must God subdue if he cast away? Then
man must be sure of it, that he must labour seriously
the subduing of his sin before he can have any com

fort or success in putting them away. Sins are like
an army of rebels, that will not be vanquished with
out some ado.
All these things. In the original it may be read,
' all things.' It is true that God many times puts
his servants to it, even to deny and put away all
things ; they must deny themselves, Luke ix. 24,
and their credits ; yea, and their lives too, Mat. x.
39, if need be ; they must deny the world, and their
profits and pleasures, 1 John ii. 16, 17; yea, they
must deny and forsake, and, which is more, rather
than leave Christ and the sincerity of the gospel,
they must hate father and mother, wife and child
ren, and brethren and sisters, or else they cannot
be Christ's disciples. But I restrain the sense, as it
is here, unto sins only. And so it notes that every
man that will truly repent must resolve to part with
all sins as weU as one ; he must desire and endea
vour to hate and put away every sin, as well the
sins have been named as the sins are to be named.
As we would have God to ' receive us graciously, and
take away all iniquity,' Hosea xiv. 3, as well as
one, so we must resolve sincerely to put away every
sin as well as one. If the Lord should leave one
sin unforgiven it might be enough to condemn us,
and so if we leave but one sin that we have no
desire nor will to repent of, that one sin Avould plead
against us that we had not truly repented of the
rest. If we mark the true catalogue of sins which
here followeth, it shews that we must forsake all
sorts of sins as well as one ; for we must forsake
and put away inward sins as well as outward, for
he saith ' put away anger and wrath ; ' we must put
away lesser sins as well as greater, for he saith, put
away filthy speaking, as well as before he had said,
mortify fornication and uncleanness. Noav, that
we may be encouraged to this sincerity in forsaking
all sin as AveU as one, we may consider divers
motives : first, Christ suffered for all sins as well
as one ; and therefore we should ' arm ourselves
with the same mind, in suffering in our flesh to
cease from sin' indefinitely, 1 Pet. iv. 1, that is,
from all sin. Secondly, We would have God grant
all our requests, and not leave one out. Nay, we
have a promise that we shall obtain whatsoever we
ask in Christ's name, Mark xi. 24, and therefore it
is reason, when God calls for the repentance of all

300

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

our sins, we should do it, and not leave one out.
Thirdly, Christ is all in all things, and filleth all in
all things, Col. iii. 11, Eph, i. 23, and therefore it
is as easy for thee, if thy heart be right, to receive
and procure from Christ virtue ancl strength against
every sin as Avell as against any sin. Fourthly, This
is aU fruit, even the taking away of every sin, Isa.
xxvii. 1 1 , what pleasure or profit soever they might
bring to us. When God looks for signs and marks
of truth and uprightness, this fruit of true desire to
repent is all fruit ; it is wonderfully liked of God,
and if he may find this heart and desire in us, he
accounts it instead of all other things. FUthly,
Christians are made partakers of every heavenly
gift, even every spiritual blessing in heavenly things,
1 Cor. i. 7, Eph. i. 3. Men, as they would put on
every grace, so they must put off every sin. Lastly,
God will shew us all his good, Exod. xxxiii. 19,
xxxiv. 6, 7 ; he aauII withhold from us nothing that
may be good for us, Ps. xiv. 11, even till he give us
proof of his glory in every divine attribute. Ancl
Avhy, then, should not we by serious and sound con
fession strive even to shew him all our evil, that we
might obtain pardon for them and strength against
them ? But if none of these reasons may persuade
Avith us to be upright and sincere, then let us know
that though we favour and hide and extenuate our
sins, yet the time will come when all shall be naked
and manifest before God, even all the sins that are
found upon us. And therefore it were better to
confess them now, that God might not charge them
upon us then, and to forsake them noAV, that being
washed from them by repentance, and justified from
them by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, we may then
be accepted as if we had never committed them.
Quest. But can a Christian put aAvay all his sins
in this hfe ?
Ans. He may, and I will shew you how by a dis
tribution : 1. Unwilling defects, as belonging to
original sins, are pardoned the first moment of con
version. 2. Sins of ignorance are removed by
general repentance, and by the daily sacrifice. 3.
Sins not loved nor rooted are done away by an
absolute forsaking of them. He that will continue
any longer in sins that bring him no profit or plea
sure, and such evils as he hath power to leave if he
will, if these be not given absolutely over, it is to

no purpose for a man to talk of repentance. 4.
Particular sins that a man hath greatly loved they
are put away by serious and distinct labour in
prayer, and sensible sorrow and grief of heart for
them ; for less than this will not suffice for particu
lar beloved sins. Now lastly, there wiU remain
certain remnants of some sins that have roots in
our corrupted dispositions, even after the first re
pentance. Now these are said in God's acceptation
to be put away, when a man prays against them
and mourns over them, and daUy judgeth himself
for them ; and so they may be in his nature, and
yet be truly, though not perfectly, put away. And
thus of the general charge. The catalogue follows.
And the sins are either sins of the heart or sins of
the tongue. The sins of the heart are anger, Avrath,
malice. The sins of the tongue are blaspheming or
cursed-speaking, filthy speaking, and lying. First,
of the sins of the heart.
Anger, wrath. I suppose these words express one
and the same sin ; it may be the two words import
two degrees of anger. For there is inward fret
ting, without words or sign ; and there is open
anger, a signified passion that discovers itself by
outward shows. Both are justly condemned.
Anger maybe considered: 1. As indifferent; 2.
As laudable ; 3. As a Aice. Anger is a natural
passion, and so in itself neither good nor evil, as it
is a sense Avith dislike of injury ; so Adam might
have conceived anger against the serpent. The
reason of the stoics that condemn anger as a natural
passion for evil, because it is a perturbation, is
without reason ; for all perturbation is not eAil,
but unjust perturbation only ; for Christ was angry
and vexed, and grievously troubled, as at the death
of Lazarus, and yet he was Avithout sin.
Now for the second : anger may be considered as
laudable and good ; for that there is such an anger,
I will not stand upon the distinction of the school
men that there is anger of zeal, and anger of vice.
The scripture manifestly sheAvs there may be good
anger. The apostle saith, 'Be angry and sin not,' Eph.
iv. 26; and Solomon saith, 'Anger is better than
laughter,' Eccles. vii. 3 ; and the evangelist saith, our
Saviour ' looked about upon them angrily,' Mark iii.
5 ; and St Matthew saith, ' he that is angry with
his brother without a cause,' Mat. v. 22, as if he

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would acknowledge a just anger, when there was a
just cause of anger. Now this good anger is a godly
passion of just zeal, of justice, conceived against sin
in ourselves or others, that desireth just revenge to
the saving of the person, appeasing of God's anger,
or the promoting of the kingdom of Christ. I say,
it is a godly passion. For there are two sorts of
natural passions. Some are so evil they can never
be good, as envy ; some are so natural, as they may
be either good or evil as they agree or disagree
Avith the law of God, and such is anger. I say just
zeal, for I know that every zeal hath not always
either good cause or good effect. I add against sin,
because it must not be our indignation at the per
son. And we may be angry and vexed at our own
sins, as Paul was, Rom. vii., as well as at the sins
of others. And revenge also is the end of anger ;
for so may a Christian be revenged on himself as a
fruit of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. vii. 10, as also he may
desire the just revenge of the magistrate upon
others. The end must be to save the person, not to
express our spleens, and to appease God's wrath, as
Phinehas did, and others of God's servants. And
lastly, to promote Christ's kingdom by saving a
soul from sin, James v. 20. But it is Aicious anger
is here meant.
Vicious anger hath her degrees; for there is, 1.
The offence, a grief of the heart. It may be this is
that the apostle hath, Eph. iv. 31, and is translated
' bitterness.' 2. Inflamed anger, or the inward work
ing of this bitterness, or vexation, or offence, or
grief. 3. Outward rage ; neither are all men of one
fit in their anger ; for some are quickly angry, and
quickly appeased ; some are slow to anger, and slow
from anger ; some are quickly inflamed, but slowly
pacified. The best is, slowly to kindle and quickly
to be satisfied ; but all are naught.
Now, concerning vicious anger I propound two
things principally to be considered : 1. Reasons ;
2. Remedies against it. Now for the first : There
are divers things might persuade a Christian to
make conscience of the mortification of anger and
frowardness : 1. The commandment of God, which
is express, ' Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry,'
as Solomon recordeth it in the 7th of Eccle
siastes. 2. The praises the Lord gives to men that
can bridle their anger, and the disgraces the Holy

Ghost casts upon impatient persons, as Prov. xiv.
29, ' He that is slow to Avrath is of great under
standing ; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth
folly;' and again, Prov. xix. 11, 'It is the discre
tion of a man to defer his anger ; it is his glory to
pass over a transgression ;' and again, Prov. xii. 8,
' A man shall be commended according to his wis
dom ; but he that is of a perverse heart shaU be
despised ;' and in the place of Ecclesiastes before
alleged he saith, 'Anger resteth in the bosom of
fools.' 3. The nature of evil anger. What is anger
but the fury of the unclean spirit, the madness of
the soul, the unrest of all faculties, a very beast
within the heart of man ? 4. The effects of anger,
which may be considered either more generaUy or
more particularly ; and the particular evil effects
are either internal or external. The internal effects
are such as these : 1. It blinds the mind ; the just
anger troubles the mind, but unjust anger blinds it.
2. It looseth the bowels of pity and mercy, espe
cially from the persons. A man hath no affections
neither for duties of piety nor of mercy. 3. It
grieves the Spirit of God, Eph. iv. 30, 31. 4. It
lets in the devil into a maris heart, Eph. iv. 17.
The external effects are these : 1. It will interrupt
prayer, as the apostle Peter intimates ; if there be
frowardness through indiscretion or contempt in the
family, that wiU interrupt prayer, and work a negli
gence in God's worship, 1 Pet. iii. 7 ; and therefore
it is one thing the apostle Paul expressly requires
we should look tb concerning prayer, namely, that
men pray, as without doubting, so without wrath, 1
Tim. ii. 8. 2. It is a great hindrance to the profit
of hearing, and therefore it is one of the apostle
James his rules, that if we would profit by the word,
Ave should be 'slow to wrath,' James i. 19, 20. 3.
It doth notably shame a man, and discover and
blaze abroad his folly ; for, as Solomon observeth,
' He that is of a hasty mind exalteth folly,' Prov.
xiv. 29 ; and in the 12th chapter and 16th verse he
saith, ' A fool in a day may be known by his anger.'
4. Anger disables a man for society ; for it is God's
commandment or advice that we should 'make no
friendship with an angry man, nor go with a furious
man,' and as for other reasons, ' lest we learn his
ways, ancl receive destruction to our own souls '
Prov. xxii. 24, 25. And, in general, anger is the

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door or gate of vice, and therefore David, in the
37th Psalm, saith, ' Cease from anger, leave off
wrath, fret not thyself also to do evil,' as if he would
imply that to abound in anger is to abound in sin ;
and it cannot be but a man must be guilty of much
sin that lives in fretting ancl passion and inward
unrest ; and Solomon saith plainly, that ' a furious
man aboundeth in transgressions,' Prov. xxix. 22.
Besides, anger brings God's curse upon a man, as it
is in Job, 'Anger slayeth the foolish,' Job v. 2 ; it
bringeth many times great and sudden judgments,
and as Solomon observes, ' A man of great wrath
shall suffer punishment, and if thou deliver him, yet
thou must do it again,' Prov. xix. 19. Hence it is
that our Saviour, Christ, denounceth judgment both
temporal and eternal against unadvised anger in the
5th of Matthew. And thus of the reasons.
The remedies against anger are of two sorts : 1.
There are remedies for anger in ourselves ; 2. There
are remedies for anger in others.
There are divers things good to repress and sub
due and mortify anger in ourselves : 1. From the
coherence of these words with the former verse, it
appears that the serious and frequent meditation of
our misery is a good means to cut down the power
and unruliness of our passions. 2. Saving know
ledge will make a man ' peaceable, gentle, easy to be
entreated,' James iii. 17 ; and the true reason why
there is so much passion many times in the heart is
because there is so little knowledge in the head ; for
passion and folly are twins. 3. To prevent anger,
or to restrain it, it is good to take heed of meddling
with the strife that belongs not to us, but carefully
to mind and meddle with our own business, Prov.
xxvi. 7 ; especially we should take heed of meddling
with foolish and indiscreet persons, for ' he that
contendeth with the foolish, whether he rage or
laugh, there is no rest,' Prov. xxix. 9. 4. We must
not ' give place to wrath,' nor let it have a vent by
sudden and unadvised words, or by suffering our
affections to increase in swelling and desire of re
venge. We should silence our passions, and resolve
to suspect and restrain our words. Anger smothered
will languish, but let out will flame unto further
mischief. 5. We should divert the course of our
anger, and spend the heat of our affections upon our
own sins ; and it were good to get into our heads a

catalogue of some of our chiefest corruptions, that if
we be suddenly tempted to anger, we might pre
sently think of those sins, and spend our zeal upon
them. 6. We should consider him that provokes us
to anger, that he is the instrument of God to try
our patience, and that if he do it wilfully, it is a
brand of his folly. Lastly, The meditation of the
passion of Christ is an excellent remedy to kill anger,
and to crucify it. And thus of anger in ourselves.
Now, the remedies for anger in others are such as
these : first, Silence. Unto many natures to answer
again is to put fuel to the fire ; for anger is fire, and
words are fuel. Secondly, If thy sUence avUI be inter
preted to be sullenness or contempt, (for some think
they are despised if they be not answered,) then the
next remedy is a soft answer, Prov. xv. 1. And
thirdly, It seems that a gift in secret is good to pactfy
anger, for so Solomon thinks, Prov. ii 14. But
fourthly, If this will not serve, then it is good to give
place to it, Rom. xii. 19 ; I mean, to go away from the
angryperson till his anger be over. Butespecially take
heed that thou provoke not anger, for ' the forcing
of wrath bringeth out strife,' as the churning of
milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the
nose bringeth forth blood, Prov. xxx. 33.
The use of all this may be to humble every one of
us. We may lay our hands upon our mouths, and
repent of our foolishness in our passions, Prov. xxx.
32. And we should for hereafter be careful in aU
companies, but especially in our famUies, to avoid
the customary sins of passion. PeeAishness and this
daily fretting and chafing is a cause of much sin and
disorder, and a notable let of piety, and an extreme
affliction to others that are troubled with it : 'It is
better to dwell in the corner of a house top than
with a braAvling woman in a Avide house,' Prov. xxi.
9 ; for a continual dropping in a rainy day and a
contentious woman are alike, Prov. xxvii. 15. Thus
of anger and wrath ; malice followeth.
Malice. The Avord xaxia is diversely taken. Some
times for eAil of punishment, or grief for crosses,
Mat. vi. 34 ; sometimes for Avickedness in general,
or the evil habit opposed to virtue, Acts viii. 22 ;
sometimes for malice or hatred, and so it is taken,
Rom. i. 29, 1 Cor. v. 8, and so it is to be taken here ;
and this malice is nothing else but anger inveterate.
Malice hath divers degrees. For it begins in the

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303

base estimation and loathing, of the heart, Lev. xix.
17 ; and then it proceeds to a desire, that plods and
Avaits for every opportunity of revenge, and so it is
grudge. Afterwards it becomes open, and shews
itself by inflation, which is, when a man goes so as
he thinks his neighbour not worthy to be looked
upon. Secondly, By strife and contention, suits
and brawls. Thirdly, By bitterness and gall, in
censuring and judging. And lastly, By wilfulness,
and a resolution not to be entreated.
Again, malice is varied by the persons in whom
it is. There is public malice and private malice ;
public malice is in public estates, and is shewn by
factions and divisions. Private malice is varied by
the objects, for there is a mahce in wicked men
against God's servants ; thus ' they have hated them
that rebuke in the gate,' Amos v. 10. Thus all the
members of Christ are hated of the world, 1 John
iii. 15 ; and this hatred of goodness is exceeding ill
interpreted of the Lord ; he accounts it as man
slaughter, 1 John iii. 11, and will accordingly judge
it, Ps. cxxix. 5-7.
There is also domestical malice, between husband
and wife, brethren and sisters, servants and masters,
&c. This domestical grudge or malice is exceeding
hateful to God, and hurtful to the family. Besides,
it is desperate, for ' a brother offended is harder to
win than a strong castle,' Prov. xviii. 19 ; and the
Lord hates all that have any hand in it ; for ' he
that soweth discord among brethren,' Prov. vi. 19,
is one of the six things the Lord hates.
There is also malice abroad, between man and
man, in controversing ; and that kind of malice is
principally here mentioned. Now, this kind of
malice is not always open and professed ; for ' he
that hateth,' as- the wise man saith, many times
'dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit
within him ; ' there may be ' seven abominations in
his heart,' though he ' speak fair,' Prov. xxvi. 24, 25.
And in another place he saith, ' hatred may be
hidden Avith lying lips,' Prov. x. 18; but of what
kind soever it be, it is exceeding naught, and to be
avoided. Now, concerning this sin, I further pro
pound two things : 1. Reasons; 2. Remedies against
it ; and then I will touch some use of all.
And the first reason may be taken from the vile
nature of it. It is a vice so transcendent, that it

passeth other vices. It hath been usually said, that
to be angry is human, but to persevere in anger
(which is this malice) is devilish ; and therefore it is
reckoned in the 1st to the Romans amongst the
monstrous sins which the monstrous Gentiles fell
into. Besides, to ' hate and be hateful,' is a danger
ous sign of unregeneracy, Titus iii. 3, even that a
man was never truly converted, for ' he that saith
he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in dark
ness until now,' 1 John ii. 9. Thirdly, It is worthy
to be repented of and carefully shunned, even for
the ill effects of it, for it is like leaven, 1 Cor. v. 8,
it will sour and spoil whatsoever praiseworthy
qualities were in a man before. And it is a great
let both to the word and prayer ; and thence it is
that the apostle Peter exhorts, that if we would
grow by the word in affection and practice, we must
then 'lay aside all malice and envy,' 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2 ;
and the apostle James shews in his fourth chapter,
that many desire, and ask and have not, and he
implies, that (among other things) their warring and
fighting, and jangling contentions, were the cause of
it. But our Saviour Christ is expressly plain, that
if men's stomachs be so big they will not forgive,
the Lord Avill not forgive them, though they be
never so importunate, Mat. vi. 14; and besides,
men that in their passionate grudges are so hasty
to strife, are many times brought to those straits
in the end, that they know not what to do when
they are put to shame by their adversaries, Prov.
xxv. 8. Further, Solomon observes, that men that
think to hide their grudge and hatred, have their
wickedness many times shewed before the whole
congregation, Prov. xxvi. 26 ; and they that dig pits
in their spite for others, by the just providence, fall
into the same themselves, Prov. xxvi. 27. Few
malicious persons prosper; he that by his mahce is
carried into contention, knows not what he doth,
for he is as he that letteth out the water, Prov. xvii.
1 4 ; a whole flood of mischief may break in upon
him, that he dreams not of, for ' he that hateth his
brother,' as St John saith, ' walketh in darkness,
and knows not whither he goeth, for the darkness
(of malice) hath blinded his eyes,' 1 John ii. 11.
FinaUy, let such as wUl not be reconciled, nor agree
with the adversary quickly, fear that prison that is
threatened by our Saviour, even the prison of hell

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into the which, if they be cast, they ' shall not come
out till they have paid the uttermost farthing,'
Mat. v. 26. And on the otlier side, it is a singular
praise to be ready, and forward to be reconciled,
and lay aside malice and discord, and a crown of
reward shall be given to such as seek peace and
agreement; yea, a double crown, one because he
will be reconciled, and another because he seeks it,
ancl asketh peace first.
The remedies against malice follow ; and they are
of two sorts. For malice is to be medicined in our
own hearts, or avoided ; or it is to be compounded,
or prevented in others. Now, to take order that
malice might not infect us, these rules are to be
observed : first, We must take heed of the causes of
mahce, and they are either Avithin us or without us.
Within us there is pride, Prov. xiii. 10, and impa
tience, and envy, and in some natures a very lust to
contend, a kind of petulancy, and a very spirit of
contradiction. Now, unless we keep out or subdue
these, it cannot be but grudge and malicious dis
cords will transport us. Again, without us there is
the tale-bearer and scorner, and the froward person,
and the busy body, called the 'man of imagina
tions ; ' all these must be shunned and avoided, if
we would live without malice or contention ; for
' where no Avood is, there the fire goeth out, and so
where there is no tale-bearer, strife ceaseth,' Prov.
xxvi. 20. And the like may be said of contentious
and froward persons, for ' as coals are to burning
coals, so is a contentious man to kindle strife,'
Prov. xxvi. 21. If a man find himself apt to grudge
or strife, it is his best way to keep out of the way
of froward persons that may soon fire him. The
like counsel must be given concerning the scorner ;
for saith the wise man, ' cast out the scorner and
contention shall go out,' Prov. xxii. 10 ; and it is
sure that he that Avould not be infected Avith
hatred, his best way will be to hate the busy body.
Now, U this direction will not serve the turn, then
in the second place, thou must mortify thy rising
malice, and confess it Avith grief unto God, till by
prayer thou get some victory over it. Thirdly,
Much malice and grudge would be avoided, if we
did but observe that counsel, Lev. xix. 17,
namely, that when we did conceive dislike of any
thing in our brother, for which we did fear Ave

should hate him, we should go to him, and reprove
him, rebuking him plainly for his sin ; many times
a seasonable reproof draws out the poison of begin
ning grudge and malice. Fourthly, It is good to
meditate upon the passion of Christ, and of his
readiness to forgive, even upon the cross, great
wrongs and worser enemies. We should lay a
necessity upon ourselves, to be advised before we
would admit contention, or the resolution to con
tend ; for as Solomon saith, ' by pride cometh con
tention, but with the well-advised is Avisdom,'
Prov. xih. 10, even this Avisdom to forbear conten
tion. Finally, in the 4th to the Ephesians, the
apostle before he saith, ' Let all bitterness, and
wrath, and malice, Sec, be put away,' he said in
the verse before, 'Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption,'
Eph. iv. 30, 31 ; as if he would import, that a man
might be induced to put away mahce, and the rest
of the Aices there named, with great ease and
readiness, if he would obey the motions of the
Spirit, and busy himself seriously about the assur
ance of his full and final redemption, daUy thinking
of the time when he shall be rid of aU wants and
sins, and wrongs too. If we could oftener think of
God's judgments, and the great day of revenge and
recompense, it would cause us to have less stomach
to be our OAvn judges and revengers ; and if the
Spirit of God might rule us, our flesh would have
little heart to busy itself about the Avorks of mahce.
Now, for malice in others, it must be considered
either as it is to be compounded, or as it is to be
avoided. And for the compounding of it, observe
these rules : first, If thou wUt not do good for evil,
which yet is required, Prov. xxv. 21, yet be sure
thou render none evU for evil, Rom. xii. 17.
Secondly, ' If thy brother have aught against thee,'
so as thou be privy to thyself that thou hast done
him any Avrong, or given him any cause so to con
ceive, then go thou and seek reconcUiation, render
it and ask it of him. Thirdly, If the contention be
yet secret, follow Solomon's counsel, say nothing of
it to others, but ' debate thy cause Avith thy neigh
bour himself, and discover not thy secret to another,'
Prov. xxv. 9. Peace might soon be made with
many men, if the discord were not made so pubhc.
Now for avoiding of contention and malicious dis-

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cords, there are divers rules of great use : 1. Meddle
not with the strife that belongs not to thee, Prov.
xxvi. 17; 2. Contend not with fools: thou shalt
never have done if thou meddle Avith foolish per
sons, for whether they rage or laugh, there is no rest,
Prov. xxix. 9 ; 3. Let nothing be done through
vain glory, Phil. n. 3 ; 4. Speak evil of no man,
Titus hi. 2 ; 5. Be courteous and tender-hearted,
Eph. iv. 31, 32 ; 6. Wrong no man, but folloAV
that which is good, both amongst yourselves and to
wards all men, 1 Thes. v. 15 ; lastly, Pray for a
covering love, for hatred stirreth up strife, but love
covereth all sin, Prov. x. 12.
The use of all this may be both for reproof and
for instruction. For reproof of many men that are
fearfully soured Avith this leaven, they do not only
' let the sun go down upon their wrath,' but they
let the sun go his whole course, and can find no time
from the one end of the year unto the other to com
pound and lay aside their discords. Nay, so hath
malice seated itself in some dogged and spiteful
natures, that it seemeth to proclaim it will never
lose possession till the devil, the father of malice,
hath full possession both of soul and body. But
let every godly mind be persuaded to avoid this
monstrous sin, yea, let us strive to avoid the very
beginning of it ; or if nature have such corruption,
that for the present we cannot get our hearts rid of
all secret poison of dislike, let us be sure we be but
' children in maliciousness.' It is a monstrous wick
edness to have a head that is exercised to strife,
and a heart that hath a kind of sinful dexterity in
framing and plodding for malicious courses. And
thus much of mahce.
Cursed speaking. The word in the original is
^Xamprifiia, blasphemy. Now blasphemy or cursed
speaking, it is a sin either against piety, or against
righteousness. As it is against piety, it is blasphemy ;
to reproach or reason against the person or nature
of God, or against the providence and works of
God, or against the worship of God and the means
thereof; and so it is cursed speaking and a kind of
blasphemy to repine at God's works, 1 Cor. x. 10 ;
to reproach God's sabbaths, Lament, i., or messen
gers, 1 Cor. xvi. 16, or his word. A Iso there is a
cursed speaking which is against righteousness in
the second table, and thus it is cursed speaking

when subjects curse the king, Eccles. x. ult. ; when
masters threaten their servants, Eph. vi. 9 ; when
parents provoke their children, Eph. vi. 4 ; when
husbands are bitter to their wives, Col. iii. 19,
Avhen wives braAvl and chide with their husbands,
Prov. xxv. 24 ; when great men lord it over the
poor, Prov. xiii. 8, and the like. Cursed speaking
is either before the face, and so it is strife of words ;
or behind the back, and so it is backbiting or whis
pering, 2 Cor. xii. 20. It is cursed speaking to
mock and scorn ; it is cursed speaking to judge and
censure ; it is cursed speaking to slander and dis
grace ; it is cursed speaking to be ever complaining
in all places. Finally, it is cursed speaking when
men speak evil of any man, and there is a special
kind of it in speaking evil of godly men, and this
properly is blasphemy in the second table, for the
Lord, for the honour he bears to his people, is
pleased to afford the name of blasphemy to their
reproaches, as importing that he takes it as if he
were reproached himself.
We should all of us take heed of cursed speaking,
of what kind soever, for it ariseth of ill causes, as
envy or malice ; and it hath ill effects, for it is cer
tain thou had as good pierce others Avith a sword
as smite them with thy tongue. Ancl, therefore, a
bitter and cursed tongue is often compared in the
scripture to the sting of adders, and to a sword,
yea, a sharp savoiU, to a razor, ancl to arrows, and the
like ; besides the hurt it doth to thyself ; for ' if thou
bite and devour, take heed thou be not devoured,'
Gal. v. 15. And it is just Avith God thou shouldst
be judged and censured, that accustoms thyself to
judge and censure, Mat. vii. 1. And though thou
speak evil never so secretly, yet God doth many
times wonderfully discover the shame of it before
others ; and if man would not judge thee for thy
eAil tongue, yet it is certain God will, James v. 9.
And it is many times seen that men and women of
distempered and spiteful tongues are made a very
abomination amongst men, Prov. xxiv., so as all
men are weary of them and shun them. Lastly,
scornful and cursed speaking proves a notable
hindrance to the success ofthe word, 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2,
and that these kind of people might observe.
When they come to hear, they receive not a bless
ing : and why ? but because blessing is so far from
2 Q

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their lips ; as they loved cursing, so it cometh to
them. The use of all may be to exhort us to ' put aAvay
far from us a froward mouth and perverse lips,'
Prov. iv. 24, and that 'nothing be done through
strife,' but rather that ' all things be done without
murmuring or reasonings,' or brawlings, or revil
ings. And herein such as fear God should strive
to give good example, seeing they are as lights in
the midst of crooked and perverse people.
Quest. But what are the remedies of cursed
speaking ?
Ans. If we have sinned through bitterness, we
should observe two rules : 1. Let thy own words
grieve thee, Ps. lvi. 5, that is, labour by prayer and
godly sorrow to beat down the power of thy per
verseness, without defending, excusing, or extenuat
ing of thy frowardness ; 2. Keep thy heart with all
dihgence, Prov. iv. 23, 24. Look to the first risings
of thy passions. For bitterness is first in the heart
before it can come into the tongue. Now for pre
venting of evil speaking in others, the only rule is
to give them no occasion, either by words or in
jurious and vricked life.
Object. But they wiU rail and revile without a
cause. Ans. Then observe these rules : 1. Betake thyself
to prayer, so did David, Ps. cix. 2-4 ; 2. It is good
ofttimes to be as a deaf man that heareth not, Ps.
xxxviii. 13, 14; 3. Be sure thou be careful thou
wrong not the names of others, else though thou be
innocent in the things imputed, yet thou art justly
scourged with the like evil ; 4. The constantest
and surest medicine for railing is a holy continuance
in godly conversation ; for though for the present it
seem not to profit the railer, yet in time to come it
may, Phil. ii. 15. I add also Solomon's rule, namely,
with an angry countenance to drive aAvay a back
biting tongue ; for that is many times the bellows
to kindle the fire of bitterness and fierce speaking.
Filthy speaking. This is another of the wretched
vices of the tongue, to be with all care and con
science avoided by a Christian. And, therefore, the
apostle, in the fifth to the Ephesians also, as well as
here, puts it into the catalogue of evils he would
most seriously dissuade them from, and out of that
chapter Ave may gather divers reasons against it : 1.

We are dear unto God, and therefore should follow
him as dear children. Now of all things we never
saw any colour of this in God. Angry speaking
indeed is sometimes for our capacity given to God,
but never filthy speaking, or any the least glimpse
of it. 2. Our love should be as Christ's was. Now
his was to profit, not to infect, and it was pleasing
to God, not hated, as this filth of words must need
be. 3. It is a shame and uncomeliness, and dis
honour to a Christian. 4. If any would object it
is but a small matter, the apostle would soon an
swer, men ought not to be deceived Avith vain words,
for it is sure that ' because of this and such like
things cometh the wrath of God upon the chUdren
of disobedience.' 5. This is a froth of filthiness
that should only be found in unregenerate men that
lie in darkness, and it is a work of darkness to
speak filthily as weU as to do filthily. 6. If we be
children of the light, we should show it by our
fearfulness to speak or do anything that were un
pleasing to God; and we should show it by re
proving such filthiness in others ; for such filth, if it
be not reproved, is not regarded, but a Christian re
proof will make manifest in some measure that it is
not good nor agreeing to truth and righteousness
and goodness. 7. Men are in some degree of a
lethargy that use this sin. 8. A Christian ought to
walk exactly, strictly, precisely, or circumspectly ; it
is no more than he is bound to do to make con
science of the least filthy word as weU as of filthy
actions, and therein to take notice of God's wiU.
And thus of the second Aice of the tongue.
Ver. 9. Lie not one to another, seeing tliat ye have
put off the old man with his works.
Lie not one to another. This is the last vice in the
catalogue. Lying is given oftentimes to the dumb
creature ; and so images lie, and teach hes ; and so
the Avonders of antichrist are lying wonders, 2 Thes.
ii. 1 1 . But it is most usually and properly ascribed to
man ; and so he lies either in nature, or in work, or
in word. In nature; and so the prophet David saith,
' Men of high degree are a lie,' Ps. lxii. 9. In work ;
and so men lie either through hypocrisy or deceit.
Hypocrisy is lying, Avhether it be in worship to God,
Isa. lix. 1 3, or carriage towards men, Rev. ii. 9. Deceit
is lying, and therefore the bread of deceit is called

Ver. 9.]

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307

'bread of lying,' Prov. xx. 17. But most properly
a lie is in word ; and so there is a lie in doctrine
when men teach falsehood, or apply truths to Avrong
persons or for AArong ends. The devil is a lying
spirit in the mouth of many teachers. Men lie also
in false witness-bearing, so do they in slandering
and flattering. But most strictly lying is in the
report of things untrue in conversing Avith men,
Avhether at home or abroad.
There are many reasons why a Christian should
take heed of lying : first, If we consider the cause
of lying ; it is the deAil, he is the father of lies, John
viii. 44. Secondly, If we consider the nature of a lie ;
it is most shameful and hateful ; and therefore the
liar denies his lie, because he is ashamed to be taken
with it; and our swaggerers hold the lie so dis
graceful that they will revenge it many times with
blood. Riches cannot add so much grace to a man
as lying will bring him disgrace ; and therefore
Solomon saith, ' A poor man walking in his integ
rity is better than a rich man which is a liar.'
And the Lord useth to reckon lying with the most
monstrous sins, to make us the more to hate it, as
Ave may see in the catalogues of the Revelation and
in other places of scripture, Rev. xxi. 8, xxii. 15.
Thirdly, On the contrary, to speak the truth is to
shew righteousness, Prov. xii. 17. A mouth with
out guile is a mark of God's redeemed, Rev. xiv. 5 ;
and the remnant of Israel, as in general they Avill
do no iniquity, so in special they avUI not speak
lies, Zeph. iii. 13. Fourthly, In the epistle to the
Ephesians, the apostle reasons thus : ' Put away
lying, speak every man truth to his neighbour ; for
we are members one of another,' Eph. iv. 25. It
were most unnatural for the head to belie the hand,
or one member to be false to another ; so unnatural
is it for Christians to lie one to another ; for they
are, or profess to be, members one of another.
Fifthly, If we consider the effects or consequences of
lying ; for it makes us abominable to God ; as ' they
that do truly are God's delight, so lying lips are
abomination to the Lord,' Prov. xii. 22 ; and a liar's
tongue is one of the seven abominable things which
Solomon reckoneth up, Prov. vi. 17. The law also
is given to liars among the rest, as the apostle to
Timothy affirms, 1 Tim. i. 10. It is one of the sins
that brings upon a man's soul and body the for

feiture of the law. If lying be not restrained in
time, thou mayest get such a habit of lying that
thou canst hardly tell anything but thou wilt mix
some falsehood with it, and that will both increase
thy sin and the guilt of it. Besides, thou wilt lose
thy credit, so that thou wilt hardly be believed if
thou speak the truth. Sixthly, Know that God will
enter into judgment with all liars, Hosea iv. 2 ;
sometimes by ordinary judgments, sometimes by ex
traordinary, as he did with Ananias and Sapphira,
Acts v. Now the Holy Ghost saith, ' He that
speaketh lies shall not escape,' Prov. xix. 5 ; but
' God will destroy them that speak leasings,' Ps.
v. 6 ; or if we could escape in this world, yet the
lake that burnetii with fire and brimstone is pre
pared for them that speak or love lies, Rev. xxii. 15.
Use. The use may be for reproof and humiliation
to such as find themselves overtaken Avith this sin,
especial if it reign in them : but more especially
they are in a cursed condition that seek lies, Ps.
iv. 4, and teach their tongues to lie, Jer. ix. 5.
Neither let men please themselves that they can do
it covertly; for liars are for the most part easily
found out. There is, amongst the rest, three signs
of a liar, and in one of the three he usually discovers
himself: 1. To vary incontinently, Prov. xii. 19-
2. To hearken to a false tongue, Prov. xvii. 4 •
3. To love lies, Rev. xii. 18. But let every one
that feareth God obey this counsel of the apostle,
to put lying in the catalogue of sins he would daily
watch against. And because by nature we are all
prone unto this sin, we should remember it, even in
our prayers to God, that he would 'remove far
from us vanity and lies,' Prov. xxx. 8.
Quest. Before I pass from this vice, there are cer
tain questions to be answered, as first, whether all
lying be sin or no ?
Ans. That this may be understood, men use to
divide lies into three sorts. There is an officious,
and a pernicious, and a jesting lie. All men con
demn the pernicious lie, many excuse the lie in jest,
and some commend the officious lie ; but the truth
is, all are naught ; and therefore the apostle saith,
Lie not at all; for he speaketh indefinitely. But
it will be objected that the midwives, and Rahab,
and Michal did lie ; but it must be answered, that
their zeal ancl piety Avas to be praised; but the

308

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS,

[Chap. III.

means they used was not to be imitated. If any
object, that the patriarchs used lying, they must
know that divers speeches of theirs, Avhich to some
seem to be lies, indeed were not ; for Sarah was
Abraham's sister, and Jacob was Isaac's first-born
by divine dispensation and prophetically ; and so
Paul's speech about the high priest may be excused
when he saith he knew not that he was the high
priest ; for from the death of Christ the right of the
priesthood ceased. If it be further objected, that of
two evils the less is to be chosen, I answer, that
that rule is to be understood of evils of inconve
nience, not of evils of sin. Now that it may further
appear that it is not lawful to lie, no though it
were to save others from great clanger, these reasons
may be Aveighed : 1. We may not do evil that good
may come of it, Rom. iii. 2. Peter was rebuked for
dissembling, though it were, as he conceived, to a
good end, even to avoid offence and scandal, Gal. ii.
3. Nay, it is not lawful to him, though it were to
defend God's cause, or to prevent his dishonour;
therefore Job saith earnestly and in great heat,
' Will ye speak wickedly for God, and talk deceit
fully for him? will ye accept his person?' Sec Job
xiii. 7-9. 4. If we might lie to save others out of
danger, then we might lie to save ourselves also ;
for we are not more bound to care for the safety of
others than our own. But we may not lie to save
ourselves ; for then Peter had not sinned by deny
ing his Master, keeping his faith and his heart,
seeing it was to save his own life. Lastly, We
might as well commit fornication Avith the Moabites
to draw them to our religion, or steal from rich
men to give to the poor, as to lie to profit.
Quest. But is it not lawful to suppress the truth
sometimes ?
Ans. Truth is either religious or political. For
religious truth, being asked of our faith, we are
ingenuously to profess it. Now political truth is to
be considered either as it is required in judgment,
or as it is to be used in cases out of judgment. As
for- the truth before a judge, it may not be concealed
when thou art called to answer the truth ; but in
private conversing, we are not always bound to
reveal all the truth ; for the precept, ' Speak every
man the truth,' is an affirmative precept, Eph. iv. 15,
and so doth not bind always, ancl at all times, and

in all places. Besides, charity binds us to conceal
and cover many infirmities, and a wise man keeps
in some part till afterwards; and besides, it is
apparent men are not bound to discover their secret
sins to all men. Samuel, also is taught to conceal a
part of the truth when he went to anoint David.
And thus of the catalogue of injuries.
Seeing you have put off the old man with his works.
In these words, with the verses that follow to the
12th, is contained three reasons to enforce the
mortification of injuries :
1. They are the works of the old man ; and they
have by profession put off the old man, and so they
should do his works.
2. They are now in the state of grace ; they are
neAV men, and therefore have new manners; they are
by the means reneAved in knowledge, and therefore
ought to grow in practice, even in the mortification
of what remains of corruption ; they are renewed
after the image of Christ, and Christ's image is the
pattern of aU holiness, and they must therefore
leave those sins, because how hke soever they be to
the humours and dispositions of the most men, yet
they are not found in the image of Christ.
3. God is impartially righteous and just ; if men
mind not mortification, he cares not for them,
though they were Jews, circumcised, freemen. And
contrariAvise, if they do conscionably strive after the
holiness of Christ, and the mortification of sins, he
will accept them, though they were Grecians,
Scythians, bond, Sec.
In these Avoids is heedfully to be noted: 1. The
matter to be avoided, both the old man and his
works; 2. The manner .employed in the metaphor,
'put off,' with the time, 'have,' and the persons,
'ye.' 1. The old man is by some taken to be their old
condition of life in the time of idolatry, by others,
to be their custom and habit in sin ; but it is gener
ally by the most taken to be the corruption of
nature, and inborn pravity, that vicious humour and
ill disposition that naturally is in every one of us ;
it is the image of the first Adam in our hearts.
This corruption is here said to be 'the man;'
because it is seated in every part of man, and
because it rules and frames a man, and because it
lives in man, so as sin only seems to be alive and

V|ER. 9.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

309

the man dead, and because God will take notice of
nothing in the sinner, but his sin.
2. The ' old man,' partly in respect of the first
Adam, whose sin is ours by propagation, and who
is called old, to distinguish him from the second
Adam, 1 Cor. xv. 4, 5, and partly in respect of our
state of corruption, which in the renewed estate we
change so, that our condition after calling is said to
be new, and our disposition before caUing said to be
old. This corruption may be said to be old also
by the effects, for in godly men it waxeth old and
Avithereth more and more daily by the power of
Christ in them ; and in Avicked men, it spends the
strength, and vigour, and power of the faculties of
the soul, and makes him more and more Avithered
and deformed in God's sight, and Avithal it hastens
old age and death upon their bodies. Also in some
men sin may be said to be old in respect of continu
ance. This is most fearful ; age in any corruption is a
most grievous circumstance of aggravation. It is best
not to sm at all, and the next, to get quickly out of it.
Thus of his nature ; now of his works.
The works of the old man are in general, works
of darkness, of iniquity, of the flesh, vain, unfruitful,
corrupt, abominable, deceiveable, shameful, and
tend to death. And now particularly, if we would
know what he doth, and how he is employed, we
must understand that he gives laAvs to the members
against the law of God and the mind; that he frames
objections and lets against all holy duties ; that he
strives to bring the soul into bondage and captivity
under imperious lusts ; that he inflames the desires
of the heart against the Spirit ; that he infects our
vain generation, and works both sin and Avrath for
our posterity. But more especially, his works are
either inward or outward ; inwardly he works
atheism, impatience, contempt, carnal confidence,
hypocrisy; he forges and frames continually, and
multiplies evil thoughts ; he works lusts of all sorts,
he works anger, rage, malice, grief, evil suspicions,
and the like. Outwardly he works all sorts of
disorders, impieties, unrighteousness, and intemper
ance. A catalogue of his outward works are set
doAvn in the epistle to the Galatians, chap. v. 22, 23.
He is here, in the coherence, described to be cove
tous, filthy, wrathful, "cursed, and lying; and all
these are well called his works, because he rests

not in evil dispositions, but will burst out into
action ; besides, it is his trade to sin, and they are
Avell called his works, because they are properly
a maris own ; for till a man repent he hath nothing
his own but his sin, and it is to be observed that his
Avorks indefinitely must be put away ; as if the Holy
Ghost would imply, that all his works were naught;
for his best works are infected with the viciousness of
his person, or else they are not warranted in the Avord,
or they are not finished, or the end was not good, or
the manner not good, or they were Avrought too late,
or being out. of Christ, they were not presented by
Christ unto God, in whom only they can be accepted.
Thus of the matter to be reformed ; the manner
follows. Put off. The faithful are said to put off the old
man six ways : 1. In signification, or sacramentally,
and so in baptism; 2. In profession, or outward
acknowledgment, and so we profess to leave off the
practice of sin ; 3. By justification, and so the guilt
of sin is put off; 4. By relation, and so in our head
Christ Jesus, he is every way already perfectly put
off; 5. By hope, and so Ave believe he shall be
wholly removed at the last day; 6. By sanctification,
and so he is put off, but in part, ancl inchoatively ;
the last way is here principally meant.
Now, in respect of sanctification, the old man and
his works are put away : first, In the Avord, for so
Christians are said to be clean by the word, John
xv. 3, and to be sanctified by the word, John
xvii. 17. The word first begins the Avork of refor
mation ; it informs, reneAVS, chaseth away the affec
tions and lusts of sin, Sec ; and then, secondly, the
Christian at home puts him away by confession, and
godly sorrow, and the divorce J of daily practice of
reformation. This is in effect that which is signified
in the other metaphor of crutifying the old man,
Rom. vi. 6 ; for to crucify him is to lift him up on
the cross of Christ, and to nail him with the appli
cation of God's threatenings, wliich causeth the pains
of godly sorrow.
Have. Quest, Can men put off the old man in
this life?
Ans. They may by inchoation, not perfectly.
Quest. But when may we have the comfort of it,
that the old man is put off and crucified in us ?
1 Query?— Ed.

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[Chap. III.

Ans. When he is so subdued that he reigns not,
for, to take the benefit of the word crucified, to
crucify is not absolutely and outright to kill ; and
therefore it is said in the creed, Christ was dead,
after he had said he Avas crucified, to note a further
degree. Now then, as I conceive of it, sin is cruci
fied when we make our natures smart for it, so
repenting of our sin as we allow no sin ; for to
crucify a man is to leave no member free, provided
that we be sure that the old man be so pierced,
that he will die of it, though he be not presently
dead. Ye. The persons are indefinitely set down, to
note that it is a duty required of all sorts of men, to
put off the old man, and this work it is required of
great men, of learned men, of wise men, of young
men, in a word, of all men without exception. The
uses follow.
Use. And first, We may here inform ourselves
concernhig the necessity of mortification, there is in
us such corruption of nature, and such works of
corruption, as, if they be not mortified, they will
certainly mortify us ; secondly, Here may be col
lected matter of confutation, and that of popish
antiquity; for every man carries that about Avith
him, that may prove that a thing may be ancient
and yet vile ; thirdly, How can the most of us
escape, but the reproofs of God must needs fall
upon us ; for every man looks to the mending of his
house, and his lands, and his apparel, &c, but Avho
looks to the mending of his nature? Every man
hath courage to put away an evil servant, and an
adulterous wife, but where are the people that will
resolutely set upon the divorce of sin ? Men may
be deceiyed, but the truth of God will remain
unchangeable. If Ave have not put off the old man
with his deceiveable affections and works, we have
not, after all this hearing, learned Christ, as the
truth is in him, Eph. iv. 22, 23. But when I speak
of putting off, I mean not that sin should be put
off as men put off their garments, with a purpose to
put them on again after a certain time.
Ver. 10. And have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created
him. In this verse is contained the second reason to en

force mortification, taken from their new estate in
grace. The reason in itself intreats of the new birth,
and describes it by showing what it is : 1. In
general, it is the putting on of the new man ; 2. In
particular, it is the renewing of the mind with know
ledge, and of the Avhole man, after the image of God
and Christ.
The main general doctrine of the verse is, that all
that are accepted of God in Jesus Christ have put on
the neAV man, or are made new creatures. And for
the further opening of this great point, I consider
three things: 1. The necessity of the new birth;
2. What it hath in it ; 3. The manner by Avhich it
is effected ; and then I come to the use :
For the first, Those places of scripture most evi
dently prove it is of absolute necessity. The apostle
to the Galatians saith, ' Neither circumcision nor un
circumcision availeth anything, but a new creature,'
Gal. vi. 15 ; and to the Ephesians, he showeth, that
if we be ' taught as the truth is in Christ Jesus,'
then to ' put off the old man and to put on the new'
are as the main principles of aU saving doctrine,
Eph. iv. 21, 24. And to the Corinthians he saith,
' If any man be in Christ Jesus, let hini be a new
creature,' 2 Cor. v. 17. And our Saviour Christ, hi
the third of John, is peremptory, ' Except a man be
born again, he can never enter into the kingdom of
heaven,' John iii. 5.
Now for the second : Whosoever is a neAV crea
ture, or hath put on the new man, it is certain he is
neAV : 1. In his nature ; 2. In his obedience. He is
new in his nature, and that avUI appear after sound
trial in four things : for first, He hath new gifts, as
the gifts of knowdedge or discerning, Mat. xiii. 11 ;
the gift of prayer, or as the prophet calls it, of sup
plications, Zech. xii. 12; the gift of uprightness, or
a spirit without guile, Ps. xxxii. 2 ; yea, the apostle
saith they Avere not destitute of any heavenly gift,
1 Cor. i. 6. 2. He hath new delights, for he feels
¦the joys of the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17 ; and that
in neAV things, in which he was never wont to de
light before, as in the law of God, Ps. i. 12, in
prayer, in the sacraments, Sec ; and also in new
persons, for now all his delight is in the excellent
ones, Ps. xvi. 3, that truly fear God, and no more
in carnal persons ; yea, and in new times too, for
he Avas never Avont to rejoice in the time of affliction

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311

but now he finds marvellous joy 'even in tribulation,'
Rom. v. 3, 4. 3. He hath new sorrows also ; they
are not now so much for losses, shame, sickness, or
the like, as for sin, or God's spiritual judgments, or
the afflictions of God's children. 4. He hath new
desires also, as after purity of nature, Ps. li. 2, par
don of sin, Mat. v. 6, softness of heart, Isa. lxih. 17,
the presence of God, Ps. xiii., success of the means,
audience in prayer, and the coming of Christ, 1 Tim.
iv. 8, and the salvation of Israel, Rom. ix., and the
like. And as he is new in his nature, so is he new in
his obedience also, and that if we respect either the
manner, or the matter, or the end. If we respect the
manner of his doing God's work, it is : 1. With con
secration of his soul and body to God's serAice, Rom.
xii. 1 ; 2. It is with delight, he loves to be God's
servant, Isa. Ivi. ; 3. It is in Christian simplicity,
harmlessness, and godly pureness, and strictness, 2
Cor. i. 12, xi. 3, Eph. v. 15. Now, secondly, If we
respect the matter of his obedience, he is exceed
ingly changed and renewed, for now he hath respect
not to one or two commandments, but to all God's
commandments, Ps. cxix. ; he would be sanctified
throughout, 1 Thes. v. 23 ; he labours for inward
holiness as well as outward, 2 Cor. vii. 1, Ps. xxiv.
4, 5. And as he is altered in his service of God, so is
he in his calling too ; for he walks more conscion-
ably towards all men, and hath learned to prac
tise his general calling in his particular. And thirdly,
For the ends of his obedience, his praise is not now
of men but of God, Rom. ii. 16 ; his desire is to ap
prove himself to God, -without respect of the world,
how men will take it, and he will constantly profess
and practise, though it be against his ease, credit,
pleasure, or profit.
The third thing propounded Avas the means of the
new birth; and howsoever the most men stand
affected, yet the truth of God is certain and un
changeable, the ordinary outward means to convert
a soul to God, or make us new creatures, is the word
preached ; we are born again by this immortal seed
ofthe word, as the apostle Peter saith, 1 Pet. i. 23;
and the apostle Paul is peremptory in the Epistle
to the Romans, ' How can a man believe except it be
by hearing of the word preached,' Rom. x. 14, 17.
The inward means is the Spirit of Christ, which

in respect of his working herein is called the
Spirit of revelation, Eph. i. 18, of glory, 1 Pet.
iv. 14, of love, of poAver, and of a sound mind, 2
Tim. i. 7.
The uses follow : and first. All God's servants that
have felt the power of the word renewing them may
greatly rejoice in the mercies of God to them, and
the rather if they further consider the privilege of
their new estate ; for art thou a new creature ? then
thou hast the benefit of a new covenant, Jer. xxxi.
33, thou hast a new name upon thee, Isa. lxii. 2, Rev.
iii. 5, and a new spirit Avithin thee, Ezek. xxxAi. 27,
to comfort thee, John xiv., to direct thee, to con
firm thee, and to make intercession for thee ; thou
hast new alliance, a new Father, even God the
Father ; and new kindred with all the saints, both
Jews and Gentiles, Eph. ii. 14; a new prince
and minister, even Jesus Christ, Isa. Iv. 6; new
attendants, the very angels of God, Heb. i. 14; new
wages and new work, Isa. lxii. 1 1 ; a new coinmand-
ment, the rigour and curse of the law being taken
away ; new food, even manna from heaven, the word
of life; new signs and helps to guide thee in the
way, Jer. xxxi. 21 ; and when thou shalt die, a new
death, not die as other men, and a new grave or
tomb, wherein no carnal man lay, thy grave being
perfumed by the body of Christ; a new way to
heaven, Heb. x., and a new mansion in heaven, 2
Cor. v. 8. What shall I say? but conclude with the
apostle, if thou be a new creature thou shalt have
all things new, 2 Cor. v. 17. And therefore let all
the holy- seed, the blessed of the Lord, sing new
songs of praise to God.
Secondly, The consideration of the doctrine of
the new birth may serve greatly for reproof of the
fearful security of multitudes of people that are
sunk so deep in rebellion that they cannot consider
nor seriously mind their own conversion. They
look not upwards to behold the angry countenance
of God, nor to the times past to consider the mil
lions of men that have perished for want of the new
birth, nor within them to see the image of God de
faced, and the devil entrenched in strongholds for
tentations, and the conscience either awake, and
then the fire of hell is within them, or asleep, and
then they are in danger every moment when it will
aAvake ; nor do they consider the time to come, or

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[Chap. III.

think of those last things, death, judgment, and hell.
Oh ! the spirit of fornication, that doth enchant men
that they cannot so much as mind to return. Now,
if any profane spirit should ask me, Where are any
such men as I have before described to be new
creatures ? I Avould answer him, They are not to be
found in taverns, ale-houses, play-houses, cock-pits,
bear-baits, or such like ; but blessed be God there is
a remnant, a tenth, one of a city and two of a tribe,
that are such as the Lord doth describe, and will be
accepted of in Jesus Christ.
Renewed in knowledge. Knowledge is a chief part
of the new grace of a Christian, without it the mind
cannot be good, Prov. xix. 2 : it is a singular gift of
God to the elect, to reveal unto them the mysteries
of the kingdom, Mat. xiii. 11 : it is the beginning
of eternal life on earth, John xvii. 3. But we
must understand that this knoAvledge here meant is
neither natural, nor sensual, nor civil, nor moral, nor
historical, nor a general theological knoAvledge, but
a religious, saAing knowledge ; it is a knowledge by
Avhich a Christian sees in a mirror — he stands and
Avonders ; it is a knowledge that wUl transform a
man, 2 Cor. iii. 18; it is the experimental know
ledge of the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection,
Phil. iii. 10 ; it is a knowledge will keep a man from
the evil way, Prov. ii. ; it is a knowledge will en
counter eArery thought and affection that exalts
itself against the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. x. 5 ;
it is a knowledge that is ' first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good
fruits, Avithout judging and without hypocrisy,' James
iii. 17.
The use is, to teach us, that as we Avould be as
sured we are new creatures, so we should labour to
be possessed of sound knowledge ; and to this end :
1. We must stand up from the dead, and withdraAv
from wicked society, else Christ will never give us
light, Eph. v. 14; 2. We must consecrate ourselves
to holy life, and seek the fear of God, for that is the
beginning of this wisdom, Rom. xii. 2, Prov. i.; 3.
We must deny our carnal wisdom, and become fools
that we may be wise, 2 Cor. iii. 18; 4. We must
walk with the wise, Prov. xiii. 20 ; 5. We must beg
of God a lowly and a humble heart, for ' Avith the
lowly is knowledge,' Prov. xi. 2 ; lastly, We must
study the scripture, and attend upon daily hearing

and reading, for they are the only fountains of true
knowledge and wisdom, 2 Tim. hi. 16.
Reneiued. The knowledge of the faithful in this
life, even after calhng, needs to be daily renewed ;
for sin makes a breach both in the heart and mind ;
and Satan plants daily temptations and objects
against the doctrine of God, against which the mind
needs neAV store of provision out of the word for
defence; and our affections are wonderful apt to
lose sense and feeling, and then there is no other
way to recover sense but by renewing contemplation.
And besides, inasmuch as faith and repentance must
be daily renewed, therefore also must examination
of life and meditation of God's promise and grace,
be renewed also. Finally, we know but in part and
successively, and therefore ought continuaUy to be
growing and adding to the measure of the knowledge
received. Use. This may serve : 1. For information, for
here we may know the necessity of daUy teaching,
since Ave need daily to be reneAved in knowledge.
2. For great reproof of that negligence is everywhere
to be found, in omission of hearing or reading the
scripture, or using of other private helps for know
ledge. 3. For instruction ; for it should teach us to
be constant in the use of all the helps God hath
commanded or afforded us; and we should bear infir
mities in others, since our OAvn knowledge is imper
fect ; and Ave should learn to be ' wise to sobriety,'
and not think ourselves able to judge of every doc
trine or work of God. The Lord hath laid a
restraint upon us, and in this life we cannot attain
a full knoAvledge, and therefore we should repress
the itching curiosity of our natures, thirsting after
forbidden knowledge. Lastly, We should resolve
of the need Ave, have to be admonished, instructed,
directed, or rebuked, and therefore rejoice in it, if
any will shew us that mercy to smite us -with re
bukes, or guide us in the way.
After the image of him that created him. God's
image is in Christ, in the angels, and in man.
Christ is the image of God in tAvo respects : 1. Be
cause he is the eternal Son, begotten of his substance,
and therefore called the ' character of his person' or
substance, Heb. i. 3 ; ' the image of the invisible
God,' Col. i. 16, and so he hath most perfectly the
nature of the Father in him. 2. Because he was

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313

mamfested in the flesh, for in Christ, made visible
by the flesh, the perfection, and, as it were, the face
of the Father is now seen. And therefore our Sav
iour saith, ' He that seeth me hath seen the Father,'
John xiv. 9, for the fulness of the Godhead which
was in the Son being united, and, as it Avere, im
printed on the flesh bodily, Col. ii. 9, he did resemble,
and, as it were, express his OAvn and his Father's
nature after divers manners and by divers works or
actions. The angels are God's image, and therefore called
the sons of God, because they resemble him, as they
are sphitual, and incorporeal, and immortal sub
stances ; and, secondly, as they are created holy,
just, and full of all wisdom and divine perfections
in their kind.
Amongst the visible creatures, man only bears
the image of God ; and so he doth : 1. By creation,
Gen. i. 26; 2. By regeneration, Eph. iv. 24. He
was created in it ; and then falling from God by sin,
he recovers the renewing of the image of God by
grace and effectual calling in Jesus Christ. That
this may be more fully understood, we must know
that man is the image of God, either considered
more strictly as a superior, or more generally as
man. As a superior, man is said to be God's image
in scripture two ways chiefly : 1 . As a husband, and
so in the family the apostle calls him the image and
glory of God, 1 Cor. xi. 7 ; 2. As a magistrate, and
so princes and rulers are called gods on earth, Ps.
lxxxii. But neither of these are meant here; for
this image of God here mentioned is that likeness
of God which, by the Spirit of grace, is wrought in
every one of the faithful after tlieir calling.
Howsoever the perfect understanding of God's
image belongs to God himself, and to the vision of
heaven, yet in some measure we may conceive of
it as it is revealed in the Avord, and imprinted in
the nature and obedience of man. Two things I
principally propound to be here considered more
distinctly: 1. Wherein man is the image of God;
2. The differences of the image of God in man,
either from that which is in Christ and the angels,
or as it is to be considered in the several estates of
man; and then I come to the use of all.
For the first, man is said to bear the similitude of
God, or to have in or upon him the image of God,

in five respects : first, In that in .conceiving of God
man begets a kind of image in his mind ; for what
soever we think of, there ariseth in the mind some
likeness of it. Now, if Ave conceive of God amiss,
then Ave commit horrible idolatry ; and Avhatsoever
sendee is done to the likeness we so conceive of, is
done to an idol. But now when Christians taught
out of the word conceive of God according to the
descriptions of the word, that is not after the like
ness of any creature, but in a Avay of apprehending
of God in the human nature of Christ ; or other-
Avise according to his nature or properties, in some
true measure, this idea or form of God, as I may so
call it, in the mind of the faithful, is a kind of the
image of God ; for to conceive a likeness of God is
not unlawful, but to conceive him to he like any
creature in heaven and earth, that is prohibited and
unlawful. Secondly, Man is after the image of God
in his substance, and therefore we are well enough
said to be ' God's offspring,' Acts xvii. 28. Now
man is God's image both in his soul and in his body.
The soul is the image of God, as it is spiritual and
simple, and as it is invisible, ancl as it is immortal,
and as it is an understanding essence, having power
to know all sort of things, and to will freely. And
some think it is God's image, as there is in it a por
traiture, as it were, of the Trinity ; for as there is
in God distinct persons, and yet every person hath
the Avhole essence, so there is in the soul distinct
faculties, and yet every faculty hath in it the whole
soul, yea, is the whole soul. Now 'that the body
also is God's image, these reasons may prove : 1 ,
Man is said to be made after God's image in the
first creation : man, I say; not the soul of man only.
2. God's image was in Christ's body, for he saith,
' He that seeth me, seeth the Father :' he saith not
he that seeth my soul, nor indeed could the soul be
seen. 3. When the Lord prohibiteth the shedding
of man's blood, he yieldeth this reason, ' for in the
image of God made he man.' Now it is manifest the
soul cannot be killed, therefore man's body is after
God's image. Not that God hath any body, but
in three respects : 1. As man's body is a little world,
and so the example of the world which was in God
from all eternity is, as it were, briefly and summarily
expressed by God in maris body ; 2. There is none
of our members almost but they are attributed to
2 R

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God in scripture, and so there is a double use of
our members, the one that they might serve the
offices of the soul, and the other that they might
be, as it were, certain types or resemblances of
some of the perfections of God ; 3. Because the gifts
of the mind do cause the body to shine, as the candle
doth the horn in the lanthorn. Thirdly, Man is
after God's image in the qualities of the soul,
such as are wisdom, love, zeal, patience, meekness,
and the rest ; for in these he resembleth in some
manner those glorious and blessed attributes of God.
Fourthly, Man is after God's image in respect of
sanctity of actions, in that he is holy as he is holy,
and in that he resembleth God in his works, as in
loving and hating where God loves and hates, and
in knowing and approving of things as God ap
proves or knows of them. It is plain man resembles
God in loving and shewing kindness to his enemies,
Mat. v., but generally by hohness of carriage man
doth resemble God, I mean in the creation did so,
and by grace the faithful begin to do so. Lastly,
Man bears the image of God in his sovereignty of
dominion, and that both over himself and as he is
God's vicegerent over the living creatures and the
earth ; and thus of the first point.
Now for the differences of God's image : first,
That the image of God in man and the image of God
in Christ differs in two things : 1. Christ was the
substantial image of the Father as he was God, and
we are his image but by similitude ; 2. Christ as
man, by reason of the personal union, is filled with
almost infinite perfections above measure, which are
in no man else besides.
Again, it differs from the image of God in angels,
in three respects : 1. Because they excel in nature,
for they are Avholly spiritual, and in action they
perform God's will with greater glory ancl power;
2. They are free from all human necessities ever
since their creation ; 3. They enjoy the vision of
glory in the presence of glory in heaven, in a man
ner peculiar to their place and natures.
Now for the differences of the image of God in
man according to the different estates of man, we
must know the image of God according to the three
fold estate of man is likewise threefold : 1 . There is
the image of nature, which Adam had; 2. The image
of grace, which the saints now have ; and 3.

The image of glory, which the blessed have in
heaven. The image of God in Adam had distinct special
ties. 1. Adam was a perfect divine and a perfect
philosopher, even in an iifstant; he knew the nature
of all things in the instant of his creation, which noAV
is attained unto with extreme labour and singular
weakness. 2. He had an immortal nature free from
infirmities, diseases, death. 3. He should have pro
pagated an immortal seed after the image of God,
whereas now grace will not be propagated. 4. His
obedience' was charged with the observation of the
tree of life and of good and evil.
Uses. The image of grace hath these specialties :
1. Faith; 2. Godly sorrow; 3. The cohabitation of
the flesh ; 4. A feebleness and defect in the measure
of grace ; 5. A peculiar kind of inhabitation of the
Spirit of Christ.
Lastly, The image of glory hath these differences ;
1 . A freedom like the angels from all terrene neces
sities; 2. An utter abolishing of the sinful flesh,
and of the very natural disposition to die ; 3. A full
perfection of all graces ; 4. A loss of faith and sor
row and all the works of repentance; 5. A special
unutterable communion with God and good angels
in glory.
The consideration of this doctrine of God's image
should serve to teach us to love and admire aU that
fear God, since the Lord hath graced them Avith this
honour to be like God ; it is a greater favour than
if they had resembled the noblest princes that ever
Avere on earth ; no, all the carnal men on earth in
all their glory cannot reach to that absoluteness of
exceUency that is in one of the poorest of God's ser
vants. 2. Since the seat of this glorious resem
blance of God is in the heart, it should teach us
especially to look to our hearts and keep them with
all diligence, Prov. iv. 23, even to be conscionably
careful to see to it Avhat thoughts and affections are
lodged there. The devil desires no more advantage
than to have liberty to erect in the heart holds for evil
thoughts and sensual desires. 3. If it should be our
glory to be fashioned after the image of God, then it
condemns the abominable security of the most men,
that are so mindless of the repair of the loss of this
divine gift, and instead thereof, Avith so much care
fashion themselves after this world, Rom. xii. 2 or

Ver. 11,]

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315

after the lusts of their own and old ignorance, 1 Pet.
i. 14, or after the wills and humours of men, 1 Pet.
iv. 2. 4. How are we bound unto God for this un
searchable love, that is pleased to restore unto us
this divine gift through the gospel of Jesus Christ !
Thus in general of God's image.
But before I pass from these Avords, there is further
to be considered : 1. The form of speech, in that he
saith not, 'his image,' but ' after his image ;' 2. The
efficient cause, noted in those words, ' of him that
created him.' For the first, we must understand that
to say, 'man is the image of God,' and ' man is after
the image of God,' is not all one ; for man is said to
be the image of God because he is truly so, and he
is said to be after his image because he is not per
fectly so ; Christ only resembles God in full perfec
tion. Now for the efficient cause of God's image ; he is
described here by a periphrasis, ' he that created him.'
Man was two ways created : 1. In respect of being,
and so God created him; 2. In respect of new being,
and so Christ created him, Eph. ii. 12, 1 Cor. viii. 6 ;
neither of these senses can be well excluded. And
if the words be understood of the first creation, then
these things may be observed: 1. That Adam was not
to be considered as a singular man, but as he sus
tained the person of all mankind, else how could we
be said to be created after God's image ? and as in
him Ave received this image, so by him we lost it.
2. That the interest we have now to creation is not
sufficient to salvation; and therefore they are grossly
deceived that think God must needs save them be
cause he made them. 3. That the Lord Avould have
the doctrine ofthe work of creation to be remembered
and much thought upon by converted Christians; and
the rather because it serves for great use in our re
generation; for it furthers both repentance and
faith, and therefore in divers places of scripture,
where the Holy Ghost entreats of doctrine of re
pentance and faith, the Avord ' create ' is metaphori
cally used, to assure us that God will perform his
promise, though it were as hard a work as to create
all things at first. Thus he hath promised to
' create a clean heart,' Ps. li., and to ' create the
fruit of the lips to be peace,' Isa. lvii. 19, and to
' create upon every place of Mount Sion, and upon
the assemblies thereof, a cloud and smoke by day,

and the shining of a flaming fire by night, that upon
all the glory may be a defence,' Isa. iv. 5, and to
create light, Isa. xiv. 7, and deliverance out of afflic
tions. Besides, the doctrine of the creation teacheth
us the fear of that dreadful majesty that was able
to work so wonderfully, Ps. xxxiii. 7-9 ; and it en-
forceth humUity, by shewing that we are made of
the dust in respect of our bodies, and that our souls
were given us of God with all the gifts we have in
our minds; as also by giving us occasion to consider
the image of God that we have lost. And thus of
creation as it is referred to God.
Secondly, It may be referred to Christ, and so be
understood of our regeneration, which is, as it were,
a re-creation or a new creation ; and in this sense it
shews that we should conform ourselves to the like
ness of him that doth regenerate us by his word
and Spirit. But may some one say, Is there any
difference betwixt the image of God in us, and the
image of Christ in us? I answer, That to be fashioned
after the image of Christ hath two things in it more
than is properly in conformity to God's image ; for
first, We must be like him in sufferings, Rom. viii. 19 ;
and secondly, In the impressions of the Airtue of his
death and resurrection, Rom. vi., Phil. iii. And
thus of the tenth verse.
Ver. 1 1 . Where is neither Grecian nor Jew, circum
cision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor
free : but Christ is all in all things.
This verse may contain another reason to persuade
to mortification and holy life. And the reason may
be taken from the great respect God hath of true
grace in Christ, and the little love or care he hath
for anything else. A Barbarian, a Scythian, a bond
man, if he have grace, shall be accepted ; whereas
a Grecian, a Jew, a free-man, Avithout grace, is Avith
out respect with God : Christ is all. It may be the
apostle here meets Avith the false apostles, that so
much urged the observation of JeAvish rites, and
stood so much upon it, to divert the people from the
sound care of reformation of life, by filling their
heads with questions and vain wranglings about the
law ; whereas the apostle shews men may be abso
lute and complete in these outward observances, and
yet their circumcision avails them nothing before
God. Here are then evidently two things in this

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[Chap. III.

verse : first, What it is God stands not upon ; se
condly, What it is, is all in all with him.
Where there is neither Grecian nor Jew, circumcision
nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free.
Out of these Avords these two things may be ob
served :
1. That nothing without Christ can make us truly
happy. The image of God or felicity of man stands
not in birth, freedom, natural parts, or outward ob
servances, for ' he is not a Jew that is one outwardly,'
nor is that liberty that is only in the flesh, nor is that
wisdom that is only in learned men, such as Avere
the Grecians. Dives was a rich man, Goliath Avas a
strong man, Ahithophel was a wise man, Absalom
was a fair man, Esau was circumcised, and Cain was
well born, and yet all these are in hell.
2. That in Christ there is no difference, all is
one, Avhether thou be poor or rich, Jew or Gentile,
bond or free, male or female, Gal. iii. 28 ; with God
there is no respect of persons. In the power of his
ordinances, as by name, in the preaching of the gos
pel, he extends his mercy both to Jews and Gentiles,
Rom. i. 16 ; so in the disposing of his gifts, 1 Cor.
xii. 13, he bestoAVS knowledge and other graces upon
people of all sorts ; and for acceptation, whosoever
feareth him and doth righteousness, he is accepted, of
Avhat nation or state soever he be, Acts x. 34 ; and
all this will more fully appear, when he shall judge
every man, without respect of persons, according to
his works, at the last day, Rom. ii. 1 0.
Uses. The consideration hereof may teach us
divers things : first, To fear God and forsake our
sins, since he is a God so terrible that will not be
swayed with outward respects, Deut. x. 16, 17, Acts
x. 34, 1 Pet. i. 17 ; secondly, Not to stand upon out-
Avard birth or greatness in the world, nor to pride
ourselves in our wits, or rest ourselves upon our out
ward serving of God, for ' the Lord accepts not the
persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than
the poor,' or the learned more than the unlearned,
' for they are all the work of his hands,' Job xxxiv.
19 ; thirdly, To be industrious in well-doing, seeing
he that doth good shall be accepted, Avhether he be
bond or free, Grecian, Barbarian, one or other, Rom.
ii. 8-10, for the same God is Lord over all, and rich
unto all that call upon him, Rom. x. 11, and endea
vour by well-doing to approve themselves in his

sight ; fourthly, Not to despise poor Christians, see
ing God accepts of them, and hath made them rich
in faith and heirs of a kingdom, James ii. 1, 5;
fifthly, Not to give titles to men, Job xxxii. 21, 22,
and by servile flattery or fears to be so much taken
up with their mere outward places ; lastly, Magis
trates in the administration of justice should _. re
semble this absoluteness of God, so as no respect of
persons, poor or rich, friends or foes, strangers or
home-born, should carry them besides the just regard
of the cause, Deut. i. 1 7, 2 Chron. xix. 6.
But Christ is all in all. And so he is : 1. In re
spect of the union of the mystical body, as it is he in
Avhom every one that is a new creature is considered
to be and consist ; every convert is ' created in Christ
Jesus,' Eph. ii. 10. 2. In respect of sufficiency, aman
needs no more than Christ, he only may suffice ;
the whole completeness of salvation is in Christ.
3. In respect of efficiency, if we look upon the bene
fits conferred upon all Christians by Christ, he makes
amends for all wants ; he is instead of liberty to the
servant, and instead of birth and honour to the
Scythian and Barbarian ; he is the substance of all
shadows to the uncircumcised. What shaU I say ?
He is righteousness, Dan. ix. 24, and riches, Col. i.
27, and wisdom, 1 Cor. i. 30, sanctification and free
dom, 2 Cor. iii. 1 7, and a recompense to Christians,
Isa. xl. 10 ; yea, in him all things are theirs, 1 Cor.
iii. 21, ancl, as the pledge of all, they have received
the Spirit of the Son into their hearts, Gal. iv. 6.
Uses. The use of all this may be divers : 1. Unto us,
therefore, there should be one Lord, even the Lord
Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. viii. 6. 2. All sorts of men
should strive by all means to set out and shew Christ
only. Ministers should teach Christ only. Magis
trates should chiefly intend the glory of Christ.
Nay, all sorts of men should seek Christ in choosing
callings, Avives, servants, places of abode, Sec Christ
should be all in all Avith us ; yea, in those we have to
deal withal, Ave should bear Avith many wants and
Aveaknesses, so they have Christ, for that is all in all.
3. We should learn to be satisfied with Christ.
Though we want health, or liberty, or wealth, or
worldly friends, or great wits, or strong memories,
Sec, Christ makes amends for all ; he is enough. If
the Lord have given us Christ, he hath done enough
for us, though it be sure that Avith him he will give

Ver. 12.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

317

us all things also. 4. This may greatly reprove the
wonderful stupidity of men, that are so taken up
with admiration of these outward privileges, when-
as we see how all is vain without Christ, what shall
it profit a man if he had all honour and riches, and
countenance of friends, ancl the pleasures of life, if
when he came into God's sight he might have no
acceptance for his soul ? If Christ be all things, then
without Christ all things else are nothing. But
especially this doctrine serves for singular comfort
to God's children in all tlieir distresses, and that
avUI better appear if we consider the particulars.
For first, Are they afflicted in conscience under
the sense of God's anger and their own sins ? Why,
he is the propitiation for their sins, Rom. iii. 25 ;
he is the end of the law for them, Rom. x. 4 ; yea,
all that the law can require of them ; he will be
their witness and their testimony, Isa. Iv. 6, 1 Cor.
i. 6 ; he gives them promises, and faith to believe
.them, Gal. iii. 22 ; and it is his blood that perfectly
cures and cleanseth them from all their> wounds and
sins, 1 John i. 7. Secondly, Are they distressed
under the power of Satan's temptations or accusa
tions ? Why, he sitteth at the right hand of God,
to see that nothing be laid to their charge — he mak
eth intercession for them, Zech. iii. 1-3, Rom. viii.
33. And for the stings of this old serpent, he is a
continual brazen serpent, John iii. ; they may but
look upon him and be healed ; yea, he was tempted
himself that he might succour them that are tempted,
Heb. ii. 18 ; and his power dwelleth in them, to be
manifested in their weakness, 2 Cor. xii. 9 ; and he
came into the world on purpose to dissolve the work
of the devil, 1 John iii. 7. Thirdly, Are they dis
mayed with the sense of their own Aveaknesses and
ignorances? Why, they have such a High Priest as
is touched with their infirmities, Heb. iv. 15, and
knows how to have compassion on the ignorant,
Heb. v. 1. He will not break the bruised reed, nor
quench the smoking flax, Isa. xiii. 2, 3. Fourthly,
Are they pressed with outward troubles ? Why,
Christ is the merit of their deliverance from this
present evil world, Gal. i. 4. He is the sanctifica
tion of their crosses, so as ' all shall work together
for the best to them that love God,' Rom. viii. 28 ;
yea, he will be their consolation, so that as their
sufferings abound, his comfort shall abound also,

2 Cor. i. 5 ; or if he do not deliver, then he makes a
supply, by giving them better things out of the riches
of his glory. He is a husband to the widoAv, and a
father to the fatherless, and as the shadow of the rock
in a weary land to them that are persecuted and driven
to and fro by the hot rage of evil men, Isa. xxxiii. 2.
Lastly, Are they in the fear or in the danger of
death ? Why, Christ is all in all here also, for he
hath overcome death for them, Hosea xiii. 14; he
hath opened the way to heaven, Heb. x. 19 ; he hath
destroyed him that had power over death, Heb. ii.
14 ; he hath freed them from the Avrath to come,
1 Thes. i. 10 ; he hath begotten in them a lively
hope of a happy issue from the passage of death,
1 Pet. i. 3 ; he is the first-born of the dead, Col.
i. 17 ; and he will be the resurrection and the life
unto them, John xi. What shall I say, but conclude
with the apostle, ' Christ is in life and death advan
tage,' Phil. i. ; only that Christ may be all in all to
us, we must hear him, we must believe in him, we
must deny ourselves and take up our cross and fol-
Ioav him ; and, finaUy, we must live to him, and
die in him.
And thus of this eleventh verse, and so of the
second part of the general exhortation.
Ver. 12. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, put on bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of
mind, meekness, long-suffering ;
Ver. 13. Forbearing one another and forgiving one
another, if any have a quarrel against another : even as
Christ forgave you, so also do you.
There are three things requisite to holy life :
first, The meditation of heavenly things ; secondly,
The mortification of vice ; thirdly, The exercise of
holy graces and duties. Of the first, the apostle
hath entreated from ver. 1 to ver. 5. Of the second,
from ver. 5 hitherto. Now, in these words, and
those that follow to the 18th verse, he entreats of
the third, for he gives rules for the obedience of the
new man, and those rules are more special or more
general. The more special rules are from the 11th
verse to the 16th : the more general rules are in the
16th and 17th verses ; the one concerning the means
of holy life, ver. 16, and the other concerning the
end of holy life, ver. 1 7.
The special rules give in charge the exercise of

318

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[Chap. III.

nine graces ; and in the setting down of these rules
I observe : 1. The motives to persuade to the ob
servation of them, and they are three : the one
taken from their election, the other from their
sanctification, the third from the love of God to
them ; and these are briefly thrust together in a
parenthesis in the beginning of the 12th verse. 2.
The manner how they be charged with these graces,
and that is noted in the metaphor ' put on.' 3. The
graces themselves, and they are in number nine.
Some of them have their greatest praise in pros
perity principally; as ' mercy, kindness, meekness,
humbleness of mind ; ' some of them concern the
times of adversity principally, as 'long-suffering'
and ' clemency ' in ' forbearing and forgiving ;' some
indifferently belong to all times, as love, peace,
thankfulness, or amiableness, ver. 14, 15.
Now, from the coherence imported in the Avord
' therefore,' divers things may be noted :
1. In that he prescribes the mortification of vices
before the exercise of graces, it shews that till vice
be mortified, grace avUI not grow nor prosper. The
true reason why many men thrive no better in the
gift of God's Spirit is because they are so little and
so slightly in confessing and beAvailing of their
corruptions of heart and life.
2. In that he rests not in the reformation of vices,
but prescribes also rules of new obedience, it sheAvs
that it is not enough to leave sin, but we must be
exercised in doing good. It will not serve the turn
of the husbandman that his fruit-trees bear no evil
fruit, but he will cut them down if they bring not
forth good fruit ; barrenness is cause great enough
of hewing doAvn.
3. Men that are truly reneAved after the image of
Christ are willing to be appointed and prescribed
for the attaining and exercise of every holy needful
grace and duty. He that hath true experience of
the beginning of any true grace hath a true desire,
and a willing endeavour, and a just estimation of
all grace ; for as he that repents of one sin loves no
sin, so he that travails in the birth of any grace
desires all grace, so far as in conscience he knows
them to be required of God ; and in some degree,
except it be in the time of violent temptations, or
that the loss of the means occasion any deadness or
faintness in the desires of the heart, or that there

be a relapse into some presumptuous sin after
calling. 4. If this ' therefore' carry us to the former verse,
then we are informed that our endeavour after
mercy, meekness, patience, love, peace, or the rest,
avUI never Avant acceptation with God. And, -withal,
we may take comfort if we would seriously set about
the practice of these, though we found many lets,
and doubts, and difficulties, yet Christ will be aU in
all to help us and give good success.
Thus of the coherence ; the motives follow, and
first of election.
Elect. God's servants are God's elect, and that
both in respect of election before time, and also in
respect of election in time ; for the Lord hath in his
eternal counsel chose them in Christ, to the obtain
ing of salvation to the praise of his grace, Eph. i. 4,
5, Rom. viii. 19. And besides, at some time in their
life the Lord doth select and separate them from out
of the Avorld and worldly courses to the profession
of sincerity, having sanctified them by the Spirit.
Use. The doctrine of election hath both consola
tion and instruction in it : it is full of comfort if we
consider the privileges of God's chosen, even those
great favours he shews them ; when he begins once
to discover his everlasting choice of them, the Lord
doth ever after avouch them for his peculiar people,
to make them high in praise and in honour, Deut.
xxvi. 15, 16. 'The men of their strife shah surely
perish and come to nothing,' Isa. xii. 8, 11, 12. The
Lord will help them and comfort them in all strife,
he will be a Avail of fire round about them, and the
glory in the midst of them ; the Lord will own them
as his portion, that he hath taken to himseh out of
the whole earth, Zech. i. 5, 12. He avUI use them
as his friends, he will hear their prayers, and com
municate his secrets unto them, John xv. 19. But
who can count their privileges ? No tongue of men
or angels are able to do it ; Avhich, since it is so, we
should take unto us continually the words of the
psalmist, and say every one of us, ' Remember me,
0 Lord, with the favour of thy people, ancl visit me
with thy salvation, that I may see the felicity of thy
chosen, and rejoice in the joy of thy people, and
glory Avith thine inheritance,' Ps. cvi. 4, 5. Espe
cially Ave should labour to make our calling and
election sure, 2 Pet. i. 10 ; for then Ave shall be safe,

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319

inasmuch as thereby an entrance is ministered unto
us into the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Now, if any shall ask, Who they are that may be
sure of their election ? I answer, first, with the
apostle Paul, they that receive the gospel in power
and much assurance, with joy in the Holy Ghost,
though it should be with much affliction, 1 Thes. i. 5,
6 ; and with the apostle Peter, such as to whom
God hath given precious promises, and such as fly
the corruptions of the world through lust, that join
virtue with their faith, and knowledge, and temper
ance, and patience, and godliness, and brotherly
kindness, and love, 2 Pet. i. 4-7, 10; lastly, If
we be comforted in our election, we should then
labour to inflame our hearts out of the sense of this
everlasting goodness of God, even to set up the
Lord, and to fear him, and walk in his ways, and
particularly by the apostle's direction, to be very
careful of these holy graces that folloAV.
Thus of the first motive.
Holy. They are holy divers ways ; for they are
holy: 1. In the head; 2. In their laws; 3. In tlieir
sacraments, in respect of which they are sacra-
mentally holy ; 4. By imputation ; 5. By hope,
Gal. v. 6, of that consummate holiness in heaven ;
6. In their calling, so they are saints by calling, 2.
Cor. i. 1 ; 7. As they are temples of the Holy Ghost.
But the holiness of sanctification is here meant, and
so they are holy by inchoation.
Holiness is essential to a child of God ; God's
elect are holy ; this is everywhere proved in scrip
ture, Deut. vii. 6, Isa. iv. 4. I Avih not stand upon
it, only for instruction let us from hence observe,
that if ever we would have comfort of our election,
we must labour to be holy, and that both in body
and in spirit, 2 Cor. Aii. 1, Eph. v. 3 ; we see they
are here joined, ancl we must not separate them.
Quest. But may some one say, Seeing no man is
without his thousands of sins and infirmities, what
must we do that we may have comfort that we are
holy in God's account, being so many ways faulty
in our natures and actions ?
Ans. For answer hereunto, we must know that
there be four things which, if a man do attain unto,
though he hath otherwise many infirmities, yet he
is holy in God's account, yea, in the holiness of
sanctification. The first is this : If a man can so far

forth subdue his corruptions that sin reigns not in
him, so long as it is in him but as a rebel, it doth
not frustrate his comfort in his sanctification. 2.
If a man's prayers, desires, and endeavours be to
'respect all God's commandments' as well as one,
justice as well as piety, holy times as well as holy
things, inAvard obedience as well as outward, secret
obedience as well as open, avoiding lesser sins as
Avell as greater. 3. If a man be sincere in the use
of the means that make a man holy, preparing his
heart to seek- God in them, esteem them as his
appointed food, mourning for want of success de
sired, endeavouring to profit by every ordinance of
God, and that at all times as well as some times, at
home as well as at church. Lastly, If a man can
find comfort in the pardon of his sins, he needs not
doubt of his acceptation to be holy.
Beloved. In this word is lodged the third motive,
which is taken from God's love, as if the apostle
Avould affirm that if Christians did seriously con
sider what it is to be loved of God, they would find
full encouragement to all grace and duty. Now
this may be better opened, if Ave consider but the
properties of God's love, wherein it Avonderfully
excels ; as first, If God love thee, it is with a free
love, Hosea xiv. 4 ; he stands not upon thy desert or
worthiness. Again, he loves first ; he loves before
he be loved ; he loved us when we hated him ; he
chose us when we did not choose him. 3. God's love
is wonderful tender ; which will appear if we con
sider that he is not only gracious, but 'merciful,
slow to anger, of much kindness, and repenteth him
of the evil,' Joel ii. 13. 4. God's love is natural, not
forced, and therefore he is said to ' quiet himself in
his love,' Zeph. iii. 17, and himself loveth mercy,
Micah vii. 18. Lastly, His love is an everlasting
love, Jer. xxxi. 3 ; where he loveth, he loveth to
the end, John xiii. 1. And therefore Ave should
labour to know the love of God to ourselves, even
to be particularly assured that we are God's beloved,
or else this could not be a motive to hohness, as here
it is ; and besides, the meditation of God's love to
us should encourage us against all crosses, for God
avUI give his beloved rest, Ps. cxxvii. 2 ; they shall
be blessed, and it shall be well with them ; they
shall be delivered, for he will help with his right
hand, Ps.- lx. 5. But especially it should hearten us

320

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

against the scorns of the Avorld, ancl the hate of
Avicked men. If God love us, it mattereth not
greatly who hate us. And in special, the medita
tion of this love of God should teach us to tire our
selves with these worthy graces as so many orna
ments ; for thus should the beloved of God be
decked. And doth the Lord love us, and shall not
we strive to shew our loA'e to him again, even by
loving his Avord, glory, children, presence, and com
mandments ? Lastly, We may heres. learn how to
love, for God loves : first, Those *that are holy ;
secondly, Those whom he had chosen. So it should
be with us : first, We should choose for holiness, and
then love for our choice. This may teach the people
how to love their magistrates and ministers, and so
wives and servants, and contrariAvise.
Thus of the motives ; the manner follows.
Put on, viz., as men do their garments. It is true
that these graces for the worth of them are royal,
and so must be put on as the king doth his crown,
or the prince elected his robes. It is also true that
for safety these graces are as armour to defend
us against the allurements of the world, or the
reproaches of eAil men, and so may be put on as
the soldier doth his armour. Besides, these graces
are required in us as the ornaments of a renewed
estate, and so are to be put on, as the neAV baptized
Avas said to put on his new garments. But I think
the metaphor is taken generally from the putting on
of raiment.
Divers things may be here noted : 1. It is appa
rent that these graces are not natural ; the shadows
and pictures of them may be in natural men ; and
what wicked men can get is but by the restraining
spirit, or by reason of natural defect, or for ill ends.
It is certain a man may be said to be born as well
Avith clothes on his back as Avith grace in his heart.
2. How should the hearts of many smite them to
think of it, how they neglect this clothing of their
souls with graces. They every day remember to
put on apparel on their backs, but scarce any day
think of putting on virtue for their -hearts. Oh,
when thou seest thy naked body clothed, shouldst
thou not remember that thy soul, in itself more
naked than thy body, had need of clothing also?
Oh, the judgment that abides many a man and
woman ! how excessively careful are they to trim

the body, and yet are excessively careless of trim
ming their souls ; that have so many gowns for their
backs that they have never a grace for their hearts.
Yea, the better sort may be humbled if they search
their hearts seriously ; for either they want divers
parcels of this holy raiment, or else they are not
Avell-fitted on them ; they hang so loose many times
there is little comeliness or warmth by their wear
ing of these graces. But let us all be instructed to
remember these graces, and by prayer and practice
to exercise ourselves in them, and daily to be essajr-
ing how we can put them on, till by constant use of
all good means we can grow spiritually skUful in
Avearing of them, and expressing the power of them
in conversation, as plainly as we shew the garments
on our backs, resolving that these virtues wiU be
our best ornaments, and that they are best clad
that are clothed with these godly graces in their
hearts. Thus ofthe manner; the enumeration of the graces
follOAV. Bowels of mercy. From the coherence I note tAvo
things concerning mercy : first, That it is not
natural ; we are exhorted to put it on; naturally we
are hateful and hate one another, Isa. xi. ; which
should teach us to observe and discern the defects
of our hearts herein, and by prayer, James hi. 17,
19, Titus iii. 3, to strive AAith God for the repair of
our natures ; and in all wrongs from Avicked men
to be less moved, as resolving it is natural with
them. 2. We may note here that mercy is as it Avere the
door of virtue. It stands here in the forefront, and
leads in and out all the rest; it lets in humUity,
meekness, patience, Sec
Noav in these Avords themselves I observe three
things :
1. That mercy is of more sorts than one, there
fore he saith mercies; one mercy will not serve the
turn ; he that hath true mercy hath many mercies,
or ways to shew mercy; many miseries in man's
life needs many sorts of mercy, Luke vi., Mat. xxv.
There is mercy corporal, and mercy spiritual ; it is
corporal mercy to lend, to give, to visit, to clothe, to
feed, to protect from violence; hospitality to strangers,
and the burial of the dead, are also corporal mercies.
Spiritual mercies are not all of a sort, for we may

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321

shew mercy sometimes in things wherein no man
can help, as by praying unto God for help. Now
in things wherein man can help, the mercy to be
shewed respects either the ignorance or other dis
tresses of other men. The mercy to the ignorant
is either instruction in the things they should knoAV,
or counsel in the things they should do. Now his
other distresses arise either from his actions or from
his passions; his actions are either against thee,
and so thy mercy is to forgive ; or against others,
and so thy mercy is to admonish or correct. Thy
mercy towards him, in respect of his passions or
sufferings, is either in words, and so it is consola
tion, or in deeds, and so it is confirmation. What
shall I say ? There is the mercy of the minister, and
the mercy of the magistrate, and also the mercy of
the private man.
2. Mercies notes that it is not enough to be mer
ciful once or seldom, but we must be much in the
works of mercy ; seldom mercy will be no better
accepted with God than seldom prayer; we are
bound to watch to the opportunity of mercy, and
we shall reap not only according to the matter, but
according to the measure of mercy, Hosea x. 12.
3. It is not enough to be merciful, but we must
put on the bowels of mercies, and this hath in it
divers things. For it imports :
1. That our mercies must be from the heart, not
in hypocrisy or for a show, it must be true and un
feigned mercy.
2. That there should be in us the affections of
mercy ; we should love mercy, and shew it with all
cheerfulness and zeal, Micah vi. 8, Rom. xii. 8, 2
Cor. ix. 7-15.
3. That there should be a sympathy and fellow-
feeling in the distresses of others. These bowels
were in Christ, in Moses, and Paul.
4. That our mercy should be extended to the
highest degree we can get our hearts to ; that was
imported by the phrase of pouring out our souls to
the needy, Isa. Iviii. 10.
Use. The use of this doctrine of mercy may be :
first, For instruction, to teach us to make conscience
of this holy grace, and to be sure we be always clad
with it, according to the occasions and opportunities
of mercy. And to this end we should labour to
stir up ourselves by the meditation of the motives

unto mercy such as these : God hath commanded it,
Zech. vii. 6, Hosea xii. 10. They are our own flesh
that need our mercy, Isa. Iviii. Our heavenly
Father is merciful, yea, his mercy is above all his
works, Luke vi. 33, Ps. lxxxvi. ; yea, he is Father
of all mercies, 2 Cor. i. 3. Mercy will prove that
we are righteous, Ps. xxxvii. 21, and blessed, Micah
v. 7, and that the love of God is in us, 1 John iii.
17, and that our profession of religion is sincere,
James i. 27, and that our knowledge is from above,
James iii. 17, and that we are true neighbours and
right Samaritans. God wonderfully accepts of mercy
above many other things, Micah vi. 8, Hosea vi. 5,
and accounts what is that way done to be done as
it were to himself, Prov. xiv. 31, xix. 17. Besides,
what is mercifully bestowed is safest kept ; the
surest chest to keep our goods in is the bosom of
the poor, the house of the widow, and the mouths
of the orphans. What shall I say ? Mercy rewards
our own souls, Prov. xi. 17, -assures us of forgive
ness of sins, Prov. xvi. 6, makes the heart cheerful
and steadfast, 1 Cor. xv. 58. It shews us life,
righteousness, and glory, Prov. xxi. 21 ; and we
shall reap after the measure of mercies, both in this
life, and at the last day, Hosea x. 12.
Only in shewing mercy we must look to divers
rules : 1. It must be holy mercy, not foolish pity; as
magistrates must not spare where God wUl punish ;
for this is everywhere a monstrous wickedness in
careless magistrates, under the pretence of mercy
they spare the punishment of drunkenness, whore
dom, but especially blood, and the profanation of
the sabbath. It is a wonder that many magistrates
should ever go to heaven, they are guUty of so much
blood and wickedness, by not executing the judg
ment of God and the king upon such villanies.
And it is not mercy, under pretence of housekeep
ing, to entertain disordered persons, swaggerers,
drunkards, swearers, gamesters, and the like. He
that will shew mercy must have a good eye, Prov.
xxii. 9, to consider where, and to whom, and how,
he shews mercy ; the true merciful man doth mea
sure his affairs by judgment, Ps. cxii. 5. 2. Thy
mercy must be speedy mercy; thou must not say
Go, and come again to-morrow, if thou canst do it
now, Prov. iii. 28. 3. It must be of goods well-
gotten ; God hates robbery for burnt-offering, Isa.
2 s

322

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[Chap. III.

lxii. 8. 4. We must look to our ends, for that
mercy is lost that is shewn to win the praise of
men, or for any other carnal respect.
Secondly, The consideration of the doctrine of
mercy may serve for the great reproof of the want of
mercy in men, and that monstrous unmercifulness
that everywhere abounds amongst men. We may
complain that merciful men are perished ; or if mercy
get into the hearts of some, it is like the morning
dew, it is quickly dried up. But the world is full
of usury and cruelty and oppression; the world
hath almost as many Avild beasts and monsters as
it hath landlords in divers places. And shall
nothing be said, think we, in the day of Christ, to
unmerciful ministers and church governors also? Oh,
the blood-guiltiness of many monsters rather than
ministers, that feed not, or not with wholesome
food, the souls of the people ! And is there not
' tithing of mint, and cummin, and annis,' while
' the weightier things of the law are let alone ' ?
It is no mercy to spare idle and scandalous ancl
idol-shepherds. What should I speak of particulars?
There is unmercifulness even in the lender ; there
is no borrowing unless thou wilt be ' a servant to
him that lendeth,' Prov. xxii. 7. Oh, what sums of
money are spent upon hawks, hounds, cocks, bears,
players, whores — for I may well join them together
¦ — gaming, drinking, apparel, feasting, Sec, which
should be profitably spent upon the necessities of
the poor ! But let men repent of their unmerciful
ness ; for the curse of God is upon them, Prov. xiy.
21, xx. 21 ; and the Lord takes the wrong as done
unto himself, Prov. xiv. 31 ; their cry shall not be
heard, Prov. xxi. 13, nor their fasting nor sacrifice
accepted, Isa. Iviii., Hosea vi. 5 ; and God will spoil
their souls, Prov. xxii. 23 ; and judgment merci
less shall be to them that shew no mercy, James
ii. 13.
Thirdly, This doctrine is exceeding comfortable,
too ; for here is implied great comfort to all God's
children ; for if God require such tender mercy in
me, he will certainly shew mercy himself. And
again, poor men may be much encouraged to con
sider how careful God is of them, and how much
mercy he requires to be shewed them ; yea, it is a
comfort to them, if they be godly poor, that there
being so many kinds of mercy, they may shew mercy

themselves, even to their richest benefactors, by
spiritual mercy. And this also must needs be com
fortable to mertiful men; for as God requires mercy,
so it is sure he will reward mercy, Ps. cxii. 4, Isa.
Iviii. 7, Sec
Thus of mercy.
Kindness. The word is courtesy or goodness,
comitas. It is sure the Lord requires this Christian
courtesy or goodness of disposition and carriage in
every convert, Eph. iv. 32, Gal. v. 22 ; and kindness
is one of the things we should approve ourselves by,
2 Cor. vi. 6. Now Christian courtesy or goodness
hath in it these things : 1. It salutes AvUlingly,
1 Pet. v. 14, Ruth ii. 4, Judges vi. 12, Mat. xi. 14.
2. It is fair and amiable in conversing, not harsh,
sullen, crabbed, untractable, cloAvnish, desperate,
scornful, hard to please, churlish, or stately. 3. In
matters of offence, it is easy to be entreated, kind to
enemies ; it qualifies the speeches of the angry Avith
good interpretations, and sometimes it yields to
tlieir affections ; it AviU sometimes part with right
for peace sake; it AviU forgive, James hi. 17, Luke
Ai. 33, Eph. iv. 32. 4. In the praise or happiness
of others, it is Avithout envy. 5. It is easy to liber
ality and prevents, 1 Pet. ii. 5, Rom. ii. 4. 6. It
loves brotherly fellowship.
Use. The use may be both to humble and to teach.
Certainly the faihngs of the best of us may much
abase us; and the knowledge of it that God requires
it should teach us to make conscience of it, by prayer
and holy striving with our natures, to endeavour to
express this fairness and kind conversing. Since
religion requires courtesy as well as piety, we should
labour to be unrebukable therein also; especiaUy
we should put on this virtue in using means to win
others to the truth.
Here also we may see the vanity of their asper
sion -that say religion AAill make men stoical and
uncivil. Yet lest any should mistake, we must know that
courtesy hath not in it the honouring of evil men,
or the rejoicing at the evils of any man, or a pro
miscuous respect of all, both good and bad alike ;
no, nor of all good alike in the measure of mani
festation; nor hath it an openness in unadvised
communicating of secrets to all; nor a lightness of
familiarity in contracting an inward friendship with-

Ver. 12.]

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323

out due respect of the disposition and conversation
of the parties.
Thus of kindness.
Humbleness of mind, I shall not need to sheAv
that humility or this humbleness of mind is required ;
for it is plain in the text ; but rather I would con
sider Avhat it is, and then make use of it. And
first, I consider of it negatively, by sheAving what it
is not. It is not silliness, arising out of the igno
rance of a man's place or gifts, nor is it any careless
disregard of a man's self, nor every abasing of a
man's self; for Avicked men, to compass their ends,
can humble themselves to hell, Isa. lvii. 9. Nor is
it a will-worship, when a man, by voluntary religion,
layeth hard things upon his body ; thus it was no
humility to forbear touching, tasting, handling, or,
upon pretence of unworthiness to employ the
King's Son, to bring in mediation of angels or saints,
as inferiors in the court. Nor is it complimental
courtesy, for Ave see that may be in greater exactness
in men, and yet monstrous pride and malice be
lodged in men's hearts. Nor is it any counterfeit
submissiveness, as when some men scorn to refuse
offices, and yet fret afterwards when they go without
them, or else refuse of purpose to be the more im
portuned. Nor is it humbleness of mind to be
(with fretting) complaining of our Avants out of
emulation of others ; nor is it only to be humbled,
for humiliation and humility differ.
Now, that the nature of this grace may be found
out, we must consider, that usually it is begotten in
a man by the power of the word, and follows the
breaking of the heart by mortification, and declares
itself both inwardly and outwardly. Inwardly
humbleness of mind hath in it a sight and sense,
and digested opinion of our own' great unworthiness,
and is not easily stirred to great thoughts Avith vain
applauses. It hath in it a tender sense of tempta
tions, a hatred of hypocrisy, and a willingness to
suffer afflictions, and a contentation in some measure,
in what estate soever it pleaseth God to bring a man
to. Outwardly it expresseth itself both towards
God and men; towards God it keeps a man lowly
in the use of the means, and hath a continued fear
and awful sense of God's presence, Micah vi. 8, and
stands not at it to be accounted vile for the service
of God, 2 Sam. vi. 22. In carriage toAvards men,

it is not affected in words or gestures, it is not
censorious, nor arrogant, Ps. cxxxi. 1-3, nor con
tentious, Phil. ii. 3. It desires not open and public
places ; it is not swelled with praises, nor it affects
not the vain praises of itself ; but contrariwise, it
makes a man go before in giving honour, and not
to think much to equal himself with them of the
lower sort, Rom. xii., rejoicing in the love of a poor
Christian, as well as of a great man. It will make ,
a man subject to and thankful for admonitions, and
willing to embrace the truth, though it be found in
the possession of others. Finally, it is joyful upon
the doing of any good, and thankful for lesser
favours. Use. The use is, as for humiliation under the sense
of our wants in expressing the practice of this
grace, so for instruction, to teach us to labour after
it, as a most praiseworthy virtue ; we should seek
lowliness, as the prophet speaks, Zeph. ii. 3 ; and
to this end Ave should contemplate of the motives
hereunto. For humility is one of the graces we are
especially charged to imitate in Christ, Mat. xi. 29.
It is a grace that God highly accounts of; he holds
us worthy of our vocation if he may see this in us,
Eph. iv. 1, 2. The Lord himself will, in his special
reviAing presence, dwell in the contrite and humble
soul, Isa. lvh. 15, Ps. xxxiv. 18. He will not despise
their prayers, Ps. cii. 17. Wisdom is Avith the
lowly, Prov. xi. 2. The Lord will heal them, and
create the fruit of the lips to be peace, Isa. hii.
15, 19. Howsoever it may go with the humble
otherwise, yet the Lord will be sure to give grace
to the humble, 1 Pet. v. 5, 6. Lastly, Humility
goeth before honour, the Lord will exalt us if we
abase ourselves, and we are most precious in his
eyes when we are most vile in our OAvn eyes. And
contrariwise, this may shew us the hatefulness of
pride, &c. ; the more the Lord stands upon humble
ness of mind, the more it imports he abhors pride.
And that the nature and praise of true humility
may the better appear, it will not be amiss to set
out the sorts of pride.
Generally, pride is expressed either in things that
concern God, or in things that concern man. In
the things that concern God, there is the pride of
the atheist, whereby he strives to remove the sense
of the being of God ; and the pride of the heretic

324

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[Chap. III.

when he assaults the attributes of God, or his per
sons ; and the pride of the papist, who will claim
by his merits ; and the pride of the curious, who
will search into things not revealed ; and the pride
of the persecutor, who will pursue, by slanders or
violence, the power of God's ordinances ; and the
pride of the impenitent, that dare hve and die in
his sins Avithout care of God's threatenings. And
towards men pride is discovered divers ways, as by
impugning the fame of the best men, by the singu
larity of conceit of worth above others, either for
place or gifts, by bragging and boasting, by vain
joys, either for place or gifts, by striving for offices
and highest places ; yea, there is a spiritual pride
in every grace and holiness. Now, contrary here
unto is that humility God requires in this place.
And thus of humbleness of mind.
Meekness. Christian meekness hath in it, as I
conceive, these things : first, A quietness of heart
in the freedom from passion, by which one is slow
to anger, and not easily provoked. Secondly, A
teachableness and tractableness, or being easy to be
persuaded, Isa. xi., James hi. 17. Thirdly, A child
like confidence in God's care and providence, be
coming in that respect as a little child, Mat. xvih.
Fourthly, It is not sAvelled Avith prosperity. Fifthly,
It thinks not much of the yoke of Christ, Mat. xi.
30 : in what measure a man is truly meek, in the
same measure he accounts God's service a reasonable
and easy service. Sixthly, In conversing it hath
tAvo principal properties : the first is fear, 1 Pet. iii.
2, 3, as it is opposed unto boldness, conceitedness,
rough-heartedness ; the second is an evangelical
harmlessness or simplicity, 2 Cor. xi. 3.
Use. The consideration may much humble the
best of us, if we consider how passion doth over
master us, and how success doth swell us, and how
stiff our hearts are after an inconceivable manner
against the power of the means, and how unquiet
we are for want of confidence in God. Oh, Avhere
is this conversation with fear to be found ? And
for the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus, hovf is it
mixed in some, and wanted in others, ancl lost in
many who are beguiled of the serpent ? Yet inas
much as this grace is indispensably required that it
should be put on, let us stir up our hearts, as to
seek righteousness, so to seek meekness with it.

And to this end we should avoid what doth en
counter it : as, namely, we should take heed of lust,
and malice, and covetousness, and contention ; for
these things will Avonderfully disturb the heart, and
fill it marvellously with perturbations : and also we
should meditate of the encouragements to this grace;
for meekness Avould much avail us in the profit and
power of the Avord, James i. 21, 22, Isa. xxix. 19 ;
and God hath promised to Avater this grace with
secret joys and careful refreshings, Mat. xi. 29.
Besides, God doth in special manner undertake
their protection, as the places in the margin will
shew, Ps. Ixxvi. 1-9, cxlvii. 5, 6, and cxlix. 4. For
meekness in the hid-man of the heart is a thing much
set by, 1 Pet. iii. 4 ; he avUI guide them in judgment
and teach them his way, Ps. xxv. 9.
Long-suffering. By long-suffering is meant, as I
take it : first, An unwearied firmness of heart, hold
ing out under all crosses, temptations, oppositions,
Sec, the mind not being easily broken, put out,
confounded, discouraged, distempered, or unquieted
with any kind of passion : and so, indeed, it is no
thing else but the perseverance of patience ; se
condly, There is a long-suffering which is a sphitual
perseverance of hope under the promise, Avith an
expectation of the performance of it, Heb. vi. 12, 15.
There is a long-suffering in our carriage towards
others in regard of their reformation, and so we
should suffer long in hope of the conversion of the
wicked, 2 Tim. iv. 2, 5, and in expecting'the refor
mation of infirmities in God's children, wiiom we
love and admonish, 1 Thes. v. 14. And This is the
praise of Christian love, that it doth suffer long,
1 Cor. xiii.
The long-suffering is an exceUent grace and a
worthy ornament, meet to be put on as well as any of
the rest, and Avould Avonderfully grace the lives of
Christians. And the rather should Ave love it, and
long after it, because it is so eminent a praise in
God himself, Rom. ix. 22, Luke xviii. 7; and in
Christ ; yea, as any have excelled in the. church, so
have they been approved in the trial of this grace,
as Avere the apostles. But it is enough to commend
it, it is an excellent fruit of the sanctifying spirit,
Gal. v. 22. Only we must knoAV there is great
difference between enduring long and long-suffering ;
for true Christian long-suffering is accompanied not

Ver. 13.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

325

only with patience, but with dUigence, Heb. vi. 12,
Col. i. 11, 1 Tim. iv. 5, and joyfulness, and watching
in all things, but especially with the renewing of
faith in God's promise and providence.
Ver. 13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel to another : even as
Christ forgave you, even so do ye.
There are two Airtues in conversing that concern
adversity : first, Long-suffering under crosses ; and
secondly, Clemency under injuries.
Of long-suffering before : first, Of clemency in this
verse, where two things may be noted : 1. The duty
required ; 2. The reason rendered for the
urging of the duty. The duty is propounded in the
two principal parts of it, viz., to forbear and
to forgive; and amplified by the supposition of a
case, ' if any man have a quarrel to another.' The
reason is from the example of Christ forgiving
us. Forbearing. The original word is rendered some
times to maintain, Acts xAiii. 14, sometimes to suffer,
to endure, 1 Cor. iv. 12, 2 Thes. i. 4, 2 Tim. iv. 4,
Heb. xiii. 22, sometimes not only to endure, but
forbear also, 2 Cor. xi. 1, sometimes to support,
Eph. iv. 1. In the two last senses it may be well
taken here.
Now if we would distinctly know what it is to
forbear one another, as it here imports a main part
¦ of Christian clemency, we must understand that it
is not an omission of holy duties to others, nor a
refusing to satisfy others in their griefs or offences,
nor a shunning of their company, nor yet a swallow
ing down of aU sorts of injuries, committed with a
high hand, without acknoAvledgment or satisfaction.
But out of clemency to forbear others, hath in it
such things as these : first, A freedom from the thirst
of revenge ; secondly, A bearing with the infirmities
of others, which may be performed two ways : 1. By
covering them, and not blazing them abroad if they
be secret; and, 2. By silence, in not reprov
ing them when they fail merely in frailty ; thirdly,
It hath in it not only a bearing with them, but a
bearing of them, Gal. vi. 2 ; and that I think may
be two ways also : 1. In not stirring or provoking
their infirmities; 2. By pleasing our neighbours'
humour in that which is good to edification,

Rom. xv. 1, 2 ; fourthly, There is a forbearance in
matters of Avrong to us ; and thus to forbear is not
to prosecute every wrong, either by answers or by
suits. And this forbearance is to be practised when
we are able to revenge, else it is no thanks to us to
forbear when we want either power or opportunity
to do it. Secondly, It is forbearance not to meet
wrong with wrong.
Or thus, there is a threefold forbearance : first,
In judgment, when in doubtful cases we suspend
our opinions or censures ; secondly, In words, which
consist either in not answering or in giving soft
answers ; thirdly, In deeds, when we render not evil
for evil.
Again, forbearance is varied from the considera
tion of time, for in some things we must forbear
ever, never taking notice of the infirmities or
wrongs, as in some weaknesses that are by mere
oversight or ignorance; and in some things we must
forbear for a time, that is, till there be a fit oppor
tunity to admonish or correct, Sec
Uses. The consideration thereof serves greatly for
the reproof of that wretched distemper in many
that profess the same faith and hope, provoking one
another, and consuming one another, and by fro
wardness disquieting the rest and content of others.
Is not here an express charge that we should forbear
one another? HaAre we not here the example of
Christ who did so, who might have a thousandfold
more just reason to upbraid, censure, or find fault
than we have, or can have? Besides, this dis
tempered peevishness and froward misconceiving
and censuring, it is bred of ill causes, for it comes
either of malice or ignorance. Of malice, for love
covereth a multitude of sins, especially it suspendeth
doubtful actions ; of ignorance, for it is certain a
wise man will keep in till afterwards, or hold it his
glory to be able to pass by an offence. Further,
this sin may be aggravated by the relations that are
mutually between Christians. Are they not fellow-
members, co-heirs, fellow-citizens, partakers of the
same afflictions ? are they not brethren ? &c. Be
sides, is not this also a constant justice, that they
that judge are judged, they that cen§ure are cen
sured? and doth not this envying and jangling
give occasion of rejoicing to adversaries? Doth it
not many times so tranform Christians that it

326

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[Chap. Ill-

makes them very like wicked men, when they
grow so distempered that they revile tlieir own
mothers' sons? Ps. 1. 20. In the fifth to the Gala
tians the apostle urgeth this reproof by divers
reasons, such as this : A little of the leaven of these
distempers avUI sour the Avhole lump ; and those
courses tend not to any good, but to the disquieting
of God's people, and it is not a small matter to
trouble and vex them. Besides, inasmuch as Chris
tians have trouble enough other Avays, it doth not
become their brethren to trouble them ; and we
should be so far from troubling our brethren, as we
should rather serve them by love ; and if men wUl
needs bite one another, let them take heed lest they
be devoured one of another. Lastly, If men will
not be warned, then let them know the Judge
standeth at the door, James v. 9.
Now that we may attain this forbearing, even to v
be rightly ordered towards the infirmities or
wrongs of others, Ave must labour to get more
Christian love of others ; for that will endure all
things, and believe all things, and make us able
.to bear ; and it will drive out suspicion, which like a
wretched beldame is the mother and nurse of all
mu^murings and vain jangling : and besides, we
must get a greater knowledge of our own selves,
and our own ignorance and corruptions ; for when
we seem to ourselves to be something, deceiving our
selves we are ready with intemperance to appre
hend supposed indignities -when none are offered,
Gal. vi. 1-3. Or if thou must needs speak, then
speak the words of admonition, even God's words,
if thou be sure they have sinned, instead of thine
own vain and passionate upbraidings, or reproaches,
or censures.
One another. Observe that usually Avhere there is
any contention or quarrelling, both sides are guilty ;
though one principally do the wrong, yet few men
are so temperate but they do Avrong again, either in
words, or deeds, or affections ; and therefore thou
shouldst forbear, seeing thou art privy to thyself,
that in this business thou hast not been such as
thou shouldst be.
Forgiving.* The word signifies sometimes to give,
1 Cor. ii. 12, Phil. i. 29 ; sometimes to give freely,
Luke vii. 21, Acts xxvii. 24, Rom. viii. 32, Gal.
iii. 8, Philem. 22 ; sometimes to remit freely

the punishment, Acts iii. 14; sometimes to deliver
up for favour, or to pleasure others ; sometimes to
forgive ; and so here.
Quest. But can any man forgive sin to another ?
Ans. 1. Man may forgive the trespass, though
not the sin. 2. Man may forgive the punish
ment that by man might be inflicted, so as not
to require it. 3. Man may pray to God to
forgive it.
Object. But it is said no man can forgive sin but
God. Sol. True ; no man can remit the eternal punish
ment, or the curse of the laAV, or take away the guilt
of sin before God. But man may forgive it as far
as concerns himself.
Object. Now others may object contrariwise, that
2 Cor. ii. 7, they are willed to forgive, and yet
the sin of the incestuous person was not so much
a trespass that concerned them, as a sin against
God. Sol. This sin also was a trespass against them : 1.
As it was a scandal ; 2. As it might cause them and
their profession to be eAil spoken of for his sake.
Again, to forgive in that place, may be taken in
a large sense for to be reconciled to him.
Quest. Is reconciliation necessarily comprehended
under forgiveness ?
Ans. We are tied to seek it and desire it, and to
use all humble and just and discreet courses to
attain it. But if it will not be had, Ave are dis
charged if Ave forgive. Neither unto obstinate
offenders, that avUI not acknoAvledge their sin, are
we bound to remit the punishment, or sometimes to
notify the pardon of the fault.
If any man have a quarrel to another. When he saith
here ' if any man,' it imports that such Christians
might be, as there should be no jars amongst them.
Discords might wonderfully be prevented if there
were care and discretion in men.
The word rendered ' quarrel ' signifies a com
plaint. Certainly it is a great Aveakness to be upon
every occasion complaining of the Avrongs are done
us, ancl making report of them to others. And it
sIioavs, too, that we should forbear and forgive even
in such things as these.
And where he saith ' any man,' it sheAVS no men
are exempted from the practice of clemency. That

Ver. 14.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

327

which is here required of one is required of all, no
greatness of gifts or place can privilege any.
As Christ forgave you, so do you. 1. Examples in
all rules of practice move much.
2. As here the head of the church is an example
to all his members, so should those that are heads of
the commonwealth or family carry themselves so
as by their examples to direct as Avell as by their
precept, not only shew what to do by commanding,
but how to do it also by example.
3. Especially in forbearing and forgiving. Ex
ample in great persons doth wonderfully affect the
common people ; and, therefore, because there are so
few on earth, here is one from heaven.
Quest. But why is there added reason to this vir
tue, and not so to each of the former ?
Ans. 1. Because the conscience is soon per
suaded in the general that the rest are good, as
humility, meekness, Sec But now Ave are won
derfully hardly persuaded to forgive. 2. The
Lord may well add reasons to persuade to forgive,
because of the special danger of not forgiving ; for
if a man do not forgive, there is express threat
enings that he shall not be forgiven, Mat. vi. 14,
xAiii. 25.
Quest. But how is Christ said to forgive ?
Ans. Remission of sins is attributed to Christ : 1.
As the meritorious cause of forgiveness ; 2. Because
he applies it ; 3. Because the Christian in his name
sues out the pardon of his sins, and by him procures
forgiveness. Certainly it may be a singular com
fort to all distressed souls if they consider that he
is their brother, head, SaAiour ; even he that shed
his blood for them is he that disposeth of all
pardons and applies remission of sins. Sure it is
no hard matter to get a pardon from him that is so
engaged in his love to us.
Here also we see that the action of Christ is the
instruction of the Christian. Christ forgave, so must
he. We must remember the distinctions of Christ's
actions.. Some were miraculous, as fasting forty
days, raising the dead, &c. ; these are not to be imi
tated, because they cannot. Some are peculiar
actions belonging to his office, as to redeem, or make
intercession, &c. ; these also are proper to him
only. Now some are moral ; these last are only
imitable. Or thus : Some actions of Christ he did

as God, some as mediator, some as man. The last
only bind us to follow.
Again, in that we are bound to forgive, as he
forgave, it not only teacheth that we must do it as
well as he ; but for the manner of it as he did.
And how was that ? First, Christ forgave his in
feriors ; secondly, Christ forgave great faults as well
as less, yea, all sorts of faults, yea, though they were
often fallen into ; thirdly, Nothing was too dear to
Christ to merit or confirm his forgiveness, therefore
he shed his own blood, he stood not upon his profit
or his ease ; fourthly, Christ uses all means to pre
vent offending ; fifthly, Where Christ forgives he
forgets ; sixthly, Christ forgives two ways : 1.
Upon the cross before men did repent ; 2.
By the gospel publishing his pardon upon maris
repentance ; he did not carry them grudge till they
repented ; and all these ways should we imitate
Christ. Lastly, Observe here the certainty of assurance ;
for if a man did not certainly and infallibly know
that Christ did forgive him, how could that be made
a reason if he did not knoAV it to be ?
And thus of clemency, and so of the two first
sorts of graces.
Ver. 14. And above all these put on love, which is
the bond of perfectness.
The virtues that ought to reign at all times are
love, peace, and thankfulness. Of love in this verse,
which the apostle sets out as the most noble, ample,
and profitable of aU the virtues, two things are
here to be considered : first, " The dignity of love,
where he saith, ' Above all put on love,' &c. ;
secondly, The use of it, it is ' the bond of perfect
ness.' Above all these. Some read, ' with all these ; '
some' read, ' for all these,' meaning that all the
former do flow from this, and therefore we should
get love that we might be merciful, humble, &c.
And so it would import that we should get love,
that we might approve ourselves that these are not
mere compliments, or dissembled offices, or things
taken up for wrong ends.
But most properly and commonly it is read as
here, ' above all these.' And so notes the dignity
of love above all other virtues ; for it is indeed more

328

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

excellent both in respect of causation, as they say
in schools, because it begets the rest as the efficient
cause, and for the preservation of it other virtues
are practised, or the final cause of them ; as also,
it is above the rest in acceptation, whether we
respect God or man. And thirdly, It is above the
rest in respect of continuance, 1 Cor. xiii. 8. And
this may serve to reprove our great neglect of so
noble a grace ; and it may teach us in our prayers
to remember to pray for this, and in our practice to
provoke unto love, Heb. x. 24.
Object. A cavil of the papists must be avoided
here, for they absurdly reason thus : If love be
above all virtues, then it is love that makes us just
in God's sight.
Sol. But for answer we may easily satisfy our
selves with this, that before men, and in conversing
with men, love is above all. But before God faith
is above all ; love is above faith only in some
respects, as in continuance, but faith is above love
in justification.
Put on. Love is not natural ; it is a virtue that in
the truth of it is wonderful rare, in the world, for
man is unto man naturally a wolf, a fox, a bear, a
tiger, a lion, yea, a very devil; and that is the
reason why men are so constant in malice, it is
natural with them ; and this is the reason why unity
and loving concord is found in no calling amongst
men. Love. Love is of divers kinds : there is natural,
civil, moral, and rehgious love. It is natural love
for a man to love himself, his parents, kindred, Sec
It is civil love that is framed in us by the laws of
men, by authority from God, whereby we are
brought not to violate the rules of justice or society.
In moral love, that love of friends is of eminent re
spect ; but it is religious or Christian love is meant
here. Christian love is carried both towards God and
towards men, and both may be here meant; for the
very love of God may be required as needful in our
conversing with men, because Ave can never love
men aright till we first love God ; and besides, we
are bound in our carriage to shew our love to God,
by zeal for his glory, and avoiding sin in our call
ings for the love we bear to him.
Sure it is that the true love of God is exceeding

needful to be put on as a most royal robe ; I say,
the true love of God, and therefore I advise all sorts
of men, as to labour for it, so to try themselves
whether this love of God be right in them. If we
love God, we receive them that come in his name,
Johnv. 43, and the love ofthe world doth not reign
in us, 1 John ii. 15, 17 ; and we are much in think
ing of God and godliness, for we often think of
what we love, and we love the word of God, John
xiv. 27 ; and in adversity we run first to God for
help, denying ourselves to bring glory to God, sub
jecting our wiUs to his will, glorying in the hope of
his mercy ; and it is certain also if we love God
aright, we desire his presence, both of grace and
glory. And this love avUI compel us to holiness,
2 Cor. v. 1 4, causing us to hate what he hates, and
to obey his commandments ; and besides, kind
ness from God will wonderfully inflame us and con
tent us.
The love to men is love of enemies, or brotherly
love of God's children. Christians are bound to love
their very enemies ; and this kind of love must be
put on as well as the other, only let us advisedly
consider what the love of enemies hath in it. When
God requires, us to love our enemies, he doth not re
quire us to love their vices, or to hold needless so
ciety with their persons, or to further them in such
kindnesses as might make them more wicked, or to
relinquish the defence of our just cause; but to love
is not to return evil for evU, Rom. xh., neither in
words nor deeds, 1 Pet. iii. 8, 9, and to pray for
them, Mat. v., and to supply their necessities as we
have occasion, Rom. xii. 19, Exod. xxiii. 4, 2 Chron.
xxviii. 8, 9, 13, 15, 2 Kings vi. 22, overcoming then
evil with goodness, and in some cases to be extra
ordinarily humbled for them, Ps. xxxAiii. 13.
But I think the love of brethren is principally
here meant. This is a fire kindled by the sanctifying
Spirit of God, 2 Tim. i. 7; this was intended in our
election, Eph. i. 14; this proves our faith, Gal. v. 6;
this nourisheth the mystical body of Christ, Eph. iv.
1 7 ; this love is without dissimulation, Rom. xii. 9,
2 Cor. vi. 6 ; it is diligent and labouring love,
1 Thes. i. 3, Heb. vi. 10; it is harmless and inoffen
sive, Rom. xiii. 10"; it woundeth not by suspicious
provocations or scandals, Rom. xiv. 15 ; it is not
mercenary, for as God is not to be loved for reward,

Ver. 15.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS,

329

though he be not loved without reward, so we must
love men, not for their good turns they do us, but for
the good graces God hath given them. And we should
shew our love in using our gifts for the best good of
the body, Rom. xii. 6, 7; and manifest our compas
sion and felloAv-feeling by counsel and admonitions,
2 Cor. ii. 4, and consolations, Phil. i. 7 ; and all ways
of edification, 1 Cor. viii. 1 ; and by the works of
mercy, 2 Cor. viii. 24; avoiding contention, Phil. ii.
3 ; and covering the infirmities one of another,
1 Pet. iv. 8.
Thus of the dignity and nature of love ; the use
of it follows, which is —
The bond of perfection. Love is said to be the
bond of perfection three ways: first, Because it is
a most perfect bond, and so it is a Hebraism ; for
all Airtues are, as it were, collected in love; all
other virtues wiU soon be unloosed, unless they be
fastened in love ; neither doth it only tie Airtues to
gether, but it gives them their perfection, moving
them, perfecting them, and making them accepted.
And it is most perfect, because it is most principal
among virtues, nothing is in this life well composed
that is not directed hither,
But let none mistake : he doth not shew here how
we may be made perfect before God, but how Ave
might converse perfectly amongst men. And so the
sum of this sense is, that all should be well with us,
in living one with another, if love flourish amongst
us ; perfection consisteth in love by way of bond.
Secondly, It is a bond of perfection, because it is
the bond that ties together the church, which is the
beauty and perfection of the whole world.
Thirdly, It is a bond of perfection, as it leads us
to God, who is perfection itself ; yea, by love God is
joined to man, and dwells in him.
Use. The use of all is, seeing love is of this
nature, use, dignity, and perfection, therefore we
should labour to be rooted in love, even every way
firmly settled in it. And to this end we should
labour more to mortify our own self-love, and the
care for our own ease, profit, credit, &c.
And this may wonderfully also shame us for
those defects are found in us. It may greatly
reprove in us that coldness of affection that is even
in the better sort, and those frequent janglings and
discords, and that fearful neglect of fellowship in the

gospel in many places, and all those evil fruits that
arise from want of the exercise of this grace, such
as are suspicions, blind censures, &c. And thus of
love. Ver. 15. And let the peace of God rule in your
hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body ; and
be thankful.
In this verse he exhorts unto the two last virtues,
peace and thankfulness. In the exhortation to peace,
there is the duty and the reason. The duty in
these words, 'Let the peace of God rule in your
hearts,' Avhere I consider the nature of the virtue —
' peace ;' the author of it — ' God ;' the power of it —
' let it rule ;' the seat or subject of it — ' in your
hearts.' The reason of it is double : first, From their
vocation — ' to the which ye are called ;' secondly,
From their mutual relation, as ' members of one
body.' Peace. Peace is threefold, internal, external, and
eternal. Internal peace is the tranquillity of the
mind and conscience in God, satisfied in the sense
of his goodness, Rom. xiv. 17. External peace is
the quiet and concord in our outward estate and
carriage, Eph. iv. 3. Eternal peace is the blessed
rest of the saints in heaven, Isa. lvii. 2. The last is
not here meant.
Of God. Peace is said to be of God in divers
respects : 1 . Because our peace should be such as
may stand with the glory of God, so Ave should seek
the truth and peace, Zech. viii. 19. 2. It may be
said to be of God, because he commandeth it, 1 Cor.
xiv. 31. 3. Because he giveth it, he is the author
of it ; hence peace is said to be a fruit of the Spirit,
Gal. v. 22 ; and God is said to be the God of peace,
2 Cor. xiii. 11, 1 Thes. v. 23, Heb. xiii. 20. In this
last sense I tliink it is meant here.
Let it rule. The original Avord is a term borrowed
from running a race ; and it imports, let peace be the
judge, let it sit and oversee, and moderate all the
affections of the heart, seeing we are in a continual
strife, whereas our affections would carry us to con
tentions, discords, brawlings, grudges, and divisions,
&c. Let the victory be in the power of peace ; let
peace give the applause, and finally determine the
matter. Thus of the explication of the -sense of the Avords.
2 T

330

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Now all these words may be first understood of
internal peace with God, and then God may be said
to be the author of it in divers respects :
First, It may be said to be of God, because he
sent his Son to merit it. Hence Christ is said to be
our peace, Eph. ii. 14, 17 ; Prince of peace, Isa. ix. 6;
Lord of peace, 2 Thes. iii. 16. Secondly, Because
he sends his messengers to proclaim it and invite
men to it, Isa. lii. 7. Thirdly, Because he sends his
Spirit to work it, Gal. v. 22.
Noav this peace of God is said to rule :
First, When it oversways doubts and tentations,
establishing the heart in the confidence of the assur
ance of God's love in Christ, which is when a man
can say, as the apostle did, ' I am persuaded neither
principalities nor powers, neither heights nor depths,
things present nor things to come, shall ever be able
to separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus.' Catharinus, a very papist, could
gather certainty out of this place.
Secondly, When in our carriage we continually
fear to offend God, or do anything that might dis
turb the peace of our consciences.
Thirdly, When in adversity Ave can deny ourselves,
and rather choose to suffer affliction than forego the
peace of Christ in our hearts, John xvi. 33.
Now when the Holy Ghost adds ' in your hearts,' it
implies that true peace Avith God will encounter both
presumption and hypocrisy and diffidence. Pre
sumption, for it will rule in our hearts ; it will not
abide hardness of heart and the spiritual slumber ;
it will not rest till there be affections of godliness, as
well as common profession of it. Hypocrisy, for it
notes that it will not rule only by keeping justice in
a man's life, but it will rule within a man's thoughts
and affections. Diffidence, and so these words ex
cellently encounter a fear in weak Christians. Oh,
I shall lose my peace and that rest I have ! Now,
this is answered here, — thy peace is in thine heart,
and therefore who can take it from thee ? It is not
like thy money and credit, Sec, for these may be
taken away. But peace can no man nor devil take
away Avithout thine own consent ; it is in a chest
where no hands can come but God's and thine own.
Uses. First, The use of this may serve for reproof
of that lamentable security that is in most men about
their inward peace Avith God, not only that most men

wretchedly procrastinate through the hardness of
their hearts, refuse peace in the season when God
offers peace ancl beseecheth them to be reconciled,
but also for that the most men confirm themselves
in this presumption that they are in God's favour
when indeed they are not. It Avas the fault of some
prophets, Jer. xxiii. 17, 18, and is too common a
fault of many ministers, to cry, ' Peace, peace, when
there is no peace,' by reason of the sins men hve in
Avithout repentance. The Holy Ghost in many places
complains that such is the state of the most men,
that they have not known the ways of peace, Ps.
xiv., Rom. iii. 17. And the day of judgment shaU
find many that cry peace and safety, whUe they are
ready suddenly to perish, 1 Thes. v. 3. Jehu could
say, What peace so long as the whoredoms and Aviteh-
crafts of their mother Jezebel remain ? So may not
we say, What peace can there be unto men, though
the world struggle and gainsay, so long as lip-service,
swearing, profanation of the sabbath, blood, drunk
enness, Avhoredom, contempt of the word, &c, do
so much abound Avithout amendment ?
Secondly, Hence we may learn by aU means to
seek the peace of God into our heart ; and to this
end we must be God's people, Ps. lxxxv. 8, and get
a humble ancl contrite heart, Isa. lvn. 15, 19, Ps.
xxxAii. 11, and soundly labour our justification by
faith, Rom. v. 1 ; we must be good and true in our
hearts, Ps. cxxv. 5, and work righteousness, Isa.
xxxii. 17, Rom. ii. 10, Gal. vi. 16, and study the
scriptures, waiting upon the word preached, Isa. lvii.
19, Luke x. 6.
Thirdly, It may serve for comfort to aU God's ser
vants that seek true peace. The Lord would have
them to have peace, and to have plenty of it that it
may rule in them.
Object. Oh, but I have many and great afflictions
in the world.
Sol. What though ? In Christ thou mayest have
peace, John xvi. 33.
Object. Oh, but I cannot see which way I should
have any peace.
Sol. He will ' create peace,' Isa. lvii. 19.
Object. Oh ! but the devil is very violent in
tempting. Sol. The God of peace will tread the devil down
shortly, Rom. xvi. 20.

Ver. 15.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

331

Object. Oh! but the peace we have, neither is,
nor here will be perfect.
Sol. Peace shall come, Isa. lvii. 2.
Object. Oh ! but I am afraid lest my peace with
God break, and so hold not.
Sol. ' The mountains may fall, but God's cove
nant of peace shall not fall,' Isa. liv. 10.
Thus of internal peace ; external peace follows,
and it is either domestical, or ecclesiastical, or poli
tical. Peace should rule our houses, and shew itself
by freedom from bitterness, and chiding, and brawl
ing, and absurd peevish passions.
And for church peace, to write a word or two of
that, it is not only a rest from persecution, but also
from discords within ; this is a marvellous blessing.
This peace hath not in it a confusion of all sorts of
men, joined together in one universal amity, though
they be never so wicked ; for Christ came not to
send such peace, and the word is a fan that will
make a division. The world will hate, and dark
ness will not mix with light ; the children of the
prophets will be as signs and wonders even in Israel.
But this peace is a holy amity and heavenly concord,
in the true members of the mystical body, both in
consent and doctrine. This peace in the church is
of singular worth, and occasions unspeakable joy
and growth in the church ; this is to be sought and
prayed for of every Christian, but especially it
should be the care of church-governors ; and cer
tainly there would be more peace if they would more
and more love goodness, and honour good men, and
more carefuUy prevent and severely purge out the
leaven of corrupt doctrine, and wicked life, and so
tithe mint and cummin as not to neglect the
weightier things of the law, especially if they would
more disgrace flatterers and slanderers, that employ
their whole might to make the breach worse.
Political peace is either private, and so it is a
rest from suits and quarrels ; or public, and so it is
a rest from Avars, and rebellions, and tumults.
But I think by external peace here is meant, in
general, concord, and a quiet, harmless, peaceable
course of conversing with men in all our carriage.
Now, God is said to be the author of it, in that it is
his gift, and special providence to work it amongst
men; and if is said to rule, when we can prefer
public peace before our private respects, and when

we can seek it, and not stay till it be sought of us ;
and when we can forbear and forgive, notwithstand
ing any inequality. Now this peace may be said
to rule in the heart, though it be external, because
if corrupt passions be killed in thee, as envy, rage,
malice, desire of revenge, &c, men would easily
agree in life ; bind the heart to the good abearing,
and the hands will bind themselves.
The use may be both for reproof of the perverse
dispositions of the most men that will not live in
peace, but with all falsehood and sin, nourish debate
and vain contentions ; as also it may inform and in
flame men to desire peace, to seek it, yea, to folloAV
after it, Ps. xxxiv. 13, 14, Rom. xiv. 18, Heb. xii.
14. But that men might attain peace theymust have
salt in themselves, Mark ix-. 50, that is, by mortifica
tion season, tame, and purge their own heart ; yea,
they must use the salt of discretion, and to that end
pray God to make them wise in their conversation ;
yet men must ever remember so to seek peace as to
retain truth too, Zech. viii. 19, Heb. xii. 14, James
iii. 18 ; peace Avithout holiness is but profane rest.
Thus of the duties ; the reasons follow :
To the which ye are called. We are called to peace
not only by men, who by their laws require peace,
but chiefly by God, and that two Avays : first, In the
general precepts of the word, Avhich are set down
in divers places ; secondly, In special manner, in the
word of reconciliation; that word that converts us and
reconciles us, doth at the very first shew us the very
necessity and worth of peace ; as the sense of our
need of God's mercy makes us merciful to men, so
the sense of our need of peace with God makes
us peaceable with men.
This confutes their folly that say forwardness in
religion makes men turbulent. Most wretchedly
doth profane men sin against God's people in that
aspersion, for they are called to peace, and are the
most peaceable people in the world. But let all
that fear God even shew the fruit of their holy
calling by approving themselves to be lovers of
peace. In one body. The second reason is taken from
their mutual relation amongst themselves, they are
members of one body, and as it is unnatural and
unseemly to see a man tear his own flesh, so it is
most unnatural and unseemly for Christians to bite

332

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

and devour one another, by jarring and complaining,
and wrangling one with another; ancl we should
hence learn to speak all one thing, and have all one
faith, and one heart, and so live in peace that the
God of love and peace may be with us. But of
this mystical union in the former chapter.
Thus of peace ; thankfulness follows.
And be ye thankful. Thankfulness is either to
God or men. It is the latter here is meant : thank
fulness to men must be considered in itself, and in
the amiable performance of it, for the word is by
some rendered amiable. And it may be it notes
but the right manner of affecting in giving or re
ceiving thanks.
This thankfulness hath in it principally gratitude,
that is, thanks in words, yet it may contain also
gratuities, that is, tokens of goodwiU whereby we
endeavour indeed to recompense good for good.
Thankfulness is sometimes in desire, sometimes
in deed. It is true thankfulness unfeignedly to de
sire opportunity to shew it.
Thankfulness may be due not only to godly men,
but also to wicked men ; yea, such as turn to be
our enemies, we should watch to the opportunities
of doing them good though they be evil.
Now, the amiableness required is either in him
that must perform thankfulness, or in him that must
receive it.
In' performing thankfulness we must observe these
rules : first, It must be wholly ; secondly, It must
be in all places ; thirdly, It must be without flattery,
or insinuation to beg new favours ; fourthly. It
must be without the favouring of the Aices of
others. In receiving thanks there are these three rules :
1. That he intend not to bring into bondage by
shewing of kindness, for so to receive kindness were
to lose a man's liberty.
2. That out of pride he wax not conceited by
complaining of unthankfulness, for the mere want of
manner or measure he expects, where he might see
it comes not of ingratitude, or a will not to give
thanks, but merely out of natural defect, or want of
skill or will to compliment it.
3. That he water what he hath sowed, that is,
labour to keep kindness afoot by nourishing it at
fit occasions and opportunities of doing good.

Ver. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Hitherto of the special rules of holy conversing
with men : The general rules follow, ver. 16, 17,
and they concern :
1. The means of holy life, ver. 16, viz., the word.
2. The end of holy life, ver. 17., viz., the glory
of Christ.
The 16th verse contains an exhortation to the
careful, and plentiful, and frequent use of the word.
Doctrine from coherence.
The word is the principal means not only to
make us rehgious and holy in our behaviour to
wards God, but also to make us righteous, just,
and amiable in our carriage towards men. It is
the Avord that makes us : 1. New creatures, 1 Pet.
i. 23, James i. 18 ; 2. Humble, Isa. lxvi. 2 ; 3 Meek,
Ps. xiv. 4, where it is called, ' the word of meek
ness,' not because it requires it, and containeth dis
course of the praises of it, but by effect, because it
makes men so ; 4. Patient and long-suffering, Rev.
iii. 10, ' The word of my patience.' It begets
patience, yea, such patience as Christ wUl own, yea,
such as by influence comes from Christ by means of
the word ; 5. Clement, able to forbear and forgive,
James iii. 1 7 ; 6. Loving, able to express in carriage
the affections and duties of love, Phil. i. 9, ii. 14,
16; 7. Peaceable, Isa. ii. 2, 4. The Avord shall
judge all strife, so as men shall not only lay aside
the effects and means of contention and hostUity,
but become by the poAver of the word wiUing to
' serve one another in love,' yea, to abide the
' labour of love,' noted by mattocks and scythes.
No work so base or laborious but godly men, per
suaded by the Avord, AviU undertake them for the
good and peace of the church and their brethren.
I might instance in the rest of the virtues, but these
shall suffice.
Use. This should inform us concerning the causes
of the vicioushess of the lives of the most. It is
because they so stubbornly rebel against the word,
either refusing to hear it, or hardening their heart
against the working of it. And secondly, If we
find our corruptions in ourselves to get head, and
make us not only a burden to ourselves, but an

Ver. 16.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

333

offence to our brethren, we should come to the
word and to Christ's ministers, for there Ave may
find help if Ave will be advised ; and if our servants
and children in their carriage be disordered, we
should bring them to God's house, that there they
may be framed to a greater care of their behaviour
in our house.
Thus of the coherence.
This verse in itself contains an exhortation con
cerning the word of God ; and thus he exhorts to
the right use : first, Of the word in general ; se
condly, Of one part of the word, which is the
Psalms. Concerning the word in general, here is
to be considered : first, The author of it, ' word of
Christ ; ' secondly, The manner of entertainment of
the word, let it ' dwell in you plenteously in all
wisdom ; ' thirdly, The end or use it should be put
to: 1. To' 'teach' in what we know not; 2.
To ' admonish- ' in what we do not.
Word of Christ. Aoyog, the word, is taken some
times for Christ himself, John i. 1. And so it is
true that we should labour that the Word Christ
should dwell in us. Sometimes for preaching, Acts
xx. 7, and so it is true that Ave should grow so
careful and skilful in remembering the sermons we
hear, that our hearts should be stored with riches of
that kind. Sometimes for memorable sayings, Acts
ii. 22, xx. 35, 1 Tim. iv. 9, 2 Tim. ii. 11, Tit. i. 3, 6,
Heb. vii. 28, Rom. xiii. 9. And so it is true that a
Christian should be so familiarly acquainted with
scriptures, that all the memorable sayings in them
should be ready in their memories.
But to come nearer: By 'the word of Christ' some
• understand the counsels and exhortations of Christ
concerning the contemning of the world, to the in
tent to devote ourselves to the contemplation of
heavenly things. Some understand the promises in
scripture concerning Christ, or to be had in him.
Some understand that part of the scripture which
Christ by his own mouth uttered. It is true that in
every of these, a Christian should be exceeding rich.
But I take it that all these senses are too strait
and narrow for this place. By ' the word of Christ,'
therefore, I understand, the whole word of God con
tained in both the Old ancl New Testaments. And
this is said to be the word of Christ four ways :
First, As Christ is the subject of it ; the sum of

the word is Christ ; secondly, As it is the proper
inheritance and riches of the body of Christ, the
dowry he hath bestowed upon his church ; thirdly,
As he is the conserving cause of it ; fourthly, As he
is the author of it ; and so I take it here principally
to be meant.
Christ is the author of the word : first, In respect
of inspiration, 2 Pet. i. 21. Secondly, In respect of
commission to his ambassadors, Titus i. 3 ; he doth not
only indite the embassage, but gives commission to
the ambassadors. Thirdly, In respect of confirma
tion, externally, Mark xvi. 20, by the signs that
follow it ; and internaUy, by the seal of the Spirit,
Eph. i. 13. Fourthly, In respect of personal pro
mulgation of' it, in that, in the Old Testament, in
human shape he appeared to declare it to Adam,
Abraham, Jacob, and the patriarchs, and also by
visions to the prophets ; and in the New Testament
by incarnation, taking truly our nature, did, by
lively voice, in his own person preach the gospel to
men. Fifthly, In respect of energy, or the power
and efficacy of the word, which wholly depends
upon Christ, and is shewn by the groAving of the
word notAvithstanding all oppositions, and that it
cannot be bound, though the ministers of it suffer,
2 Tim. ii. 9 ; and in the difference of power between
Christ's ministers and hirelings ; yea, hence it is so
lively and mighty in operation, that it discerns and
discovers the very secrets of men, and tells tales of
the hearers, Heb. iv. 12, 13.
Use. The use is either more general or more
special; more general, either for information, to
satisfy us concerning the hard sayings in scripture,
and the experience of the truth" of that, John viii.
43, viz., that wicked men ' cannot hear the words of
Christ.' It comes from the sovereign majesty and
secret excellency of the word, and the spiritual
nature of it, as the word of Christ, removed from
the sense of the carnal reason and fleshly affections
of unregenerate men. And also this serves for
instruction, and that either negatively or affirma
tively. Negatively, the use is, therefore, take heed of
sinning against the word of Christ ; and as men sin
against the Avord many ways, so principally six
ways :
First, By contemning of it, John xii. 48, Heb. ii. 2 ;

334

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

secondly, By betraying it to Satan, letting him steal
it out of our hearts, Mat. xiii. 20 ; thirdly, By chok
ing it with cares and lusts, Mat. xiii. 21 ; fourthly, By
making it of none effect (axvgovvng) by traditions ;
fifthly, By a proud challenging of the knowledge of
it to ourselves, 1 Cor. xiv. 36 ; sixthly, By being
ashamed of our obedience or profession of the words
of Christ when we are amongst sinful and wicked
men, Mat. viii. 38.
Affirmatively, it may teach us four things :
1. To receive the Avord of God with all humility
and meekness, James i. 21.
2. To receive it with faith, Heb. iv. 2.
3. To glorify the word of God, Acts xiii. 48 ;
which we do, first, When We ascribe the praise, not
to men, but to Christ ; secondly, When we esteem
it more than the words of the greatest men.
4. To be careful of our carriage and practice, that
so the word of Christ which we profess be not evil
spoken of, Titus ii. 5 : for the blame of our evil life
will be laid upon the word ; they will say, This is
tlieir gadding to sermons !
In special, seeing the word is the word of Christ,
it should teach,
First, Ministers four things :
1. To teach it with boldness, h vrao^aia, not fear
ing the face of any man, Acts v. 31.
2. To attend upon the word only, and not meddle
with civU businesses. Is it meet to leave the word
of Christ to serve tables ? Acts vi. 2.
3. To humble themselves to walk with God in so
good a function. ' Who is sufficient for these things? '
We speak not our own words, or the words of men ;
for then wit, reading, learning, and direction might
perfect us ; but we speak the words of Christ, and
therefore our fitness and sufficiency to speak to
men's consciences comes of the immediate blessing
and assistance of Christ.
4. To deliver the word with all faithfulness,
studying to approve themselves as the workmen of
God, seeing they deliver the word of God, dividing
the word aright, 2 Tim. ii. 15, holding fast the faith
ful word of doctrine, Titus i. 9 ; not making mer
chandise of the word, but as of sincerity, and as of
God, in the sight of God, speaking in Christ, 2 Cor.
ii. 17; casting from them the cloak of shame, not
walking in craftiness, nor handling the word deceit

fully, but in declaring the truth ; approving them
selves to every man's conscience in the sight of God,
2 Cor. iv. 2.
Secondly, The people, to embrace the Avord, press
to it, never be ashamed of it nor give it over, but
receive it constantly with joy, though it cost them
much pains and many crosses and disgraces, 2 Thes.
i. 5 ; for this constant receiving of and cleaving to
the word makes them exceeding dear to Christ — as
dear as his mother and his brethren. This is the
choosing of the best part, Luke x. 42 ; this is a sign
that they are the disciples of Christ, John vih. 31,
that they love Christ indeed, John xiv. 23, 34, that
they be in Christ, 1 John ii. 5. She said well that
said of Christ, 'Blessed was the Avomb that bare
thee, and the breasts that gave thee suck ;' but Christ
adds, that ' they are more blessed that hear the word
of Christ and keep it,' Luke xi. 28. The blessed
Virgin was more happy in that she conceived Christ
in her heart than that she bare him in her womb.
Thus of the author of the word.
The entertainment of the word follows ; and here
the apostle designs, first, The subject persons,
'you;' secondly, The measure, ' dwell plenteously;'
thirdly, The manner, ' in all Avisdom.'
First, I consider of the expositions of all the
words, which are very full of senses, and then make
use of all together.
In you. These Avords note unto us two things :
first, The persons who must entertain; secondly,
The place where, ' in you,' that is, in your hearts.
First, For the persons. The apostle would have
us know, that not only clergymen, (Epaphras and
Archippus,) but laymen of all sorts, are tied to the
study of scriptures.
I distribute the sorts :
First, Young men as well as the gray hairs, 1 John
h. 1 2 ; for the Avoid helps them to overcome the
devil, even all temptations to lust and ungodliness
whatsoever; yea, by the blessing of God, many
times it makes them Aviser than the ancient, Ps.
cxix. 100.
Secondly, Distressed men as well as such as live
at ease and prosperity, and abound in leisure ; I say,
such as have many cares and troubles, distressed
either by crosses, Ps. cxix. 92, or by persecutions,
Ps. cxix. 87, or by contempt, Ps. cxix. 141.

Ver. 16.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

335

Thirdly, Ignorant men as well as learned men ;
such as are simple in respect of natural parts, or
untaught in respect of education, are tied as well as
others ; they may not say they were not brought up
to learning ; for many times simple and unlearned
people, in the very entrance into the word, Ps. cxix.
129, 130, when they bring good and holy desires
Avith them, get more light of the wonders of God's
law in few weeks, than many great, learned men do
in all their days, for sound saving knowdedge.
Fourthly, Women as well as men are bound here
unto, Prov. xxxi. 26, i. 8 ; yea, such women as are
full of business and cares ; not good women or wives,
but good housewives also are tied ; yea, not only to
learn the word, but to teach it, as the places sheAV.
Thus of the persons,
Secondly, ' In you,' notes the place that the word
must be entertained in ; in you, that is, in your
minds, for contemplation ; in your hearts, for holy
desires and affections ; in your consciences, to guide
them to a holy manner of giving sentence, Sec.
This is that which is promised to all the faithful in
the covenant of grace, Jer. xxxi. 33, and nqjed as
the sign ofthe righteous, Ps. xxxvii. 21.
Dwell. A metaphor borrowed from household
entertainment, and. notes three things unto us ;
1. That the word should be familiar to us, and
known of us readily, and we so acquainted with it
as with our brethren or sisters : ' Say unto Avisdom,
Thou art my sister,' &c, Prov. vii. 4. To note, that
as in nature he is accounted a singular idiot that
knows not his own brothers or sisters, so in religion,
in God's account it is extreme simplicity and blind
ness not to be familiarly acquainted with the
grounds of behaviour and comfort as they are
contained in the word.
2. That it should be domestical ; we must get it
into our houses, as well as our churches, and that
three ways : first, When we come home from God's
house we should keep the word taught afoot by
repetition of it, and by talking of it upon all occa
sions, that the life of doctrine be not lost. Secondly,
There is required a familiar teaching, and plain and
familiar instructing of servants, distilling of the
principles and profitable precepts of the law as they
are able. God gave his testimonies to Israel, not
that the clergymen should have them in the temple

and synagogue, but that parents should have them
in their several dwellings to instruct tlieir children
and their children's children, Ps. lxxviii. 5, 6, Deut.
vi. Thirdly, The admonitions, rebukes, counsels,
and encouragements used in the family should be
grounded on the word ; for conscience only is the
fountain of all right subjection and obedience. The
bonds of nature, because he came out of thy loins,
or the bonds of policy, because he is thy hired
servant, are too weak to enforce, of themselves, a
constant, and cheerful, and just subjection. The
true reason why men speed so ill in their servants
and children is because they nurture them with
their own words, but distil not into their consciences
the words of Christ.
Quest, But to Avhat end should there need all this
ado about the scriptures in our houses ? what good
comes of it ?
Ans, If it be not intimated sufficiently before,
yet plainly understand that the word is to be exer
cised in our houses : first, As a refuge against afflic
tion and domestical crosses, both to direct and
comfort us, Ps. cxix. 143, 147, 165; secondly, As a
means of instruction to our ignorant children and
servants ; thirdly, As a means of the sanctification
of the creatures, and our callings, 1 Tim. iv. 4 ;
lastly, Seeing Satan will tempt us, and our natures
AviU be vicious not only in God's house, but in our
OAvn houses, we have reason to carry the medicine
to the fore, and to bring the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God, home with us, and draAV
it there, seeing the devil will cast his fiery darts
there. He that is in danger of a subtle and furious
enemy always must look unto two things : first,
That he hath on all his armour ; secondly, That he
be ready at all times, in all places, when his adver
sary will encounter with him. A malicious and
skilful adversary desires but to find his enemy
unarmed in one part of his body, or in one place ;
so is it with us, for because men have no sword of
the Spirit at home, therefore it comes to pass that
men that have good affections in God's house have
base and vile affections in their own houses. Thirdly,
It notes that the word must be constantly enter
tained and exercised in our houses, Ps. cxix. 112 •
for they are not said to dwell Avith men that lodge
there only for a night or a day or two, so the sudden

336

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[Chap. III.

and passionate use of the Avord now and then will
not serve it.
Plenteously. The original Avord, kXciiksiwc, notes
two things : 1. The measure, and so it is Avell
rendered ' plenteously ;' 2. The Avorth of the know
ledge of the Avord, and so it is by some rendered
'richly.' In the first sense, it teacheth us that Ave
should labour by all means to abound in the know
ledge and use of the word. It should be not in a
scant and sparing measure, or in some parts of it,
but we should groAV from measure to measure, and
from knoAvledge to knowledge. In the second sense,
it teacheth us that the knowledge of the Avord is the
Christian's riches; so he saith, 1 Cor. i. 5, 'rich in all
speech and knowledge.' Christians should account
their utterance in holy and profitable speeches and
conferences, and the inward notions of saving know
ledge, as their best Avealth, so as they should never
think themselves poor so long as they may have
plenty of knoAvledge in the use of the means. Thus
David reckons of his wealth : ' God's statutes more
dear to him than thousands of gold and silver,'
Ps. cxix. 72 ; and that knowledge he can get from
the word out of God's treasury, maugre the malice
and power of the devil or evil men, he accounts
more worth than rich spoils, Ps. cxix. 162 ; this may
appear in the contrary in the case of the Laodiceans,
Rev. iii. 18, 19.
In all wisdom'. Wisdom is sometimes taken for
virtue, as folly is for sin; but here I take it for
knowledge, and that not as the gaining of heavenly
wisdom is the end of the entertainment of the Avord,
but as it notes the manner hoAv we should entertain
the word. This wise manner of entertaining the
word I consider both negatively and affirmatively.
Negatively : to handle the Avord wisely is not to
handle or use it: first, Coldly, fruitlessly, or unaptly;
secondly, Perversely, in wresting the word to ill
ends, to nourish curiosity, ambition, or sin ; thirdly,
Carnally, as the Capernaites, that know no flesh of
Christ but the flesh of his body, nor any eating but
carnal ; fourthly, Not indiscreetly ; when Ave come
abroad into company, we should so profess and use
the word as that we dishonour it not by indis
cretion, by not heeding places, times, occasions,
Sec. Affirmatively: to use the Avord Avisely is, in the

general, especially to teach ourselves, and to this
end : first, To understand it. Secondly, To seek
profitable things, not curious and pleasing things
only. Thirdly, So to try all things as to keep that
which is good; good, I say, particularly, and for our
own use ; there be some things in hearing, reading,
&c, that do exceedingly not only affect us, but are
in special manner fitting us; now it is a special wis
dom to keep these things whatsoever else we lose.
Fourthly, To wait upon all the opportunities of get
ting profit by the word, to know our seasons, Jer.
viii. 7. Fifthly, In carriage abroad, not to be so
indiscreetly open in the discovery of our minds, and
knowledge, and opinions, as to be catched by the
fraud of any, and to this end not to trust all that
feign themselves to be just men, Luke xx. 20.
In all ivisdom. ' AU' for measure, 'all' for diversity
of the things known, 'all' for sincerity ofthe observa
tion of the rules of wisdom; in the manner of enter
taining the word ; ' all Avisdom,' that is, all necessary
to salvation.
Thus of the explication.
The uses follow, and those are either general from
all the words, or special from each of them. The
general uses are for reproof, information, instruction,
or consolation.
1. For reproof: if it must be thus of all enter
tained, Iioav great a sin is it to neglect or contemn
the word ! and inasmuch as this is a great and com- •
mon sin, it is required and requited by God with
four singular curses. The first judgment upon the
contemners of the Avord is, that all the comforts of
the word are unto them as a sealed book, Isa. xxix.
11; so as that word which is to the faithful a Avell-
head of all true and sound joy, unto them is of no
taste or poAver ; they can find some savour in any
pursuits and sports, dire, but none in the Avord. The
second judgment is, that Avhen they do, for fashion,
or for fear, and other ill ends, come to hear the
preaching of the word, they are many times slain by
the word of God's mouth, and the prophets even
mow down scores, hundreds, and thousands of them,
so as they are pierced and galled, smitten and
buffeted Avith the terrors of the Avord, (wliich is only
open to rebuke them,) and they see that threatening
many times comprehends under it multitudes of
men.

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337

Object. But this comes only of the severity of the
teachers, that set themselves to preach damnation,
and to utter terrible things.
Ans. This was the objection in the prophet Micah
his time, Micah ii. 7, and uttered by such as bare
the name of Jacob, to whom all the promises did
belong; and they were answered by the prophet,
that for resolving of their doubt, they should ask
two questions of their own consciences. The first
Avas, Whether they thought their works were like the
Avorks of Jacob and the rest of the ancient saints, to
whom such comforts did belong ? or whether such
vile profaneness ancl wickedness were found in
Jacob as was apparently found in them? The se
cond question was, Whether they did not see that
the words of God were ahvays good to such as walk
uprightly ? In all which he shews that it is not the
uncharitable severity of God's servants, (for the
doctrine is good to good men,) but the vile pro
faneness and contempt of the word in the people,
that made them liable to such terrors in the word.
The third judgment is, that all civil praises in men
that contemn the wisdom of God in the word are
singularly vile in God's sight, Jer. viii. 8, 9, and he
instructeth in wisdom.
Lastly, ' Salvation is far from the Avicked,' Ps.
cxix. 155; because they seek not God's statutes, the
evidence of the hope of a better life is removed
from them, so as, speaking from their own sense,
they avouch it that no man can be sure of eternal
life to himself. And if in the general the profane
neglect of the word be thus sought out and judged
of God, then surely those persons must needs be in
great danger that never opened their doors to the
word, never taught their children and servants,
scarce ever had a bible in their houses ; but
especially such as shun the word as a true rock of
offence. Yea, many of God's children may be justly
rebuked in this, that they are so far from shewing
that the word hath dwelt plenteously in them, that
whereas for time and the plenty and power of the
means, they might have been teachers, they have
need again to be taught the very principles, Heb. v.
12, 13; and they shew it that they are so inexpert
and unskUful in the word of righteousness.
2. The second general use is for information. See
the admirable largeness of the word and the perfect

ness above all other things under the sun, Ps. cxix.
96. It is good for worship in the temple, it is good
for our affairs in the family, it is of use in prosperity
and in adversity, it fits for the profit of all sorts of
men, at all times, and in all places, and so doth
nothing else in the Avorld.
3. The third general use is for instruction. The
meditation of the entertainment of the word in all
these Avords required should teach us to open our
churches, open our houses, yea, our hearts and all,
for the word. And to this end to consecrate our
selves to the study of the word in all the means,
both public and private.
Object. But if I should, it will be in vain, I have
such an ill memory, &c.
Ans. 'The beginning of the word is truth,' Ps.
cxix. 160; and men should find by experience the
contrary to their fears, if they in sincerity sought
unto God in the word. And as for ill memory, Ave
must know that a good memory is the gift of God,
as well as a good heart, and no man hath it naturally.
Wicked men may have large memories, but not
sanctified to contain holy things ; and therefore if
men would seek to God in uprightness of desire,
whatsoever they lost, yet the judgment or answer of
God in the word preached, or by reading or con
ference, (which resolveth their doubts, pointeth at
the means to redress their corruptions, Sec,) should
not be wholly forgotten. ' The judgments of his
righteousness endure for ever.' That part of know
ledge that particularly answers their desires, or the
experience of their want in themselves, this shall be
deeply imprinted in them by God, so as the virtue
thereof shall never be lost. To conclude, seeing the
Holy Ghost requires all careful entertainment of the
word, we should do that unto it that we would do
for the entertaining of some great man into our
houses. 1. Make clean the room of our hearts,
purge out hypocrisy, malice, &c. 2. When the word
is come in, molest it not, take heed of strange affec
tions, passions, and lusts. 3. Receive it with joy,
and express all the signs of joy.
4. The last general use is for consolation unto all
such as love the word. They should encourage
themselves, and say with David, ' Thy statutes shall
be my song so long as I continue in the house of my
pilgrimage.'
2u

338

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

Object. But our inAvard desires and delights in the
word are mixed with outward disgraces and scorns
of men : we are reproached, slandered, rebuked, Sec.
Ans. ' Hearken unto me, ye that know righteous
ness,' (not ye that talk of it, or hear them that teach
it, but ye that know indeed what sincerity means,)
and ye of the people ' in Avhose hearts are my laws,'
Isa. li. 7; as if God would wish them to look up
and see the great reward of then well-doing.
Object. But they might say, we are taunted, and
threatened, and disgraced.
Ans. ' Fear not the reproach of men, nor be afraid
of their rebukes.'
Object. But we see that Avicked scorners escape
unpunished, and are in better credit doing ill than
we doing well.
Ans. Though God do not by sudden judgments
destroy them all at once, yet he promiseth that his
curse shall secretly and insensibly eat them, as the
moth. God doth daily judge them, though we see
it not ; and for the faithful, their righteousness shall
never be taken away by the reproaches of men, but
it will endure for ever, Sec, Isa. li. 7, 8.
Thus of the uses in general.
From the particular consideration of each of the
words, divers special uses may be made.
Dwell. First, If the word must dwell AAith us, it
should teach us to practise what we are here ex
horted, — get the word into our houses, let it so dwell
with us that nothing found more in a Christian
house than the word ; that is to live comfortably.
This is to live in the- shadow of the Almighty, Ps.
xci. 1, in the very light of God's countenance, Ps.
cxl. A house without the word is a very dungeon
of darkness. To exercise ourselves in the law, it
will give our hearts rest in the days of evil, Ps. xciv.
12. The father's commandment and the mother's
instruction would lead our children and servants
when they walk ; it would watch for them when
they sleep ; and when they wake, it would talk with
them ; it would be a lantern, and the very way of
life to them. It would keep them from the strange
woman, Prov. vi. 20-25 ; there would not be such
filthiness in many houses as now commonly appears
to be. What can better preserve Jacob from con
fusion, or his face from being pale, than if he might
see his children, the work of God's hand, framed

and fitted by the word in regeneration and the
duties of new obedience? This would make reli
gious parents to sanctify God's name, even to sanctify
the holy one, and with singular encouragement from
the God of Israel, Isa. xxix. 22, 23.
In you. Secondly, In that the people are made the
subject persons to be exhorted hereunto, it plainly
confutes the opinion and-practice of the papists, that
either hide the word in a strange tongue, or prohibit
private men from the domestical and daily use of it.
But the apostle doth not envy it in the Lord's people,
that the word should dweU plenteously in them as
well as in clergymen.
Plenteously. Thirdly, In that he requires the Avord
should not only dwell Avith us, but for measure be
plenteously there, it should teach us in practice to
endeavour it. But for explication of this use, I con
sider of two questions to answer them :
Quest. 1. What must we do that the word might
be in us plenteously, and the knowledge of it
abound ?
Ans. Six things are to be practised : 1. We must
walk at liberty, freeing our heads from worldly
cares, lusts, and delights, Ps. cxix. 45. 2. We
must avoid evil company, and say Avith David,
' Away from me all ye wicked, for I seek God's sta
tutes,' Ps. cxix. 115. 3. We must strive to take
away the lets of the practice of what we do know :
this David calls the hfting up of his hands to God's
law, Ps. cxix. 48. 4. We must exercise ourselves
in the Avord day and night, in reading, hearing,
meditating, conference, propounding of doubts, and
comparing of places; and all times, by aU ways,
turning ourselves into all forms to gain knowledge.
5. We should by prayer beseech God to do two
things for us : first, To give us the spirit of revela
tion, Eph. i. 18 ; secondly, To give us larger hearts,
Ps. cxix. 32. 6. We must be thankful for what
knowledge we do get by the means, Ps. cxix. 171.
Quest. 2. But hoAv may Ave know whether the
word do dwell plenteously in us ?
Ans. It may be tried and discovered seven ways :
1. By our growth in true humility and meekness,
Ps. xv. 3. 2. By the confirmation of the testimony
of Jesus in our hearts, 1 Cor. i. 5, 6. 3. By the
measure of our groAvth in the love of God and his
people ; yea, and thus we may try our declining in

Ver. 16.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

339

the vigour of knowledge, (for knowledge had in
abundance may be blasted, and grow singularly dull
and feeble,) for as our affections to the means, and
to God's children is, so is the vigour of our know
ledge. He must not say he knows God that hates
his brother; yea, and so will it serve for trial to
every one in the degrees of ascending or declination
even in God's children. 4. By the desires and secret
muses of our hearts, for then we grow in knowledge
and have store of it when we can say as David
doth, ' I have remembered thy name, 0 Lord, in the
night,' Ps. cxix. 35 ; and as the church saith, ' The
desires of our souls is to thy name, and to the
remembrance of thee, and our spirits within us seek
after thee,' Isa. xxvi. 9. 5. By our confidence in it.
A man that hath gotten a great deal of wealth, money
or lands, enlargeth his heart to a great confidence
in it ; so a Christian hath gotten a great deal of
saving knowledge when he is able to make it his
portion in all estates, whatsoever befalls him, Ps.
cxix. 57 ; it shews men have but a little of the word
in them when every cross can dissolve their rest and
confidence. By our measure of liberty from the
power and bondage of special corruptions, John viii.
31,32. 7. By our ability in admonishing. They are
full of goodness and knowledge that are able to
admonish, Rom. xv. 14.
Richly. Fourthly, In that the word must dwell in
us richly, it may serve : 1. For reproof, and that two
ways : (1.) Of men's worldliness, that think any
other riches would serve the turn, but to be rich in
God they never desire it, but all in vain, as the
parable shews, Luke xii. ; (2.) Of men's hypocrisy,
they say they are rich when they are not, Rev. iii.
18. 2. For instruction, therefore let heaven suffer
violence : a Christian should be no more aweary of
his pains in seeking this riches of the word than
carnal men are of their worldly profits; yea, we
should pray God so to quicken us that we may keep
his testimonies as we would keep treasure, Ps. cxix.
11, Ixxxviii. 72.
Lastly, In that he adds, ' in all wisdom,' it should
teach us, first, To pray to God with David, that he
would ' teach us good judgment and knowledge,' Ps.
cxix. 66 ; and secondly, To make conscience, as to
get understanding of the word, so to use wisdom
and discretion, both in the bettering of our know

ledge, and in practising the same. . The same scrip
ture that binds us to a plentiful use of the word
binds us to a wise use of it.
Thus of the second thing, viz., the entertainment
we must give to the word ; the end or use the word
should be put to folloAvs.
Teaching and admonishing yourselves or one an
other, viz., your fellow-members and "partakers with
you of the same promises and hope.
These words may be referred either to the general
exhortation before, or to the particular charge con
cerning psalms or hymns afterwards. I principally
consider them as referred to the general exhortation
before ; and so I note, that though there be many
good effects of the word, or many uses it should be
put to, yet teaching about things not known, and
admonishing about things known and not practised,
are chief.
Object. It seems this place favours the opinion of
such as hold that Christian neighbours met together
upon the Lord's day, or at other times Avhen there is
no public exercise, may labour to edify themselves,
by instructing one another out of the word pri
vately. Ans. It is not unlawful so to do ; and this place doth
approve of it, so as they keep themselves within their
bounds, viz., that the matter taught be not against
piety, the true peace of Zion ; and that the manner
be plain and familiar, as family instruction should
be, by keeping afoot public doctrine, by conference,
propounding of doubts, or instructing of the igno
rant out of such places as they do undoubtedly un
derstand. Concerning teaching, we must know that God
doth teach by his Spirit, Neh. ix. 20, by his rod, Isa.
xxvi. 9, and by his word, so here ; but that which
we are here to note is, that the word is to be used
by every Christian, even for instruction; this is
the end why the law was given, Exod. xxiv. 12;
a wise man having gotten knowledge into his
head, must by his lips spread it abroad, Prov.
xv. 7.
Quest. But whom must we teach ?
Ans. Principally ourselves, so as we consider our
own ways to turn our feet into God's testimonies,
Ps. cxix. 59 ; yet also we are to teach one another,
when we spy our brethren to be ignorant ; so should

340

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

not only ministers do, but masters of families, and
every Christian in conversing with others.
Admonishing. Man is admonished : 1. By the
rebukes of the law, James ii. 9 ; 2. By the example
of scripture, 1 Cor. x. 11 ; 3. By the Spirit of God,
Isa. xxx. 21 ; 4. By the conscience in Avicked men
manytimes ; 5. Men are rebuked by their own words,
Job xv. 6 ; 6. By the words of other men, especially
as admonition is grounded on the words of God ;
so here.
Concerning admonition I propound four things :
1. Who may admonish? 2. Who are to be ad
monished ? 3. How ? 4. The uses.
Quest. 1. Who may admonish?
Ans. Ministers may, 2 Tim. iv. 12; parents may,
Eph. vi. 4 ; yea, men ought not to reject the ad
monitions of their wives, Gen. xxi. 12 ; nay, which
is more, they may not despise the judgment of their
servants, Job xxxi. 13.
Quest. 2. Who are to be admonished ?
Ans. I consider it, 1 : Negatively : not : —
(1.) They that sin against the Holy Ghost.
(2.) Heretical men after once or twice warning,
Titus iii. 10.
(3.) Not stubborn, wilful, scornful, profane per
sons ; not dogs and swine, Mat. vii. ; not the
scorner, Prov. ix. 8.
(4.) If it be about wrongs and abuses offered to
us, either by hypocritical friends or open enemies,
it is a godly man's part, at some times and in some
places, to be ' deaf and dumb, as if they understood
not, or as men in whose mouths are no reproof,'
Ps. xxxAiii. 14.
2. Affirmatively : in general every man, Acts xx.
31. In particular, I instance only in some sorts of
men. We must admonish unruly professors, 1 Thes.
v. 14; besides, ordinary wicked men that appear
not to be scorners, not only may but ought to be
. admonished, that the light may manifest their works,
Eph. v. 11, that they may become sounder in the
faith, Titus i. 13; and though this be not amongst
men for the time any whit pleasing, yet the blessing
of goodness shall come upon them ; whilst they that
flatter men in their sins, and say to the Avicked, Thou
art righteous, shall be cursed and hated of the mul
titude, Prov. xxiv. 24 ; yea, none are so Avise and
godly but they may be admonished, Prov. ix. 9 ;

such as are full of goodness and knowledge, able to
admonish others, Rom. xv. 14 ; but it should be our
most usual and principal labour to admonish our own
souls, and reprove our ways in God's sight, Job xxiii.
15 ; for it is a special way by which a wise man may
be profitable to himself, Job xxii. 2.
Quest. 3. What rules are to be observed in admo
nition ?
Ans. In admonition we must consider, first, How
to perform it ; secondly, How to receive it. In per
forming admonition, we must especially look to two
things : first, That the ground of admonition be out
of the Avord of God, being the words of Christ, not
our own words. To this end we should store our
selves, and hold fast the faithful word according to
doctrine. First, We should be constantly stored
with grounds out of the Avoid, both for matters of
opinion, and against the corruptions of man's hfe,
and for performance of holy duties, that as we have
occasion we may rebuke, Sec, Titus i. 6 ; secondly,
We must see that the manner of admonition be right.
Admonition is to be performed : first, With inno
cency; we must not be faulty ourselves, or if we have
been, we must plainly acknowledge it before we ad
monish ; secondly, With discretion, which must be
shewn in three things : first, That we be sure that
they have offended, not led to it by suspicion of our
own hearts, or by hearsay, or by outward appear
ance, not judge by the hearing of our ears, and sight
of our eyes, Isa. xi. 3 ; secondly, That if we know
it to be an offence, we must consider whether it be
not of the number of those offences a Avise man must
hold his glory to pass by, Prov. xix. 11 ; thirdly,
That it be done seasonably, Avith love, admonishing
as a brother, 2 Thes. iii. 15 ; fourthly, With meekness,
Gal. vi. 1 ; fifthly, With secrecy, Mat. xviii. 15, Prov.
xxv. 9 ; sixthly, With plainness, spare no words to
satisfy them, Lev. xix. 17; seventhly, With com
passion and tenderness, 2 Cor. ii. 4 ; eighthly, With
perseverance, Prov. xiii. 19, we must not be weary
and discouraged, but accomplish it; ninthly, With
all authority, Titus ii. 15, that neither ourselves nor
God's ordinances be despised.
In receiving admonition, Ave must look to four
things. We must receive admonition : first, With
love and holy estimation, 1 Thes. v. 12, Ps. cxli. 7;
secondly, With all humility, readily inclined to

Ver. 16.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

341

suspect ourselves, knowing that we have cause to
say and think of ourselves as that worthy man did,
' I am more foolish than any man, and have not the
understanding of aman in me,' Sec, Prov. xxx. 2,
3 ; thirdly, With subjection and direct acknowledg
ment, giving glory to God; fourthly, With refor
mation, else all is in vain.
The uses are : first, To teach us therefore to stir
up ourselves to perform this mercy in admonishing,
for a wise man, even Solomon's wise man, that is, a
religious wise man, may learn wisdom by it, Prov.
ix. 9. Yea, it is as a golden ear-ring to the wise and
obedient ear, Prov. xxv. 12. And he that rebuketh,
shall find more favour at the length, than he that
flattereth with his tongue, Prov. xxviii. 23. Men
are said to be pulled out of the fire by admonition,
Jude 22, 23. Secondly, We must take heed of
sinning against admonition. Now, men sin against
admonition three ways : first, In not performing
it. This hath very ill effects, such as these : not
admonishing breeds dwelling suspicions ; suspicions
breed a very habit of misinterpretation ; misinterpre
tation begets a lothness to come unto the light, to
shew the reasons of dislike ; this lothness begets
a very separation in heart ; separation begets a
decay of love to the means ; decay of respect to the^
means begets a decay of zeal and gifts, and from
hence there is a highway to internal or external
apostasy, or some great judgments of God.
Secondly, In not performing it aright, as when
men make their wrath to fall upon the fatherless,
or dig pits for their friends, Job vi. 27 ; or when
men respect God's person, Job xiii. 8, 9, and make
the pretence of God's cause, glory, name, Sec, to be
the colour for the venting of their own particular
envy and dislike ; or when men never have done,
but grow impudent, and reproach men ten times,
and are not ashamed, Job xix. 3. To conclude,
when men fail in the manner before described,
Avant innocency, discretion, meekness, love, &c.
Thirdly, In not receiving admonition; and thus
men fail diversely, when men shift, excuse, deny,
extenuate, Sec, and yet in heart be convinced; or
when men fall into passion, or grudging, or traducing
afterwards ; or when men would fain make the
admonisher to sin in the word, and lay snares for
him that rebukes, Isa, xxix. 21. But there are

some are worse than any of these, for they are such
as none dares declare their way unto their face.
Men dare not, they are so passionate and haughty ;
but God will lay them in the slimy valley where are
many already hke them, and innumerable more
shall come after them, Job xxi. 31, 32. Many are
the ill effects of resisting admonition. It is a sign
of a scorner, Prov. xiii. 1, xv. 12, and that men are
out of the way, Prov. xv. 10, it brings temporal
judgments and shame upon them, Prov. xiii. 18,
Hosea iv. 4, 5 ; men may also come to that horrible
condition, by resisting admonition, that they being
perverted, shall go about damned of their own souls,
Titus iii. 10, 11.
Thus of the general exhortation.
The special exhortation concerns one part of the
word, and that is the psalms, Avhich are here to be
considered. 1. In respect of matter, 'psalms, hymns, and
spiritual songs.'
2. In respect of the manner, ' singing Avith grace
in your hearts to the Lord.'
The matter is here three Avays to be considered :
first, In the ground, foundation, or authority of
the psalms we use, viz., they must be the word of
Christ, that is, contained in the scriptures. Secondly,
In the kinds of psalms. There are many sorts of
psalms in scripture, the psalms of Moses, David,
Solomon, and other prophets; but all are here
referred to three heads; they are either psalms,
specially so called, or hymns or songs. Great ado
there is among interpreters to find a difference in
these. Some would have psalms to be the songs of
men, and hymns of angels ; some think they differ
especially in the manner of music ; some are sung
by voice, some played upon instruments. But the
plausiblest opinion is, not to distinguish them by
the persons that use them, or by the kind of music,
but by the matter. And so they say psalms contain
exhortation to manners or holy life ; hymns con
tain praises to God, in the commemoration of his
benefits ; songs contain doctrine of the chief good,
or man's eternal felicity. But I think there needs
not any curious distinction. It may suffice us, that
there is variety of psalms in scripture, and God
alloAvs us the use of every kind. Thirdly, The
property of the psalms : they are ' spiritual,' both

342

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

because they are indited by the Spirit, and because
they make us more spiritual in the due use of
them. From hence, then, Ave may learn these things :
1. That singing of psalms is God's ordinance,
binding all sorts of men, Eph. vi. 19, James v. 13,
Ps. lxvi. 1, 2, xcii. 1, cxxxv. 3 ; a part of our good
ness, and a most comely thing.
2. That a Christian should chiefly recreate him
self in singing of psalms, James v. 1 3. God doth
not alloAv us other recreations to shoulder out this,
as the most do.
3. That we should sing psalms in our houses as
Avell as our churches, both for daily exercise, Ps.
ci. 1, 2, and when Christians meet together, 1 Cor.
xiv. 26, Eph. v. 19.
The manner follows. There are four things re
quired of us in singing of psalms : first, We should
teach and admonish in the use of them, and that
either ourselves, by considering the matter, or
others, as the ministers in appointing of psalms for
the congregation, or the master of the family, or
when Christians meet, there should be choice of
such psalms as may instruct, or comfort, or rebuke,
according to the occasion. There is edifying even
in appointing of psalms, 1 Cor. xiv. 26. Secondly,
We must sing with grace. This is diversely in
terpreted. Some understand it of the dexterity that
should be used in singing, to affect ourselves or
others ; some take it to be that imvard comeliness,
right order, reverence, or delight of the heart in
singing ; some would have it signify thanksgiving.
But I think, to sing with grace, is to exercise the
graces of the heart in singing. We must sing with
holy joy, Ps. ix. 2, with trust in God's mercies,
Ps. xiii. 5, with a holy commemoration of God's
benefits, Ps. xlvii. 6 ; yea, with the prayer and
desires of our hearts, that our words in singing
may be acceptable, Ps. civ. 33, 34. Thirdly, We
must sing with our hearts, not Avith our tongues
only, outwardly for ostentation. To sing Avith our
hearts is to sing with understanding, Ps. xlvii. 7,
1 Cor. xiv. 14, with sense and feeling. Hence we
are said to prepare our hearts before we sing, Ps.
lvii. 7 ; and it is to be observed, that David bids
his tongue awake, Ps. lvii. 8; noting that he ob
served in men a lethargy, not a hoarseness of voice,

but a slumber in heart, when they used the voice.
Fourthly, We must sing to the Lord, Eph. v. 19,
that is, both to God's glory, and in sense of God's
presence, and upon a holy remembrance of God's
blessings. This is to sing to his name.
The use is: first, For instruction; when we are
merry to sing psalms, James v. 1 3 ; yea, to account
this as heavenly melody, Eph. v. 19, a precious per
fume for our chambers, a holy homage to God, ' the
calves of our lips,' yea, we should resolve against all
the profane contempt of the world to praise God
thus while we live, Ps. cxlvi. 2, civ. 33, and to
this end we should strive against the objections
and backwardness of our OAvn natures ; for the flesh
will object against singing of psalms, as well as
against praying, reading, Sec Secondly, For reproof
of such as set their delight in fleshly lusts and sports,
in dancing, gaming, Sec, in singing of carols, ballads,
filthy rhymes, Sec, all Avhich dehghts are so far from
being spiritual, that they make our hearts far more
fleshly and carnal ; yea, it reproves the best of us, for
Avant of the right manner in the use of singing, in all
the four things before, Avhich we should be humbled
for as for any other our sins.
Thus of the sixteenth verse.
Ver. 17. And whatsoever ye shall do in word or
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus : giving
thanks to God, even the Father, by him.
This verse contains' the second general rule to be
observed in our conversation, and it is an exhorta
tion to the minding of the right end in all our
actions. In the former verse he took order for the
means of holy life, here he takes order for the end
of it.
Doct. In general, unto the goodness of the action
a good end is essentially required; for though a
good intention make not the action good, yet with
out a good intention the action cannot be accepted
as good in God's sight. It is a good thing to hear
and follow Christ, but not good in the Capernaites,
that folloAV for the loaves, or in the pharisees,
that hear to carp or carry tales, and inform against
him. It is a good action to use our knowledge, but
ccaseth to be good in us Avhen it puffeth up and is
done for vain ostentation. It is good to receive the
sacraments ,- but yet circumcision Avas not good

Ver. 17.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

343

either as the sons of Jacob required it, nor as the
king and his sons received it. Works of holy and
religious serAices are good ; but when men come to
church on the sabbaths to make amends for their
sin on the week-days, it ceaseth to be good to
them. It is good to honour God's ministers ; but
Avhere men honour them either to keep their oavh
credit with the people, as Saul honoured Samuel,
or that they may excuse them, as in the parable,
Luke xiv. 19, such honour is not good. Works of
mercy are good ; but being done for praise of men,
or to merit by them, they come under a negative
precept, ' Give not your alms,' Mat. vi. It is good
to forbear one another ; but not good in such men
as forbear only for want of power or opportunity to
revenge ; and therefore we should inform ourselves
better, and as we would have God to accept or bless
us, to get good ends to our actions.
Thus of the general.
In this verse the end of well-doing is two ways
considered : first, As it is the end of intention, that
is, that we should propound and aim at, as the
motive and mark of our endeavours, and that is
ordered and required in these Avords, ' Whatsoever
ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus.' Secondly, It is the end of consumma
tion, that is, that by which we finish our works, and
that is required ill these words, ' giving thanks to
God, even the Father, by him.' In short, the end
of intention is the glory of God in Christ, the end
of consummation is the giving of thanks wiien Ave
have done our endeavours.
In the first part I consider :
1. What should be the main end of our actions —
' Do all in the name of Christ.'
2. How we are tied to it : first, For persons —
' ye ;' secondly, For kinds of employment — ' in word
and deed ;' thirdly, For extent — ' whatsoever ye do,
do all.'
Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Hare four
things are required of us :
First, That all be done in the assurance of the
love of Christ; that we be sure that we know Christ,
as we know a man by his name ; that when we go
to do God's work, we be first sure of Christ's
reward. This is to be shod with the preparation of
the gospel of peace, Eph. vi.

Secondly, That all be done in the name, that is,
by the authority, of Christ, and his Avarrant in his
word ; not in the name of Moses for ceremony, or
in the name of angels or saints for intercession ; nay,
in all Ave do our conscience should be tied only pro
perly by the command of Christ, not because such
great men would have it so, or I did it to please my
parents or kindred, Sec, for then thou doest it in the
name of men, and nbt of Christ.
Thirdly, That all be done with invocation or
calling upon God in the name of Christ, all should
be consecrate and begun with prayer.
Fourthly, and principally, That all be done to the
glory of God in Christ, this should be the scope of
all our actions, 1 Cor. x. 31 ; all should breathe and
savour of Christ.
In word. Doct. God requires to be glorified by
the very words of Christians, ancl contrariwise holds
himself many times dishonoured by their words.
He that keepeth his tongue, keepeth his life, Prov.
xiii. 3. The honour and dishonour of the tongue is
largely explicated, James iii. But the use is for
instruction, to teach us : first, To take heed of dis
honouring Christ by our words ; but in special we
should take heed of words of disgrace and slander
to the members of Christ, Qf vain words, Eph. v. 6,
that bolster men up in presumption against repent
ance and faith in Christ, of passionate and bitter
words, Job vi. 3, of words of deceit, Ps. xxxvi. 3,
of the words that come from or tend to the strange
Avoman, filthy words, Col. iii. 8 ; yea, take heed of
high words, for high talk or the lips of excellency
becomes not a fool, Prov. xvii. 7 ; for evil words
greatly provoke God, and call for stripes, bring
many a cross upon a man, and are snares to men's
souls, Prov. xviii. 6, 7. Secondly, It should teach
us to endeavour to bring glory to God by our Avords.
To this end we should for matter learn to speak the
words of clemency, 2 Chron. x. 7 ; words of wisdom;
words of sobriety and truth, Acts xxvi. ; words of
righteousness, John vi. 25 ; wholesome words,
2 Tim. i. 1 3 ; Avords of eternal life, John vi. And
to this end we should observe divers rules :
1 . That our words be not many, for in a multi
tude of words cannot but be sin ; we are not able to
wield aright many Avords.
2. That we knoAV and not forget God's ' ten

344

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIAXS.

[Ciiap. III.

words.' The ignorance of God's ten laAvs causeth
that men know not how they offend in their tongues.
but in the ten words of God is an absolute pat
tern of all uprightness both of heart, speech, and
hfe. 3. That Ave be much ancl often in taking unto us
the words of confession and prayer, Hosea xiv. 3,
Zeph. iii. 9. Our speech is purified and God much
glorified by often confession and prayer ; this is to
speak a pure language.
4. Our ear must seek learning, Prov. xviii. 11;
Ave must be swift to hear and slow to speak, James
i., and be contented to be taught as Avell how to
speak as hoAv to live.
Lastly, We must tame our tongues, make con
science of mortification for our sins iu Avord, as well
as for evil deed ; set a Avatch before the door of our
lips, and pray God to open them.
Or deeds. Doct. God will have deeds as well as
words ; our hands must be bound to good behaviour ;
and that our labours and works may be done to
God's glory, they must be done : 1. With prayer,
Ps. ix. 20 ; 2. With warrant from the Avord ; 3.
With faith in God's promise for the success ; for
' whatsoever is not of faith is sin ; ' 4. With perse
verance ; they are not good works till they be
finished and accomplished.
Whatsoever. This Avord is a note either of uni
versality or perfection. Of perfection, I say, in this
sense. Whatsoever ye do or settle about, do it all,
that is, let it be complete and perfectly done ; but I
take it here as a note of universality.
Doct. We are bound to glorify God not only in
Avord and deed, but in all our words and all our
deeds ; we are tied to every good Avork, to respect
all God's commandments ; Ave are bound to glorify
God, not only in actions of worship, but of right
eousness too. Not only in religious businesses, but
in civil offices ; not only in our general calling, but
in our particular. Not only abroad, but at home ;
making conscience not only of filthy deeds, but of
filthy speaking ; not only of great and crying sins,
but of lesser sins ; not only of our open deeds, but
of our carriage in secret. Use is for reproof ; men
discover their unsoundness of heart in this respect
exceedingly. Many will not forsAvear that Avill
swear at every Avord, at least by less oaths, as by

the mass, faith, troth, &c. ; many shopkeepers will
not bear false witness in a court, that will lie daily
in selling then wares ; many will look to their
carriage abroad, that care not how to order them
selves at home ; many wiU not do tlieir OAvn work
by keeping shop, or travelling on the sabbath, that
never stick at it to speak their own words on the
sabbath. But if the case of such like men as these
be to be suspected, how fearfully bad is their case
that are so far from making conscience of every
Avord and deed, as they are to every good Avork
reprobate ! that are neither good at home nor
abroad, neither in worship nor life, neither to others
nor to themseh-es ! Titus i. 16.
Ye. Doct. They that have comfort in their elec
tion and God's love, they that have begun to make
conscience of then ways, and to love the word,
they that make a profession of the name of Christ,
above all others are exactly to look to themselves,
to every word, and every deed : 1. Because they are
nearer the courts of the great King, they live
ahvays in the presence-chamber. 2. Because God
hath bestoAved upon them more blessings, and there
fore as he gives more wages, requires more work.
3. Because they are more observed than any other.
A loose word is more noted in them than execrable
blasphemy in others ; they are more talked of for
seeing a vain sight than others for haunting of lewd
plays. 4. Because their hearts are made pure by
the blood of Christ ; and fine Avhite linen is sooner
and deeper stained than coarse rags. 5. They are
trusted Avith more glorious riches. A little sin in
them much grieves God's Spirit, whereas a great
sin troubles not a Avicked man that hath no Spirit
of God in him. 6. They are sure to have a recom
pense of reAvard for every good Avoid and Avork, and
therefore, to further their own reckoning and glory,
should be abundant in the Avork of the Lord.
Use therefore to quicken us to a desire to Avalk
precisely, circumspectly, exactly, Eph. v. 15, striving
to redeem the time that hath been lost in the ser
vice of sin and the Avoiid.
Giving thanks to God, even the Father, by him. These
Avords are diversely considered.
Some think the former words are an explication
of these, as if he should say, be careful in all things
to glorify God, for this is right thanking of God;

Ver. 17.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

345

when men do not only praise God in words, but in
obedience. Some think in these words is lodged a reason of
the former, as if he should say, Glorify God in all
your actions, and seek to God by prayer in the
name of Christ, and ye shall be sure of singular
blessings and grace and comforts from God ; and in
the assurance thereof, Avhen ye provide to pray or
practise, provide thanks ready also, for God will not
fail in the success.
- Some think these words to be an enlarging of the
former rule, by wishing them, whatsoever falls out,
to be thankful, so as neither prosperity puff them
up, nor adversity deject them ; but I take it to be a
distinct rule from the former, and so here is to be
noted :
1. The duty required, viz., ' give thanks.'
2. The explication of it.: 1. By the object, ' to God,
even the Father;' 2. By the efficient cause, 'by him.'
Giving thanks. Concerning our thankfulness to
God, I consider : first, the necessity of it. God will
not dispense with it ; therefore in Eph. v. 20, the
former rule being omitted, this is specially urged ;
and 1 Thes. v. 18, this is charged upon us as the
will of God in Christ Jesus. Secondly, For what we
must give thanks, viz., for Christ as the fountain of
all favour ; hence the sacrament ordained to that
end ; for all the comforts of God's election and love,
for all graces and means of grace cohere ; for our
liberty in Christ, even unto outward things, 1 Cor.
x. 30 ; for any success or victory over our corrup
tions of nature, Rom. vii. 25 ; in short, for all things
whatsoever, 2 Cor. iv. 15, 1 Thes. v. 18.
3. How? viz., Not like the pharisee, with pride of
heart, and self-liking, with opinion of merit, or with
ostentation, but with observation of four rules : 1.
If we bless, we must ' bless in the spirit,' 1 Cor. xiv.
16, that is, with understanding and feeling in our
hearts. 2. When we give thanks, we should do it with
such tenderness, that our praises should awake the
graces of God's Spirit, to make them get life and
grow. Our praises should stir up faith in God's
promise, love to God's glory, fear of God's presence,
hatred of our sins, joy in the Holy Ghost, 2 Cor. iv.
15. 3. With a deep sense of our own unworthiness ;
and thus the four and twenty elders are said to cast
down their crowns and fall on their face, Avhen they

praised God, Rev. iv. 9, 10, vii. 12, Luke xvii.
4. By all means. We must praise God by psalms,
prayer, celebration of the sacrament, works of
mercy and obedience.
4. How long? That is answered, Eph. v. 20,
Rev. vii. 12, — always. If Ave must pray always,
then we must praise always ; we may no more ne
glect thanksgiving than prayer. Nay, when prayer
shall cease, because all mortal infirmities and
wants shall cease, yet thanksgiving must go with
us Avithin the vail, and live with us for ever in
heaven. Use 1. To inflame us to the holy practice of
thankfulness daily, and always Avatching hereunto,
preserving sense, not forgetting God's mercies, even
making it our daily sacrifice. To humble us under
our unthankfulness for grace, knowledge, the word,
fellowship in the gospel, and all kinds of blessings ;
yea, we sin greatly in not giving thanks for our suc
cess in our callings ; yea, many are not yet in
structed to give thanks for then food. Let those
remember that men are said then to eat to God
when they give thanks, Rom. xiv. 6. To whom
then do they eat that give not thanks ? Certainly
not to the Lord. Finally, If the poor Gentiles were
so punished for unthankfulness, Rom. i. 21, that had
but the glimmering light of nature to guide them,
and read their lessons only in the book of God's
Avorks, what shall become of us in the day of the
Lord, that have the light of scripture, of the gospel,
of the Spirit, of the sacraments, and so many incom
parable favours bestowed upon us ? Unless we re
pent of our unthankfulness, we shall perish Avith a
worse destruction than Tyrus and Sidon, or Sodom
and Gomorrah.
To God, even the. Father. These words are to be
understood, not dividendly, but conjoinedly, and so
declare who is our God, even he that hath proved
himself a Father in Christ, loving us in him, and
accepting of us, and heaping many blessings upon
us, — two SAveet words. He is a God, there is his
majesty ; he is a Father, there is his love, and
therefore great encouragement to go to him with all
suits and praises. With all suits : he is God, and there
fore able to help ; and Father, and therefore willing
to help. With all praises : he is God, and therefore
meet to be Avorshipped ; he is Father, and therefore 2 x

316

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

will accept the calves of our lips, not according to
what we bring, but according to what we desire to
bring; and all this should make us both to hate it to
praise men or angels, or sacrifice to our nets, and
also to honour him Avith the affection of children,
and with the fear of creatures.
By him. These words may be referred :
1. To singing of psalms in the former verse ; and
so they note that all joy is vain without Christ, yea,
these spiritual and better sorts of delight are vain
unless Christ be ours. How miserable art thou
when thy tongue sings psalms, and Christ dwells not
in thine heart ! Many men sing the word of Christ
that have no part in the Word Christ.
2. To the word 'Father' next before, to note that
God hath shewed himself a Father in bestowing
many mercies upon us by Christ, and so the con
sideration of God's mercies by Christ should breed
thankfulness. 3. To the word ' thanksgiving,' and so they note
the efficient helping cause, and teach us, that as
Christ brings down God's graces and blessings to
us, so he carrieth up our praises to God ; and as we
must pray in his name, so our praises Avill not be
accepted unless they be made in his name, and pre
sented in his intercession.
Thus of the general rule.
Hitherto also of the first main part of the informa
tion of holy life, Aiz., the information of our life in
general. Hitherto the apostle hath taught us what
to do in our general calling as Christians. Now,
from ver. 18 to ver. 2 of the next chapter, he shews
us what we must be in our particular standings. Or
thus : Hitherto he hath given moral precepts, now
he gives economical. Or rather thus : Hitherto he
hath set down the duties belonging to all Chris
tians, now he informeth us in the duties special, as
they are wives, husbands, parents, Sec
Ver. 18. Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands,
as it is comely in the Lord,
Ver. 19. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter
unto them.
Before I come to the particular consideration of
these words, I must observe something from the
coherence and general consideration of all the verses
together.

Doct. 1. It is plain that men are to be taught how
to govern themselves in their houses, as well as in
the duties of their general calhng. This is meet to
be noted ; because some men's either ignorance, or
wUfulness and profaneness is such, that they think
ministers should not meddle to tell them how to live
at home, or how to carry themselves in their shops.
Doct. 2. From coherence. That we may live com
fortably and blessedly in our famihes and particular
callings, we must labour in the daily and constant
use of the means to be sincere in the general. Tke
study of the word to frame men to be good men
and women in God's sight, Avould make men good
husbands, servants, children, wives, Sec: : first get to
be a good man, and then thou wilt the easier prove
a good husband, Sec.
Use. First, For reproof of such as cannot abide
to see their chUdren or servants to hear sermons,
study the scriptures, labour for grace, &c. ; whereas
nothing would more fit them to all pleasing in their
carriage at home. Secondly, For trial : if religion
and the profession of it make thee not a better Avife,
husband, or servant, suspect thyself that all is not
right, but that thou art a hypocrite ; repent and
amend. Thirdly, For instruction : if men find such
stubbornness in their wives, or children, or servants,
the best way is to give them more liberty to the
means, and to driA'e them into God's house to hear
the word ; to call upon them to read the scriptures,
and to use such like holy exercises ; for if this will
not mend them, nothing in the Avorld will.
3. Before I consider the particular members of a
family, I must entreat generally of the whole ; and
concerning the government of a family by the rules
of God's word, I consider four things :
1. The authority of it. There is a Avay how to
Avalk in uprightness, eA'en in our houses, so as God
avUI come to us if our families be rightly ordered,
Ps. ei. 2. There is a Avisdom or saving knowledge
how to erect and found a holy family, and how to
order and estabhsh it, Prov. xxiv. 3. There are many
administrations, as the administration of a church,
of a city, or commoiiAvealth ; so hkewise the admin
istration of a family, yet but one Lord, 1 Cor. xii. ;
yea, the governing of a house honestly or in holy
comeliness is manifestly expressed, 1 Tim. iii. 5.
2. The antiquity of it. It is the most ancient

Ver. 18.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

347

of all governments, yea, out of which all the rest
sprang. The church was bred and cherished by
this government in families for many hundreds of
years in the beginning of the world, even till the
people came out of Egypt.
3. The utility of it. It is called ' a perfect Avay,' Ps.
ci. 2, and that in three respects : first, As opposed to
hypocrisy : it shews a man's way is not hypocritical-
when a man will not only look to his feet when he
goes into God's house, but is careful how to walk
uprightly in his own house. Secondly, As it is the
ground and field of practice : knoAvledge is never
perfect till it be practised, and the most ordinary
way of practice is at home. Thirdly, As it perfects
us in blessedness, in that it brings God's promise
into execution ; besides, the family is the seminary
both of church and commonwealth, Gen. xviii. 19,
for it brings forth and brings up a seed ; it preserves
the commonwealth ; ancl as it frames by education
a holy seed, it preserves the charge.
4. Quest. What things are necessary and requisite
unto the blessed being of a family ?
Ans. For the erecting and establishing of a blessed
family, three things are principally necessary : first,
A holy coming together; secondly, A holy living
together; thirdly, A special fitness in the head of
the family. For the first, it is greatly material to the
perpetual well-being of a family that all needfulness
be observed in the first erecting of it ; for, as many
order the matter, they so provoke God by the first
entering upon the family, that the family travels
ever after under the burden of God's anger, or great
inconvenience, and cannot prosper. And thus men
fault —
Either by venturing without a calling or means
to live, or by overleaping God's ordinance of con
tract, or by venturing upon marriage with persons
that have foul diseases, as the leprosy, French pox,
Sec. ; but especially when —
First, More wives than one are brought in ;
secondly, There is not sufficient distance in blood,
but the marriage is incestuous; thirdly, Another
man's wffe is brought in, either the betrothed wife,
or the unjustly divorced wife, of another man ;
fourthly, Ther.e is not consent of parties, but the
marriage is forced ; fifthly, There is not consent of
parents ; sixthly, An infamous or scandalous person

is chosen to be a yoke-fellow ; seventhly, There is
not equality either for religion, but a believer is
matched with an unbeliever, — or age, or estate, or
disposition. And a like dangerous disorder there is in taking
into the family of disordered servants — such as
are swearers, filthy and scandalous persons — against
which sins there lie known threatenings of God ;
and so with their sins they bring in God's curse.
The second thing that makes a family blessed is a
holy living together ; and there are four things that
are requisite especially to the good estate of the
house : first, The constant practice of piety and
private worship ; secondly, the right order of em
ployment in the mutual labours of the family ;
thirdly, Household discipline or reformation ; fourthly,
Hospitality, or a right respect of strangers. For the
first, the piety that is to be practised stands of six
parts : first, Prayer and thanksgiving to God. Men
must pray everywhere, 1 Tim. ii. 8 ; our meats and
callings must be sanctified by the word and by
prayer, 1 Tim. iv. 4. Thus David prayed morning
and evening and at noon, Ps. Iv. 17; so Daniel;
yea, it is a brand of profane and abominable per
sons, they call not upon God, Ps. xiv. 4 ; yea, those
families are in great danger of his wrath that call
not upon his name, Jer. xx. Secondly, Holy con
ference betwixt the members of the family, as
between husband and wife, 1 Pet. iii. 7, and between
father and children, Deut. Ai. 21, 22. Thirdly,
Singing of psalms, Col. iii. 16, Eph. v. 20. Fourthly,
Repetition of doctrine publicly taught, examining it
by the scriptures alleged, as did the Bereans, Acts
xVii. Fifthly, Fasting upon extraordinary occasions
is very plain, Zech. xii. 16. Lastly, The parents'
instruction, Ps. lxxviii. 2-4, Deut. vi. 6.
Quest. But Avhat things may be taught in the
family ?
Ans. First, The common grounds of God's service
and worship ; this is to teach them to fear God.
Secondly, The meaning of the sacraments, Exod.
xh. 25, 26, xiii. 14. Thirdly, The law, Deut. vi. 6 ;
that is, the common grounds of honesty and vice •
teaching to love such and such virtues, and hate
such and such vices. Fourthly, The use and con
sideration of God's great judgments : therefore God
will tell Abraham of the destruction of Sodom, be-

348

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

cause he will make use of it in his family. Fifthly,
The report of God's great works of old, Ps. lxxviii.
2, 3. Sixthly. To hope in God, acquainting them
with then natural miseries, and training them up
by warning them to take heed of the common pre
sumptions of the wicked, and by distilling unto
them the grounds of practice and promise concern
ing God's mercy to their souls and their last salva
tion. Seventhly, We should acquaint our house
holds Avith the general course of the scriptures ;
thus Timothy knew the scriptures of a child, 2 Tim.
iii. 15 ; for an exact knowledge of all scriptures Avas
impossible for a child to attain. Lastly, The things
received by public doctrine should be enforced and
kept afoot in the family ; if any pass these bonds,
they intrude upon the minister's office, and ought to
fear Uzzah's curse, and therefore as men should
instruct, and so avoid the common profaneness of
the world in neglecting God's ordinance, so they
should be wise to sobriety, and keep themselves in
all fear and humility within their own line and
measure. Thus of piety.
The second thing required is a holy order of
employment in all the members of the family, in
their mutual labours for the good of the outward
estate of it,' Gen. iii. 19, 1 Cor. vii. 20. Unto the
orderly performance of the labours of a family five
things are required :
First, Diligence. Secondly, Peace, else all sacrifice
is in vain, Prov. xvii. 1. Thirdly, Providence. It is
not the hand of the diligent, but his thoughts that
bring abundance ; care is required, not the care for
success, for that is condemned, Mat. vi., but the care
. for the duty, Prov. xxi. 5. Fourthly, Retiredness ;
they must keep at home. Servants must not be
steahng out of the family without leave ; nor
masters leave their standings. Keep thy foot from
thy neighbour's house, Prov. xxv. 17. If a man can
not be found in the place of his labour, he is like
' a bird that wandereth from his nest,' Prov. xxvii.
19. Fifthly, Frugality, in living within their com
pass, and not spending above their means ; they must
make their lambs serve for clothing, and the goats
for rent or hire of the field, and the milk of the
goats must be sufficient for them and their families
and for the sustenance of the maids, Prov. xxvii.

27. It is not a good rule to make reason judge of
their needs, or to propound unto themselves, I will
spend no more but what I need ; but they must look
to their means, to spend according to that ; for ordi
narily there is not so little coming in but God can
make it suffice, or will himself send them supply.
The third thing required is domestical discipline.
Thus Jacob searcheth his house, purgeth it of all
idols and superstitious monuments, admonisheth his
people of the fear of God, Gen. xxxv. 2, 3. Thus
Job sacrificeth for his children, Job i. 5. Thus
David will rid his house of slanderers, liars, apos
tates, Sec And so should we see to the reformation
of abuses by admonition, rebukes, correction, or
complaints to the magistrate, or elders of the
church. The father in his house is the keeper of both
tables. The fourth thing is the right order of hospitality
and respect of strangers, and it stands in two things :
first, In seeking, by all means, to bring God's
ministers or servants into our house, Heb. xiii. 2,
1 Pet. i. 1, that they might help us, and as it were
bless and perfume our houses by their prayers,
counsel, comforts, admonitions, Sec, Rom. i. 11 ;
secondly, In proAiding that no strangers be admitted
or permitted that will hinder God's worship or any
way the good ofthe family; they must not be Avithin
our gates that will not join vrith us to sanctify the
sabbath in our dwellings, Ex. xx ; yea, if they be
disordered persons we should use them as the false
prophet, that they may say, ' Thus was I wounded
in the house of my friend,' Zech. xin.
The use is : first, Against the papists, and that
principally tAVO ways : 1. In that they forbid
marriage, and so hinder the erecting of families to
God ; 2. In that they forbid knoAvledge to lay-people,
and so hinder the good government of the famUy.
Secondly, Against great abuses even amongst us.
There is that open profaneness in the most houses,
that if they searched with lights there would no
prayer, reading of scripture, holy conference, singing
of psalms, or instruction be found there ; but without
light men may find their houses full of swearing,
deceit, lying, false measures, and Aveights, and all
kind of filthiness, to the singular detriment of the
family; for hence it is that many families do in
vain rise early, and go to bed late, and eat the

Ver. 18.]

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349

bread of painfulness and sorrow, for God for these
sins will not build the house. Sometimes this is
plagued by open judgments ; sometimes God's curse
secretly, like a moth, eats down the prosperity of
the house. But always all such families are very
hateful to God, even like the dens or cages of wild
beasts. 2. It may humble the best of us, if we
search into our neglects, ignorances, and omissions
of the many duties we should perform in our
houses. Thirdly, For instruction, to teach us by prayer to
seek a way of God for us and our houses, and to
beseech God to build us an house, 2 Sam. ii. 7, 11,
25, 27, 29, and by all means to labour to live godly
at home in the practice of piety ; this is to bring
salvation to our houses. Thus our families would
become as little churches, Rom. xvi., 1 Cor. xvi.
Yea, wonderful hath been the success of this holy
order in some families. Thus the house of David
hath become as the house of God, Zech. xii. 8.
Yea, if we were thus careful, God would hedge us
and our families round about, and all that we have,
that Satan could not touch us ; he cannot break God's
fence without God's leave, Job i. 10. Our taber
nacles would then flourish and stand long, Prov. xii.
7, xiv. 11.
Thus in general of household government, or the
order generally belonging to the good estate of all
the members.
Now I come to consider each member in the
family; and the apostle divides them into three
couples : the wife and the husband, the child and
parents, the servant and master.
Doct. There are two reasons why the husbands
and wives are charged in the first place, viz., first,
Because that in this order they were thus instituted
of God; he first made man and wife, and in the
order of nature these first found the family ; and so
the apostle keeps the order of nature and the first
institution. Secondly, Because the good behaviour
of the inferiors in the families lieth much in the
good example of the husband and wife ; if they be
filthy, wasteful, or blasphemers, usually their children
and servants are so ; and many times it holds in the
contrary, for their good example either makes the
family in imitation grow like them, or at least it
restrains much evil.

Quest. But why is the Avife first appointed to her
duty before the husband ?
Ans. Because in the order of the family she must
first mend before the husband (howsoever, before
God's judgment-seat they shall be tried equally) in
domestical behaviour; if she would have her husband
reformed of wickedness or ill dealing, she must first
mend herself.
Thus of the general consideration.
Wives be subject to your husbands, as is comely in
the Lord. In these words the wife's duty is first
laid down : ' Wives submit to your husbands ;'
secondly, It is enlarged or confirmed : 1. By a
reason, 'it is comely;' 2. By a limitation, 'in the
Lord.' In laying doAvn the duty I consider : first, Who
are charged, 'wives;' secondly, With what, 'be
subject; ' thirdly, To whom, 'to your husbands.'
Wives. Doct. All Avives generally and indefinitely
are tied to a holy order of subjection to their
husbands, without distinction of years, the elder
women and the younger, Titus ii. 8, and without
distinction of estate ; poor men's wives must be sub
ject as well as citizens' wives, or Gentiles,1 a great
fault in the baser sort. Their houses, in respect of
rudeness, are as void of righteousness as they are of
riches. Great men's wives also must be subject ;
Pharaoh's daughter, and Vashti the empress, yea,
though there be inequality of means, as if the
wife were a lady and the husband but a meaner
man, yet she must be subject, and he not wait
upon her.
Use. 1. For comfort of wives ; nothing is required
of one but what is required of all. 2. Of husbands,
in respect no means of estate or alteration in their
condition can lose them their honour in the sub
jection of their wives. And 3. Every woman should
learn to do her duty, seeing all are bound to it.
Be subject. Here I consider : 1. What is required,
viz., 'be subject;' 2. In what manner it is re
quired, that is, in the indefinite propounding of it,
without exception of time or place, &c.
In the first I consider : first, That it is ; secondly,
I answer a question ; thirdly, What it is.
First, That subjection in women is required with
out dispensation by God, as his ordinance is plain by
1 Qu. ' gentles ' ?— Ed. *

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[Chap. III.

these scriptures, Gen. iii. 19, Eph. v. 24, Titus ii. 5,
1 Pet. iii. 1.
Secondly, The question is, why the apostle only
propounds here the wife's subjection, without men
tioning any other duty ?
Ans. 1. I might say it is the wisdom of God to
scatter directions and comforts, that we may not
find them all in one place, to stir us up to the more
diligence in study of the scriptures, and with great
good success many times ; for while they are seek
ing to learn to be good Avives, thejr meet also Avith
those directions that make them good Avomen too.
God many times Avhen Ave seek one blessing causeth
us to find many.
2. I may say that it is the wisdom of God to
epitomise and draw things into a short sum, that Ave
may be more familiarly acquainted Avith his will.
Thus when he Avould propound his eternal rules of
all righteousness in the law, he chooseth to give
them in ten words, that men might grow to be as
familiarly acquainted with them as with any ordinary
matter, that they might always haA'e them before
their eyes, and bind them to the fringe of their
garments ; so God gives women their duties in one
Avord, that it might be engraven in their hearts, and
seAved doAvn before their eyes in capital letters
upon their cushions : BE SUBJECT should never
be out of their minds.
3. Because of the necessity of it; if God may not
have this duty, he will not accept ofthe rest ; though
they be fair, rich, wise, provident, diligent, Sec, yet
if they be not subject, they are not regarded of God.
4. Because women most fail in this. The special
duty of the husband is love, and of the wife subjec
tion ; the man most fails in love, and the woman in
subjection. Thirdly, I consider what this subjection is ; and
here, first, What it is ; secondly, What it is not ;
thirdly, The means that women are to use that they
may be subject.
For the first, in the right discharge of their sub
jection, wives are tied to five things : first, Honour ;
secondly, Faithfulness ; thirdly, Fear ; fourthly,
Labour ; fifthly, Submission.
To be subject, is first to honour them ; to be faith
ful, to fear them, to be diligent in labour for them
and their family, and to submit to them.

1. They must honour their husbands as their
superiors and heads, 1 Cor. xi. 3; and this they must
do : first, By giving reverent titles to them, 1 Pet.
iii. 6.
2. Secondly, By striving to resemble the very pro
perties and praiseworthy qualities of the husband, —
she should be his image or his glory. Ancl thus also
in his absence she should resemble his authority over
the family. Women should choose such husbands
as they would not only live with and love, but such
as they would hve by, even such as they would set
before them as patterns of their natures and lives.
3. By hving without suspicion, making the best
interpretation of their doubtful actions. Michal
is made a precedent of contempt and suspicion,
when she so sinfully taunts and misinterprets
David's dancing before the ark in presence of the
maids of Israel.
4. By leaving to Mm the secrets of his public em
ployment, and keeping her to her OAvn measure in
caring for domestical matters; she may not be of
an inquisitive humour, to lay a necessity upon the
husband to reveal to her all occurrents, especiaUy
when the husband is either magistrate or minister.
5. By yielding him due benevolence, 1 Cor. vii.
3 ; she may not without calling or consent refuse her
husband's bed.
6. By striving to advance her husband's credit ;
she must not shame her husband, Prov. xii. 4.
Wives shame their husbands : 1. When their feet
will not keep in their oavii house, Prov. vh. 11 ; 2.
When they blaze abroad his infirmities ; 3. When
they neglect the care of his chUdren, either for
manners, apparel, or employment, Titus iii. 5 ; 4.
By living in any scandalous sin, as when they be
false accusers, given to much Avine, intemperate, Sec,
Titus ii. 3, or busybodies, 1 Tim. v. 13, 14.
The second part of subjection is faithfulness.
They must sheAV all faithfulness: 1. In respect of
the marriage-bed, Prov. ii. 17. 2. In respect of ex
pense, she must not be wasteful, for this is to pull
down- the house Avith her oavii hands, and ever the
more secretly, the more sinfully, Prov. xiv. 1 ; she
should save and not spend without consent. 3. In
respect of the business of the family, she should be
such as her husband's heart may trust in her. It is
a great sin in Avives Avhen they must be told not

Ver. 18.]

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351

only what to do, but when they are charged with
the care of such and such things, they must need to
be continually told, and yet be careless still. 4. In
the secrets of the family; not disclosing them to
strangers, but so taking notice of them as not to
discover them without the consent of the husband,
as the faults of Zion must not be told at Gath. 5.
In entertainment, that none be admitted that are
suspected or disliked by the husband.
The third thing is fear, Eph. v. 33, 1 Pet. iii. 1,
2. They should shew the fear of their husbands :
1. By reverent behaviour to him, not rude, auda
cious, bold ; 2. By striving to be inoffensive, avoid
ing or preventing Avhat might stir him to anger or
dislike or grief ; 3. By giving soft answers when he
is angry, Prov. xv. ; 4. By forbearing passion or
frowardness, even with others in his sight ; 5. Mak
ing him her covering when they are abroad, — but
many women are so intemperate and wilful, that a
man might as soon hide the wind with his fist or
oil in his hand as cover the infirmities of his wife,
Prov. xxvii. 15, 16; 6. By living quietly without
contention, — she must not disquiet him.
Fourthly, Her labour. Her labour is of tAvo sorts :
first, To appoint unto the family, and oversee then
ways, Prov. xxxi. 27 ; secondly, She must labour
with her own hands, Prov. xiii. 27, 19, and this
labour of her hands is prescribed with six rules :
1. She must not spend months or years in stay
ing for some employment she could like to make a
calling, but she must presently seek by all means to
find out labour : ' she seeketh wool and flax.'
2. She must not stand upon finer works, as scorn
ing baser employment, but be content to ' set her
hands to any labour' that is meet ; thus she ' spinneth
and seeketh wool and flax,' Prov. xxxi. 13, 19.
3. She must not spend her time in working of
toys or curious things, good for nothing but to shew
skill and wear out time, but about profitable things
for the family, as carpets, ver. 22 ; sheets, ver. 24 ;
the clothing of her family, her husband, and her
children, ver. 21, 23.
4. She must not lie abed till nine or ten o'clock,
but she must ' rise while it is yet night,' ver. 15, and
' her candle is not to be put out by night,' ver. 18.
5. She must not be fickle and unconstant, to
change from work to work, to no profit, beginning

many things, and finishing little or nothing, but
against all weariness or other impediments she
must gird her loins Avith strength, and strengthen
her arms.
6. Lastly, All must be done cheerfully, not
grudgingly, ver. 13.
The fifth thing is submission, Eph. v. 22, and she
must submit herself :
1. To her husband's directions, and live by the
laws prescribed her by her husband, Eph. v. 23, as
the church doth teach and live by the word of Christ,
else no true church. Thus the woman asketh leave
to go to the prophet, 2 Kings iv. 22. And the wife
is charged not to fast Avithout consent, 1 Cor. vii. 4.
And thus also she must receive directions for the
affairs of the family.
2. To his restraints, so as she be contented to be
restrained of her ease, will, desires, delights, &c.
' Thy desires shall be subject to thy husband,' Gen.
iii. 19. Thus the church must deny her own reason,
profit, pleasure, &c, and submit herself to Christ,
Eph. v. 23. Thus must the Avife cast about ' Iioav
to please her husband,' 1 Cor. vii. 34.
Thus of what it is.
Secondly, I consider what it is not, or Avhat the
Avife is not bound to, though she must be subject.
In general, their subjection doth not lead them
into bondage, and make them slaves and vassals to
them, they remain still their companions and yoke
fellows. In particular, there are some things spiritual,
some things domestical, some things in her civil
carriage, from which she is not restrained by her
subjection. In matters of religion, she cannot be forced to
neglect the means to save her soul ; the unbelieving
husband cannot compel the wife to forsake her faith
and religion, and the means thereof, to please him.
Again, though her sex bar her from instruction in
the church, and her husband's authority bar her
from sole instruction in the family, yet notwith
standing, under her husband, she may instruct her
children, Prov. vi. 20, and family, Prov. xxxi. 26..
Besides, though her husband were never so great,
wise, lordly, &c, yet she may admonish him, and
he ought to be crossed of his OAvn course and will
by her, as Abraham by Sarah, at God's appoint-

352

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[Chap. III.

ment, who charged him to hear her in what she
said, and to do it, Gen. xxi. 12.
In domestical matters, she is not subjected to his
tyranny and blows, nor is she bound to bear with
or consent to, or conceal his whoredoms ; she is not
bound to imitate his example, or obey his will, to
do that that is ill. And lastly, her subjection doth
not bind her to deliver her body when she is apart
for her disease, Lev. xviii. 19, Ezek. viii. 6.
In civil matters I instance in one. She is not
utterly barred out from works of mercy, for though
she may not take of his substance to spend it, no,
not in works of piety and mercy, yet of her own
labours she may take to give to the poor, or for
pious uses, Prov. xxxi. 20.
Thus of what not.
Thirdly, That women may perform this subjection.
1. They must keep home. 2. They must seek this
ability of God, for he gives the graces of the wife.
Nature makes her a woman, election a wife, but to
be prudent and subject is of the Lord, Prov. xix.
14, and there she must seek it of God. 3. They
must preserve ancl keep warm in their hearts the
love of their husbands, for all disobedience ariseth
of want of love. Lastly, They must consider the
reasons and encouragements to subjection.
First, He is thy head, and therefore be subject,
1 Cor. xi. 3 ; secondly, If the shame of men will
not move thee to be subject, yet have poAver on
thine head, because of the angels, 1 Cor. xi. 10 ;
but especially consider the encouragements.
1. It should weigh much with them that God hath
imposed such a free and ingenuous subjection. It
is not boundless, when they may be still companions.
2. That God, that requires them to be subject,
chargeth husbands to use them well and kindly, to
accept their obedience. 3. God hath valued the
price of a good wife, and set the rate to be above
pearls, Prov. xxxi. 10. Finally, Their labour in the
Lord shall not be lost, for they are much set by of
God, 1 Pet. iii. 4 ; he will bless them with the fruit
of their womb, Ps. cxiii. 9, cxxvii. 3 ; yea, the
salvation of their souls may be furthered by the
right performance of family duties.
Thus of the things required, viz., ' be subject.'
The manner how it is required follows. ' Be
subject ' indefinitely, and so sheweth that they must

be subject : 1. Not outwardly, but in spirit, Mai.
ii. 15; 2. Not abroad only, but at home; 3. Not
sometimes, but constantly always ; 4. Not in some
things, but in everything, Eph. v. 24 ; 5. Not for
fear or shame, but for conscience sake, and volun
tarily. Here I may take in the distinction ; subjec
tion is twofold : 1. By God's institution, and so
wives are subject in that they are commanded to
be so, and God hath taken pre-eminence from them;
2. By will, or the conscience cheerfully yielding
obedience to God's will, and thus only good wives
are subject.
Thus of the duty charged upon them.
3. The persons to whom it is due folloAvs.
To your husbands. These words may be considered
exclusively and inclusively. They exclude all others ;
she is not to be subject to her seirants or chUdren,
or the strange woman brought in by the husband.
And so also they include all husbands; they must be
subject to their husbands ; not the Arise only, but
the foolish; not the courteous only, but the froward;
not the rich only, but the poor also.
Thus of the laying down of the duty.
It is amplified : first, By a reason, ' it is comely;'
secondly, By a limitation, ' in the Lord.'
As is comely, ug uvrixsv. The original word is
rendered three ways :
1. As ye ought, ut oportet ; and so it is a reason
from God's institution ; ye must do it, God indis
pensably requires it.
2. As is meet, ut con venit. It is meet especiaUy
two ways : 1 . God hath given power OA-er all in
the family but one, and tlierefore great reason and
equity ye be appointed subject unto him, and it is
not meet ye should rule so many if you will not
obey one. Again, ye are professors, and have
given your names to Christ, and therefore it is meet
that you especially strive to be good Avives, and
better than any others, lest the Avoid be evil spoken
of. 3. As is comely, ut dccct ; so it is here translated.
The wife's comeliness is not in beauty, Prov. xi.
22, xxxi. 30, nor in the gorgeousness of apparel, 1
Pet. iii. 3 ; but a wife's comeliness is especially:
1. In her wisdom, Prov. xiv. 1, and that to be
shewed in tAvo things : first, In her skill to please
her husband, neither offending him with chiding

Ver. 19.]

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353

words nor suUenness, puling, or crying, wliich is found
to vex some men more than words ; secondly, In
her skill to manage the business of the house, both
seasonably, discreetly, and Avith providence.
2. In her meekness, it is exceeding comely,
where the hid man of the heart is incorrupt with
a meek and quiet spirit ; this is better than all
apparel, 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4.
Thirdly, Here it is in her subjection ; for as it is
an uncomely thing to see the body above the head,
so it is to see a Avife that will rule and not be sub
ject to her husband.
And if the Avife labour to adorn herself thus, she
shall appear comely to God, 1 Pet. iii. 4, to men in
the gate, Prov. xxxi. 23, 31, to her husband and
children, Prov. xxxi. 28 ; yea, she is an ornament
to sincerity and holiness itself, Titus, ii. 3.
In the Lord. 1. These words are expounded
diversely. First, ' In the Lord,' that is, in the fear of God,
as unto the Lord in obedience to his ordinance, for
God's sake, because God requires this at your hands.
In this sense it may serve for two uses : first, For
terror to Avicked wives. They must ansAver it before
God ; he will avenge their not subjecting of them
selves ; he will certainly account Avith them if they
be whorish, contentious, idle, careless, or wasteful, &c.
2. It is a great comfort unto a godly woman ; her
subjection is in the Lord. It is in God's account
even as a sacrifice to him ; he takes it as done to him
self. God honours her obedience in the family, as if
it were piety in the temple ; and this may the more
support them if their husbands be unkind.
Secondly, ' In the Lord,' that is, so far as they
command in the Lord. They must so love their
husbands, as they cease not to love God ; and so be
subject to them, as they leave not tlieir subjection
to God. Their covenant Avith their husbands no
way infers the breach of this covenant with God,
and thus it is principally here meant.
Thus of the wife's duty.
The husband's duty follows in the 19th verse.
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter unto
them. Doct. In general, husbands must be told
their duties as well as wives. As they would have
them mend, so they must mend themselves ; and as
they would have comfort by living with them, so

they must make conscience to practise their duty to
them. It is not the having of wives or husbands
that breeds contentment, but the holy performance
of duties mutually.
The duty of the husband is propounded here :
first, By exhortation, ' Husbands, love your wives ; '
secondly, By dehortation, 'Be not bitter unto them.'
In the exhortation there is the person exhorted,
'husbands;' the duty, 'love;' the persons to whom
they owe it, 'your wives.'
Husbands. This indefinite propounding of it
shews that all sorts of husbands are bound to shew
this duty, poor and rich, learned and unlearned,
young and old.
Love. Concerning the husband's duty as it is here
expressed, I consider six things : first, That it is in
dispensably required ; secondly, Why this duty only is
named; thirdly, How he must shew his loAre; fourthly,
Reasons why ; fifthly, I answer certain objections ;
sixthly, The lets of the performance of love.
First, It is required, Gen. ii. 24, Eph. v. 25,
Titus ii. 2.
Secondly, The apostle names this duty in this
one Avord, either because the Lord of purpose
would have them study the whole scriptures, that
Avhile they seek for directions to make them good
husbands, they may find also counsel to make them
good men; or else in this word is comprehended
their duty, that so this being their word, they might
write it in their hearts and have it ever in their
eyes to do it ; or else it is because this is most ne
cessary, and as women fail in subjection, so do men
in love.
For the third, viz., how he must shew his love,
we must understand that the husband owes the
wife : first, Natural or civil love, as a married man ;
secondly, Spiritual love, as a Christian married man.
For the first, The love of the husband is to be
shewed four ways :
1. By cohabitation, 1 Pet. iii. 7. He must dwell
with her, not wander from his Avife, nor depart
without calling ancl consent, nor dAvell with drunk
ards, Avhores, or gamesters ; dwell, I say, in his own
house, not in the ale-house, &c.
2. By chastity ; and that, first, by avoiding un
faithfulness to her bed, not following the strange
woman. This sin of whoredom, it consumes men's
2 Y

354

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[Chap. III.

strength, Avastes men's substance, compasseth men
Avith evil in the midst of the congregation ; is worse
than theft ; exceedingly hateful in God's sight,
and disgraceful amongst men ; destroys the soul,
both by making men Avithout understanding, and
sending them to hell, Prov. v. 19, Ai. 25, and ix.
16 ; Job xxxi. 7, 8, &c. Secondly, By yielding her
due benevolence, nor departing from her bed Avith
out consent.
3. By honouring her, 1 Pet. iii. 7. The husband
must shew that he honoureth her :
First, By suffering himself to be admonished by
her, Gen. xxi. 12.
Secondly, By using her as his companion, not
lording over her as his slave.
Thirdly, By trusting her with disposing of such
things in the family as she is fit for and faithful in,
by giving her employment according to her gifts.
Fourthly, By not disgracing her before others,
but choosing a fit time in secret to find fault with
her. Fifthly, By not speaking when she is in passion,
but forcing both her and himself in all matters of
difference to speak when they are both out of passion.
Sixthly, By yielding a free and just testimony of
her praises, Prov. xxxi. 28.
4. By cherishing her, Eph. v. 28. And this he
performs :
First, By providing her maintenance according to
his ability, and that in labouring so in his calling
as he may provide for her while he lives, and leave
her some means when he dies. And for manner,
doing it cheerfully, not stay till it be Avrung from
him, as from churhsh Nabal. Thus do not they
lhat spend at ale-house, upon whores, or sports,
bear-baits, plays, gaming, or apparel, that should
serve for maintenance of wives and children at
home. Secondly, By protecting and rescuing her from
Avrongs and dangers, 1 Sam. xxx. 5.
Thirdly, By delighting in her love ; yea, not err
ing or wandering in his love continually, Prov. v.
19. Secondly, He owes her spiritual love as well as
natural. So Christ loved his church, not only to
enrich it, but to sanctify it, Eph. v. 25, 26. They
must dwell Avith them as men of knowledge to help

them, not only by labour, but by knowledge also,
1 Pet. iii. 7.
The religious love he must shew :
1 . By forgiving her offences upon her repentance.
This is one way whereby Christ makes his church
holy. 2. By edifying her by counsel, exhortation, ad
monition, consolation, &c.
Fourthly, The reasons why he must love her are :
1. Because God requires it.
2. God so requires it as a man must leave his
father and mother to cleave unto his wife, Gen. ii.
24. 3. The example of Christ should enforce it, Eph.
v. 25.
4. She is his own flesh, and no man ever hated
his own flesh, Eph. v. 29.
5. Lest prayer be interrupted, 1 Pet. hi. 1 7.
6. Thus he shall shew himseff a member of Christ,
and to be like his head, Eph. i. 30.
7. It will preserve a man from the temptations and
enticements of the strange Avoman, Prov. v. 19, 20 ;
yea, and from all evil company and unthriftiness.
Fifthly, The objections foUow :
Object. 1. She Avas of mean birth, condition, or
portion, when I married her.
Ans. So, andmuch Avorse, Avas the church before
Christ married her, and yet Christ loves her.
Object. 2. But, since marriage, she is idle, froAvard,
Avasteful, &c.
Ans. This is a reason to move thee to pray for her
and to watch over her Avays, to admonish and in
struct her, but this is no reason to move thee not
to love her : for the church sinneth after calling,
and yet Christ loves her, and sheAvs it by his inter
cession for her in heaven, and by labouring to cleanse
her by his Spirit and word in earth.
Object. 3. But she is a carnal and unregenerate
woman, a mere Avicked woman, that neither doth
nor avUI fear God, and Christ doth not love here
tics, or hypocrites, or profane persons and pagans.
Aus. Though this reason from Christ's example
doth not hold, yet the reason from God's institution
binds thee ; thou must love her not because she de
serves it, but because God requires it.
Quest. Is a man bound to esteem his Avife above
all Avomen ?

Ver. 19.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

355

Ans. In respect of the affection and practice of
the things essentially necessary to conjugal duty he
is, but not in opinion of his praises, for that is the
commendation of the good Avife, not of every Avife,
Prov. xxxi. 30.
Thus ofthe objections.
Sixthly, The lets follow.
Quest. How comes it to pass that men do not per
form this duty ?
Ans. 1. It is in some by reason of their sinful com
ing together, as in sudden marriages, when they are
done before there be a calling or affection in the
heart. So when men have ill ends, as those men
that marry then wives not for grace or favour, but
for wealth ; when they are possessed of both, they
will love their wealth and hate their wives.
2. Corruption of nature is the cause of want of
love ; they are wicked men, therefore Avicked hus
bands. 3. It comes to pass because men do not by prayer
seek love of God; neglect of prayer and mortification
is the cause.
4. Men love the strange woman, and therefore
love not their Avives, or they love other men's
wives. 5. It comes to pass by the untowardness of the
wife ; for though that be no just reason to the hus
band, because he should love her because God com
mands him, yet it is a just judgment of God
upon her.
Thus of what is required.
Love — viz. indefinitely — first, In heart as well as
in word, Mai. ii. 15 ; secondly, Not before others
only, but privately ; thirdly, Not sometimes, or the
first week, month, or year, but for ever, constantly ;
fourthly, For conscience sake, and not for shame
or respect of her friends, or while her means do
last. Your wives. This is added : first, To exclude all
others, — all others, I say, not from Christian love in
the general, but from conjugal love ; secondly, To
include all wives, though poor, less wise, or frugal,
froward, Sec.
Thus of the exhortation ; the dehortation fol
lows :
Be not bitter unto them. In these words the apostle
doth mollify the authority of the husband, and pro

vides that it pass not into tyranny. Here I consider
four things : first, What it hath not in it ; secondly,
How men shew themselves bitter to their wives ;
thirdly, The means to cure this bitterness ; fourthly,
The reasons to move thereunto.
For the first, this exhortation to love and dehorta
tion from bitterness doth not bind them :
1. To love their vices ; they may know them to
be the weaker vessel, yea, take notice of the weak
ness of the vessel.
2. To lose his own authority by lightness and
vain behaviour.
3. To omit the performance of holy duties to
please her humour.
4. To give her a licence to do what she list, and
live how she will.
5. From finding fault and reproAing, so as they
use not their own words, but God's.
Lastly, distinguish their natures : wives of soft
and gentle natures must be used Avith all gentleness,
but that lets not but that wilful and stubborn wives
may be held down to a meet subjection.
Men shew their bitterness : first, By words, and
that diversely, when they reproach them for their
infirmities or deformities, or when they grow
quarrellous, finding fault with everything, or grow
into passion upon every occasion ; secondly, In deeds,
by using them discourteously, or by unjust restraint ;
or lastly, By blows. Many men have little groAving
in then furrows but wormwood ; they have a true
gall of bitterness in them ; they may be compared to
the star in Rev. viii. 11, for as that made the third
part of the waters bitter, so are more than three
parts of the words of many husbands bitter words ;
yea, as if their natural frowardness were not enough,
some men will sharpen and whet their tongues to
sound out cursed words like swords or arrows ; yea,
some are so unappeasable, their anger is like the
fool's wrath, Prov. xxvii. 3 ; these are a brood of Chal
deans, a bitter, a furious nation.
For the cure of this bitterness, four rules are to
be observed :
1. Men must pray God to cast something into
their fountain to sweeten it.
2. They must turn the course of this humour, and
spend it upon their sins, in the practice of the duties
of mortification.

356

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

3. Eat God's book, for that will enable men to
godly sorrow, by being bitter in their bellies, and
will sweeten their mouths.
4. Look to the roots of bitterness, stay the spring
of it in the beginning, take heed of a custom in fro
wardness, for then only custom in the use of the
means AviU cure thee ; again, it will cost them daily
sorroAvs before they can get tlieir natures thoroughly
healed. Lastly, The reasons follow why they must mor
tify bitterness.
1. It is a Avise man's glory and discretion to pass
by infirmities, Prov. xix. 1 1 .
2. She is not his footstool, but his helper.
3. Seeing we are heirs of blessing, let us bless and
not curse ; if God hath sweetened our hearts with
grace, let not our fountains send forth bitter Avaters
and sweet.
4. The apostle requires that all bitterness be put
away, all for degrees, — it is not enough we are not so
bad as some be, — and in all persons.
5. Lastly, it is a part of our good works and holy
conversation to mortify bitterness and envy and
strife. Hereby Ave must shew that we have the wis
dom that is from above, for if our knowledge be
right, it will make us peaceable, gentle, and easy to
be entreated. On the otlier side, if men sharpen
their tongues to cursed and bitter speaking, they
may not boast of their knowledge, for such wisdom
is carnal, sensual, and devilish, and they are liars
against the word, James iii. 13, 17.
Use is for instruction to all husbands that fear
God, to approve themselves unto God, in their sin
cere and loving behaviour towards their wives,
especially they should take notice of this vice of
bitterness ; or if they have failed this way, they
should recover themselves, repent and amend, and
not be like those wretched persons that draAv ini
quity with cords of vanity, and call bitter sweet : it
is ill to fault this way, but worse to excuse, defend,
or deny it.
Thus of the husband's duty.
The next couple in the family is parents and
children. The duties of children is set down first, because
the inferiors are charged first, and chiefly to mend
and perform their duties.

Ver. 20. Children obey your parents in all things,
for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.
The exhortation hath in it two things : first, Their
duty ; secondly, The reasons of it. Then duty hath
in it four things : first, Who are charged, ' chil
dren ;' secondly, What is charged upon them, ' obey;'
thirdly, To Avhom they owe it, 'your parents;'
fourthly, The extent, how far forth, ' in aU things.'
The reason is, because though it were not grateful
and pleasing to the parents by reason of their way
wardness, yet it is Avell-pleasing to God.
Children, viz., All chUdren, without difference of
sex, both sons and daughters ; or of age, not only
infants, but children grown and of riper and full
years of condition ; the chUdren both of poor and
rich. Obey. The obedience of children must be con
sidered .
More specially at some times, and so_ they must
obey —
1. In the choice of their callings.
2. In the election and disposing of their marriages ;
it must be with consent of parents. Thus did Isaac,
Gen. xxiv. Thus even Ishmael, Gen. xxi. 21 . Thus
Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 46, xxvhi. 9. Thus Samson,
Judges xiv. 2. And this power hath every father
over his virgin, 1 Cor. vii. 36, 37.
More generally. Here I consider : first, That they
must obey not in some things at some times, but
always throughout the course of our lives : this is
plain here, and likewise charged, Eph. vi. 2.
Secondly, How they must obey. Children must
perform obedience :
1 . With reverence internal and external ; inter
nally they must conceive a holy estimation and
tenderness of respect, and honour and observance
of their parents ; and externally they must shew it
by all reverent behaviour, as by rising up before
them, by giving them the honour to speak first.
2. With readiness to receive and hear instruction,
Prov. i. 8.
3. With endeavour to fulfil their desires, by their
labours or otherwise.
4. With submission : first, To their rebukes, Prov.
xiii. 1 ; secondly, To their restraints in diet, ap
parel, recreations, &c. ; thirdly, To their corrections.
5. With piety, praying for them ; for if they

Ver. 20.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

357

must do it for all men, much more for them ; and if
for all in authority, then for parents, 1 Tim. h. 1.
6. With all meekness of love, shewed three ways :
(1.) By obeying, Avithout inquiring, discoursing,
murmuring, or contending.
(2.) By bearing then infirmities, either of body, age,
or mind; obey, though aged, diseased, crabbed, &c.
(3.) Obeying Avithout respect of profit. Some chil
dren are obsequious so long as anything is to be had
from their parents ; but when they have all they
must have, then their forwardness to please is ne
glected : this is a base and mercenary obedience.
7. With all thankfulness and gratitude, a great
part of which is to recompense their parents' kind
ness by relieving their wants, if they fall into wants,
1 Tim. v. 4.
Your parents. Viz., Both your parents : not your
father only, but your mother also, Lev. xix. 3, Prov.
xv. 20.
In all tilings. Quest. But must they be obeyed in
sin? Ans. No ; you must so obey your earthly father
as you disobey not your heavenly Father ; therefore
' in the Lord' is added, Eph. vi. 1. But else wre
must obey in all things that are not apparent to be
sinful, though against our ease, profit, credit, &c.
Or more plainly thus : All things are of three
sorts : first, Some things are simply good ; this
must be done though the parents forbid, because
God commands. Secondly, Some things are simply
evil ; these things must not be done though parents
command, because God forbids. Thirdly, Some
things are indifferent ; in these children must obey,
though their parents require things never so unmeet,
for things may be unmeet that are not unlawful.
Thus of the doctrine of their obedience.
Against this doctrine children object many things.
Object. I am now in better estate, in higher place,
of better gifts, or such like, than my parents.
Ans. This is no reason to withhold obedience and
reverence ; for Joseph was a prince in Egypt, and
Jacob in great want. Solomon sits in his throne
of majesty, and yet, when his mother comes to him,
he yielded all reverence ; the throne did not make
her cease to be a mother : yea, our Saviour Christ
infinitely excelled his parents, and yet he Avas sub
ject unto them, Luke i. 51.

Object. But our Saviour saith, ' Call not men fa
ther on earth,' Mat. xxiii. 9.
Ans. The words are not to be understood simply
but comparatively, and that either to God or to the
pharisees : call no man father as thou callest God
Father, but so give titles to men as all honour and
sacred estimation of God's fatherly care be preserved ;
and call no man father as the pharisees ambitiously
desire to be called. Give not trust and child-like
honour to men of what profession soever, that you
should only trust in them ; and by performing
honour, or obedience, or recompense to them, grow
careless of the duties you owe to your own parents,
as the pharisees taught, Mat. xv. 5.
Object. But my parents require base things, and such
as cast a kind of discredit upon me in the world.
Ans. Consider not the things required, but God's
ordination. Besides, God the Father required of
Christ to bear the cross, spitting in the face, Sec,
yet he willingly obeyed.
Object. But my parents are disordered persons,
and foolish, &c.
Ans. Pray for them, but despise them not. Be
sides, God knows what is good for thee, and there
fore hath caused thee to come out of the loins of
such parents, and required subjection of thee.
Object. They are not my natural parents, but my
stepfather or stepmother.
Ans. Yet they must be obeyed ; so Ruth obeyed
Naomi, and Moses Jethro, Exod. xviii. 19.
Object. They are not parents at all, but my kin
dred only, as my uncle, aunt, Sec, with whom I am
left in trust.
Ans. Thou must be ruled by them ; so was Esther
by Mordecai.
Use 1. This condemns the doctrine and practice of
papists, that defend the vows of solitary and single
life of children without consent of parents ; and it
meets with the doctrine of the pharisees, that would
dispense with children's relieving of their parents,
so they would bestow it upon them, Mat. xv.
Use 2. This may serve for reproof of stubborn and
ungracious children that forsake their parents' in
struction, Prov. i. 8 ; but especially such monsters as
despise their parents when they are old, or mock
them, or curse them, or chafe them, or rob them,
&c, the cursed estate of such children is set doAvn

358

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

in these scriptures, Prov. xv. 20, xix. 26, xxiii. 22,
xx. 20, xxviii. 24, and xxx. 11, 17.
Thus of the duty ; the reason follows.
There are many reasons why they should obey :
1. Children have tlieir substance from them, even
their life and their education ; their parents then
took care of them Avhen they had no rag to cover
their nakedness, nor morsel to put into their mouths,
and Avhat can children render equivalent hereunto ?
2. Christ himself Avas obedient to his parents,
Lukeii. 51.
3. This is the purity and uprightness of children,
and hereby they must be tried, and tried whether
their Avork be pure, Prov. xx. 11.
4. The consideration of God's judgments upon
wicked children should much move, such as were
Ham, Esau, Absalom, Abimelech, &c.
5. If thou obey not thy parents, thou mayest live
to be requited by thy children.
6. In the 6th of Eph. 1-4, there are many reasons
Avhy children should obey.
First, It is in the Lord, — that is, their obedience is
both commanded by God, and it is for God ; and be
sides, it is no further urged than as may stand with
faith and piety to the Lord.
Secondly, This is right ; it is children's justice.
Thirdly, This commandment that requires this is
the first commandment with promise, for this had a
promise in the very first promulgation of it in the
table, Avritten by the finger of God ; whereas all the
rest had their promises annexed afterAvards by the
ministry of Moses.
Object. But the second commandment had promise
in the first promulgation of the law.
Ans. Some ansAver the Avords of the second com
mandment are a proposition, not a promise; but this
answer satisfieth not. Some say the promises men
tioned in that commandment belong to the whole
law, and not to that commandment alone; but I think
the plainest answer is : The fifth commandment is
the first commandment with promise, viz., in the
second table.
A fourth reason is, Children must obey, for so
it shall go well with them ; they shall get good and
contentment, and God's grace and blessing by so
doing. Fifthly, They shall live long on earth to
enjoy the blessing of God.

Object. Wicked children live long.
Ans. Their life is a death, and it is not well with
them, Isa. Ixv. 20.
Object. God's children do not hve long.
Ans. For the most part they do. 2. I say, if
God perform not this promise absolutely in the
letter, yet he performs this blessing by commutation
into a better, as when he gives them eternal life for
long life.
But the reason why children should obey is here
mentioned in the text :
It is well pleasing to the Lord. Some leave out
< to the Lord,' and so the argument is more general ,
for obedience is exceeding pleasing to then parents,
Prov. x. i., xv. 20, xix. 13, xxiii. 16 ; and besides, it
is pleasing to God ; but I see no reason to leave out
the words.
Some render h xueiu), ' in the Lord,' and so here is :
first, A limitation ; they must obey, but in the Lord.
Secondly, They must obey, — not because nature and
civility requires it, but for conscience sake, as God's
institution. But I take it as it is here rendered, ' to the Lord.'
Well-pile a sing to the Lord. From the consideration
of these Avords, I observe four things :
First, That it is not enough to serve God, but we
must so serAre as we please him, Heb. xh. 28.
Secondly, That there is a Avay how to please God
even in family duties, and these external and ordi
nary things at home ; and this serves : first, To
shew God's great love to man in that he frames him
self to men's condition, and likes what may like
them, will be pleased himself with what pleaseth
them : obedience and service to men he accounts a
service to himself. Secondly, It is a great encourage
ment to diligence and conscience in these family
duties, inasmuch as they avUI not only please man,
but God. Thirdly, It reproves hypocrites that care
to be good noAvhere but in God's house, but God
will have obedience and not sacrifice ; yea, here he
will be served Avith obedience to men.
Thirdly, That even children are bound to make
conscience of their Avays, and to learn to please God
in their youth : first, God requires it, Eccles. xii. 1,
Ps. cxhiii. 12. There is scripture for babes and
young men as Avell as old men. Secondly, There are
worthy examples to excite them recorded in scrip-

Ver. 20.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

359

ture, as the examples of Joseph, Samuel, David,
Josiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Timothy ; yea, this
Avas a great praise in Jeroboam's young and dying
son, 1 Kings xiv. 3. Thirdly, A conscionable care
in children to please God is much praised in scrip
ture ; they are blessed that bear the yoke in their
youth, and the workmanship of grace and obedience
in the hearts and lives of children is like the graving
of a king's palace, Ps. cxliv. 12. A happy thing
when the young men see visions, as Avell as old men
dream dreams, Joel ii. Then doth the church
flourish when the son marrieth the mother, Isa. lxii. 5.
Use 1. This should teach parents to begin be
times to teach their children the trade of tlieir
way, Prov. xxii. 6, and to bring them up in the in
struction and admonition of the Lord, Eph. vi. 4.
Use 2. Parents should learn also to be content
that their children serve and please God as well as
them. Some parents are so bad that they neither
avUI instruct their children themselves, nor abide it,
that they should hear sermons, read the Scripture,
seek the company of such as fear God or sanctify
God's Sabbaths.
Use 3. This should teach all to repent even for the
sins of their youth, Ps. xxv., for they were then tied
to please God as well as afterwards.
Use 4. That God wiU be pleased and will accept
the endeavours and conscionable cares and obedience,
even of children. This is a comfort to children, that
though they cannot please wayward parents, yet
they shall please God ; and again, it reproves froward
parents. Is God pleased, and art thou displeased ?
Doth God love and like the desires and endeavours
of his child, and dost thou dislike ?
Thus of children's duty ; the parents' duty fol-
Ioavs. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they
be discouraged. Doct. From the coherence, parents
must perform their duty to tlieir children. It is not
an easy thing to be a father ancl mother in per
formance of fatherly and motherly duties.
Provoke not. Doct. Men are in general here to
learn that it is not enough to abstain from sin, but
they must abstain from all provocations to sin. It
is not enough to abstain from whoredom, but men
must abstain from wanton attire, from suspected
places,, from filthy speeches, from chambering and

wantonness ; not enough to abstain from murder,
but men must abstain from bitter and provoking
words. It is not enough to abstain from idolatry,
but men must abstain from all the monuments and
occasions of idolatry, and therefore men must abstain
from all marriage Avith papists, and from making of
images of the Trinity, Sec. If men would avoid per
jury, they must take heed of common swearing; so
ministers must not only call for peace and unity,
but they must take heed of provocations to discords
when all is at peace.
Thus of the general.
The Avords of this verse are a dehortation, ancl
therein is: first, The duty of parents ; secondly, The
reason of it.
Parents. All parents are tied to perform their
duties to their children ; none are too good to do it.
Use for reproof of such Avomen as think themselves
too good to nurse their own children, ancl of such
fathers as turn the care of their children wholly to
others. Provoke to wrath. Here I note the manner of set
ting down their duty, and the matter.
The duty of parents is negatively set doAvn, to
teach that parents must not think only of their sins
against God and abroad to others, but they may be
guilty of much sin in trespassing against their OAvn
children. If parents Avere otherwise never so honest
or religious, yet the careless discharge of tlieir duty
to their children may much provoke God, and will
certainly be found on their score if they repent not.
Quest. But why is the duty of parents in this place
so sparingly set doAvn but in one branch of it, and
that negatively ?
Ans. It is not to allow parents to be less careful,
but it may be the apostle spares them here, because
in respect of other relations they are charged before
ancl after, as husbands ancl masters. Again, it may
be the apostle would have children to know they have
not that liberty to inquire into their parents' faults,
or to reckon it as a part of their skill to find them
out. Parents shall account to God, but not to their
children. Thus of the manner of setting their duty
clown ; the matter folloAvs.
Provoke not. Parents fault two Avays, either by
too much severity, or by too much indulgence ; the
former is here restrained. Again, the provoca-

360

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

tion is twofold, either to sin or to passion. It is a
most cursed thing for parents to provoke their
children to sin by counselling them to evil ways, or
encouraging them to lewd courses. This the apostle
holds too horribly vile for any professing religion,
or the fear of God, and therefore mentions provoca
tion to anger.
Concerning this provocation to anger, I consider
three things : first, How parents provoke their chil
dren; secondly, What they must do that they be
not provoked ; thirdly, What is not forbidden in
these Avords.
Parents provoke their children : first, By word ;
secondly, By deed.
1. By word three ways : first, By burthening them
Avith unjust and unmeet precepts ; secondly, By pur
suing them with contumelious Avords, especially Avhen
they be always chiding and rating of them ; thirdly,
By disgracing of them to others before their face, or
behind their backs.
2. By deeds five ways : first, By careless educa
tion ; for though children find not fault with this at
first, yet when they come to be of years, and find
their own unfitness for calling or society, Sec, then
they fret against their parents' neglect. Secondly, By
discourtesies and unkind usage of them when they
be grown to be of years, Thirdly, By unjust dealing
about their marriages, when either they restrain
them of marriage, when they have a calling to it,
and a liking of meet person, and thus they provoke
them to incontinency ; or when they compel them
to marry when they have no calling nor liking, and
thus they provoke them to discontent. Fourthly, By
indiscreet and immoderate passion and severity in
correcting them. Fifthly, By unjust restraints, either
of present necessaries of food and raiment, Mat. vii.
9, 10, 1 Tim. v. 8, Prov. xiii. 22, or in not laying up
for them, 2 Cor. xii. 1 4.
Secondly, That parents may not provoke their
children : 1. They must begin betimes to teach them
their duties, for ignorance is Avayward. 2. They
must sow the seeds of piety and godliness in their
hearts ; as they draw out reason by degrees, so there
is a conscience even in children as well as reason if
it were informed, and conscience would make them
not only religious to God but dutiful to parents. 3.
They must not give their children too much liberty

at the first ; for if they do, then will just restraint
afterwards be provocation. 4. They must pray for
them to God ; many pray for chUdren, and so for
their being, that afterwards never pray to God to
guide their hearts, and so for their Avell-being. 5.
They must in general strive to teach or guide them
by encouragements and allurements. Correction is
not as diet, but as physic ; and thus recreation is not
to be denied them, Zech. viii. 5. 6. If nothing else
AviU restrain passion in children, they must impose
silence upon them. He that imposeth silence on a
fool mitigateth anger, Prov. v. 26.
3. This dehortation hindereth not but that parents
may: (1.) Rebuke their chUdren ; (2.) Correct them,
Prov. xiii. 24, xxii. 15, 17, xxix. 15, 17, xxiii. 13,
xxv. 14, xix. 18, 19.
Thus of the duty.
Children. Viz., All children, sons and daughters-
in-law, as Avell as natural children ; and these are pro
voked :
1. By groundless jealousies and suspicions testified
by secret listening, questioning, and inquiring en
viously after everything they do or say.
2. By suffering servants to vex or molest them.
3. By eAil reports of them.
4. By giving evil counsel, or reporting of faults to
the son against his Avife, or to the daughter against
her husband. To make debate is ill in any, but
much worse in parents.
This of the parties to Avhom they OAve this duty.
Lest they be discouraged. The reasons follow.
There are many reasons why parents should be
careful by all means to keep anger out of then
children: 1. Wise men and godly men can scarce
govern this affection Avithout sinning, Ps. iv., much
less children. 2. Anger is a great provoker of
God's anger. It breeds a guiltiness of God's anger,
Mat. vi. 3. It lets in the devils, Eph. iv. 26;
and usually Satan, in the times of these passions,
soavs the most hellish seeds, and stirs most impious
thoughts in them. 4. It may brhig them into great
mischief in time, Prov. xxviii. 18. 5. It is a great
let to sound instruction and knoAvledge, Eccles. vii.
11, Prov. xiv. 29. 6. The angry person is usually
suspicious, and so unfit for society with men, Prov.
i. 22, 24 ; yea, it is a great hindrance, both to the
profit of the word, James i. 21, and the poAver and

Ver. 22.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

361

success of prayer, 1 Tim. ii. 8. 7. Sometimes this
rage in young persons is not to be cooled but Avith
blood, as in Cain.
But to omit the reasons, here parents must not
provoke their children lest they be discouraged.
Concerning discouragement in general we must
knoAV that it is a great sin to discourage others, and
a great hurt to be discouraged ; the people must not
discourage their teachers, Heb. xiii. 1 7 ; those that
are in authority must not discourage such as are
faithful ancl desirous to approve their fear of God,
and to discharge their duties. Governors in the
family must not discourage servants or children in
their good beginnings ancl desires after good things.
Again, this is a Christian mercy and compassion to
comfort and encourage the feeble, 1 Thes. v. 1 4 ;
and lastly, God's fainting children should be ad
monished to be of good comfort, ancl to strengthen
their knees, 2 Cor. xih. 11, Isa. xxxvi. 3, 4.
Concerning the discouragement of children, Chris
tian parents should be careful, for they may be dis
couraged : —
1. From the service of God, when they shall see
carnal men use their children better than they that
make such a profession of piety.
2. From the capacity and desire after the under
taking of the knoAvledge or exercise of great things ;
discouragement breaks their spirits ancl makes them
pusillanimous. 3. From the hope to please, and so from the con
fidence of the parents' love, and then at length from
the very means of pleasing either by honour or
obedience. This of the duty of parents and chil
dren. The third couple in the family are servants and
masters. The duty of servants is set down, ver. 22-25.

Ver. 22. Servants, be obedient to them that are your
masters according to the flesh in all things.
In all the words that concern the duty of servants,
I observe :
1. An exhortation, ver. 22, 23.
2. Reasons, ver. 24, 25.
The exhortation is two ways to be considered :
First, As it is briefly set down. Here is : 1. The
parties exhorted, 'servants;' 2. The duty Avhere-

Avith they are charged, 'be obedient;' 3. The per
sons to Avhom, 'to your masters.'
Secondly, As it is explicated. In the explication,
I consider :
1. The provisos about tlieir obedience.
2. The form or manner how they must obey.
The provisos are either for limitation, to curb
masters ; they are to obey according to the flesh ; the
souls and consciences are not in bondage to men ; or
for extent, to servants; they must obey in all things.
The manner how they must obey is set doAvn :
Negatively, — 1. not with the eye-service; 2. Not
as men-pleasers.
Affirmatively, — 1. with singleness of heart; 2.
With fear of God ; 3. Heartily, as to the Lord. The
reasons are : 1. From hope of reward and wages
from God, ver. 24 ; 2. From the certain vengeance
of God upon them that do wrong, ver. 25.
This is the order of the words.
From, the general consideration of all the words,
I observe five things :
1. That servants are to be instructed out of the
Avord ; which reproves masters that restrain servants
from hearing the word in God's house, and open not
the book of God to them in their oavii houses.
2. A 'question' may here be moA'ed, Why should
the duty of servants be thus largely in so many
words set down ?
Ans. 1. Because usually men sheAv less compas
sion to servants ; therefore God takes the more care
of them. Many men will have some care of their
children to see them taught in some manner, but
their servants they wholly neglect. Therefore God,
who is a Father to servants as well as children, pro
vides large instruction and comforts for servants, if
they will come to his book to be taught.
2. The careful apostle saw that in the first con
version of men from Gentilism to Christianity, there
was greatest danger of disorder and scandal in ser
vants, partly out of weariness of their bondage and
servile condition, partly because men Avould less
spare to tell of their faults ; therefore the apostle, as
most fearful of them, spends many Avords in the
teaching and encouraging of them.
3. We may note here the candour of the apostle.
He doth freely deliver his mind in the behalf of ser
vants with a full vent of words, with great care, with-
2z

362

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

out holding back anything that belongs unto them.
He was not of the mind of most preachers now-a-
days, that hold the discourse of family duties,
especially of servants, too base a subject for their
wits and learning to be employed in; neither was the
apostle of the humour of laAvyers, that seldom speak
much but for great men, or when they may have
great gifts : the apostle speaks as much for a servant
that could do nothing for him as for the masters.
4. In laying down his speech to servants he both
teacheth and comforteth them; but for order he first
teacheth them ; and as any is more ignorant, this
course is more needful tobe held. The common people
should be in this manner dealt Avithal ; they must
first be rebuked, convinced, exhorted, taught, and
then meet comforts to be applied, and not before.
Lastly, The scope and drift of the apostle in all
these words is to keep servants in order, and that
first, To hold servants in obedience, that none under
colour of liberty in Christ should break up their
subjection to their masters. He was no Anabaptist.
Secondly, To meet Avith the faulty obedience of such
servants as were resolved to stay in service. He
meeteth here with five faults in servants :
1. The first fault in servants is half service, or to
obey in what they list ; this he correcteth when he
saith, ' in all things.'
2. The second fault is eye-service.
3. The third fault is profaneness. Most servants
never respect piety and God's fear, but only to
please their masters ; this he meeteth Avith when he
saith, ' not as men-pleasers, but fearing God.'
4. The fourth fault is hypocritical service; this he
meeteth when he addeth, ' in singleness of heart.'
5. The fifth fault is baseness of mind and dis
couragement; this he would prevent in the two last
verses. Thus of the general.
Servants. The servants in the apostle's time were
for the most part bond-slave% bought and sold as
beasts, and their masters Avere infidels and cruel to
them ; and yet, many of these servants were con
verted to the faith of Christ. Where wre may learn
that men's slaves may be God's servants, he hath his
elect among these ; the dear children of God in this
world may be abased to the most vile misery, and a
most servile condition.

The uses are : first, To shew that felicity is not
in outward things ; for God's servants that had at
tained the chief good, yet Avere in most base con
dition in respect of the things of this lUe.
Secondly, To teach us patience in lesser crosses ;
Avhatsoever thou art, yet thou art not a bond-slave,
therefore be patient ; such as have been dear in
God's sight have been worse used than thou art.
Thirdly, To teach us compassion to the baser sort
of men, for God's elect may be among these.
Lastly, This is a great comfort to the abject.
But howsoever bought servants were most usual
in the apostle's time, yet hired servants were used
then too, and are here meant as Avell as the other;
yea, all servants, though they were nobles serving
in princes' court, are tied to the duties generally
here required.
And as any servants have more knowledge, and
do profess sincerity in religion, they are the more
tied to be careful servants to men ; they should not
only be better men and women, but better servants
also. Thus of the parties exhorted.
Be obedient. Here I consider two things :
1. That they must obey ; they must approve them
selves to their masters, not by Avearing their cloth,
or cognisance, or by words and compliments, but by
painful and careful obedience.
2. Hoav they must obey ; and that may be opened
thus :
First, With reverence, with all honour, 1 Tim.
vi. 1, both internal ; AAith high account and estima
tion of their masters ; and external, with reverent
words and behaviour.
Secondly, With all fear, 1 Pet. ii. 18, Eph. vi. 5 ;
and this they should sheAV : first, By avoiding what
might offend ; secondly, By not ansAvering again ;
thirdly, By a holy endeavour to please them.
Thirdly, With subjection to rebukes, 2 Pet. ii.
11 ; secondly, To correction, 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20; thirdly,
To their restraints : first, In respect of diet ; they
must not be their cwn carvers. Secondly, In
respect of place ; they must keep the bounds of the
family, and not at their pleasure be gadding out
either by night or day upon any pretence Avithout
leave. Thirdly, In respect of company ; they must
bring none into the family that are lewd persons, or

Ver. 22.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

363

of what sort soever, against the liking of the master ;
nor may they keep company abroad to the just
offence of their masters. Fourthly, In respect of
apparel ; though they have never so good means,
yet they must be attired as becometh servants.
And this subjection also they should shew in a
ready acknowledgment of their fault when they
understand it. It is a great fault in servants that
though they understand, yet they will not answer.
First, acknowledge and give glory to God, and
submit themselves to their masters, Prov. xxix. 19.
4. With all good faithfulness, Titus ii. 10. This
faithfulness is required :
1. In respect of the goods ofthe family; and thus :
1 . They must shew their faithfulness in not daring
to purloin the least penny from their masters ; no
pickers, Titus ii. 10. 2. It is not enough that they
are true, but they must be thriftily careful to see
that nothing be spoiled or lost, or miscarry any
way by their default and negligence. This Avas
the great testimony of Jacob's faithfulness, Gen.
xxxi. 36.
2. In respect of secrets. They must keep the
secrets of the master, and of the family ; yea, and of
the trade and calling too.
3. In respect of the business of the family ; and
here their faithfulness standeth in two things :
1. In diligence of labour. He is not a faithful
servant that eats the bread of idleness, as many
serving-men do that can tell of no calling but attend
ance. 2. In trustiness ; and in this servants must be
faithful tAVO ways : first, In their care to their
masters' directions executed in the family, as if
they had been present ; secondly, In their speedy
despatch of business abroad. A slothful messenger
is an exceeding provocation to them that send him ;
and it is a wretched fault in servants when they are
sent forth of the family about business they cannot
find the way in again in any due time.
Thus of the duty to which they are exhorted.
To them that are your masters. They must be
subject and obedient to all masters, indefinitely,
without difference of sex, (and so to the wife or
widow, 1 Tim. v. 14, Prov. xxxi.,) or of condition :
they must be obedient to the poorest, as well as the
rich.

Thus of the laying doAvn of the exhortation ; the
explication follows ; and first of the provisos :
According to the flesh. These words may be re
ferred to masters, and then the sense is this, that
servants must be obedient even to such masters as
are fleshly and carnal men ; they must obey though
tlieir masters be ethnics or profane persons. It is a
great praise for a servant to men to be God's servant
also ; but it is a greater praise to be a religious
servant of an irreligious master, to fear God in a
profane house.
2. To servants; and so they are a limitation. They
are subject only in respect of their flesh and bodies ;
and so here is tAvo things to be observed :
The one expressed. The bodies of servants are
in the power and at the disposing of the masters ;
and therefore servants must learn to subject their
flesh to their masters' both commands, restraints,
and corrections.
The other implied. The souls of servants are not
in the power and at the disposing of masters ; their
spirits are free, nor master nor king can command
the conscience.
Use is, first, For reproof of such servants as give
more to their masters than is due. Thou oughtest
to be of the same calling, trade, labour, &c, that
thy master is of ; but thou art not bound to be of
the same religion or humour with thy master. It is
a great fault not to give the body to thy master, but
a great fault also to give both body and soul to be
at his disposing ; both are extremes.
"Secondly, Should servants fear their masters be
cause they have power over the flesh ? How much
more should we fear God, that hath power to destroy
both soul and flesh in hell ? Mat. x.
Thirdly, This may be. a great comfort to a servant.
Thy soul is as free as the soul of him that sits on a
throne ; thy service in the flesh derogates nothing
from the liberty of Christ in thy heart ; thy best
part is free.
In all tilings. Servants must obey in all things,
even in things that be against their credit, profit,
liking, ease, &c. There is a great sturdiness in
many servants ; either they will not do some things
required, or not at the time when they are bidden,
or not in the manner, but as they list. These
courses are vile, and here condemned.

364

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

Object. But unlaAvful and unmeet things are re
quired. Sol. I answer that in cases of this nature, three
rules are to be observed by inferiors :
First, If the matter required be only inexpedient
ancl unmeet, thou must obey. Neither doth this
rule let, but that servants or inferiors may use all
humble and lawful means to prevent unmeet things.
Secondly, Thou must be sure it be sin that thou
refusest. Thou must not disobey upon conceit, or
conjecture, nor upon thine own humour and opinion ;
but it must appear by the Avord of God to be a sin,
or else thy conjectures are no ground of disobed
ience. If thou must needs doubt on both sides, it is
better doubt and obey than doubt aud disobey.
Thirdly, When it is apparent to be impious and
sinful that is required, yet thou must look to the
manner of disobedience. Thou must yield thyself to
obey by suffering ; yea, it is a Avretclied fault in
servants or inferiors, that are urged to unlaAvful
things, to refuse with sturdy, and insolent, and pro
voking Avords, or behaviour. God frees thee from
disobedience in act, but he frees thee not from
reverence, and from an holy estimation and humble
demeanour. The use is for great reproof of servants' both in
discretion and stubbornness ; and Avithal it chargeth
masters ; they must not require their servants to he
and swear in then shops only to please ancl profit
them, nor may they make their servants break God's
Sabbaths to satisfy their wills.
Object. But are they not required to obey in all
things ?
Ans. They are ; but before he saith according to
the flesh, in labour, not in sin, and after he saith
they must so please men as they fear God too.
Thus of the provisos.
The form of their obedience is set doAvn : first,
Negatively — 'not with eye-service,' 'not as men-
pleasers.' Secondly, Affirmatively :1V With sin
gleness of heart ;' 2. ' Fearing God ;' 3. 'Heartily'
Eye-service, Some take it thus, Not with outAvard
service, not only do the labour of the body, but
bring . the care, providence, affection of the heart ;
or thus, Be obedient to your masters, ancl let not
your eye#be only upon your masters, but upon
God, the great Master of all masters and men.

But I think the proper meaning of the word is,
Not with eye-service,— that is, not only in the pre
sence of your masters, not only when their eye is
upon them; so that he meets Avith the Avretclied
faultiness of such servants as, when their masters'
backs are turned, neglect their labour, fall to loiter
ing, or get them out of the doors ; or, Avhich is worse,
fall to Avantonness, drunkenness, filching, smiting of
their fellows, and quarrelling : these servants shall
have their portion at the day of Christ, Mat. xiv.
48. And if eye-service be condemned, what shall
become of such servants as are not good, no. not so
long as tlieir masters are by them ?
Not as mcn-pleusers. Object. Is it a fault for ser
vants to please their masters ?
Ans. No, it is not, for they are commanded to
please in all things, Titus ii. 9 ; but tAvo things are
here condemned : first, So to please men as never to
care for pleasing God ; so to attend a corporal ser
vice as not to care for the saving health of their
souls : this is profaneness. Secondly, Such servants
are here taxed as seek by all means to please their
masters, but not to profit them. Such are they
that are flattering, soothing persons, that serve then-
masters only with fair words, but else are empty
persons. Such, or rather Avorse, are they that apply
themselves to their masters' humours, to feed them
AAith tales, or praising their ill courses and counsels,
or executing their sinful minds. These sen-ants are
many times the firebrands of contention, alienate
parents from their children, friend from friend, and
keep malice on perpetual foot. These are here
rebuked. But let us consider farther, Is this such
a fault in poor servants, that can pretend many
things, to be men-pleasers, — how foul a vice is it in
free men that are in no AA'ants or restraint, — how
hurtful is it to be a man-pleaser in the courts of
princes and in the houses of nobles ] Hoav detested
a vice is it in such as are magistrates ancl public
states ! And is it naught in the court and country ?
certainly it is much more vile in the pulpit and in
churchmen ; and even the greater they are, the
Avorse and more abominable is then soothing and
daubing. Thus of the negative.
In the affirmative are three things ; and the first
is singleness of heart.

Ver. 22]

BYFIELD ON OOLOSSIANS.

365

In singleness of heart. Concerning singleness of
heart, I consider it two ways :
First, In the general, as it is in God's servants.
Secondly, In special, as it is in men's servants.
Singleness or sincerity of heart, as it is in God's
servants, I consider of in two things :
First, In the nature of it.
Secondly, In the signs of it.
Singleness of heart may be discerned by the con
trary to wliich it is opposed :
1. As it is opposed to hypocrisy ; a sincere-hearted
man is no hypocrite, and shews it three Avays :
First, He had rather be good than seem so, as in
case of alms, Rom. xii. 8, compared with Mat. vi. 2 ;
so in the case of piety, he had rather have grace and
sound knoAvledge than an empty show of it.
Secondly, He will serve God at all times as Avell
as at one time. It is a note of a hypocrite that he
will not pray at all times ; he Avill serve God when
he is sick, but not Avhen he is Avell, Job xxvii. 7-9.
So it is vile hypocrisy to come to church in Lent to
hear sermons, but never come there, or but seldom,
all the year after.
Thirdly, He minds inward secret domestic holi
ness ancl piety, as Avell as outward open and church
holiness. He is a hypocrite that kneels clown Avhen
he comes into the church, and never prayeth in his
family at home. It is vile hypocrisy and palpable in
such men as have knees of prayer when they first
come up into the pulpit, and no words of prayer when
they are risen up to speak for or to God's people.
2. As it is opposed to fleshly Avisdom, 1 Cor. i. 12.
There is a threefold wisdom of the flesh that batters
and keeps out singleness and sincerity of heart :
1. The first is a reaching after private ends in
public employments, as preaching for gain, 2 Cor.
ii. 17.
2. The second is a cunningness in committing or
hiding sin. It is sincerity to be Arise to do good,
and simple concerning evil ; to be a bungler in
acting it, and to have nothing to say in defence of
it when it is done, Rom. xvi. 19.
3. The third is fraud, shifting, subtlety, and guile
ful and deceitful dealing in men's course for the
things of this life. Thus Esau is a Avild and cunning
man, able by reason of his craft and subtlety to live
in a wilderness ; but Jacob is a plain man, a single-

hearted man ; he can make no shift to help himself
in earthly things by fraud or craft, but is open and
plain in all his dealings for the Avorld, but a man of
great reach for matters of his soul. This is a pattern
of true singleness, simplicity, and sincerity.
3. As it is opposed to a double heart, — opposed, I
say, to a heart ancl a heart, ancl a double heart is
either a wavering heart or a divided heart. Men
have a double heart that waver and are tossed with
uncertainties, — such as are now for God ancl godli
ness, and shortly after for sin ancl the flesh ; now
are resolved to leave such a fault, as persuaded it is
a fault ; and by and by they will to it again, as per
suaded it is not a fault. Here is no singleness of
heart. And thus the heart is double in respect of
times ; it is double also as divided in respect of
objects. I instance in tAvo things : first, In matter
of worship. The people that came to inhabit
Samaria had a divided heart ; for they feared the
God of the country because of the hons, and they
feared the gods of the nations also, 2 Kings xvii.
33. Such are they that fear God's threatenings in
his Avord, and fear the signs of heaven too.
Secondly, Our Saviour instances in matters of the
Avorld. The mind, which is the eye of the soul,
cannot be said to be single Avhen it is distracted ;
men cannot serve God and Mammon,Mat. vi. 21-24.
4. As it is opposed to spiritual pride ; a single
heart is a humble heart, as Job sheweth, Job xi. 15,
16 ; and sheweth itself in tAvo things : first, That if
God send crosses, it Avill not answer or justify
itself, but make supplication, and so acknowledge
God's love, as Avithal it will confess that God doth
judge them for their corruptions. Secondly, If the
sincere-hearted man pray to God, and the Lord be
pleased to ansAver him by unutterable feelings, even
by the witness of the spirit of adoption, yet he will
be so far from spiritual pride and conceitedness, that,
fearing before God's mercies, he avUI be as if he
believed not that God had heard his voice.
5. As opposed to perturbation ancl disquietness of
the heart, arising either from the cloudiness and
muddiness of the judgment, not able to discern
things that differ, Phil. i. 10; or from the unrest of
the conscience, shewed by hourly or frequent check
ings, 2 Cor. i. 12 ; or from the infidelity or grudgino-
or distrustfulness of the heart, Acts ii. 46.

366

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

6. As opposed to offensiveness ; and so the single-
hearted man is neither offensive by Avrongs nor by
scandals. In respect of wrongs, he is innocent as
the dove : he is no horned beast to pelt and gore
others, Mat. x. 1 6 ; and in respect of scandals, he
is desirous to live without blame from those that
are without, or grief to the faithful, Phil. ii. 15,
i. 10. Out of this may be gathered the signs or pro
perties of a single or sincere-hearted man : 1 . He
had rather be good than seem to be so. 2. He
strives to be good in secret at home; in heart as well
as openly and abroad. 3. He serves not God by
flashes or fits, but is constant, and will pray and
serve God at all times. 4. He is a plain man, with
out fraud and guile in matters of the world ; he loves
plainness ancl open dealing, yet he is not simple, for
in matters of his soul he is of great reach, and fore
cast, and discretion, &c. 5. He is a bungler in sin ;
he knows not the method of Satan. 6. He doats not
upon the world ; he can use it as though he used it
not ; he is not tossed with distracting cares. 7. He
cannot abide mixtures in the worship of his God ;
he is neither idolatrous, nor superstitious, nor hu
morous. 8. Good success in grace and innocency
makes him more humble, and fit to grieve for sin,
and feel the weight of it ; he struggles as much
against spiritual pride as against other sins. 9. He
doth not allow himself to murmur nor repine, either
through infidelity at God, or through grudging envy
at men, or distress himself with vain fear about hoAv
he shaU do hereafter. 10. He is harmless ; desirous
so to live as he may wrong none in worldly matters,
nor offend any in matters of religion. 11. He makes
conscience of lesser sins as well as greater ; this is
his godly pureness. 1 2. He is blessed of God after
some progress in piety with two singular favours :
first, He discerneth things that differ ; secondly,
He hath the power, quietness, ancl joy of a good
conscience. Here also may be gathered negative signs ; they
are not single-hearted : first, That are hypocrites
taken up about the gilding of the outside ; secondly,
That will serve God but at some times ; thirdly,
That are skilful in sin to commend it, or impudent
to defend, deny, or extenuate it ; fourthly, That are
of a guileful and fraudulent disposition ; fifthly,

That are eaten up with worldly cares ; sixthly, That
are scandalous : yea, some of God's children may
hang down their heads under the fear that their
hearts are not so single as were meet, by reason of
tlieir spiritual pride, the raging muddiness of judg
ment, and the unrest of the heart and conscience.
Thus of singleness of heart in God's servants.
Men's servants shall approve themselves to be
single-hearted :
1. If they can honour and obey poor masters as
Avell as rich.
2. If they can be careful to serve and profit with
all heedfulness, and love froward masters as weU as
the courteous.
3. If they can obey for conscience of God's com
mand, though they have no hope of reward from
men, or conceit, nor fear of shame or punishment.
4. If they be as good Avithin as without ; serve
Avith pure intention.
5. If they AviU be diligent in the master's absence
as Avell as in his presence.
6. If they avUI be true in the least penny ; not
touch their master's goods to purloin it, though they
might secretly help themselves.
7. If they will labour Avhen they might be at rest.
8. If they will restore what they have UI gotten ;
or if they be not able, AviU humble themselves by
acknowledgment, though none were able to accuse
them. Use is for encouragement to all servants and
journeymen to get and express this uprightness and
singleness of heart ; for better is the poor that
walketh in his singleness of heart, than he that
abuseth his lips and is a fool, Prov. xix. 1 ; yea, Ave
should all take heed that Satan beguile us not from
the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.
Thus of singleness of heart.
Fearing God, The second thing required in the
manner of their obedience is the fear of God.
The fear of God in a servant must haA'e four things
in it :
First, A not guiltiness of the common Aices of ser
vants, as swearing, whoring, stealing, gaming, &c.
Secondly, They must fear God's presence, even
do their business faithfully, not because the eye of
their master, but of God, is upon them. This is one
part of their fear of God.

Ver. 23.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

!67

Thirdly, They must pray daily to God for their
masters, and the family, and for good success upon
their own labours. This proved that Abraham's
servant feared God, Gen. xxiv.
Fourthly, They must be religious in the general
duties of piety to God, as well as in the particular
duties of service to their masters ; they must so
serve men as they fear God also.
Uses. First for servants, and then for masters.
Servants must learn to do all their labour fearing
God, even that God (1.) that set them in that call
ing ; (2.) Whose eyes always behold how they dis
charge their duty in tlieir calling. And inasmuch
as the fear of God is made the ground here of other
duties, they should learn to be the better servants
to men because they fear God. Masters also must
learn, first, Avhat servants to choose, — not such only
as will do their work, but such as fear God also ;
and if they have failed in that, they should labour
now to beget and nurse the fear of God in the
servants they have, for God's fear would make their
servants more dutiful to them ; besides, the reason
why their servants fall to whoring, stealing, un-
thriftiness, &c, is because the fear of God is not in
them. Quest. But what should masters do that their
servants might fear God ?
Ans. Four things : first, They should pray and
read the scriptures in their houses, and catechise
their servants ; secondly, They should bring them to
the public preaching of the word ; thirdly, They
should give them good example themselves ; fourthly,
They should restrain them from profane company,
and encourage them, and allow them liberty at con
venient times to converse with such as fear God.
Thus of the fear of God.
Ver. 23. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to
the Lord, and not unto men.
The third thing required in their obedience is that
they do it heartily. In this verse is the manner of
the duty, and the inducement thereunto.
Heartily, ex animo. The obedience of servants
should be a hearty obedience. The apostle will not
have only fear of God, but love of the master. Their
obedience must begin at heart, not at hand or foot ;
if the heart be not with their obedience, the master

may have theip labour ; and that he hath of the ox,
but such servants lose their labour.
Quest. What is it to obey ex animo i
Ans. It is to obey voluntarily, and out of a heart
and affection rightly ordered ; but especially it is to
obey out of a judgment well informed.
The use is, therefore, to urge, them to do it ; and
here I would consider of the objections of servants
why they cannot obey ex animo.
Object. 1. Bondage is against nature.
Sol. It is against nature as it was before the fall,
but not as it is now since the fall.
Object. 2. But Christ hath made us free.
Sol. Free in soul in this life; not in body till your
bodies be dissolved, or till death.
Object. 3. But my master is froward.
Sol. Yet thou must be subject, 1 Pet. ii. 18.
Object. 4. But he doth not only give ill words but
bloAvs. Sol. Perhaps it is needful, for a servant will not
be corrected by words, Prov. xxix. 19.
Object. 5. But he correcteth me unjustly.
Sol. First, Who shall judge this ? Shall servants
themselves ? Secondly, It is acceptable if, for well
doing and for conscience, thou endure to be buffeted,
&c, 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20.
Object. 6. But my master is not only a froward
man, but a wicked man, and an enemy of Christ.
Sol. Yet thou must honour and obey him will
ingly, 1 Tim. vi. 1, 2.
Object. 7. But I am a hired servant, not a bought
servant. Sol. Indeed, masters have not that power over
them they have over bond-slaves, but yet all servants
are here bound to obey heartily.
Object, 8. But unmeet things are required.
Sol. Discern things that differ, but yet obey in all
things. All this reproves grudging, and slow and
stubborn servants.
Whatsoever ye do. Not only fair, easy, cleanly,
and best sort of works are to be done Avillingly, but
all, or any kind of labour whatsoever, though never
so base or vile.
As to the Lord and not to men. Doct. Servants, in
obeying their masters, serve the Lord.
The use is both for instruction of servants and
for comfort. For instruction, they must serve their

368

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. III.

masters as they would serve the Lord, with all
faithfulness, diligence, Avillingness, providence, con
science, &c.
For comfort and encouragement also is this doc
trine, and that three Avays :
First, Here is a limitation ; they must do no ser
vice to men that is against the Lord
Secondly, Art thou a servant 1 Care not for it,
thou art Christ's freeman.
Thirdly, Let not the baseness of thy work dis
courage thee, for in serving thy master thou servest
God as Avell as if thou wert preaching or praying,
&c. When the apostle saith, ' not unto men,' Ave
must understand, not principally or only. Thus of
the exhortations ; the reasons follow.
Ver. 24. Knowing that ofthe Lord ye shall receive the
reward of the inheritance : for ye serve the Lord Christ.
In this verse servants are persuaded to obedience,
by a reason taken from the retribution or reward of
their service ; and the matter of the verse is com
prehended in this syllogism. What faithful men
soever serve Christ, ancl do their duty to him faith
fully and cheerfully, shall receive of Christ the
reward of inheritance. But you Christian servants,
when you perform your obsequious obedience to
your masters, serve the Lord Christ ; ergo, you shall
have the reward of the inheritance.
Knowing. Doct. Servants may and ought to knoAV,
and be assured of their own salvation.
Use is for confutation of papists, and unsound
men, that deny certainty of salvation ; for if ser
vants, that have not the greatest wits or knowledge,
that are employed about small businesses, that have
not so much liberty nor learning as other men, Sec,
yet may be assured not by conjecture or hope, but by
certain knowledge, by most undoubted faith ; then
what colour of reason can there be Avhy other Chris.
tians, the Lord's people, should be denied this know
ledge ? And therefore, in the second place, it should
teach us to make our calling ancl election sure. |
Reward, Doct. The works even of servants shall
be rewarded.
Use is for the comfort of servants, and for reproof
of the unbelief that is many times in God's children,
doubting of God's acceptation of their prayer and
holy endeavours. Shall the base and secular works

of men's servants be rewarded, and the great works
of piety in God's service not be regarded ?
Of the Lord. God will be paymaster unto ser
vants ; ancl in that they are turned over to God for
payment, it implies that most masters are careless
and unmerciful ; and this they are not only in with
holding convenient food and raiment, but in sending
their servants after long time of weary labour out of
their families empty, and Avithout means to live in
the world.
Reward of inheritance. Two things are here
affirmed of heaven : first, It is a reward, and so
free ; secondly, It is an inheritance, and so sure.
There are four uses may be made of this doctrine :
1. We should much love, esteem, and desire heaven;
it is the reward of God. Princes give great gifts,
but God's least gift must needs be glorious. 2. We
should learn to be liberal as God is liberal, — give
freely, give largely. 3. Here is a plain confutation
of the merit of heaven, for heaven is an inheritance.
Noav, the son doth not inherit 1 the father's lands; he
hath not his lands in measure according to his
deserts, for most an end the land is purchased
before the son be born; much less can we merit
heaven, and the rather because Ave cannot aUege so
much as this, avc came out of the loins of the father,
seeing Ave are children but by adoption.
For ye serve the Lord Christ. Doct. Christ is the
chief Lord, and therefore masters should be well
advised how they use their servants, for they are
Christ's servants; and servants should be careful
how they obey their masters, for they must account
to this SteAvard.
Thus of the first main reason.
Ver. 25. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for tlie
wrong that he hath done; and there is no respect of
persons. Some take this twenty-fifth verse to be a conclu
sion of the whole doctrine before concerning family
duties ; as if he Avould signify that he Avould not
have this doctrine of household government more
contemned than the doctrine of piety or righteous
ness; for Avhatsoever Arife, husband, child, father,
or servant shall do wrong in the neglect or breach
of these commandments for the family, shall be sure
1 Qu. ' merit ' ?— Ed.

Ver. 25.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

369

to receive for the wrong he doth at God's hand,
without respect of persons.
Some understand the verse as a threatening to
servants, if they do any way wrong tlieir masters.
But the commonest interpretation is meetest, viz.,
to understand it as a reason taken from the certain
vengeance of God against all masters that wrong
their servants, arid so is the second main reason to
urge their obedience.
In the verse I likevri.se observe seven doctrines :
1. Masters must account to God for all the Avrong
they do to their servants in word or deed.
2. All masters shall be punished of God that do
Avrong, if they repent not, though they were other-
Avise never so great ; yea, though they were never
so good or righteous men ; for if good men wrong
their servants, God will requite it, and chasten them
for that as well as for other sins.

3. The sovereignty of disposing an exact, full,
and final vengeance belongs to God only; men
administer only a part or drop of it.
4. God will rise up in the defence of the_ poorest
and meanest Christians, to right their Avrongs.
5. Servants may not right their own wrongs, and
return words for Avords, or blows for blows, but
commit that to God.
6. Servants must be subject not only to the
courteous and just, but to the froward and injurious
masters. Lastly, God is no respecter of persons or faces.
He cares no more for the master than for the man ;
all are one in Christ Jesus ; there is neither bond
nor free, JeAV nor Grecian, rich nor poor, but Christ
is all in all things, as is before declared, ver. 1 1 .
Thus of the duties of servants.
Thus also of the doctrine of the third chapter.

3 A

THE LOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FOURTH CHAPTER.

THE first verse of this chapter belongs unto the
special rules ofthe former chapter, ancl contains
the duty of masters, and the reason of it. Their
duty in these words, ' Ye masters, do that Avhich is
just and equal to your servants.' The reason in
these words, ' knowing that ye also have a master
in heaven.'
In the second verse, and so to the end of the
chapter, is contained the conclusion of the whole
epistle. This conclusion contains : first, Matter of exhorta
tion, to ver. 7 ; secondly, Matter of salutation, from
ver. 7 to the end.
The exhortation may be three Avays considered :
first, As it concerns prayer, ver. 2-4 ; secondly,
As it concerns Arise conversation, ver. 5 ; thirdly, As
it concerns godly communication, ver. 6.
Concerning prayer two things are to be observed :
first, The manner; secondly, The matter. In the
manner, three things are required : first, Persever
ance ; secondly, Watchfulness ; thirdly, Thankful
ness, ver. 2.
In the matter, consider : first, The persons for
whom, 'praying also for us;' secondly, The things
for which, ' that God may open,' &c. These things
are first briefly laid down, ' that God would open to
us a door of utterance;' or secondly, more fully
explicated : first, By the subject, ' to speak the
mystery of Christ ; ' secondly, By a reason, ' for
which I am in bands ; ' thirdly, By the end, ' that
I may utter it as becometh me to speak,' ver. 3, 4.
Wisdom of conversation is propounded Avith limi
tation to the respect of some person, viz., ' them that
are without,' ver. 6.

In that part that concerns gracious communica
tion there are two things : first, The precept, ' let
your speech,' &c. ; secondly, The end of the precept,
' that ye may know how,' &c. In the precept, note
first the properties of speech : first, ' Gracious ; ' se
condly, ' Powdered with salt ; ' thirdly, The continu
ance, riz., ' always.'
Thus of the exhortation.
The salutation follows, from ver. 7 to the end.
Where observe : first, A narration as an entrance ;
secondly, The salutations themselves.
The narration is in ver. 7-9, and it concerns, first,
Tychicus, ver. 7, 8, and Onesimus, ver. 9.
Concerning Tychicus there are two things : first,
His praises with relation to all Christians, ' a be
loved brother ; ' or to Christ, ' a faithful minister ;'
or to Paul, ' a fellow-servant.' Secondly, The end of
his mission, wliich is threefold : first, To ' declare
Paul's estate ; ' secondly, To ' know their estate ; '
thirdly, To ' comfort their hearts.'
Concerning Onesimus, there is likeAvise : first, His
praises in relation to all, so he is ' a brother, faith
ful, beloved;' relation to them, he is ' one of them.'
Secondly, The end of his mission is to ' make known,'
Sec, ver. 9.
The salutations folloAV ; and they are : first, Signi
fied ; secondly, Required. The signified salutations
are from ver. 10 to 15; the other from ver. 15 to
the end.
The salutations signified are from six men, three
of them Jews, viz., Aristarchus, Marcus, and Jesus,
ver. 10, 11; and three Gentiles, Epaphras, Lucas,
Demas, ver. 12-14.
The JeAvs are described : first, By their names ;

372

THE ANALYSIS OF THE FOURTH CHAPTER.

secondly, By their country — they were of the circum
cision ; thirdly, By their praises, and so for what
they were to the whole church, labourers, fellow-
workers to the kingdom of God, or to Paul, and so
they were to his consolation, ver. 11.
The salutations of the Gentiles follow, whereof the
first is of Epaphras, who is described : first, By his
office, a servant of Christ ; secondly, By his relation
to them, ' he is one of you ; ' thirdly, By his love to
them, shewed by his striving in prayer for them ;
fourthly, By his zeal not only for them, but the
neighbour churches, ver. 1 3.

Thus of the salutations signified.
The salutations required follow; and those are
either particular, ver. 15-17, or general, ver. 18.
The particular salutations concern either the
Laodiceans, ver. 15, 16, or the Colossian preacher,
who is not only saluted, but exhorted, ver.
17. The general salutation hath in it : first, A sign,
' the salutation by the hand of me, Paul ; ' secondly,
A request, ' remember my bonds ; ' thirdly, A love,
' grace be with you, Amen,' ver. 18.

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE FOURTH CHAPTER.

VER. 1. Masters also must do that Avhich is just
unto their servants, both for their souls and for
their bodies also, in diet, Avages, or correction ; and
that which is equal, both while they stay Avith them,
in allowance of recreation, and respect of their
weakness and sickness ; ancl when they go from them,
not to let them go away empty ; knoAving that they
themselves are servants unto God who is in heaven,
and will call them to accounts.
Ver. 2. To conclude. I return again to all sorts of
Christians, and exhort them to three things princi
pally : the first is about prayer ; the second is about
then carriage ; the third about their speeches. For
then prayers there are three things exceeding neces
sary : perseverance, and Christian watchfulness, and
thanksgiving for the graces and blessings they do
receive. Ver. 3. Remembering us also in their prayers, that
God would open unto us a door of utterance, with
liberty, courage, power, and good success to break
open the mystery of the gospel of Christ, for which
I am now in prison.
Ver. 4. That I may so speak of those dreadful
secrets, that I no way derogate from the majesty of
them, or that trust that is committed to me, or ex
pected from me. Thus of what I would specially
commend to you about prayer.
Ver. 5. Now for your carriage. I Avould have you
especially look to yourselves in respect of your be
haviour before or amongst the wicked, who are not
of God's family, and strangers from the life of God :
it were an admirable thing to carry yourselves in
a wise and discreet manner toAvards them. Hence,
and by all other ways, shewing yourselves to be

skilful merchants in redeeming the time Avhich hath
been lost.
Ver. 6. And for your communication, let it be
of good and holy things ; not offensive, or slander
ous, or filthy ; and powdered with the salt of dis
cretion and mortification : and thus let it be always,
and in all companies, that ye may speak fitly unto
every man, and to his place ancl the occasion.
Ver. 7. I have sent over Tychicus to declare unto
you my Avhole estate, who is both a godly man, Avell
respected, and a painful minister, that joins with
us in God's works.
Ver. 8. And withal, I send him to knoAV hoAv
you do, and to comfort you by all means with
hearty consolations.
Ver. 9. And with him I have sent Onesimus, who
is now a godly man, truly sincere and well respected,
even he that was born or brought up amongst yon.
These two avUI relate all things to you.
Ver. 10. I have also divers commendations to
deliver to you, some from some JeAvs, others from
Gentiles. Of the first sort are Aristarchus, and
Marcus, and Jesus. Aristarchus is my prison-
fellow. Marcus is Barnabas' sister's son, and it is
he concerning whom heretofore you received some
advertisements not to admit him ; but now, if he
come unto you, receive him.
Ver. 11. Jesus, by his good carriage, hath gotten
himself the surname of Just. These three are Jews
and indeed the only men that constantly hold out to
help forward the kingdom of God. They are men
in whom I am much comforted.
Ver. 12. Those of the Gentiles that desire to be
remembered to you are Epaphras, Luke, and Demas.

374

THE METAPHRASE UPON THE FOURTH CHAPTER.

Epaphras is a worthy servant of Christ, and the
dearer ought he to be to you, because he is one of
you. He striveth mightily for you in all sorts of
prayers, being importunate with God, that you
might hold out without declining, and be more
and more complete and full in the knowledge and
practice of the whole will of God.
Ver. .1 3. For I bare him Avitness that he is in
flamed Avith great affection both for you and them of
Laodicea and Hierapolis.
Ver. 14. Luke also, a physician, both godly and
greatly respected, saluteth you, ancl Demas.
Ver. 15. I pray you also to remember my saluta
tions to the brethren of Laodicea, especially to Nym-
phas and that religious family who, for their piety
and good order, are, as it were, a little church.

Ver. 16. And when this epistle hath been publicly
read of you, send it to the church of Laodicea to
be read there also, together with the letter which
was sent to me from Laodicea.
Ver. 17. Commend me also to Archippus your
preacher, and charge him to take heed he do not
his work by halves ; but, as he hath received his
commission from the Lord, so let him fulfil it, both
by constancy and painfulness, and powerfulness of
preaching. Ver. 18. I join also mine own salutation, which
is written with mine OAvn hand, and not by my
scribe. I pray forget me not in this restraint. The
grace of God, as the only fan portion, be now and
always with you. And my confident hope is, so it
will.

CHAPTER IY.

VER. 1. Ye masters, do that which is just and equal
unto your servants ; knowing that ye have also a
Master in heaven.
This verse belongs unto the doctrine of household
government, and contains : first, The duty of mas
ters ; secondly, The reason, ' knowing,' Sec
In the duty : first, The parties charged, ' ye
masters ; ' secondly, The duty required, ' do that
Avhich is just and equal ; ' thirdly, The persons to
whom it is to be performed, ' unto your servants.'
Masters. All masters are charged without differ
ence ; yea, the wife as well as the husband, by a
synecdoche ; the greatest as Avell as the meanest, and
the poorest must deal justly, as well as they that
have more means, &c.
Do that which is just and equal. Doctrine from the
coherence. That God that promiseth eternal things
will provide temporal things also. In the former
chapter, God promised the reward of inheritance for
servants. Here he takes order for their Avell-being
in the world, charging masters to see that they be
used justly and equally.
Just. Masters must do justly, and shew it. 1.
Generally, by not requiring unjust things of them,
and by choosing such servants as are just into the
family, Ps. ci. 6, lest by bringing in lewd servants,
the rest be infected. For if it be a great injustice
to bring in an infectious servant that hath the
plague upon his body, and to appoint him to work
among the rest of his servants that are free from
the disease, then it is much more unjust to bring
in lewd servants that have the plague-sore of sin
running upon them ; for the presence, and counsel,
and example of lewd sinners is of more power to

infect a sound soul, than is a plaguy man to poison
the sound body of others. 2. More particularly,
masters must do that which is just : 1. To the
souls ; 2. To the bodies of their servants. They
must deal justly with their souls, by helping them
to grace, if it be possible; but at least, by bringing
them to the public means of grace, and by private
training of them up in God's fear, by prayer and
instruction. The justice they owe unto their body
may be referred unto three heads ; for either it con
cerns their maintenance, and so they must give them
their portion of food convenient for them, Prov.
xxxi. 15 ; or it concerns their wages, and so they
must give the wages proportionable to their work,
and that in due time, and without defrauding them
of any part of it ; or it concerns then punishment,
and so the justice of the master must be shewed
both in this, that he will punish their open dis
orders ; as also that he will do it with instruction,
moderation, and to profit them and the Avhole
family. Equal. Masters must not only deal justly, but
they must deal equally with their servants. And
masters deal unequally many ways.
1. When they require inconvenient things; for
though the servant must obey, yet the master sins
in requiring unequal things.
2. When they impose more Avork than they have
strength to do.
3. When they turn them away when they are
sick ; for it is equal that as thou hast had their
labour when they were well, so thou shouldst keep
them when they are sick.
4. When they restrain them of liberty for their

376

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

souls. If thou have the work of their bodies, it is
equal that thou take care for their souls ; and if
they serve thee six days, it is very equal thou
shouldst proclaim liberty to them to do God's Avork
on the Sabbath-day.
5. When they restrain and withhold their meat
and Avages.
6. When they send them out of their service
empty, after many years' bondage, and not pro
vide that they may have some means to live after-
Avards. To conclude. It is not equal for the master to hear
every Avord that men say of his servants, Eccles. vii.
23 ; nor is it meet they should bring up their servants
delicately, Prov. xxix. 21 ; nor yet that they should
leave their callings and the whole care of their busi
ness to their servants; but they ought diligently to
know the state of the herds themselves, Prov. xxvii.
23. Thus of the duty ; the reason follows.
Knowing that ye have also a Master in heaven. Here
are four doctrines to be observed :
1. That there is no master, but he is a servant ;
and therefore as he Avould require his work to be
done by his servant, so he should be careful himself
to do God's work, to whom he is a servant.
2. That God's majesty and man's authority may
well stand together. Christ ancl Caesar can well
agree. Man's government in a family, and God's
government in the world, are not opposite one to
the other.
3. Ignorance of God, and the accounts must be
made to God, is the cause of that security, insolency,
and cruelty that is in men.
4. That it is ill to use servants ill, it wUl be re
quired if they be Avronged. Thus of the reason.
Ver. 2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same
with thanksgiving.
In this verse, with those that follow to the end of
the chapter, is contained the conclusion of the whole
epistle. This conclusion contains matter of exhortation to
ver. 7, and matter of salutation, ver. 7 to the end.
The exhortation may be three ways considered :
1. As it concerns prayer, ver. 2-4.
2. As it concerns Avise conversation, ver. 5.

3. And as it concerns godly communication, ver.
6. Concerning prayer, two things are to be observed :
1. How we must pray, or the manner.
2. For what, or the matter.
In the maimer three things are required : first,
Perseverance ; secondly, Watchfulness ; thirdly,
Thankfulness, ver. 2.
In the matter is further added : first, The persons
for whom, ' praying also for us ; ' secondly, The
things for which, ' that God may open,' &c, ver.
3,4. Continue in prayer. The doctrines implied in these
Avords are four :
1. That our mortal condition is a condition of
singular vanity, in that the best of God's servants
are ever wanting something.
2. That long prayer of itself is not blameworthy.
Christ continued all night in prayer.
3. That prayer is of perpetual use in the life of a
Christian. 4. That to pray by fits is not God's ordinance ;
neither that he requires, nor that he will accept.
The doctrine expressed in these words is three
fold :
1. That we must hold out and pray stiU, and
never give over prayer till we give up our souls into
God's hands.
2. That we must pray upon all occasions for
health. Avealth, success in our calhngs, preservation
of our estates, the blessing of God upon the word,
sacraments, reading, &c, for pardon of sin, salvation
of our souls, eA'er stretching out our desires to aU
the opportunities and callings to prayer.
3. We must be instant in prayer, set all aside for
prayer, wait upon it, for so the word is rendered,
1 to wait,' Acts x. 7.
Use is : first, For reproof of such wretched men as
pray not at all, Job xxi. 1 4. Secondly, For reproof
of such as make apostasy from the affections and
practice of prayer ; and this is a fault in carnal men
that fall from temporary faith, or in God's children,
that by the deceitfulness of sin and Satan give over
their affections and careful diligence in prayer. For
the first sort, Ave must knoAV, that Avhen such men
lose their joy and delight in the word, they lose also
their care in prayer ; but they must know they do it

Ver. 2.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

377

not without singular danger ; for now that hearing
and prayer are laid aside, seven devils worse than
that one cast out by acknowledgment, may enter in ;
yea, that they may fall from these affections into a
reprobate sense ; yea, which is worse, they are in
danger of the sin against the Holy Ghost, and the
more if they grow to hate prayer and despite God's
grace in his children ; and therefore they should be
advised with all speed to repent Avith sound sorrow,
and beseech God to forgive them, if it be possible,
the thoughts of their hearts. And as for such of
God's children as are decayed and fallen away from
the power and practice of prayer, they should be
wakened and remember themselves, both by con
sidering the hurt they bring upon themselves, and
the remedies for their recovery. The hurts befallen
them by this apostasy are such as these : 1. The
loss of the comforts of the sweet presence of God.
2. They put on a kind of image of the old Adam
again ; they look as if they were no better than car
nal people ; they return in many things to the filthi
ness they had forsaken ; they form themselves to the
courses of carnal wisdom, and too much like the
world and the sinful profits and pleasures of it. 3.
Faith and love are more and more enfeebled, less
sense of God's presence, and less love to God's chil
dren. 4. They bring upon themselves a tedious dis
like of the means of salvation, besides the danger of
many temporal judgments.
For remedy of this great inconvenience they must
do three things :
1. They must purge by godly sorrow and fasting;
2. They must labour to reduce themselves unto a
holy order of living, both by a daily course of
examination by the law, and also by the consecra
tion of themselves to the constant and orderly prac
tice of all Christian duties ; 3. They must by daily
importunity beseech God to give them again the
words and affections of prayer ; and all this they
should do the more speedily, because if by long
dwelling in apostasy they provoke God, though by
repentance they recover themselves again, yet the
joys of God's Spirit, or the great measure of them,
may be lost, so as they shall never recover the joy
of their salvation all their days.
Thirdly, This doctrine may serve for encourage
ment to many of God's poor servants against all the

doubts and fears of their own hearts. These need
only better information ; for their discouragements
arise from mistakings, as may appear by their objec
tions. Object. I have much hardness of heart before I go
to prayer.
Sol. 1. So had David, in the entrance into many
of his psalms ; yet he recovereth, and exulteth ex
ceedingly before the end.
2. Hardness of heart that is felt and mourned for
is no hindrance to the success of prayer.
3. Therefore thou hast more need to pray : for
prayer is a fire that melts the leaden hearts of men,
Object. I want words Avhen I come to pray.
Sol. 1. Go to Christ, ancl beseech him to teach
thee to pray; ancl pray God to give thee words, that
hath commanded thee to take unto thee words,
Luke xi., Hosea xiv. 3.
2. Be more in examination of thy heart and life
by the law.
3. The Spirit helps our infirmities, when, for
words, Ave know not hoAv to pray as we ought, Rom.
viii. 26.
4. The foundation of God remaineth sure, and is
sealed. If thou but name the name of the Lord
with uprightness, 2 Tim. ii. 20, desiring and resolv
ing to depart from iniquity, he may have an infallible
seal of salvation that but nameth the name of God
in prayer, as the Avord is in the original.
Object. But I doubt of audience.
Sol. Consider God's nature, commandment, pro
mise. His nature : he is a God that heareth prayer,
Ps. xcv. 2. His commandment; for he as peremptorily
gives his commandments to pray as he cloth any of
the ten commandments, and therefore will certainly
accept of what he so earnestly commands. His pro
mises also are to be collected and considered as they
lie scattered in several scriptures : ' He will be near
unto all that call upon him in truth ;' ancl ' his ears
are open to the prayers of the righteous,' Sec ; only
be thou careful that thou lie not in any presump
tuous sin, and that thou turn not away thine ear
from hearing the law, and that thou allow not thine
own heart in wrath or doubting; for these ancl such
like are great lets of audience.
Object. I have prayed long ancl often, and yet,
am not heard.

378

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

Sol. 1. God sometimes doth of purpose defer to
grant, that so he might compel them to continue to
pray. 2. Consider the things thou prayest for, whether
they be such things as God AviU ever grant ; for if
we ask amiss, or only for fleshly things, or to spend
upon our lusts, God will never hear, James iv. 1-3.
3. God hears divers Avays ; for sometimes he
granteth not what is asked, but giveth what is
answerable to it, or better; so he heard Christ,
Heb. v. 7.
Thus of continuance in prayer.
Watching in the same. Doct. Watching is needful
unto prayer, Mat. xxvi., Luke xxi. 36, 1 Pet. iv. 7.
For explication whereof, we must know that watch
ing is taken two ways, either literally or metaphori
cally. Literally ; and so is either a judgment or a
duty. Watching as a judgment is when God brings
upon wicked men the terrors of the night, or, for
chastisement of his servants, holds their eyes Avaking.
As a duty, watching is a voluntary restraining of our
eyes from sleep, and spending of the whole or part
of the night in holy employments. Thus the church
kept the night of the passover holy, Exod. xii. 42 ;
thus Christ watched, Mat. xiv. 23-25 ; thus Paul,
2 Cor. xi. 23; thus David, Ps. exxxix. 18. And
this watching used by God's children was either
ordinary or extraordinary. Ordinary watching is
nothing but a sober use of sleep, in which we ought
to be moderate as well as in eating and drinking.
Extraordinarily, God's children have been used to
watch either upon occasion of great judgments,
Lam. ii. 19, Isa. xxvi. 9, Ps. cii. 7, Mark xiv. 38, or
for preparation to some great business. Thus
Christ would spend whole nights in prayer ; thus
he watched before his passion ; or when they have
lost the benefit of Christ's presence, Cant. iii. 1; and
all this they have done Avith great success ; for their
reins have taught them in the night, Ps. xvi. 7, and
their souls have been full as with marrow, Ps. lxiii.
5, 6, But we may justly complain, and take up the
words in Job xxxv. 10, ' But none saith, where is
God that made me, even the God that giveth songs
in the night?'
But it is spiritual Avatchfulness that is here spe
cially required; and it is nothing else but a Christian
heedfulness, observation, and consideration, both for

prevention of evil, and embracing of the means,
ways, and opportunities of good. And thus we must
watch : first, Our own hearts, to spy out where any
spot of spiritual leprosy in thoughts or affections
breaks out, to heal it in time. Secondly, The practices
of Satan, that we be not ensnared with his spiritual
baits and methods. Thirdly, The Avays of God : if
any mercy appear, or fountain of grace open, to
snatch up our incense, and run presently to God's
altar, and offer Avith our sacrifice the calves of our
lips ; or if any threatening arrest us, or judgment
befall us, to make our peace speedUy, and fly from
the anger to come. Fourthly, The coming of Christ,
either by death or judgment : speciaUy we should
' watch, upon whom the ends of the world are come,'
Luke xxi. 36. But that which is here principally
meant is watching unto prayer; and thus we had
need to watch : 1. To the means to get ability to
pray; 2. To the opportunity and occasions of prayer;
3. To the success of it — to take notice of God's
answer, and our speeding, waithig upon God tiU he
give a blessing, or, if God hide himself, to sue out
an atonement in Christ.
Thus of watching.
With thanksgiving. Doct. 1. When Ave have any
suits to God for Avhat we Avant, we must carefully
remember to give thanks for mercies received, and
particularly for all God's mercies in prayer, Phil.
iv. 6, 1 Thes. v. 16, 17.
2. In that the apostle so often urgeth the duty of
thanksgiving, it sheAvs that naturaUy we are ex
ceeding unthankful for the mercies of God, and that
few of us are careful to yield God constantly this
sacrifice. 3. There are divers kinds of thanksgiving, or
divers w7ays of thanking God. For men give
thanks :
1. By receiving the eucharist, Avhich is called
' the cup of blessing,' 1 Cor. x. 16.
2. By obedience of life ; for he that will truly
offer praise unto God must order his Avays aright,
Ps. 1. 23.
3. By opening our lips to sound forth his praise ;
and thus God's name is honoured both by the thanks
or praise :
1. Of celebration, Avhen Ave tell of God's mercies
to others.

Ver. 3.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

379

Here I observe four things :

2. Of invocation, when we speak of God's praises
to God himself in prayer. This is here specially
meant ; and of this I have entreated before at several
times out of other places of this epistle.
Thus much of the manner how we must pray.
The matter follows ; and first of the persons for
whom we must pray.
Praying also for us. In general, I observe three
things : 1. That we ought to pray one for an
other ; 2. That one great means to get a large heart
in prayer, ancl the perseverance in the practice of it,
is to endeavour after tender and affectionate desires
to help others by prayer ; 3. That Christians should
desire the prayers of others ; as carnal men make
use of their friends to get their help for wealth,
offices, &c, so should Christians improve their
interest in the affections of their friends by seeking
prayer of them.
Also. It is u,aa, ' together,' and so notes that it
is not enough to pray for others, but we must pray
with others, and mutually help one another by faith,
knowledge, and prayer,
For us.
1. That the greatest in the church need the
prayers of the meanest.
2. That in hearing prayer God is no accepter of
persons : he is as well willing to hear the Colossians'
prayers for Paul, as hear Paul pray for the Colos
sians. 3. It is the duty of the people to pray for their
ministers. 4. It is to be observed, that he wisheth them to
pray for other preachers as well as for himself.
There may be a spiritual pride in desiring the
prayers of others. He did not envy that others should
have room in the hearts of others as well as he.
Thus of the persons for Avhom.
The things for which are two ways to be con
sidered : 1. As it is briefly laid down; 2. As it is
more largely explicated.
It is laid down or propounded in these words :
'That God would open to- us a door of utterance;'
and is explicated in these words that follow, by the
subject, reason, and end.
A door of utterance. There are divers doors in
scripture, in the metaphorical acceptation of the
word. There is the door :

1. Of admission into the functions of the church,
John x. 1.
2. Of life ; and the door of life is the womb of
the mother, Job hi. 10.
3. Of protection ; and so to be without doors and
bars is to be without defence and protection, Jer.
xlix. 31.
4. Of grace and regeneration, John x. 7-9, Rev.
iii. 8.
5. Of death and judgment, Job xxxviii. 1 7, Acts
v. 9, James v. 9.
6. Of glory, Rev. xxi. 12.
Lastly, There is a door of gifts ; — as of know
ledge, Rev. iv. 1, Prov. viii. 33 ; of faith, Acts xiv.
27 ; of utterance, 1 Cor. xvi. 9 ; so here. The door
of utterance comprehends five things : first, Liberty
ancl free passage to preach the gospel ; secondly,
Opportunity ; thirdly, PoAver of preaching ; fourthly,
Courage and boldness, with full vent to rebuke
men's sins ancl reveal all God's counsels, without
fear of any man's face ; fifthly, Success — even such
utterance as will open a door into the hearts ; so
that to pray for the opening of the door of utterance
is to pray for liberty, opportunity, power, courage,
and success.
Use is, first, for ministers, and then for the people.
Ministers may see here what it is that specially
makes a happy pastor ; not living, countenance of
great men, &c, but liberty, courage, power, Sec
And it greatly taxeth four sorts of ministers : 1 .
Dumb ministers, that utter nothing ; 2. Fantastical
ministers, that utter the falsehood of their own
brains, that speak their own dreams, and from the
vanity of their own hearts, and seek out for the
people only pleasing things, daubing with untem
pered mortar ; 3. Idle ministers, that utter not all
God's counsel, for matter or for time, speak but
seldom to the people, preach not in season and out
of season ; 4. Cold ministers, that seek not the
power of preaching, strive not to approve themselves
in the sight of God, and to the conscience of men.
The people also should make conscience of their
duty. They may learn from hence what to pray
for, and should daily with importunity beseech God
to give this wide door of utterance to their teachers.
Before I pass from the matter he prays for, I must
note a doctrine lies secretly lodged within the same.

380

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

We may find in the end of this verse that the apostle
was in prison, and yet he doth not desire to have the
door of the prison open, but the door of his heart
open to utter the mystery of Christ, noting that it
is a greater want to want the liberty of his ministry
in respect of utterance, than it is to want the liberty
of his body in respect of the prison. We should
take notice of this for divers uses: 1. For thank
fulness if there be a door of utterance opened in
God's house ; 2. For prevention of all things, as
much as lieth in us, that might stop the mouths of
God's faithful ministers. There are five things that
stop the mouths of ministers in general : 1. Ignor
ance and presumptuous sins in the ministers them
selves ; for polluted lips are no lips of utterance ; the
lips of the ministers should be touched with the coals
of knoAvledge, zeal, and mortification. 2. The sins
of the people many times put the teachers to silence;
the rebellion of the house of Israel made Ezekiel
dumb, that he could not preach, Ezek. iii. 26, xxiv.
27. 3. The violence of persecutors prevails often to
shut the wide and effectual doors of powerful preach
ing, 1 Cor. xvi. 9, and therefore we should pray that
God Avould deliver his faithful ministers from un
reasonable and absurd men, 1 Thes. iii. 2. 4. Dis
couragement and fear silence many a minister in
respect of the life and power of preaching, 1 Cor.
xvi. 9, 12, Heb. xiii. 17. Lastly, Human Avisdom
not only lets the people from the profit of hearing,
but likewise it lets the minister from the power of
preaching. God would. Doct. 1. The hearts of ministers, yea, of
the best ministers, are naturally shut ; they have no
gift to profit withal, but they have received it ; and
who is sufficient of himself for these things ?
Doct. 2. It is God only that opens unto men the
door of utterance ; it is he that makes the heart of
the priest fat, and creates the fruit of the lips to be
peace ; he openeth and no man shutteth, and shut
teth and no man openeth : and it should teach them
less to fear men and their rebukes, and the less to
care for the rage of the oppressor ; for if he will give
liberty, who can restrain it ? and if he will silence,
who can enlarge ?
Even unto us. This manner of speech notes either
his humility, or his restraint in prison, or the diffi
culty of utterance. His humility it may note in this

sense, that howsoever he hath been a blasphemer, or
a persecutor, Sec, yet that God Avould be pleased to
honour him and his work so much as give utterance
even to him and such as he is. His restraint in
prison it may import also, and so his desire is they
should not pray only for ministers that were at large,
and enjoyed peace, but also even for him and such
others as were in prison ; for a godly preacher will
not be idle, no, not if he come into prison. And thus
also it notes, that the wisest men of themselves are
not able to teach with poAver and profit the simplest
and meanest men ; an apostle cannot teach a pri
soner without God's special aid and blessing. These
words may note also the difficulty of utterance, as if
he should say, You had need to pray not only for
ordinary but extraordinary ministers.
Thus of the thing prayed for, as it is briefly pro
pounded. Secondly, It is enlarged : first, By the
subject ; secondly, By a reason ; thirdly, By the
end. The subject of the utterance is the mystery of
Christ. To speak the mystery of Christ. Christ is a mystery
to the Gentiles, to the Jews, to heretics, to papists,
to carnal men, yea, to godly men. It is a mystery
to the Gentiles that there should be a Sariour ; to
the Jews, that salvation should be in the carpenter's
son ; to the papists, that he should be the Saviour
alone ; to the heretics, that he should be a Saviour
in both natures ; to the carnal man, that he should
be a Saviour in particular to him ; and to the godly
man, that he should be such a Sariour.
But to express this more particularly, Christ is a
mystery five ways ; for there are mysteries :
1. In the person of Christ. For Avhat tongue can
describe the super-celestial union of his natures, or
the treasures of wisdom and knoAvdedge, or the ful
ness of the Godhead that dwells in him bodUy ?
2. In his life and death. The world could not
comprehend the books that might be made of the
Avonders of his birth, life, and death. We may see
in that that is woitten what to adore, for in this
world a perfect knowledge we shall never attain.
3. In his body, Avhich is the church. For who
can declare his generation ? — or express the secrets of
his power and presence, in filling her, who himself is
her fulness, and filleth all in all things ? — or describe

Ver. 4.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

381

the manner of the union between Christ and his
members ? Is not this a great mystery ?
4. In the sacraments of Christ. The holy invisible
presence of God is a mystery ; the communion of
the body and the blood of Christ, not locally or by
contact, and yet truly, is a mystery ; the seal of the
Holy Spirit of promise upon the hearts of believers,
in the due use of the sacraments, is a mystery ; the
spiritual nourishment that comes to the soul by such
secret and hidden passages invisibly, is a great
mystery. 5. In the gospel of Christ. And by the mystery
of Christ in this place I think is meant the gospel
of Christ : and it is called a mystery because of the
hiding of it. If you ask me where the gospel hath
been hidden, I must answer, it hath been hidden :
1. In the breast of God from all eternity ; 2. In the
shadows and types of the ceremonial law, which
was the Jews' gospel ; 3. In the treasury of holy
scriptures ; 4. In the person, obedience, and passion
of Christ, who Avas the substance of the Mosaical
ceremonies, and the quintessence of all evangelical
doctrine ; 5. In the hearts of Christians.
If you ask me from whom it was hidden? I an
swer, not from the elect — for God by preaching
revealed it unto them in due time — but from wicked
men, but with great difference ; for to some there is
no gospel at all given, as to the Gentile ; to some not
given plainly, as in those congregations of Israel, to
whom this evangelical loaf is not divided, though in
the whole lump it be given ; to some not given in
the power of it — for though they hear the preaching,
yet by reason of mixtures, carnal wisdom, or ignor
ance, and confusedness in the teachers, there is little
power in it ; to some not given internally, though
externally they have means in the plenty and power
of it. If you yet ask me what causeth this hiding
of the gospel from such as live even in the light of
it, I answer, It is either :
1. The veil of their own ignorance.
2. The powerful working of the god of this Avorld
to blind them, 2 Cor. iv. 4.
3. The custom in sin, and customary abuse of
pleasures and profits.
4. The secret judgment of God, either because he
avUI have mercy on whom he avUI have mercy ; or
because men have been touched, and reject God's

call in the day of salvation ; or because they have
presumptuously abused God's promises, to make
them bawds for sin.
The uses follow. Is the gospel a mystery ? It
should teach us :
1. To esteem God's ministers, seeing they are dis
pensers of God's mysteries, 1 Cor. iv. 2.
2. To strive by all means to see into this secret,
accounting it our wisdom and understanding to
gain the open knowledge of this secret doctrine,
Eph. i. 8, 9 ; but because every vessel is not meet to
bear this treasure, we should get a pure conscience
to carry this mystery of faith in, 1 Tim. iii. 9.
3. To account our ears blessed if they hear, and
our eyes blessed if they see ; it is a great gift of God
to know the mystery or secrets of this kingdom,
Mat. xiii. 11, Sec
4. In compassion to the souls of many thousands
in Israel, to pray for utterance to publish more
powerfully, not the common things, but the secrets
of the gospel, Eph. vi. 19, there is need not of more
preaching, but of more powerful preaching.
For which even I am in bonds. Either at Ephesus,
as Dionysius thinks, or at Rome, as Cajetan and
others think. Here are five things to be observed :
1. That the truth of the gospel ought to be so
dear unto us that Ave should be content to suffer
for it.
2. We should be willing to suffer the extremest
and basest things, as here even bonds, and there
fore much more the speaking against of sinners.
3. As any ministers are more faithful, they are in
more danger to be troubled and molested.
4. Crosses should inflame us so much the more to
sincerity. He is more eager after utterance now
that he is in bonds.
5. The cause, not the suffering, makes the martyr.
Not every one in bonds is a martyr, but when it is
for the gospel. Men may suffer for then indiscre
tion and sin.
Ver. 4. That I may utter it as it becometh me to

That I may utter it. ha tpavsgojcw, ' that I may
manifest it.'
Doct. Sound preaching is the manifesting of the
mystery of Christ. This doctrine, as it shews the

382

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

profit we may get by preaching, so it maintains plain
teaching, and reproves such as Avould be doctors of
the law, and yet understand not of what they speak ;
they darken the texts they speak of.
It, aurj. Doct. As good not preach as not preach
the gospel of Christ. We do nothing, if our people
understand not the mystery of Christ, but remain
still ignorant of the favour of God in Christ.
As it becometh me to speak. Doct. It is not enough
to preach, but Ave must so preach as becometh the
mystery of Christ, and to preach so is to preach Avith
poAver, 1 Thes. i. 5 ; Avith instance and all watchful
ness, 2 Tim. iv. 2, 3, 5 ; Avith patience and all con
stancy, Avith fear and fasting, 1 Cor. iv. 9, 2 Cor.
vi. 4, 2 Cor. iv. 8 ; with assurance of doctrine, 2 Cor.
iv. 13 ; with all willingness, 1 Cor. ix. 16, 17 ; with
all faithfulness, 1 Cor. iv. 2 ; Avith all zeal, knoAving
the terror of the Lord, persuading, exhorting, be
seeching, 2 Cor. v. 11, 1 Thes. ii. 12; approv
ing themselves in the sight of God to the con
science of the hearers, 2 Cor. ii. 17, iv. 1, 2 ; with
all holy, just, and unblamable behaviour, 1 Thes.
ii. 11.
Thus do not they preach that are neophytes,
young scholars, rash, scandalous, or dote about ques
tions and logomachies, or fables and vain disputa
tions, which breed strife and questions rather than
' godly edifying,' nor they that come ' with wisdom
of words,' and the ' enticing speech of man's elo
quence,' 1 Cor. i. 11, ii. 1, 4.
All this may teach ministers, by reading, prayer,
and preparation, to be with their God before they
come to speak to God's people. It may terrify care
less ministers — Woe unto thee if either thou preach
not, or not as becometh the mystery of Christ, 1 Cor.
ix. 16. It may comfort good ministers ; for if God
stand upon it to have his work thus done, he will
certainly pay them their Avages ; yea, if ' Israel
should not be gathered,' yet ' their Avages should be
with God, and their work before him.'
Lastly, if ministers must preach as becometh the
mystery of Christ, the people must hear as becometh
the mystery of Christ, Avith attention, constancy, pa
tience, reverence, in much affliction, as the word of
God, with sincerity, hungering appetite, and fruit
fulness. Thus of the first branch of the exhortation.

Ver. 5. Walk wisely towards them that are without,
and redeem the time.
These words are the second part of the exhorta
tion, and concern wise conversation.
Walk. This is a metaphor borroAved from travel
lers, and notes both action and progress; hearing and
talking and commending of God's servants, will not
serve our turn, but we must both practise and proceed.
There is a double race in the hfe of a man, one
natural, the other voluntary; the one is the race
of life, the other is the race of holy life. In the
first, men must run Avhether they avUI or no, and
come to the end of it ; but the other AriU not
be despatched Avithout great endeavour and con
stancy. As the most of us order the matter, the
natural race of life is almost run out before we once
enter the lists of walking in the race of holy life ;
yea, God's children are so apt to sleep and sit still
and tire, that they need to be excited and caUed upon
and encouraged in their race.
Walk, insntartiTi. A Christian is a peripatetic ; so
is Christ, so is the deril, so are heretics, so are apos
tates, so are worldly men. Christ Avalks in the
midst, Rev. ii. 1 ; the devil walks in the circumfer
ence round about, Job i. ; his motion is circular, and
therefore fraudulent and dangerous ; the apostate
walks backward ; the heretic walks out on the right
hand ; the worldly man Avalks on the left hand, en
ticed out of the Avay by worldly profits, pleasures,
and lusts ; only the true Christian walks forward.
Wisely. Wisdom of conversation must be con
sidered two ways : 1. Generally ; 2. With hmitation
to the respect of them that are Avithout.
In general, to Avalk Avisely hath in it four tilings :
1. To walk wisely is to walk orderly, and the
order of conversation hath in it tAvo things : (1.) A
due respect of the precedency of things, so as Ave
must first provide for heaven, and then for the earth ;
first learn to die, and then to hve ; first serve God,
and then ourselves and other men ; first care for the
soul, and then for the body ; first seek the kingdom
of God and the righteousness thereof, and then out
ward things. (2.) It hath in it a careful attendance
to our calling with diligence and constancy and pa
tience, 1 Cor. vii, 17, 1 Thes. iv. 11, 12, 2 Thes. iii.
6, 11. To walk inordinately (draxruc) is to walk
unAvisely.

Ver. 5.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

383

2. To walk wisely is to Avalk speedily. Walk in
the light while you have the light, lose no oppor
tunity, delay no work in harvest, John xh. 35.
3. To Avalk wisely is to walk uprightly, and that
for matter in the neAvness of life, Rom. vi. 4 ; and
for manner, exactly, precisely, circumspectly, Eph.
v. 15, 16.
4. To Avalk Avisely is to Avalk surely ; and he
walks surely :
(1.) That will live where he may have means for
his soul as well as his body ; he will not live in
darkness, but desires to be where he may have the
greatest light.
(2.) That makes the Avord the rule of his actions,
and is sure of warrant from the scripture for Avhat
he doth, Deut. iv. 5, 6. This is to walk in the law,
Ps. cxix. 1, according to the rule, Gal. vi. 16.
(3.) That will not live under any known threat
ening ; will not venture to go on with Avrath hanging
over his head. He is none of those fools that will not
understand though the foundations of the earth be
moved, Ps. lxxxii. 5.
(4.) That walks by faith, and not by sight, 2 Cor.
v. 7 ; trusts not in things that may be seen, which
are mutable, but labours to be clothed with the gar
ments of Christ's righteousness. He walks not Avisely
that walks nakedly, Rev. xvi. 15. And for manner
of assurance, he that is a wise man, when he sees how
careful the men of the world are to make everything
sure, and what stirs there are for certainties in the
things of the earth, he will not rest in probabilities
for his soul, or in common hopes or presumptions,
but will strive by all means to make his calling and
election sure ; he will not be led in a fool's paradise,
and stand to the venture of his soul upon carnal con
jectures, Prov. xxiv. 5.
(5.) That walks in the way of the least, and not
of the most. He will not be led by the example of
the multitude, or frame his life according to the
commonest opinions, &c, 2 Cor. xii. 15, Phil.
iii. 16.
Thus of wisdom of conversation in the general ;
here it is limited to conversing with one sort of
men, viz., 'those that are Avithout.'
Toivards them that are without. Without are :
first, All infidels, that live without the church of
Christ ; secondly, All hypocrites, that mind nothing

but the gilding of the outside ; thirdly, All wicked
men in general, that live without God, without
Christ, without hope in the Avorld, 1 Cor. v. 12, 13,
Luke xiii. 25, Rev. xxii. 15.
Here are two things I avUI but briefly touch : 1
That a Christian should be more careful how he
behaves himself before Avicked men than before
godly men ; 2. It is to be noted that he saith not
with them but totvards them. It is one thing to
walk with them, and another thing to walk towards
them ; the one notes a voluntary consorting with
them — this the apostle allows not ; the other notes a
behaviour that is Avell framed when, through neces
sity and calling, we must have to do with them.
But the main thing is, Avhat we must do that Ave
may carry ourselves justly toAvards Avicked men.
That this may be distinctly understood, wicked men
may be two ways considered : first, As spectators of
our conversation; secondly, As parties in convers
ing. As they are spectators ancl observers, there are
four things which in godly discretion we should
make to shine before them :
1. All good faithfulness in our calling, 1 Thes. iv.
11, 12, 1 Tim. vi. 1.
2. All humble subjection to those in authority,
shewing all meekness to all men, Titus iii. 1, 2.
3. A mortified course of living. The Gentiles will
say of such, ' They are the seed of the blessed of the
Lord,' Isa. lxi. 9.
4. Concord and holy love amongst ourselves,
doing all things without reasonings and murmur-
ings, Phil. ii. 15, 19.
As they are parties in conversing, they are two
ways to be considered :
1. As they are evil men, but not injurious and
evil to us.
2. As they are both evil men and injurious to
us. Towards the first sort our Avisdom of conversa
tion must be showed :
1. In the due observation ofthe circumstances of
lawful things ; for all laAvful things are not to be
done at all times, and in all companies, and in all
manners: indiscretion herein doth much harm every-
Avhere. 2 In the skilful applying of ourselves to Avin

384

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

them, making use of all opportunities, and speaking
to them Avith all reverence, deliberation, compassion,
instances, Sec, as may become the majesty of God's
truth and ordinances.
3. In the shunning of conceitedness, perverseness,
frowardness, and such like things, as do marvellously
provoke a carnal mind, but approve ourselves in all
meekness of wisdom. It is a great wisdom in the
use of our knowledge to express a constant meek
ness, James iii. 13.
4. In avoiding evil : 1. To them; 2. To ourselves.
To walk wisely in avoiding evils to them, is to be
careful that Ave put no stumbling-block before the
blind, but cut off all occasions of reproaching or
blaspheming. In avoiding evil to ourselves by
them, we must look to three things : 1 . That Ave be
not infected or defiled by their company, either by
needless presence, or by any kind of consent to, or
approbation of, their evils ; 2. That we be not
beguiled by committing ourselves to them, and
trusting fair pretences, Johnii. 24; 3. That we yield
not to them to satisfy them in the least sin ; for it
is not yielding will draw them, but a pure conversa
tion with fear, 1 Pet. iii. 12.
Towards the second sort of wicked men, viz.,
those that are evil, and are, or are like to be injuri
ous to us, our wisdom of conversation lieth in two
things :
1. In a Arise demeaning of ourselves when they
do wrong or persecute us, sheAving all firmness,
and undaunted constancy, patience, reverence,
meekness, clemency, and good conscience, 1 Pet. iii.
13-16. 2. In a discreet prevention of our own trouble as
near as Ave can. This wisdom Jacob sheAved in his
dealing with his brother Esau, when he came
out against him with four hundred men, Gen. xxxii.
And Samuel, when he went to anoint David, 1 Sam.
xvi. And Hushai when he saluted Absalom,
2 Sam. xxvi. 15. And our Saviour Christ, when
he answered the tempting dilemmas of the mali
cious Jews. And Paul in his answer to the people
about the high priest, Acts xxiii. 4. And when in
the mutiny he cried out he was a pharisee, Acts
xxiii. 6. It is noted as a wisdom in the prudent in
evil times to be silent, Amos v. 13. It is not good
provoking evil men, nor safe to pull a bear or a mad

dog by the ears. It is the true ambition of a Chris
tian to meddle with his own businesses, 1 Thes.
iv. 11.
For conclusion. As we have seen what it is to
walk wisely in the affirmative, so we must be
informed what this wisdom hath not in it. It hath
not in it a relinquishing of piety or hohness in the
whole, or any part, to keep peace with Avicked men,
Heb. xii. 14. It hath not in it a forsaking of fidelity
in the discharge of our duties. Amos must not
leave the court, though Amaziah tell him it is his
wisest way. Michaiah must not flatter Ahab
because the four hundred prophets did. Lastly, to
walk Avisely is not to walk craftUy and deceitfully ;
for such wisdom of serpents is required as may
stand Avith the innocency of doves.
Redeem the time. To 'redeem' signifies either to
recover Avhat is lost, or to buy what is wanting. It
is usuaUy a metaphor borrowed from merchants
buying and selling of commodities. 'Time' signi
fies either space of time or the opportunity of time;
both may be here retained.
In general, as time is taken for space of time,
there are divers things maybe observed-: 1. That
time is a commodity; 2. That a Christian is- a
merchant by calling; 3. That as any are more
wise, the more they know the Avorth of time, Eph.
v. 15, 16; 4. That a Christian finds the want
of time; 5. That if he were proAident, time for
holy duties might be bought; 6. Not to trade
for time is a great fault, and yet a usual fault, and
comes to pass because men have no stock of grace
to employ, or they have never served a 'prenticeship
to learn how to use time, or else they have had such
extraordinary losses they cannot set up again ; they
have so often made shipAvreck of time by misspend
ing it, that they cannot now well set themselves in
a course to use it Avell.
Again, if time be taken for opportunity, Ave may
observe :
1. That there is a season, an opportunity, a due
time. God hath his harvest for judgment, Mat.
xiii. 30 ; his season for temporal blessings, as for the
deAv of heaven, and the fruits of the earth, Acts
xiv. 1 7 ; so he hath for the manifesting of his will by
preaching, Titus i. 3, for justification, Rom. iii. 26,
for the testification of our justification, 1 Tim. ii. 6

Ver. 5]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

385

for mercy and deliverance, and the help of Sion,
Ps. cii. 13, and for salvation, spiritual and eternal,
2 Cor. vi. 2. Finally, there is a season both for
man to do good, Ps. i. 3, and to receive good, Isa.
Iv. 8.
2. That this opportunity is not obvious, not or
dinary, nor easy, and everywhere to be had. Every
day in the year is not the fair-day, nor every clay
in the week the market-day.
3. When opportunity is offered, we must not
neglect it, or lose it. Ministers must preach while
the door is open ; the people must walk while they
have the light ; so Ave must all pray in every op
portunity, iv irdvn xahu, Eph. vi. 18, Luke xxi. 36.
4. We must advantage ourselves by spiritual
opportunities, though it be Avith our loss and pains.
We should not think much to be at some loss for
God's wares, as well as men's ; and we must be con
tent to traArel as Avell to the market of our souls,
as of our bodies, Rom. xii. 1 1 .
In particular, concerning redeeming of time, con
sider : 1. What time is lost ; 2. How time is to be
redeemed ; 3. How it must be used when it is re
deemed ,- 4. The uses.
For the first, All time is lost that is spent idly, or
in the superfluous feeding of nature, either by food,
or sleep, or in ill company, or in the service of sin
and the lusts of the flesh, or in the service of the
Avorld, or superfluous cares about profits, or joys
about pleasures ; yea, the time is lost that is spent in
God's Avorship, where it is done idolatrously, super-
stitiously, ignorantly, carelessly, hypocritically, &c.
For the second, We must distinguish of times,
and the persons that have time to sell, and the
kinds of redeeming. There is time past ; this can
not be brought back again by any price, but yet we
may contract with time present for some allowance
towards the loss of time past. There is also time
to come. And here is first a time of glory to come,
and a great bargain to be made, and for the buying
of this heaven must suffer violence, and Ave should
throng and croAvd into the market to procure it by
prayer, hearing, faith, alms deeds, &c. For though
it be only Christ's merits that deserve it, yet these
things we must do for the assurance of it. Besides,
there is a time of sorrows to come. As sure as we
have had our days of sin, Ave shall have days of

sorrow and torment. This time is to be bought
out Avith repentance, watching, fasting, prayer,
strong cries ; by all means endeavouring to make our
peace, and fly from the anger to come.
But time present is the commodity we are with
all carefulness to redeem. The devil and the world
have time, our callings have time, and God is a great
Lord of time. Time out of the devil's hands and the
world's must be redeemed by violent oblation : time
from our callings Ave must redeem by permutation
only, making an exchange, and allowing time for
godliness. In the first and chief place, time of God
Ave must buy, both the space of time to repent in,
and the opportunity of time, both for the giving
and the efficacy of the means ; and for this we must
both offer and tender the sacrifice, of Christ to
pacify for time lost, ancl procure acceptation, and
also we must offer up ourselves, souls and bodies, ¦
upon the service of opportunities, humbling our
selves to Avalk with our God.
Thirdly, When we have bought time we must be
careful to use it Avell ; and herein a principal respect
is to be had unto the soul, for all this merchandise is
for the use of the soul especially, and for religious
ends. And thus we must spend some time in mor
tification, 1 Pet. iv. 1, 2, and some part in searching
the scriptures, lest that be said of us which was said
of the JeAvs, that whereas concerning the time they
might have been teachers, they did need again to be
taught the very principles, they were so inexpert in
the Avord of righteousness, Heb. v. 12. Much time
should be spent in the works of piety, abounding
in the work of the Lord as we abound in time.
Some time should be spent in works of mercy, both
spiritual, instructing, comforting, exhorting, admo
nishing, Sec ; and corporal, in feeding, clothing
visiting, &c. Generally, our time should be spent
in well doing, Gal. vi. 9. And as for time for
worldly business, we should observe the apostle's
rule : ' They that have wives should be as they that
have none, and they that weep as though they
weep not, and they that rejoice as though they re
joiced not, and they that buy as though they pos
sessed not, and they that use the world as though
they used it not, for the fashion of the world goeth
aAvay,' 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30.
The use of all is for reproof of the most of us ;
3 c

386

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

for some of us sin against the seasons and opportu
nities of God's grace, some against the very space
of time. Men transgress against opportunity two
ways : first, By ignorance of the signs of the seasons,
Mat. xvi. 3 ; secondly, By a wilful neglect of the
opportunities of grace when we have them. There
are many things might move us to redeem the time
in this respect: 1. We have our times appointed,
and the bounds of our habitation assigned, Acts
xvii. 26. 2. The times will not be always fair;
there are perilous times, times of sorroAV, anguish,
sickness, tentation, want, loss, fear, perplexity, yea,
we may purpose, promise, expect time of healing
and curing, when we shall be deceived, and find a
time of trouble, Jer. xiv. 19. Besides, Christ in
the opportunities of grace is but a little while with
men. There is a prime of man's life, yea, a prime
of every man's ministry, John vii. 33. Further, the
kingdom of God in the mercies of it may be wholly
taken away if we bring not fruit in the time of
fruit, Mat. xxi. 34, 41. Lastly, this is a very pro
voking sin ; for if God give a space to repent, and
men will not know the day of their visitation, most
an end God casts such into a bed of affliction, after
they have stretched themselves upon the bed of
security, Rev. ii. 21, 22, Luke xix. 43, 44. Yea,
many of God's children are greatly to blame in
neglecting the opportunities of assurance of grace ;
and, therefore, because they are so careless in making
their calling and election sure, this forsaking of the
promise of God is scourged aftenvards with comfort
less sorroAvs, arising from such a sense of their cor
ruptions, as makes them for a long time seem to be
deprived of all grace and mercy, Heb. iv. 1.
Again, many men sin egregiously against the very
space of time, in that they have much leisure and
time, and fill it up Avith little or no good enrploy-
ment. Their estate, that have means to live Avith
out labour, is usually accounted an estate of great
ease and happiness. But indeed it is an estate of
much danger, for the men that abound in time
Avithout employment are. liable to many temptations
and lusts ; besides, they are subject to almost con
tinual hardness of heart and deadness of spirit ; for
it is the labouring servant that enters into his mas
ter's joy. Add that men that abound Avith leisure
are easily drawn by the enticements of ill company,

and much entangled with the sports and pleasures of
the world. Sometimes such persons grow into great
habit of suspiciousness, waywardness, filled with
wordly passions and discontentments ; sometimes
they prove great meddlers in other folk's business.
The remedy for these persons. Avhether men. or
women, is to exercise themselves in some kind of
profitable employment, and to labour so as some way
to see the fruit of it, to eat their own bread ; but
especially they should be abundant in the Avork of the
Lord, they should double their employment in read
ing, hearing, conference, mortification, mercy, &c.
Thus of wise conversation.
Ver. 6. Let your speech be gracious always, and
powdered with salt, that ye may, Sec
Godly communication is here exhorted unto ; and
for order here is a precept, ' Let your speech,' &c. ;
secondly, The end of the precept, ' that ye may
know,' &c. In the precept concerning our speech
observe : first, The properties of speech, which are
two : 1. They must be gracious ; 2. PoAvdered Avith
salt. And then note the continuance how long the
precept is in force, and that is always.
In general we so hear that Ave must look to our
words as well as our works, and therefore they are
far Avide that say, ' Tlieir tongues are their own, who
shall control them,' Ps. xii. 4.
From coherence I observe, that he walks not
Avisely that talks not wisely, for evU Avords corrupt
good manners ; neither may he be accounted an
honest man of life that is an evil man in tongue.
The use is for trial ; for if God makes us neAV
creatures, he gives us neAV tongues ; and if he turns
the people to him by true repentance, he doth ' re
turn unto them a pure language,' Zeph. iii. 9 ; and
therefore, ' if any man seemeth to be rehgious, and
refraineth not his tongue, this man's religion is in
vain,' James i. 26.
Let. It is not arbitrary, (avc may look to our
Avords if Ave Avill ;) but it is a flat precept, and so a
matter indispensable.
Your. God is no respecter of persons ; he forbids
ungracious, wanton, and idle words in gentlemen
and gentlewomen, as Avell as in poor men and
labourers ; he dislikes it in masters and parents, as
. Avell as in children and servants ; it is as ill for the

Ver. 6.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

387

master to spend his time in idle talk. &c, as for the
servant. Gracious. Our Avords may be said to be gracious
three ways : 1. If Ave respect the cause; 2. If we
respect the subject ; 3. If we respect the effect. In
respect of the cause, good words are Avell said to be
gracious : first, Because they flow from the free grace
of God without our merit ; for Ave do not deserve
so much as to be trusted Avith one good word.
Reason yields us conceits, ancl nature an instrument
to speak by ; but it is the God of nature that of his
free grace gives us good words. Secondly, Our
words ought to proceed from some grace of God in
the heart, as from knowledge, faith, joy, sorrow,
love, fear, desire, &c. ; and in this sense, when they
are in the tongue, carry still the name of the foun
tain whence they flow. Again, our words must be
gracious in respect of the subject, the matter we
must talk of must be of good things or religious
matters, words of instruction, comfort, faith, hope,
Sec. ; but especially our words should be seasoned
with the daily memory ancl mention of God's grace
to us in Christ, Ps. xl. 10. Thirdly, Our words
ought to be gracious in respect of the effect, such as
tend to build up and minister grace to the hearers,
Eph. iv. 29 ; yea, gracious words are fair words, and
fair words are : 1. Graceful words, words of thank
fulness ; 2. Inoffensive words, not railing, bitter,
slandering, blasphemous, or filthy words, nay, not
jesting words that are intended to provoke, irritate,
disgrace, and bite ; 3. Seasonable words, Prov. xv.
23 ; 4. Wholesome Avords, not filthy, rotten commu
nication, Eph. iv. 29.
Use is : 1. For reproof; and men sin against this
exhortation : first, By omission of gracious words.
But, secondly, They do worse that use evil words.
And, thirdly, They are worse than the former two
that use their wrords to speak against grace and gra
cious courses, Eph. v. 6. But they are worst of all
that love evil words, even the words that may destroy
either their own souls or the souls of others. 2. Here
is instruction ; we must labour by aU means to get
ability for a gracious speech, either to God by prayer,
or to men in conversing with them. And to this
end : first, We must pray constantly and conscionably
to God to give us gracious Avords. Secondly, We
must get the law of grace into our hearts, Ps. xxxvii.

30, 31 ; yea, wre should strive to be examples one to
another, not only in faith and conversation, but in
words also, 1 Tim. iv. ; and if all Christians are
charged to use gracious speeches, much more minis
ters : they should speak the Avords of God ; they
should keep the pattern of Avholesome words, and
stay all vain babblings which increase to more un
godliness, and all Avords that fret as a canker. Thus
of the first property.
Powdered with salt. These are terms borrowed
either from the use of the temple, or from common
and civil use. In the temple every sacrifice was
salted Avith salt ; so must every Christian (who is
God's sacrifice) be seasoned, Mark ix. 50. In the
common life of man, meats that are to be kept long
must be powdered with salt, to drink up or dry out
corruption, and to preserve savour ; so must a Chris
tian be seasoned that will be kept to eternal life.
But, first, Here is implied that the words of men
are naturally corrupt, rotten, unsavoury, and have
great need of seasoning. The carnal man's words
are much after the humour and infection of his
mind. The talk of the covetous is usually of his
mammon, farm, oxen, bargains, wares, &c. The
epicure's talk is usually of his sports, dogs, cocks,
horses, games, companions, or of his lusts. The
superstitious man talks of his Dagon, or the signs of
heaven. The wrathful man of his adversary and
wrong. The ambitious man of his livings, honours,
offices, offers, hopes, or his own parts and praises.
To conclude, the talk of all natural men is but of
natural things ; and as they are of the flesh, so their
talk savours nothing but fleshly things.
Salt. 1. There is the salt of doctrine, and thus
ministers are the salt of the earth ; 2. There is the
salt of mortification, and so every Christian must
have salt in himself, Mark ix. 50 ; 3. There is the
salt of discretion, and this is the praise of the wise.
None of these three may be here excluded from our
word. For, first, We must receive laws for our lips,
even from God's ministers ; Ave must learn of them
not only hoAv to order our affections and life, but
also how to speak, especially in matters of God ancl
godhness. Secondly, We must mourn for the sins
of the tongue as well as for other sins : we must
drive out the corruption that cleaves to our words
with the salt of mortification. Thirdly, We must

388

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

make conscience of discretion in our words : he is a
perfect man that is discreet in his Avords, James iii.
2 ; ' The tongue of the Avise is as fine silver,' Prov.
x. 20 ; and ' his heart guideth his tongue Avisely,
and addeth doctrine to his lips,' Prov. XAi. 23.
The use is both for instruction ancl reproof. For
instruction, both to all Christians to season not only
their Avords of prayer to God, but also their speech
in conversing Avith men ; and especially ministers
must have salt in their tongues, with all discretion
and heedfulness looking to their words, and Avith all
authority and meet severity of rebukes drive out
corruption out of the hearers ; they may, they must
cry aloud and spare not ; they must powder them.
Here likeAvise are those men to be reproved that
have been often Avarned of their evil Avords, and
mend not.
Quest. But Avhat should be the cause Avhy some
men that have good affections ancl desires, yet
cannot get the victory over evil words ?
Ans. It comes to pass: 1. By reason of their
ignorance of better words. 2. By custom in evil
speech. 3. For want of constant taking of words
of prayer and confession to God. 4. By defect of
mortification in the heart ; their hearts are not suf
ficiently humbled ; they are too slight in godly
sorrow ; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh, and therefore their words are drossy and
naught, because their hearts are little worth, Prov.
x. 20. That these men may get victory over their
evil words (which usually are against the third or
the seventh or the ninth commandment) they must
do three things : 1. They must go to God con
stantly by prayer, beseeching him to open their lips,
ancl set a watch before the door of their mouth. 2.
They must not fail to mourn over their offences in
speech in secret till they have subdued them, afflict
ing themselves Avith voluntary sorrows for them.
3. They must strive by all means to accustom them
selves in good speech and gracious Avords. Yet many
professors are to be reproved for their words, for
many times they are either too many, or too vain
and idle, or too false, or too rash, &c. Their words
want much seasoning, and it is a great fault to
have a heedless tongue. Thus of the properties of
speech. Always. A Christian is bound to perseverance in

good words as well as in good works : he must talk
graciously, not only at some times for a passion, as
when he conies newly from the sermon or on the
Sabbath-day, not only in some companies, or in
some arguments, but at all times and in all places,
Avatching to all the opportunities to glorify God, or
profit others by his Avords. Thus of the precept.
The end folloAvs, ' that ye may know how to
ansAver every one.' In general, I observe here two
things : first, That by speaking Avell, we learn to
speak Avell; secondly, That the soundest knowledge
is experimental ; he doth not indeed know how to
answer that doth not in practice exercise himself in
gracious Avords, though he had all places of answer
and arguments in his head.
To answer. To ansAver doth not ahvays import a
question or demand going before, but is sometimes
taken for continuing to speak, as Mat. xi. 25 ; it is
said our Saviour answered, and yet no demand went
before. Some think it is a part for the whole, and
one use of words put for all uses ; but I take it in
the ordinary sense,, as the word usually imports,
and so we answer either unbelievers or believers.
Concerning our Christian answer before unbelievers,
there are six things may be here observed :
1. That true grace is sure to be opposed, and
such as truly fear God are sure of adversaries.
2. That mortified men are the fittest to answer
adversaries, especially in causes of religion, such
whose tongues and pens are seasoned with salt.
(Coherence.) 3. That every Christian shall find opposition,
('Je.') 4. That every Christian ought to ansAver for the
truth ; apology is the fruit, not of learning or Avit
only, but of godly soitoav, 2 Cor. Aii. 10, (' ye.')
5. That the truth hath all sorts of adversaries,
open and secret, at home and abroad, learned and
unlearned, ministers and magistrates, rich and poor,
every one that is carnal hath a bolt to shoot at
sincerity. 6. That it is not an easy or ordinary skill to
know Iioav to ansAver well, for thereunto is required :
first, Deliberation ; he that answers a matter before
he hear it, it is folly and shame to him. Secondly,
Prayer, Prov. xvi. 1, Hab. ii. 1. Thirdly, Faith in
God's favour and promise, Mat. x. 19, Ps. cxix. 41,

Ver. 7]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

389

42. Fourthly, Discretion, ' considering persons,
time, place, occasions ; one kind of ansAver will not
serve every sort of men. We answer in one manner
to great men, in another manner to learned men,
in another to ordinary men, Prov. xxv. 11,
xxvi. 4-6. Fifthly, Patience. Sixthly, Humility.
Seventhly, A good conscience, 1 Pet. iii. 15, 16.
Thus of answering unbelievers. Concerning the
answering of believers, here are these things to be
observed :
1. That Christians should propound their doubts
one to another.
2. That strong Christians should support the
weak, and help them, ancl resolve them from time
to time, Rom. ii. 19.
3. It is not an easy matter to give a gracious,
seasonable, and profitable answer.
4. That custom in gracious speech breeds, by
God's blessing, an ability to give wise and sound
judgment, advice, and resolution ; it is not wit,
learning, authority, Sec, that breeds this skill.
Thus of the exhortation.
Ver. 7. All my estate shall Tychicus declare unto
you, who is a beloved brother and a faithful minister,
and fellow-servant in the Lord .
Ver. 8. Whom I have sent unto you for the samepurpose,
that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;
Ver. 9. With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother,
who is one of you , they shall make known unto you all
things which are done here.
In these Avords and those that folloAV is contained
the second part of the conclusion. Before, he hath
handled the common doctrine both of faith and
life ; now he lets loose his affection to express in
particular his love to special Christians. In all the
words there is to be observed : first, A narration as
an entrance ; secondly, The salutations themselves.
The narration is in these three verses, and the
sum of it is, that Paul, being prisoner at Rome, to
express his care for and love to the church, and in
particular to the Colossians, sends Timothy1 and
Onesimus, the one a minister, the other a priA'ate
man, both faithful, to shew them of Paul's affairs,
and to visit the churches and comfort them.
Before I come to the particulars, from the gene-
1 Qu. 'Tychicus ' ? — Ed.

ral consideration of all the verses to the end of the
chapter, these four things may be observed :
1. That religion extends itself to the behaviour
of men, even in these more ordinary matters of life,
so as men may sin or obey even in them.
2. That the love even of the best Christians,
needs (for the preserving and continuing of it) even
these lighter helps ancl observances.
3. That piety is no enemy to courtesy ; it doth not
remove, but rectify it. Piety doth prescribe to
courtesy four ways : 1. By forbidding and restraining
the art of dissimulation, and the politic serving of
men's humours, and all the base courses of flattery.
2. By moderating the excess of compliments. 3.
By preserving the purity of them, that they be not
made the instruments of profaneness, and pollu
tion, and wantonness. 4. By adding to them the
seeds of grace and religion, Paul will salute as well
as the Gentiles, but yet his matter shall tend unto
grace and some good of the soul, as Col. i. 2, and
in the rest of the epistles.
4. Amongst Christians there may be a pre-emin
ence of affection ; some may be loved more than
others. The apostle is desirous his doctrine may
be a testimony of his love to all, but yet he cannot
forbear the mention of his special respect of some.
The first thing in this part of the conclusion is
the narration, and out of the Avhole narration these
things may be noted :
1 . The general care ministers should have of the
churches. Paul cares for the churches far removed ;
yea, Avhen himself is in great trouble, and so it
might be thought he had cause enough of care for
himself. 2. That the affections betAveen faithful ministers
and the people should not only be conceived, but
expressed. 3. That church-governors should be careful Avhom
they employ in the business of the church. Paul
will not send a letter, but make choice of discreet
ancl faithful men, much less Avould he have employed
about the Avorship of God or the censures of the
church suspicious persons, men of ill fame, drunk
ards, or of scandalous behaviour. How can it be
otherwise, but that the grave censures of the church
should be loathed and scorned, when such numbers
of disordered and profane persons are admitted

390

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

to the denouncing, pleading, and executing of
them ?
4. Men should be careful how and whom they
commend by word or writing. To commend evil
men is to bear false witness, many times to the
great hurt both of church and commonwealth.
The first particular thing in the narration con
cerning Tychicus is his praises. Here I observe :
1 . Who commends him, viz., Paul. And this shews
that ministers should be careful to preserve and
enlarge the credits of their brethren ; especially
this is a care should be in such as excel others in
place or gifts. They are far from this that detract
from the just praises of their brethren, hold them
down with all disgrace, labour to destroy Avhat
they build up, and pluck aAvay the affections of the
people from them ; and when they have occasion to
speak to them, use them contemptibly, and rate
them as if they were rather their scullions than
their brethren. And the sin is the worse when the
same persons can countenance idle, evil, and scan
dalous persons.
2. To what end, riz., that this embassage might
be so much the more respected ; for the credit of
the person wins much respect to the doctrine itself.
3. In Avhat manner ; and here observe two
things : 1. That he gives him his full praise; for a
man may slander by speaking sparingly in the
praises of the Avell-deserving. 2. That he praiseth
him without any ' but,' to teach us that we should
not be easy in word or letter in discovering the in
firmities of faithful ministers.
4. The particular of his praises ; and they may
be divided thus : Either they are common to all
true Christians, ' beloved brother ; ' or proper to
church-officers, and that either in relation to Christ,
' a faithful minister,' or in relation to Paul, 'a fellow-
servant.' There are four things ought to be in every good
minister :
1. He must be a good man, ' a brother.'
2. He should be beloved of his people, ' beloved
brother.' 3. He must be faithful ; and his faithfulness
stands in tAvo things : (1.) Diligence in labour ; (2.)
Sincerity in giving every one their portion of re
bukes, comforts, directions, &c, in due season.

4. He must be a 'fellow-servant,' one that will
draAv in the yoke with his brethren. t
This may smite the conscience of many sorts of
ministers. Some because they are of Avicked and scandalous
life. Some because they have made themselves hateful
to their people by their indiscretion, covetousness,
contention, Sec.
Some because they are not faithful, either not.
true to the bed of the congregation to which they
consecrated themselves, or not sincere in the use of
their gifts, being idle loiterers, indiscreet feeders,
men-pleasers, or the like.
Some because they are proud, humorous, self-
conceited, singular, and love to go alone.
Thus of his praises. The ends of his mission fol
low, and they are three :
1. That he might declare unto them Paul's estate;
2. That he might know their estate ; 3. That he
might comfort their hearts.
For the first : If you ask what he should declare,
I may answer, such things as these : the success of
the gospel in Rome, the order of Paul's life and his
afflictions. If you ask to Avhat end, I ansAver : 1. For appro
bation ; the greatest men need the approbation of
other ministers, yea, of otlier Christians. 2. For
thanksgiving, that so many praises might be given
to God. 3. For prayer for Avhat was wanting, or
hurtful to him or the church. 4. For consolation
to them, avIio questionless would rejoice to hear from
Paul. Again, it is to be noted that he saith, his AArhole
estate ; for a godly man carrieth himself so as he
cares not though all men see into all his courses.
Ver. 8. Whom I liave sent for the same purpose, that
he might know your estate.
Doct. The state of the people ought to be knoAvn
to the minister ; not then Avorldly estate, but the
estate of their souls and consciences, and the work
ing of the means upon them, not only for the satis
faction of the minister's affection, but for the guiding
of his private preparations and prayers, and for his
public doctrine. Which reproves the careless minis
ters that heed not the state of the people. We are

Ver. 8.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

391

watchmen for observation, as well as labourers in
respect of preaching; neither can he be a good
preacher that is not a careful watchman.
Again, it is a great defect in the people Avhen the
minister wants intelligence. For though it be a
base humour of any to bring false reports, ancl a
Aveak part in any minister to make the pulpit a place
to vent their private and personal businesses, yet in
the general he cannot be a good physician to the
state of any congregation that is not acquainted
with their diseases.
Quest. But why doth the apostle send to know
their estate ?
Ans. Because he would not credit reports con
cerning them ; for he knew that wicked men out of
their malice would raise monstrous slanders many
times of the best-deserving people ; and besides, the
better sort of men are not careful of their Avords in
reports ; matters grow Avith telling, and every man
according to his several affection sets a several em
phasis upon the matter he tells, so that after a while
the tale will not be worth receiving. This careful
ness should teach us Iioav to hear; especially Ave
should be wary, and well-advised, and thoroughly
informed, before, by prayer and fasting, we take up
the name of God concerning the absent.
The third end is, 'that their hearts might be com
forted.' Here in general, from the apostle's care to have
them comforted, observe :
Doct. 1. That Christians need comfort and en
couragement. Doct. 2. That comfort is the peculiar portion of
true Christians ; and contrariwise nothing but sorrow
and the curse is the portion of wicked men ; and if
any dram of comfort be applied to Avicked men, the
truth of God is falsified.
Object. But this is the Avay to make them despair.
Ans. The blind ancl dreaming world is mistaken.
Give me an instance of one man in this place, nay,
in this age, nay, in any age, (that I can remember ;)
shew me any example in scripture, or any instance
in experience, of one soul driven into despair by the
sincere preaching of the word. It is no great thing I
desire. That men have despaired I know and find,
as Cain and Judas did; but that it Avas severe
preaching that wrought it I nowhere find ; and yet,

for one bitter word given by us, the prophets gave
ten, and yet this event never folloAved. Not but
there is enough said many times to make despair,
but that there is this providence of God that it
comes not upon men by this means, but either of
the melancholy of the body, or the special curse
that God privately poured upon them, or by the
special working of Satan by God's just permission.
And yet I allow not indiscreet rashness, or rude in
discretion in applying threatenings.
Doct. 3. That it is the duty of every minister to
labour to build up God's children in comfort, as the
apostle doth herein express his care ; but yet con
sider Avhom the apostle comforts.
1. Such as had the faith of Jesus, Col. i. 4 ; 2.
Such as loved all the saints, Col. iv. 1 ; 3. Such as
Avere fruitful hearers of the gospel, Col. i. 6 ; 4. Such
as Avere constant, and laboured to be grounded in
faith and hope, Col. i. 23 ; 5. Such as accounted
Christ their greatest riches, and the gospel a glorious
mystery, Col. i. 27 ; 6. Such as Avere circumcised
Avith circumcision made Avithout hands, and have
put aAvay the body of sins, ancl had Avith painful
sorrows put away fornication, uncleanness, the inor
dinate affection, wrath, anger, malice, cursed speak
ing, filthy speaking, and lying out of their mouths,
Col. ii. 10, iii. 5-8.
4. A ' question' may be here asked, whether con
solations do bar out rebukes and directions ?
Ans. They do not ; for Paul doth comfort, and
yet he rebuked in the second chapter and directed
in the third ; nay, many times rebukes and direc
tions are the great doors of consolation.
Thus of Paul's care to have them comforted.
Tychicus did comfort their hearts : 1. By his
presence ; 2. By bringing letters to the church from
Paul ; 3. By his words, not of report only, relating
Paul's estate to them, but of doctrine, persuading
them to patience under their crosses, remembering
them of the joys to come, strengthening them
against the gainsayings of adversaries, the tempta
tions of Satan, the rebellion of their OAvn flesh, and
the inconvenience of Paul's imprisonment, and lastty,
instructing them Iioav to go on in holy life.
Thus of the first part of the narration.
In the narration concerning Onesimus I observe
tAvo things : his praises, and the end of his mission.

392

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

His praises are as they stand in relation to all Chris
tians, or in particular to them ; to all he is a brother,
faithful, beloved to them, and so he is one Of them ;
the end of his mission is in the end of the verse.
Onesimus. This Onesimus was the thievish and
fugitive servant of Philemon, who, coming to Rome,
was converted by Paul in prison, and is iioav for
honour's sake sent with Tychicus. From hence
divers things may be noted.
1. That hateful and unfaithful persons may be
converted, and made Avorthy, faithful, and beloved.
2. That religion and the Avoid doth not mar, but
make good servants. The Avord will do that Avhich
rating and stripes will not do.
3. That no man's sins, of Avhich they have re
pented before God and the church, ought to be
charged upon them as any disparagement in subse
quent times. Where God forgives, men should not
impute. 4. It is a good work to grace and credit such as
by repentance return from their former evil ways.
5. Repentance and true grace is the surest way to
credit ; the best Avay to lift reproach from a man's
name is to get sin off his soul.
Now in the particular praise of Onesimus I ob
serve : first, That Christian love respects not per
sons. Paul is not ashamed of a poor servant, and
he would have the church love whom God loves.
Secondly, That there is faithfulness required of
private men as Avell as ministers, and that faithful
ness stands in three things : soundness in religion
Avithout error or hypocrisy, diligence in the parti
cular calling, and fidelity in promises and covenants.
Thirdly, That natural and civil relations are not
broken or disabled by religion ; they must not only
love Onesimus as a Christian, but also as one of
them, for he Avas a citizen of Colosse. There is love
should be in men as they are felloAV-citizens, and of
the same trade or profession, or the like.
Thus of the narration.
Ver. 10. Aristarchus, my prison-fellow, saluteth you,
and Marcus, Barnabas' sister's son, touching whom ye
received commandment. If he come unto you, receive
him. Ver. 11. And Jesus, which is culled Justus, which
are of the circumcision. These only arc my work-fellows

unto the kingdom of God, which have been unto my con
solation. The salutations follow, and they are either signi
fied or required; signified, ver. 10 to 15 ; required,
ver. 15 to the end.
The salutations signified are from six men, three
of them JeAvs, Aristarchus, Marcus, and Jesus,, ver.
10, 11, and three Gentiles, Epaphras, Lucas, Demas,
ver. 12-14.
Aristarchus is the first ; concerning whom here is
set doAvn, with his name, both his estate, ' prison-
fellow,' and his salutation. This Aristarchus Avas a _
Jew of Macedonia, converted by Paul, Avho out of
the dearness of his respect Avould never leave him,
but accompanied him in his adversities ; for he Avas
taken with him in the tumult at Ephesus, Acts xix.
29, 30, and here he is his prison-fellow in Rome.
Crosses abide all that will hve godly; if he will
have grace with Paul, he may perhaps he in prison
with him too. But here Ave see that adversity doth
not lessen that affection that is found either to God
or to God's people ; they that cannot endure the
smiting of the tongue would little endure the iron
fetters. Marcus is the second. This is he about Avhom
the contention was between Paul and Barnabas, Acts
xiii., because he had forsaken them and the labour
of preaching with them. Noav he is commended by
his alliance to Barnabas. Certainly the kindred of
Avorthy men are to be regarded even for their sakes,
much more their posterity. It is a great fault that
when men have spent themselves in the labour and
service of the church, then posterity should be
neglected, and exposed to want and misery. And
is it a credit to be Barnabas' sister's son ? "What is
it then to be the child of God by regeneration ?
Concerning whom you have received commandment.
Some think that Marcus brought them to the
decrees of the council at Jerusalem, and these read
it, ' of whom ye received,' Sec. Some say the mean
ing hereof is not revealed, and therefore they Avill
not inquire. Some think, that upon his forsaking
of the apostle, the churches had notice not to receive
him if he came unto them, and that he had written
to them himself. Some think the latter words
' whom receive ' are an explication, and so they
sheAV what Avas commanded, Ariz., to receive him.

Ver. 11.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

393

Now for the observations we may note : first,
That scandalous persons are not to be received.
Secondly, That the greatness of the offences of men
are not to be measured by carnal reason, but by the
consideration of the person, manner, place, time, &c.
A lesser offence aggravated by circumstances may
give cause of private separation from voluntary com
pany. Thirdly, That an ingenuous nature is much
affected with the distaste of discreet Christians.
Fourthly, That repenting sinners are to be received,
if unto God's mercy, then much more unto our
houses and companies. It is an ill quality to be
hard to be reconciled. In general it is our duty
and God's commandment that we should receive
one another, Rom. xv. 7. Thus ministers must re
ceive then people, Luke ix. 11, when they are with
them, to speak to them of the kingdom of God,
Acts xxi. 26 ; and the people must receive tlieir
ministers also, and the people must receive one
another, even the meanest Christians as well as the
greatest, the little ones that believe in Christ, Mat.
xrih. 5, all the disciples of Christ are to be received,
Mat. x. 40, 41.
Now because this point of receiving one another
is exceeding needful, and there may be much mis
taking about it, I think good therefore to give out
of several scriptures rules how we are to carry our
selves in this business of receiving one another.
1. That we entertain with all heedfulness, so
Acts ix. in Paul's case, and Acts xviii. 27, in
ApoUos' case. This condemns the carnal hospi
tality in the world, which promiscuously admits any
of any profession, where the basest ancl vilest sort
of people are soonest chosen for the table and com
pany ; yea, many of the better sort are to be blamed,
such as are over credulous, many times to their own
singular disgrace, and hurt of the church.
2. That when we are assured of the faithfulness
of any, we receive them with all Christian respect,
freely and liberally, Rom. xv. 17, bearing with their
infirmities, Rom. xv. 1, yea, if need be, pardoning
their offences, Philem. 12, 17.
3. That in society with weak Christians, we take
heed of entangling them with questions and contro
versies, Rom. xiv. 1, as the manner of some is.
4. That great respect be had of our callings.
5. That the employment be chiefly about holy

things. Receive them in the fellowship of the gos
pel, not for recreation or idle discourse ; either labour
to strengthen them, Acts xviii. 26, or to be furthered
in obedience by them, 2 Cor. vii. 15.
6. That great respect be had of frugality, Luke x.
8. Thus of ver. 10.
Ver. 11. And Jesus, which is called Justus, which are
of the circumcision, &c.
The third person that doth salute is described by
his proper name, ' Jesus,' and his surname, ' Justus.'
Quest. May the name of ' Jesus' be given to any
man? Ans. Before it was appropriated to the Son of
God, it was both laAvful and usual to give it to men,
as appears by Joshua's name, which is the same, and
the son of Sirac. But now it is not expedient any
way ; and therefore the Jesuits may change their
names, like Jebusites as they are.
The name ' Justus' was not given him by the
Jews, but by the Romans, as the varying of the lan
guage showeth; and in all probability given in
praise of his faithfulness and true dealing with
all men.
Quest. What may we do to win the reputation of
just persons?
Ans. 1. Be peaceable and make peace, and do all
things without murmuring or reasonings, Mat. v. 8,
Phil. ii. 15.
2. Be watchful unto chastity, and the honesty of
the seventh commandment, 1 Pet. ii. 11, 12.
3. Let your conversation be without fear, 1 Pet.
iu. 2.
4. Be not vain in apparel, 1 Pet. iii. 3.
5. Get a meek and quiet spirit, 1 Pet. iv. 3, 4.
6. In yielding apology, be constant, and unmove
able with all cheerfulness, will to give answer with
all meekness, and reverence, and good conscience, 1
Pet. hi. 15, 16.
7. Show all uprightness in thy calling ; and this
uprightness hath three things: 1. Diligence; 2. All
true and faithful dealing in words and promises ;
3. A conversation without covetousness.
Finally, To live inoffensively is a strong induce
ment, even to the worst men, many times to
draw from them a good testimony even of God's
children. 3 D

394

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

Thus of their names.
In the second place they are described : 1. By then
country, they were of the circumcision, that is Jews ;
2. By their praises, and thus they are commended,
either for what they were to the church in general,
they were labourers, fellow-workers, or for what
they Avere to Paul, they were to his consolation.
Which are of the circumcision. This is added per
haps to note, that even those men, though they were
Jews, did subscribe to the apostle's doctrine concern
ing the abolishing of Jewish ceremonies.
But by this periphrasis the Jews were noted, not
so much because God did once hereby distinguish
and separate them from the world as by a partition
wall, but because of pertinacy in refusing, though they
were Christians, to lay down circumcision. This
obstinacy of the Jews should teach us resolution for
the truth, and to be more constant in all good courses
than they obstinate in evil.
In the praise of their pains, I note : 1. Their
paucity or feAvness, 'these only;' 2. Their labour,
'work-fellows;' 3. The subject about which they
labour, ' the kingdom of God.'
These only. Here observe : 1. That when God hath
any work to do, there are found few faithful men to
do it. 2. That a people that hath had the means and
been convinced, if they turn not speedily, prove of
many others the most obdurate and hard-hearted ;
thus almost the Avhole nation of the Jews resisted
Christ. 3. Persecution drives many hearers into
apostasy ; this was not the case of the JeAvs in Rome
only, but would be our case if the times altered.
Quest. What hearers amongst us are like to fall
away if the times should change ?
Ans. 1. Such as hear without affection ; 2. Such as
have only a temporary faith ; 3. Such as now forbear
society with God's servants in the fellowship of the
gospel : for if now they shame their presence, how
far would they stand off in perilous time ? 4. If these
three only of all the Jews were faithful labourers in
Rome, where was Peter if he had been at Rome ?
Either Paul much wrongs him, not to mention him,
and his eminent praises, or else the gaining of a
bishopric made him give over his work.
Work-fellows. Here consider : 1. Their labour,
< work ;' 2. Their honour, ' fellows.' For the first, ob
serve : 1. That God's kingdom on earth is erected by

man's hands, as the outward instruments, an honour
done to man which is denied to the angels ; 2. God's
kingdom needs much labour and help. Ministers
must work, they may not be loiterers ; yea, they
must work hard, for cursed is he that doth God's work
negligently ; yea, they must work in their own per
sons, not by substitutes. Magistrates also must help
forward this work by protecting the ministry and good
men, by compelling such as are by the highways to
come into God's house, and by reforming abuses
which hinder God's grace and kingdom amongst
men. Private persons must help by instruction, ad
monition, consolation, Sec
Fellows. Here note : 1. The honour of these
labourers, they are all one, feUows, though differing
in gifts, 1 Cor. iii. 8, 9 ; 2. Their unity, some are
workers, but not co-workers, for they preach not
Christ purely ; 3. Humility in the apostle, imitable
in all, though never so much excelling in place or gift.
Uses of all. 1. For instruction : First, pray to the
Lord of the harvest to send forth more labourers ;
though clergymen are very corrupt, and few of them
faithful, yet it is better our mouths be fiUed with
prayers than with reproaches.
Secondly, Ministers must study to appnrve them
selves workmen that need not be ashamed, 2 Tim.
ii. 15. Thirdly, The people must take heed they hinder
not God's work by disobedience, 1 Cor. xvi. 16.
Lastly, Must ministers in their callings labour ?
surely then must every man work in his caUing also,
else just -with God if poverty attend sloth; yea,
women must work, and not destroy their houses by
pride and idleness ; and all, both men and women,
must not talk of it, as many do, but set to it, Prov.
xiv. 23, nor begin only, but persevere, Prov. xviu.
9 ; but some are so settled upon tlieir lees in this
point, that they are Aviser in tlieir own conceit than
seven men that can give a reason.
2. Secondly, For consolation to all God's workmen,
especially ministers ; though they have not so great
gifts as others, yet if they shew all good faithfulness
in discharge of their places, they are fellows even to
apostles ; though all that Avrought at the tabernacle
had not Bezaleel's skill, yet all Avere co-workers ; yea,
God's workmen differ from all the workmen in the
world ; for, 1. God himself will work Avith them, so

Ver. 11.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

395

will no prince though the work be never so princely;
2. Though their work be not finished, yet they shall
receive their wages, ' Though Israel be not gathered,
yet their judgment is with the Lord, and tlieir work
with their God,' Isa. xlix. 4, 5.
Unto the kingdom of God. There is a threefold king
dom of God : first, Of nature, Ps. ciii. 19; secondly,
Of grace, Mat. iii. 2 ; thirdly, Of glory, John iii. 3.
The kingdom of grace is here meant. Here I
observe : first, The privileges of this kingdom ;
secondly, The properties or signs of the subjects ;
thirdly, The uses.
For the first, the excellent condition of such as
by true conversion are admitted into the kingdom
of grace may be three ways considered ; for they
are happy : first, In their King ; secondly, In then
laws ; thirdly, In the personal prerogatives of the
kingdom. 1. They are happy in tlieir King, for he is nobly
born, the Son of the Most High. 2. He comes
rightly by the crown, Ps. ii. 7. 3. He is of eminent
sovereignty ; he hath a name written on his gar
ments and thigh, the King of kings and Lord of
lords, Rev. xix. 1 6 ; Prince of the kings of the earth,
Rev. i. 5. 4. He is a Prince of admirable qualities,
Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, an ever
lasting Father, Prince of Peace, one that keeps the
government upon his own shoulders, Isa. ix. 6. 5.
Lastly, He is immortal, 1 Tim. i. 17. In the earth,
if a prince were never so good, yet in this the
subjects are unhappy that they shall lose him, but
Zion's King wUl never die.
2. They are happy in their laws, for they are not
only clearly digested in God's sacred volume, but
they are every way most perfect to make men wise
to salvation, and absolute to every good work, such
as need no repeal nor addition, a perfect rule to all
ages, and so are no laws of man under heaven, 2
Tim. iii. 3, 15, 16, 17.
3. They are happy in the personal prerogatives of
the kingdom ; for first, Here is certain safety and
quiet habitation for all the King's subjects, Isa.
xxxhi. 20, 21, Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. Secondly, To all
the subjects it is given to know the mysteries of this
kingdom, Mat. xiii. 11. Thirdly, In this kingdom
poor men may get advancement as easily and as
soon as rich, James ii. 6. Fourthly, If any of the

subjects fall into desperate crosses that they be with
out all means, yet they are prisoners of hope, and
shall be saved and delivered by the blood of the
covenant, Zech. ix. 9, 11. Fifthly, The King doth
quiet himself in the love of every subject, and doth
rejoice over them with joy. It is a great benefit to
live under a good king, though the subject be not
known unto him ; but a great favour that the king
should take notice of the subject by name ; but
exceeding great comfort it is if the king love some
subject with a special love : thus cloth Christ to all
his subjects, Avhich no king can do, because his heart
is finite. Sixthly, Here all subjects are sons, Rom.
ix. 25, 26. Seventhly, They are all kings, Rev. i.
5, 6, v. 10, Rom. v. 17. Eighthly, Here if any
two of the subjects do agree on earth upon anything,
whatsoever they desire their heavenly Father will
grant it, Mat. xviii. 19, 20. Lastly, The j>roperties
of the kingdom sheAv the felicity of the subjects of
this kingdom.
First, Is in power, not in word, 1 Cor. iv. 20 ;
secondly, Is not of this world, but as far more excel
lent, as it differs in nature from the kingdoms of the
world, John viii. 36 ; thirdly, It is without end,
Luke i. 33, Heb. xii. 28.
Thus of the privileges.
The second thing is the properties of the subjects, '
or the signs by which they may be known ; and
they are six.
First, They are a poor and penitent people,
Mat. v. 3, iii. 2. Secondly, They do gladly and
constantly subject themselves to be ruled by the
powerful preaching of the gospel, and esteem the
comforts thereof above all treasures, Mat. xiii. 44, 45,
hence called the gospel of the kingdom. Thirdly,
They are a patient people, ancl do willingly forgive
each other his brother's trespasses, Mat. xviii. 33,
35, Rev. i. 9. Ordinarily men cannot more darken
tlieir evidence than by tlieir unruly passions un
bridled. The King of Zion is meek, Mat. xxi. 5,
and so are the subjects. Fourthly, They may be
easily known by their easy access to their King in
their daily troubles ; you may see them betimes
every morning at the court gates, Gal. iv. 7, Ps. v.
2, 3 ; where he gives his Son, he gives the spirit of
his Son into their hearts, &c. Fifthly, They fear
their King and his goodness ; they are more affected

396

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[Chap. IV.

with fear upon the sense of his mercy than upon the
sight of his judgments, Hosea iii. 5. Sixthly,
They make conscience of the least commandments,
fear as Avell to swear by lesser oaths in common talk
as perjury in ccrarts of justice ; they make conscience
of drinkings as well as drunkenness, of filthy speak
ing as AveU as whoredom, Mat. v. 19, xiii. 33 ;
they are neAV creatures, they have not a new leg or
an arm only, they labour to abound in grace aud
duties, 2 Pet. i. 11.
The uses folloAV.
First, For instruction. If the estate of Christians
converted by the powerful preaching of the gospel
under the regiment of Christ be so excellent an
estate, and so happy and king-like condition, it
should teach : first, All that are not yet converted to
settle their hearts about this point ; and that they
may get into the kingdom of God, they must get an
holy estimation of the happiness of that estate. A
kingdom should move them much. Satan knew if
anything Avould prevail Avith Christ it must be the
glory of kingdoms. Behold here God offers thee a
kingdom. Secondly, Pray daily and earnestly that
God's kingdom may come upon thee, Mat. vi.
Thirdly, Practise what thou prayest, and by prac
tice seek the kingdom of God first, Mat. vi. 33 ; and
to this end observe four rules :
First, Remove what might hinder ; that is, by
repentance cast off thy sins ; no unclean thing must
enter here, and it is plain it is required, Mat. iii. 2.
Secondly, Wait upon the preaching of the gospel,
for it is the gospel of the kingdom, and the keys of
heaven ; only take heed thou neither betray it by
security, nor choke it by care, Mat. xiii. Thirdly,
Remember to seek it with all zeal and earnestness,
for the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the
violent take it by force, Mat. xi. 12. Fourthly,
Take heed thou give not over when thou come near
to the kingdom of God, Mark xii. 34, for the
children of the kingdom may be cast out.
2. Take heed of despising poor Christians, for
God hath chosen them to make them heirs of the
kingdom ; they must not be accounted 'of according
to tlieir outward estate in the world.
3. Those that have attained this excellent estate
must be exhorted to three things.
First, By godly conversation to Avalk Avorthy of

the kingdom of God, 1 Thes. ii. 12, 1 Pet. ii. 9.
Secondly, To rejoice in their King, and speak of the
praises of the great renoAAcn of the sacred kingdom
that thus cometh in the name of the Lord, Ps. cxlv.
10, 11, cxlix. 2, Mat. xi. 10; for many prophets
and great kings have desired to see such days, and
have not seen them in that clearness we now see
them. Thirdly, WUlingly to suffer for righteous
ness, 2 Thes. i. 5.
Lastly, Ministers should here be informed and
provoked by all means possible, in season and out
of 'season, to exhort, persuade, beseech men, and
turn themselves into all forms to prevail, for it is
about a kingdom they labour.
Thus for instruction.
2. It serves for reproof, first, of such as can be so
easily content either to want or lose the means ; the
kingdom of God is taken from them, Mat. xxi. 43.
Secondly, Of the waywardness of carilling hearers
that can never be set doAvn, but are still objecting
against this word of doctrine or the estate of Chris
tians : these are condemned, Mat. xi. 16, &c.
Thirdly, It is a great terror to rich men in special,
who are threatened with impossibihty to enter into
this kingdom, if they do not above aU other men
look to themselves, Mat. x. 23, 24. Fourthly, Of
the discontentments of God's serA-ants under crosses.
Is there no King in Zion ? or is it no privilege that
the first dominion is come unto them ? Micah iv. 9.
Fifthly, It especially reproves those wicked persons
that profess by their Avorks they will not have Christ
to reign over them by his word, Luke xix. 14, 27,
Zech. xiv. 17 ; woe is unto them, and Avoe to such
as shut up the kingdom of God before men, Mat.
xxiii. 13.
3. For comfort to all God's servants. Did so
great kings and prophets desire to see these things
we see? What is it to enjoy such a kingdom?
Was it a great offer in Herod to offer half his king
dom ? What is it in God to give a whole kingdom,
better than any kingdom on earth ? Yea, this com
fort is the greater, in that such Christians, whose
grace is but like the grain of mustard-seed, may be
possessed of this kingdom.
Which hare been to my consolation,
Doct. The labours of God's servants are a great
comfort unto good men, it is a comfort to see God's

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397

work prosper, and besides joy in the Holy Ghost is
wrought in their hearts by the power of the word
preached. Quest. What should be the reason why many
that come constantly to hear God's servants, yet
get not consolation, or not the comfort they
desire ?
Ans. The lets of comfort are either : first, In men ;
or, secondly, In God.
In men, they are either of frailty, without any
great sin, or such as arise of sin.
The lets of frailty are specially two : first, Bodily
distemper, by sickness or melancholy, but this may
be tried thus, if they be dead-hearted in all other
things, as well as hearing and prayer, &c. Secondly,
Waywardness in the distress of conscience, when
the soul refuseth comfort, Ps. lxxviii. 3.
The lets of comfort that arise of sin may be
considered two wrays : first, As they are in the
worser sort of men ; secondly, As they are also in
the better sort. In the worser sort these are the
lets : first, Impenitency, Jer. viii. 6-8. Secondly,
Perverseness, Jer. vi. 10. Thirdly, Vile affections,
such as are: 1. Worldly grief or fretting; 2.
Worldly cares, these are thorns; 3. Rage and
passion, Rom. xv. 4 ; 4. Lust, 2 Tim. iii. 6 ; 5.
Envy, 1 Pet. ii. 12. Fourthly, A spirit of
slumber, Rom. xi. 7, 8, &c. Fifthly, Contrariety
or contradiction in opinions, PhU. ii. 1, 2.
In the better sort : 1. Want of preparation";
ploughing must go before soAving, Mat. xvii. ; of
attention, Isa. Iv. 3, 4 ; of estimation of comfort
received, Job xv. 11 ; of godly sorrow, Isa. lxi.,
lxii. Secondly, Prevailing of other joys.
Thirdly, An over high expectation.
Fourthly, Presumptuous sins.
Fifthly, Spiritual satiety and fulness, when they
seem to have grace enough, and want nothing too,
like the Laodiceans, Rev. iii.
Thus in men.
Secondly, God doth restrain consolation, some
times for reasons secret to himself, sometimes for
reasons revealed, but not to us, as :
First, To teach us to know that comfort is his
gift, and tp draw us to look above the means.
Secondly, To teach us to live by faith and not

by sense. Thirdly, To scourge unthankfulness.
Fourthly, To compel us to the use of other his
ordinances, too much neglected.
Thus of the lets.
To pass from this point, we may here observe :
1 . An imitable praise in the apostle ; he envies not
the labours of his brethren ; he is so far from it,
that he rejoiceth in it. 2. We may see that the
wisest and greatest men have need to be comforted
of meaner men. 3. Here is a reproof of such
workmen as by their labour grieve God's people,
and are as thorns and goads in their sides, but
comfort them they do not.
Thus of the salutations of the Jews.
The salutations of the three Gentiles follow.
The first is Epaphras, who (besides the report of his
salutation) is described : 1. By his office, the ' ser
vant of Christ; ' 2. By his relation to them, ' who is
one of you ; ' 3. By his love to them, sheAved by
striving in prayer for them; 4. By his zeal, not
only for them, but for the two neighbour churches,
ver. 13.
This Epaphras was the city's preacher among the
Colossians ; he is kept back at Romo for a time,
that so Tychicus might confirm the doctrine before
taught by Epaphras.
Quest. But why is the apostle so long in speaking
of him, being so short in the mention of the rest ?
Ans. It is the apostle's discretion to honour him
before his own people.
A servant of Christ. He was a servant of Christ :
1. As a man, and so by the necessity of creation,
he must serve Christ Avhether he would or not. 2.
As a Christian man, and so he serves him willingly
and in religious works; 3. As a preacher of the
gospel, ancl so he serves Christ in a special function
in the church.
Doct. 1. Ministers are Christ's servants, whence
follows two things : first, They must do his Avorks ;
secondly, They must not be servants of men.
Doct. 2. The estate of the ministers of God is an
estate of serving, not of reigning; they are not
lords over God's heritage, nor must they think to
be like the princes of the nations.
Doct. 3. It is a great honour to be Christ's servant,
for all his servants are freemen, and tlieir wages is
everlasting, and therefore Ave should love to be his

398

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[Chap. IV.

servants, neither should it ever seem evil unto us
to do his work. Besides, it is a great comfort to
poor Christians, though they cannot be kings and
apostles, yet they may be Christ's servants, which
kings and apostles have accounted their greatest
honour. Thirdly, Men must take heed of despising
or abusing ministers, seeing they are Christ's ser
vants ; yea, it is not safe to abuse any Christian for
that very reason. Lastly, Seeing it is so great a
dignity to serve Christ, both ministers and people
must be careful to perform Christ's service, with
observation of what Christ requires for the manner
or rules of his service.
Ministers must not seek their own things, Phil.
ii. 21 ; they must not be given to wine, nor to filthy
lucre, nor fighters, nor covetous, nor profane in
their families, not young scholars, not scandalous,
1 Tim. iii. 3-7, 2 Tim. ii. 24 ; they must faithfully
care for all the matters of the church, PhU. ii. 20,
they must serve Avith all modesty and tears, Acts
xx. 19.
Christians in then service of Christ must re
member to lay aside all immoderate cares for the
profits and pleasures of this world ; ye cannot serve
Christ and mammon ; 2. That Christ will not be
served but in newness of spirit. The old heart can
do Christ no work Christ will accept, Rom. vii. 6.
Quest. But who are Christ's servants ?
Ans. If you speak of ministers, it is answered
negatively, Gal. i. 10. He that preacheth man's
doctrine, or goeth about to please men, he is not
the servant of Christ. If you ask of Christians in
general, it is answered, Rom. vi. 16. His servants
ye are to whom ye obey. If ye conscionably en
deavour to obey the word of Christ, you are the
servants of Christ, otheiwise ye serve sin unto
death. For conclusion, let us so settle our hearts to serve
Christ, that we remember to do it : 1. Constantly,
at all times; 2. Sincerely, by doing all his works,
both public and private.
Which is one of you. Doct. There is a special love
due to fellow-citizens. This I have noted before ;
but I add, that the love of citizens must shun five
things, as great rocks to make the shipAvreck of true
affection upon : 1. Opposition or quarrel, and suits
in matter of estate. 2. Envy at the prosperity or

trade of others. 3. Faction or banding into sides
in matters of government. 4. Schism in matter of
religion ; but it is to be noted, that it is profane
and fleshly men that have not the Spirit of God,
that cannot abide others, because they run not Avith
them into the same excess of riot, for God's servants
would fain live at peace, Judges xviii. 19. 5. A
rejoicing together in evil. The love that leads men
from their calling to go from tavern to tavern, or
from sport to sjsort, is not true citizen-like love; it
is base and unwarrantable.
The third thing in the description is his love to
his people, shewed by his praying for them. In his
prayer note :
1. The action, that he doth pray ; 2. The subject
persons for whom — ' for you ;' 3. The circumstance
— he prays ' absent ;' 4. The variety of his prayers
— 'prayers ;' 5. The fervency of his prayers —
' striveth ;' 6. The constancy of his prayers —
' always ;' 7. The matter he prays for : (1.) Their
perseverance — 'that ye may stand;' (2.) Their
perfection amplified, by the measure — ' full,' and by
the extent of the subject — 'in all the avUI of God.'
Prayer. Doct. Prayer is the usual remedy and
refuge for God's children in their griefs and desires ;
a remedy, I say, for all times, persons, and places.
As for griefs and fears, it is of force and aA-aUable :
1. Against the troubles and cares of this world,
Phil. iv. 6 ; 2. Against the stings of secret tempta
tions and prevailing sins, 2 Cor. xii. 9, Mat. ix. ;
3. Against the shame of evil works past, both the
blushing and gnawing of the conscience inwardly,
and outwardly the reproach of name, Zeph. hi. 1 1 ;
4. Against sickness, James \. 15; 5. Agamst ill
tongues, Ps. cxix. 4 ; 6. Against the fear of apostasy,
2 Tim. ii. 19. And these are the most usual things
that need to trouble any child of God. And as for
desires, it is a plain proposition that God is rich to
all that call upon him, Rom. x. 12. This shews the
felicity of every child of God, to Avhom God hath
given the Spirit of his Son into his heart as a spirit
of prayer ; for we see he cannot be miserable that
can pray. And it should teach us that if Ave would
be counted God's people, to sheAv that we trust God,
by pouring out our hearts before him in all places
and at all times, Ps. lxii. 8, 1 Tim. ii. 8.
For you. Doct. 1. Ministers must pray for their

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399

people as well as preach to them. And as this may
humble ministers under the sense of the neglect
hereof, so it should teach the people to requite their
labour in the Lord, by praying for them again ; but
especially they should take heed they send not their
teachers with hearts full of grief to complain of
them. Doct. 2. Prayer for others is a principal sign of
our love to them. Hereby ministers may try
whether they love their people, and parents whether
they love their children, Sec.
Doct. 3. In that Epaphras prayeth for them
absent, he is therein a pattern of a true pastor ; no
distance of place can make him forget the love of
his people.
Prayers. There be divers kinds of prayers ; for
they are varied : first, By the place ; for there is
public prayer and there is private prayer, either
with our families or alone by ourselves. Secondly,
By the manner ; and that either for form or affec
tion. For form ; there are not only ordinary set
prayers, but ejaculations, short requests or desires,
cast out upon sudden opportunities, and accepted
by God, though the words be few or abrupt;
for affection in prayer there is prayer unto
which is required the usual devotion of the heart,
and there is supplication which is with special
instance and importunity, Phil. iv. 7. Thirdly, By
the instrument ; there is the prayer of the mouth,
and the prayer of the heart. Fourthly, By the
matter ; for there is deprecations for turning away
of judgment, and confessions with acknowledgment
of sin, and petition in matter of request, and thanks
giving for benefits received.
Striveth. But why must we strive in prayer?
Because of the greatness of our own wants and
necessities, and because it is a great loss to lose our
prayers. Quest. But what doth striving import ?
Ans. 1. It imports earnestness, as it is opposed
to coldness, when Ave draw near to God with our
lips, but our hearts are far from him ; or spiritual
fainting in prayer, Luke xviii. 1. 2. Tenderness
of affection, both sorrowing and rejoicing in prayer,
according to our occasions and the matter of prayer.
3. A resolution to take no denial. 4. Difficulty ;
for fighting imports opposition.

t. But what must we fight against in prayer ?
Aiis. 1. Carnal counsel; 2. Distractions by the
lusts of the flesh or cares of the world; 3. The
objects of our own flesh ; 4. Our own unskilfulness
to pray: strive to learn to pray better; 5. Hardness
of heart ; 6. Sleepiness of our body ; 7. The tempta
tions of Satan ; 8. We must strive against God him
self, as Jacob did by wrestling to get the blessing.
Use. For reproof of such as -never complain of any
impediments in prayer, nor care how they speed.
Their condition is as far from happiness, as their prac
tice is from duty. And they are to be blamed that
complain of their lets and discomforts in prayer, but
yet they strive not. But we should learn to harness
ourselves, and conscionably strive against all that
may hinder us ; and to this end set ourselves in
God's presence, and beseech God to heal our infir
mities, and help us against all the lets of prayer,
and stir up in our hearts the promises made to
prayer, observing fit times, and watching to all
opportunities, to be importunate when any door is
opened. Lastly, Would one be fervent in spirit? They
must then look to four things : first, They must
serve the Lord, for a profane person can never be
fervent ; secondly, They must labour to rejoice their
souls with the hope of a better life, for such comfort
able meditations inflame the spirit ; thirdly, We
must get patience under worldly crosses and tribu
lations, else the cares and vexations of the world
will choke all true fervency ; fourthly, We must
continue in prayer, for use and experience breeds
fervency. Always. We must be constant in prayer, 1 Thes.
v. 16, Luke xxi. 36. To pray always is to keep a
constant order in the daily performance of this
duty, and besides to pray upon all occasions and
opportunities. The profit comes by this constancy
in prayer appears by the proofs to be : 1. Much
joy, 1 Thes. v. 16; 2. They that pray continually
shall escape the last terrible things, and be able to
stand in the clay of Christ, Luke xxi. 36.
Here we may see the difference between a godly
mind and a carnal heart. The godly mind is always
praying, but the carnal heart is seldom without a
sense of tediousness, with a desire to be rid of the
burden of it.

400

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[Chap. IV.

The reason why God's children be so willingly
employed in much and often prayer, is partly because
God commands them to pray always, partly because
they find unutterable benefit and refreshing in
prayer, and partly they daily get hereby what they
desire, Mark xi. 24.
If any take unto them the words of those wretched
Jews, Mai. iii. 16, and say, what profit is it to keep
God's commandments, or to walk humbly ? and that
they could never find any good by it, I can soon
ansAver, that in their prayers and obedience there
was no profit, for indeed they did not wralk humbly,
nor in the power of godliness did they keep God's
commandments. Object. But have not the best of them all their
sins, distractions, and wants, as well as others 1
How, then, can they be so bold and frequent in
prayer ?
Sol. The children of God have privileges,
others have not ; for their wants are covered by
Christ's intercession, and their suits are followed
in heaven by Christ's advocation, 1 John ii. 1,
and framed in earth by the Spirit, Rom. viii.
26.- Object. But how can they find matter for so much
prayer %
Sol. If men had by the law gathered the cata
logue of their sins, and learned to see and fear the
judgments sin might bring; if they had observed
the daUy straits of a mortal condition ; if they had
considered the almost infinite occasions of prayer
for themselves and others, they would not thus
object. Object. But there are some that do pray, and
that always, too, against their corruptions, and yet
cannot speed, nor get strength against them,
Sol. If they have constantly prayed, which yet I
doubt, then the reason is either they watch not in
practice to cut off the occasions of evil, Luke xi. 36,
or they strive not with importunity to prevail with
God, Luke xviii., or else they cannot be truly af
fected towards God's grace in others ; for if envy
at the graces and estimation of others reign in thee,
it is just with God to deny to give thee that grace
thou enviest in others.
To conclude, if any man hitherto careless of this
duty, be now desirous to be instructed hoAv to pray

as he ought, with words, affection, and success, let
such a man put on a mind to observe the rules fol
lowing : —
1. Thou must forgive all thine enemies, and re
solve to live without malice, Mat. vi.
2. Thou must constantly hear God's word, else
thou canst never pray, but God will abhor thee and
thy prayers, Prov. xxviii. 10.
3. Thou must get and shew a merciful heart to
man, if thou wouldst prevail to obtain mercy with
God, Prov. xxi. 13, Mat. v. 7.
4. Thou must carry thyself orderly and quietly in
the family, 1 Pet. hi. 7.
5. Take heed of hypocrisy in praying to be seen
of men, Mat. vi.
Object. But I want words.
Sol. Pray God to give thee words, and mind
thine own way, by considering thy sin and wants
by the law.
Object. But I want the affections of prayer.
Sol. Sparch whether there be not some rile af
fections, lusts, and passions unmortified, Ps. lxvi.
18; 1 Tim. ii. 8, and pray God to give thee the
spirit of compassion, Zech. xi. 12. Yet in all this
take heed of security, rest not in beginning. God
will take that at the first which he will not stUl be
content with. Learn to pray better.
Thus of the sixth thing.
The last is the matter he prays for.
That ye may stand. Concerning perseverance here
are four things to be observed :
Doct. 1. That in the risible church there may be
such as wiU not stand, and this is true both in
true members, and in seeming members. The true
members may fall either by infirmity ; and so the
righteous faileth seven times and riseth again, or
by presumption falling to the practice of gross
evils, out of which they cannot recover but with ex
treme sorrow. The only seeming members not
only may, but certainly will faU, and that most an
end, finally, without recovery. So Demas, Judas,
Joash, and many more.
This should teach us not to think it strange if Ave
see apostasy in men that have rooms in the church,
and have acknowledged the truth according to godli
ness. Doct. 2. That it is a fearful thing to fall away ; a

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401

worse condition likely a man cannot choose for him
self, 2 Pet. ii. 20, 21. For Satan will re-enter, and
gain a stronger possession than ever he had ; yea,
their dispositions unto evil may seven times more be
inflamed than ever before. Seven devils worse
than the former may enter. It were better to be
ground under a millstone than thus to live in
apostasy, Mat. xxi. 44. Such persons are abolished
from Christ, Gal. v. 4. They are in the power of
Satan, 2 Tim. i. 18. Their latter end is worse
than their beginning. It had been better for
them never to have known the way of righteous
ness, than having known it to depart from the holy
commandment given unto them. They are as hate
ful to God as dogs and swine, 2 Pet. ii. 20-22,
yea, they may so order the matter, that they may
fall into such a condition as there will remain no
more sacrifice for sin.
Quest. But what should be the causes of their
apostasy ?
Ans. The causes are either without them, or in
themselves. Without them are ill counsel, as in the
case of Joash, and the effectual working of Satan,
not only to glut himself in the blood of their souls,
but thereby to work scandal in the weak and scorn
in the Avicked.
Within themselves, the causes are, in some, unbe
lief, Rom. xi. 20 ; in some, pride and the vanity of
our own conceits, 1 Tim. vi. 21 ; in some, covetous
ness and ambition, so in Judas and Demas ; in some,
the very levity and inconstancy of their natures ; in
some, the concupiscence of the lusts of the flesh, 2
Tim. iii. ; in some, certain opinions wilfully received,
as justification by the law, Gal. v. 4, or that the
resurrection is past, 2 Tim, ii. 16-18, or the like;
but the general cause is the want of practice of that
we hear, Mat. vii. And therefore 'let him that
standeth take heed lest he fall,' or ' by any means
be turned away from the love of the truth,' 2 Pet.
iii. 18, 2 Cor. x. 11, and the rather considering that
many that are fallen had great knowledge, Heb. vi. 4,
and great joy in hearing the word, Mat. xiii., and great
affections to the ministry, for so had the Galatians
to Paul, Gal. iv., and besides they were such as in
reformation did forsake the filthiness of the profane
ness of the world, 2 Pet. i. 20, and had a taste of
the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy

Ghost, and tasted of the powers of the life to
come, Heb. vi. 4, 5.
Object. But some one may say, they that are fallen
find no such misery in their estate.
Ans. Thou knowest not what they find. They
are for the most part cast into a ' spirit of slumber.'
Object. But they fall not from religion ; for they
are protestants still, and not papists.
Ans. There is a total apostasy, and an apostasy in"
part. They fall from the sincerity of religion.
Demas did not turn gentile, or the Galatians ; nay,
the pharisees that committed the sin against the
Holy Ghost, did not openly renounce religion.
And therefore let men take heed of falling from
' the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus,' 2 Cor. xi.
13. And thus of the second doctrine.
Doct. 3. Perseverance, may be obtained ; a man
may stand ancl hold out to the end, Rom. v. 1-3 ;
' God is able to establish us,' 1 Cor. xv. 1. And
the word of God is God's power, not only to regener
ation, but to salvation, Rom. xiv. 4. ' The weapons
of our warfare are mighty,' 2 Cor. x. 4, and great
power is made knoAvn in Aveakness, 2 Cor. xii. 10.
Only believe, and use the means.
Doct. 4. Much prayer is a great means to obtain
perseverance, and will prevail. Though this be not
the only means, yet it is an effectual means.
Perfect. A Christian man may be said to be per
fect divers Avays :
1. In the cause or fountain of holiness; so good
gifts are said to be perfect, James i. 17, viz., as they
are from God.
2. In respect of consecration or calling; so the
word that some translate to make perfect, is trans
lated by others to consecrate, Heb. i. 10, v. 9, Avhich
importeth that Christ may be said to be perfect, be
cause he Avas separated, or dedicated, or called to per
fection, or hath a perfect calling.
3. In respect of acceptation, not in respect of
operation, the Lord accounting our confession of
imperfection for perfection.
4. In respect of parts, though not in respect of
degrees. He is perfect in that he hath holiness in
every part, though not in such measure. Thus to
be perfect is to be ' sanctified throughout.'
5. Comparatively, not positively. Comparatively, 3 E

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[Chap. IV.

I say, either with carnal men, or ordinary hearers,
or infants in grace. A Christian that makes con
science of all his ways, and can love his enemies, is
perfect in comparison of carnal men, Mat. v. 48,
that follow the swing of their own corruptions and
affections ; and so he is too in respect of ordinary
hearers, that seek not the power of godliness. And
as for infants in grace, it is perfection to be of ripe
age, or strong in the grace or knowledge of Jesus
Christ, 1 Cor. xiv. 20, Eph. iv. 12, Hosea v. 14.
And so the doctrine that is to be propounded is
called the doctrine of perfection, Heb. vi. 1.
6. In respect of truth, though not in respect of
absoluteness. Thus he is perfect because he desires
and endeavours after perfection, though in act he
attain it not. Thus uprightness is the perfection of
a Christian after calling.
7. In respect of men or common estimation ; and
so he is perfect that is unrebukable.
8. In respect of the end ; and so he may be said
to be perfect three ways —
1. In intention; because he sets perfection as a
mark to shoot at, Phil. iii.
2. In respect of duration ; because he holds out to
the end.
3. In respect of accomplishment; because he
finisheth what he undertaketh in godliness or morti
fication ; he doth it not by halves, or in some parts
of it ; for so to perfect is translated to ' finish,' Acts
xx. 24, John iv. 34, xvii. -4.
Here, then, we see what we must do to be per
fect men : we must confess conscionably our imper
fection ; we must live in uprightness, and not in any
gross or presumptuous sin ; Ave must finish what we
undertake in godliness, and we must strive after
perfection ; we must love our enemies, and rule our
tongues, James iii. 1, i. 5, and let patience have her
perfect work : he that doth this is a perfect man.
But a man shall never attain unto this unless he
labour for much knowledge, 1 Cor. xiv. 20, ancl to
that end exercise himself in the word of righteous
ness, Heb. v. 1 4 ; and besides, a man must withdraAv
himself from the Avorld, and devote liimself to sin
cerity ; and especially a man must get a great deal of
love ; for that is the bond of all perfectness, Col. iii. 1 4.
Full. The faithful are said to be full, both in
respect of the number of faithful persons added to

the church, and in respect of the plentiful perform
ance of the rich promises of God, 2 Thes. i. 11, and
in respect of holding out tiU their course be fulfiUed,
Rom. xi. 25 ; but I take it to be meant of fulness in
graces and duties ; in both fulness is required. In
duties fulness is taken for abundance, and sometimes
for the fulfilling of some particular office or charge ;
both are required, Acts ix. 36, Phil. i. 11, Acts xii.
14, 26. In graces there is a fulness of grace and
knowledge, and of zeal, Acts vi. 3, 5, 8, and of joy,
John iii. 29, xv. 11. The fulness of faith is the
confidence and undaunted assurance of it ; the ful
ness of knowledge is the largeness of understanding
and discretion ; the fulness of zeal is the power of
words and affections ; the fulness of joy is the truth
and contentment of it.
Hence we may discern the state of the soul of a
Christian : it is like a vessel under the conduit-pipe
of God's ordinances, filling more and more by the
influence of Christ, tUl it come to be brim-full.
Hence we may see cause, to be greatly humbled
because our works are not fuU before God.
Now if any shall think this doctrine of fulness to
be a doctrine of discouragement, he may note these
things for removal of that objection :
First, That it is a kingdom men labour about, and
therefore should not think much U much be required
of them ; secondly, We may fill spiritually, though
we do not discern it; thirdly, God requires not
fulness at first, but by degrees ; fourthly, That the
Lord hath in many scriptures promised to help us
against all temptations and impediments, whether
arising from our own weakness, or from without us.
In all the will of God. Cajetan, a papist, makes a
stop at ' all,' and reads it, ' in everything by the wUl
of God,' and delivers the sense thus : That ye may
be consummate in respect of yourselves, and full in
respect of others, in every spiritual thing, by the will
of God, that is, not by your own merits — note that —
but by the grace of God's will.
But I think it should be read as ordinarily it is
read ; and so I observe that Ave should take counsel
for the informing of our faith, and reforming and
perfecting of our lives, at the Avill of God.
Which serves for great reproof of the course of
the most men, Avho are advised and guided either
by carnal reason, or by the lusts and wills of their

Ver. 12,]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

403

carnal friends, or the lusts and temptations of Satan
himself, 1 Pet. iv. 2, John viii. 44, or the inclination
of their own flesh. How are Avorlds of men swayed
by these, or some of these, almost in all matters of
religion ! If reformation, and the practice of the
sincerity of the gospel, may not get the consent of
their own carnal reason, or of such and such friends,
Sec, then it must never be gone about. But contra-
riArise, we should learn to stick to God's will in all
things, yea, we should pray earnestly that we might
never be beaten from this anchor-hold, but that in
all estates — in prosperity and adversity, in life and
death — we might constantly exalt the glory of God's
will, to yield it for ever our acknowledgment of
sovereignty over us, Ps. xl. 8-10.
Secondly, Note here that we must respect all
God's will; and thus we are tied to respect all the
will of God, both in respect of knowledge and in
respect of practice ; for we should labour to be made
' rich in all things, in all kind of utterance, and in
all knowledge,' 1 Cor. i. 5 ; we should be ' expert in
the word of righteousness,' accustoming ourselves
continually to exercise our wits about discerning of
good or evil out of the word, Heb. v. 14 ; in prac
tice we must have respect to every commandment
of God, and, as David did, we must labour to do
all God's will, and not be like Saul or Herod.
This may serve, first, for confutation of the papists,
that will not allow the will of God to be the only
rule, though they grant it to be a perfect rule. But
let us detest that subtle distinction, and, in the
simplicity that is in Christ Jesus, acknowledge that
there is a will of God for every opinion and work
of every man of God, sufficient to make him perfect
in all knowledge and every good work, 2 Tim. iii. 16.
Again, tf this doctrine were soundly urged through
every, commandment, it would ransack the hearts
of carnal men, and then manifestly let them see
the vanity of their false and wild presumption of
civility, and God's liking of them and their honest
meanings. It is true they dare not say Avith their
tongues, there is no God ; but is there not such talk
in their hearts ? or could they not wish there were no
God? Ps. xiv. 1. They worship not sun, moon,
nor stars ; but is there in them that warmth of love
to the true God, that they can love him with all
their hearts and all their souls ? Deut. vi. 5. Where

is that lively knowledge of God ? John xvii. 3 ;
where is that trembling fear of God? Hab. iii. 16;
where is that glorying in God? Jer. ix. 24; where
is that cleaving unto God? Acts xi. 23. Do these
men every day commit their ways and their works
unto God ? Ps. xxxvii. 5, Prov. xvi. 3. These men
use to wonder at heretics ; but what forms of God
do they conceive in their heads every day ! They
will not blaspheme God to his face, it is true ; but
will they not murmur from day to day at the work
of his hands ? 1 Cor. x. 10. They place no divinity
in the signs of heaven ; but will they not fear them
neither ? yet this is condemned as well as the other,
Jer. x. 2. It is true popish images are gone out of
their sight in the churches ; but are the pictures of
the Trinity gone out of their houses? They think, in
deed, it is too bad never to come to church, or to give
God no worship ; but do they make conscience of
cold service of God, or lukewarmness, and continued
hypocrisy? Rev. iii. 15. For may it not be truly
said of them that their hearts almost never come to
church? Isa. xxix. 13. Sure their souls will be
indicted in the day of Christ, and convicted too,
for obstinate recusants. Witchcraft, conjuring, and
charming is naught, they say; but is going to
witches and conjurers and charmers naught too in
their opinion ? Lev. xx. 6. To forswear a man's self,
they hold it somewhat vile if it may be discerned ;
but what conscience make they of swearing in their
common talk, especially by petty oaths, and that
which is not good? Mat. v. 34-37. They dare not
curse God, but they dare curse the creatures of God
by the name or justice of God ; they dare not talk
directly against God, but they dare use God's titles
without reverence, Deut. xxviii. 58. They say they
know aU comes from God's blessing ; but do they
daily seek the sanctification of their callings and the
creatures by the word and prayer? 1 Tim. iv. 4.
We all say the Sabbath must be sanctified; but who
makes it his delight ? We condemn labour on the
Sabbath ; but where are those Nehemiahs that will
restrain this monstrous abuse in the city of hiring
labourers on the Sabbath? Though for many
Sabbaths, one after another, they travel hither
many hundreds of all sorts from all parts round
about, and fill the streets almost with tumults on the
Lord's-day, from the morning till near the evening,

404

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

yet none seeks the reformation of this matchless
abuse; or if any Avould restrain it, how are they
opposed ? The Lord give repentance to those that
have sinned this Avay, and lay not the toleration
of this damned abuse, to their charge ! Men say
at length, it is naught to keep open shops or ride
to fans on the Sabbath-day ; but Avho repents of the
idle and fruitless spending ofthe Sabbath? We do
someAvhat in public duties ; but who cares for the
private duties in the family on the Sabbath ? Men
avUI not openly rail on magistrates ; but how licen
tious are men's tongues in private? or Avhen do
men affectionately pray for their superiors ? Where
is a Avell-ordered family to be found ? Say that men
forbear blood, fighting, do they forbear anger, envy,
frowardness, bitter words ? They avoid whoredom ;
but do they shun filthy speaking and lust ? Some
men shun drunkenness ; but do they shun drinkings ?
1 Pet. iv. 3. Open stealth is abhorred, but secret fraud
and deceit is common, 1 Thes. iv. 6, Deut. xxv. 13.
Covetousness is condemned ; but in worldliness men
are drowned and see it not. Gaming for pounds
and hundreds is easily censured, but for crowns and
shillings it is no offence. Men make some conscience
of false witness in courts, but at home they make
no conscience of evil speaking, or suspicions, or
censures. It may be men would be loath to be
found guilty of raising slanders, but yet men love
lies, Rev. xxii., if anybody else will invent them;
and they will go about with tales and spread
them, Lev. xix. 1 6 ; they will discover secrets, Prov.
xi. 13 ; they will slander by scoffing or jesting, Eph.
v. 4 ; they will report part of men's words, but not
all, or not in their sense, Mat. xxvi. 61, John ii.
19; and evil thoughts ancl worlds of contemplative
wickedness these men never care for.
Object. But some may say, What need all this
ado ? it is preciseness to be so curious.
Ans. It is true it is preciseness, and Ave are com
manded to walk precisely, for so the word is, Eph.
v. 15. And besides there is that necessity of it, that
unless our righteousness exceed the righteousness of
the scribes and pharisees, who yet lead a civil life, we
cannot enter into tho kingdom of heaven, Mat. v. 20.
Object. But we see the most men, and those too
men of great place and learning, do not favour
such strictness.

Ans. What then ? Such is the calling of a Chris
tian that not many mighty, not many wise, nor
many noble, Sec, will be drawn to deny them
selves that they may be saved. But yet we must
enter in at that strait gate feAV find, 1 Cor. h. 27,
Mat. vii.
Object. But there is none can do as you require.
Ans. In many things we sin all, but yet God's
children do endeavour after the holiness required,
confessing their failings, and no sin hath dominion
over them ; but now other men allow themselves in
these erils, and think aU is wrell, and have no
desire or endeavour to shew their respect to all
God's commandments, but venture aU to God's
mercy, yea, they will not forego such sins as they
can leave if they hst, they avUI continue in sins that
neither bring them pleasure nor profit.
Object. But, might some one of the better sort
say, What ! are we bound to respect all God's wiUs,
and to be perfect and full, and to stand so too?
Who is able to bear it ? Is it not a heavy yoke ?
Ans. It is true that aU this is required, and
hereby we may see whither sin hath brought us, and
what impotency is now in us. It is true also that a
mortal condition is a hard condition. Our Saviour
meant something when he said, ' Strive to enter in
at the strait gate.' Yet a Christian needs not faint,
for it is all good work, and he is to obey no Avorse a
avUI than God's will, and for no worse an end than
his OAvn good, and with no worse company than all
the saints.
Object. But the multitude of my former sins
troubles me, that I cannot Avith that comfort ad
dress myself to undertake this strict course.
Ans. This is thy comfort, that in Christ there is a
propitiation for all thy sins past ; and now that God
calls for this obedience, he will accept thee as.right-
eous by forgiving thee all former accounts, Rom.
iii. 25.
Object. But if all Avere forgiven me, yet I cannot
do all that God requires of me in his law.
Ans. Thou art 'not under the law, but under
grace,' Rom. vi. 14, thou art freed from the rigour
of the laAV ; so that thou extend thy desire and
endeavour to all the will of God, thy perfection is
but uprightness.
Object. But in my best services there is much evil.

Ver. 13.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

405

Ans. Christ makes request for thee, and by the
virtue of his intercession the eril of thy good works
is hid and covered.
Object. But I am so weak, I cannot find strength
almost to do any Avork of God, much less all, and to
hold out too.
Ans. As Aveak as thou have subjected themselves
to all God's wills, of wliich some now sleep in the
Lord, who from small beginnings greAV to great
abihty in God's service. What may not grace, like a
grain of mustard seed, grow to in short time ? Mat.
xhi. ; besides, God's ordinances are mighty through
God to fulfil our obedience, 2 Cor. x. 4, 6, and God
will shew his power in thy weakness, 2 Cor. xii. 9,
yea, it is his covenant not only to require all his
will, but to give us his Spirit to cause us to do them,
Ezek. xxxvi. 27.
Object. But if I were set in never so good a case,
and had for the present never so good success, yet I
fear falling away.
Ans. God ' avUI keep the feet of his saints,'
1 Sam. ii. 9.
Object. But I have tried a great while, and I have
great helps, and yet I find not any such graces or
fulness, or any such likelihood to stand.
Ans. 1. It is one thing what is, and another thing
what thou feelest. 2. Consider whether thou hast
not desired to do all God's will, and endeavoured it
as thou knewest it, and that Avith desire to do all
perfectly ; certainly the will, study, care, desire is
accepted with God. 3. Consider Avhether God hath
not let thee see all this while that thou art accepted
as full and perfect. What sin hast thou begged
pardon for, and not obtained it ? what duty or grace
is it that thou hast prayed for constantly, and God
hath utterly denied to answer thee ? If God have
accepted thee, why doest thou charge thyself
falsely ?
Object. But I know not all God's wills, much less
can I do them.
Ans. It shall be to thee according to what thou
hast, and not according to what thou hast not;
increase in knowledge, that thou mayest increase in
grace. What shall I say ? Consider but the recom
pense of reward, God will reward every work, and
should we not then do all his wills ? Though the
task be hard, and labour great, yet the pay and

gain is exceeding great ; if Ave had so many ways to
thrive in our estates we would refuse no labour.
Oh why should we not seek the gain of doing every
will of God?
Thus of the twelfth verse.
Ver. 1 3. For I bear him record, that he hath a great
zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them
in HierapoHs.
Ver. 14. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas,
greet you.
In the 13th verse the zeal of Epaphras, which
is the fourth thing, is described : first, By the
testimony of Paul, ' I bear him record ; ' secondly,
By the quantity of it, ' a great zeal ; ' thirdly, By
the person for whom, ' for you,' Sec.
The apostle useth all these words to set out his
zeal, because he was desirous to have him in great
respect with his hearers, for he kneAV if he were
once contemned or suspected, his doctrine would be
unfruitful, and his hearers made a prey to false
teachers. Besides, perhaps he found the people
inclining to grow to have enough of him, or to
suspect him, or to lessen their regard of him.
I bear him record. Note : —
1. That the witness of one apostle is a sufficient
testimony and infallible, which should encourage us
to study their writings, seeing we are sure to find
nothing but truth there.
2. That the best testimony is not our own record
of ourselves ; ' Let thy neighbour, not thine own
mouth, praise thee,' Prov. xxix.
3. Godly ministers should be ready and forward
to preserve the fame of their brethren, and in par
ticular willing to give record for them ; but if we
would have record from others, we must not be idle,
or ignorant, or corrupt, or scandalous. Oh, the misery
of these times ! How are insufficient or wicked
ministers written for to the patron, to the bishop, to
the congregation, concerning whom there can be no
sufficient testimony in the day of Christ ! And
happy were it if no churchmen had their hands in
such records. The Lord pardon and purge the sins
of the sons of LeAi !
Zeal. Doct. Zeal is needful in a minister ; noAV,
his zeal is twofold, either for God, or for God's
people. A minister should shew his zeal for his

406

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

" [Chap. IV.

people: 1. By praying for them; 2. By painful
preaching to them, in season and out of season ; 3.
By protecting them against the reproaches and
scorns of the world, striving by doctrine not only to
comfort them, but to wipe away the aspersions cast
upon them; 4. By earnest rebukes and admonitions;
he must cry aloud and not spare, not suffering them
to sin ; 5. By suffering either with them or for
them. The use is to excite zeal in ministers, and to
awake them out of that coldness or deadness, espe
cially" in teaching. It is a wonderful scourge to the
people, and a dishonour to the glorious doctrine of
God, where the teacher is without life or spirit in
the enforcing of his doctrine.
And is zeal good for a minister ? then sure it is
good for the people too ; indeed, it is of exceeding
praise in all sorts of men, of what degree soever.
Neither will it be amiss here a little to consider
more seriously of zeal, seeing there is much need of
it in the world, and there is much mistaking
about it.
N ow if men will be rightly ordered in their zeal,
let them look to these things :
1. Let it not be a pretended zeal, as in Joash;
2. Nor a superstitious zeal, as in Paul, Gal. i. 14; 3.
Nor a passionate zeal, only for fit, as in John at his
first entrance ; 4. Nor a malicious zeal, as in perse
cutors, that think they do God good service in vex
ing men wrongfully, Acts rii. 9, Gal. iv. 17; 5. Nor
a wrong-intended zeal, such as is the zeal of merit-
mongers, Rom. x. 2 ; 6. Nor a contentious zeal, such
as theirs that make needless rents in the church,
Rom. xiii. 13, 1 Cor. iii. 3 ; 7, Nor a secure zeal,
that is a zeal not raised by godly sorrow, 1 Cor. vii.
1 0, or that is carried without care or fear of falling
aAvay; 8. Nor an idle zeal, that is all words without
works, — the word is rendered labour sometimes, and
it is certain true zeal is spent about good works,
Titus ii. 14 ; 9. Nor an over-curious zeal, shewed
either by sticking too much to the letter of scripture,
Acts xxi. 20, 21, or by prying into or harsh censur
ing of the lesser faults of others, Mat. vii.; 10. Or a
bitter zeal, James iii. 13, 14, that spends itself in
railing and fiery reproaches, — railers seldom stand
long; 11. Or an ignorant, bold zeal, such as was in
the Jews, Rom. x. 2 ; or lastly, a self-conceited zeal,

when men trust too much to themselves and their
own judgments.
True zeal hath in it six things :
1. The affections of worship and spiritual com
passion ; it will not rest in the bare work done, either
of piety to God or spiritual mercy to men; it cannot
be. cold or lukewarm in praying, hearing, preaching,
admonishing, Sec.
2. An ardent love to such as fear God, shewed by
desire, mourning, and fervency of mind towards them,
2 Cor. vii. 7.
3. An utter hatred of the wickedness and pro
faneness of the world, with a willingness to shew
and maintain, according to a man's calhng, a spiritual
opposition against it.
4. An affectionate desire after God's house and
the purity of it, thus the zeal of God's house should
eat us up.
5. A great wrestling within a man against the
corruptions of his own nature, expressed by indig
nation, sorrow, confession, strong cries to God, and
revenge upon the flesh.
6. The coveting of aU spiritual things as the best
things in the wrorld.
Lastly, Observe that he saith, much zeal or great
zeal, which sheweth that men ought to thrive in
zeal as well as in other graces, howsoever the world
judge of it, only let men look to themselves accord
ing to the former rules, that they deceive not them
selves nor the world.
For you and for them of Laodicea and HierapoHs. I
will not trouble the reader Avith the topography of
these towns ; it is out of question they were near
bordering cities. Only observe here three things :
1. That the care of faithful teachers, and their
desire to do good, extends to other churches; also
hence they are compared fitly to stars, that give
light not only to the orb in Avhich they are, but to
places further off; and this good ministers may do
by prayer, example of faithfulness and diligence,' or
by counsel or writing, or confirmation of doctrine,
by preaching as there is occasion. And this shews
the Avorth of painful and sincere teachers ; they are
a great benefit to the Avhole country where they
live, and therefore they should be protected and en
couraged by all them that would be accounted.
lovers of their country.

Ver. 14.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS,

407

2. That ministers owe a special love and care to
the neighbour churches, for as nearness of habitation
increaseth the strength of civil bonds, so should it
much more in spiritual.
3. That the care of other churches should not
cause men to neglect the flock that depends upon
them, it is not sufficient that men preach somewhere.
God calls for an account of their stewardship in
their OAvn charge, they must tend their own herds ;
he were a strange husbandman that would plough
his neighbour's field and let his own lie unfilled; it
is vile corruption to be intent when Ave labour for
others, and remiss when we labour for our OAvn
people. Luke, the beloved physician. There is some ado
amongst interpreters who this Luke should be, but
I incline to them that think it Avas Luke the evan
gelist, but whosoever it was, three things may be
here observed :
1. That the church of God hath always consisted
of men of divers callings ; so as no laAvful calhng is
excluded, nor yet any only taken.
2. That physic hath been of ancient honour and
use in the church; we see it here in the apostle's
time, and it was long before also, for there were
physicians in Joseph's time, Gen. 1. 2.
Four sorts of men may be reproved concerning
physic or physicians :
1. Such as totally neglect them though they have
need to use them; yet our Sariour Christ saith, 'the
sick need a physician;' 2. Such as are wayward and
Arill not be cured, that is, such as through impatiency
wUl not be ordered by this means in the manner
they should be ; 3. Such as put their whole trust in
physic, as Asa did, neglecting to seek unto God for
help ; yea, it is to be noted in Asa, that his disease
being but ordinary, yet to neglect the Lord in it
was a great sin, for though God hath allowed physic
as a help, yet it was never his meaning to rob him
self of his own glory ; 4. Such as will out of pride
and niceness be tampering with their bodies in
physic when there is no need, contrary to that of
our Saviour Christ, ' The whole need not the physi
cian.' Now inasmuch as many times it is manifest phy
sic doth no good to the diseased, we are to under
stand three things : 1. That this may be the fault

of careless and ignorant physicians ; 2. That as Ave
grow monsters in the world by sinning, overpassing
the deeds of the wicked, so the Lord sometimes by
bringing in strong and new diseases doth overpass
the skill of the physicians ; 3. God for sins or trial
may restrain the blessing upon the means, which
else would be available.
The third thing I note is, that the Holy Ghost
gives this praise to a godly physician, importing that
a physician should be a man sound in religion, and
zealous for the truth, and known and beloved in the
church ; for as it is certain godly and religious phy
sicians may do much good in the dangers of their
patients, so miserable experience shews that popish
and superstitious physicians do exceeding much hurt,
by working upon those opportunities to seduce and
pervert men.
And Demas. This is that Demas that afterward
forsook Paul, and embraced this present world, from
the consideration of Avhose estate we may observe
three things :
First, That the vices of men, by the profession of
the truth, may be restrained when they are not
cured. This man's love of the world was in him
when he was at the best, but it was curbed and held
down ; and so it is with many hypocrites, and there
fore men should be warned ancl look to themselves,
that they be not deceived by taking the restraint of
the outward practice of some evil for the true mor
tification of them.
Secondly, It is many times a great hand of God
upon unsound-hearted men, that at their best they
are seen into ancl not greatly esteemed. It seems it
was so with this man, for, if we mark it, the apostle
riot only reckons him in the last place, but he names
him also Avithout any manner of praise, as if he
would import that he durst not commend him to the
churches. We should here learn what to do towards
such from the example of the apostle.
Now if any would know more fully what is to be
done, and hoAv they should carry themselves towards
such as they justly doubt and fear not to be right,
though they make profession, there are three rules
to be observed :
1. Pity them, pray for them, and admonish
them. 2. Commit not thyself unto them, but be well

408

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

advised before thou converse inwardly with them.
It is true that the practice of this rule is strangely
censured when those kind of people perceive them
selves not to be regarded so much as they would be ;
for usually, if in discretion men prove before they
trust, they are taxed of pride and haughtiness ; yet
considering the rile hypocrisy that is in many, it is
better to be so censured without cause ^than to be
beguiled by men that make their religion but a
cloak to their own ends.
3. The third rule is, that while they stand and
fall not into open sin, thou mayest not traduce them,
but conceal thy dishkes till God lay them open, un
less greater danger might ensue by the concealment,
for the Lord may make him sound and give him re
pentance. Paul doth not dispraise Demas here, as
he doth not commend him.
Thirdly, We may in this man note the property
of many hypocrites, they will not be discounte
nanced, they are usually impudent. This man
thrusts himself into the apostle's company, and will
be commended to the churches ; he will have a place,
though it be the last place.
Ver. 15. Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea,
and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Hitherto of salutations signified ; iioav the saluta
tions required follow, and these are particular, ver.
15, 16, 17, general, ver. 18.
The particulars concern either Laodiceans, ver. 15,
16, or the Colossian preacher, ver. 17, who is not
only saluted, but exhorted or rebuked by intima
tion. In the salutation of the Laodiceans, observe two
things : first, The persons who are to be saluted, ver.
15 ; secondly, A special direction for the open read
ing of two epistles, ver. 16.
The persons are the brethren in general, and Nym
phas in special, and the household of Nymphas.
Salute the brethren which are at Laodicea. 1 . Chris
tian courtesy ought to have in it a holy remembrance
of absent friends.
2. It is not vanity or weakness, but may stand
with singular gifts and graces of mind, to be indus
trious and large-hearted in the many remembrances
of all sorts of Christians.
3. It is profitable that men of great gifts and

place should preserve their memory with, others,
though it be but in these lighter compliments of
salutation; for many times it may inflame much
affection to godliness in such to whom they send
their salutations.
4. God hath his choice amongst men, for here he
takes notice of the brethren in Laodicea only. God
doth not drive in whole towns of men into the field
of his grace at once ; for as it was then in turning
men from gentilism, so it is now in turning men from
profaneness, the gospel doth not work upon all pro
miscuously. And Nymphas. This Nymphas was not a woman,
as Ambrose, and Dionysius, and Catharinus, and the
gloss would have it, for it is aurou in the end of the
verse, ' his' house, not 'her' house.
This Nymphas, as it seems, was some eminent
Christian, whom Paul would specially honour before
the congregation, and so it shews that a special re
spect should be had of such as did excel in gffts
amongst such as profess the sincerity of the gospel.
And the church that is in his house. By the church
he means those in the household that fear God,
whether they were women, or children, or servants.
Now here, first, I consider of these persons, and
then of the title the apostle gives them in calling
them a church.
In that the apostle thus Avith honour remembers
the household of Nymphas, it sheAvs his singular
uprightness, in that he can respect grace in wdiomso-
ever he finds it ; he loves a good servant as weU as a
good master, and can commend good order in a
household as Avell as in a congregation. This should
teach us not to have the grace of Christ in respect
of persons ; and hereby also Ave may try our love to
God's children, by examining ourselves whether we
can love such as can neither profit nor pleasure nor
grace us in the world. And this may be a great en
couragement to the young and meaner sort, in that
they may perceive from hence, that if they get true
grace they shall be respected both of God and good
men. Now in that the apostle calls this household a
church, we may note, that a religious and well-ordered
family is, as it Avere, a little church. Here in one family
is prescribed Avhat all families should be. This family
is called a church, because his people were godly, and

Ver. 16.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

409

the word of God was read there, and prayers made
to God, and psalms sung, and the younger sort were
catechised and instructed.
Now, do we learn from hence that our houses are
churches ? Then these things will follow :
1. That God's worship and piety must be set up
in them. How can they be churches of God, if
God be not served in them ?
2. All must be done there in order, and quietness,
and silence, for so it is or should be in the church.
3. Eril persons that are incorrigible must not
dwell there, but must be cast out, Ps. ci.
4. The husband or master of the family must
dwell there as a man of knowledge, and wives,
children, and servants must obey as the church doth
Christ. Again, are our families churches ? Why then re
ligious families are in a happy case, for then God
himself will dwell there ; so as a stranger coming
to such places may say, as Jacob did of Bethel,
surely God is in this place.
Lastly, should our families be churches ? Oh,
then, woe unto the world of profane households !
Should a church be without sacrifice ? and can their
families escape God's wrath, seeing there is neither
prayer nor piety in them, but instead of God's ser
vice, there is cursing, and swearing, and lying, and
chiding, and filching, and whoring, and raihng, and
fighting, and what not? The most families are
very cages of unclean spirits, where not God or
good men, but very devils, dwell, they are very
styes of uncleanness and unholiness.
Thus of the fifteenth verse.
Ver. 16. And when the epistle is read amongst you,
cause it to be read also in the church of the Laodiceans,
and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
These words contain a direction for reading : 1.
Of his epistle, and that both privately and pubhcly ;
2. Of an epistle from Laodicea.
In the general we may observe, that the scripture
may be read ; it is men's duty to do it ; it is a flat
precept, search the scriptures, John v. 39. And
this may evidently reprove the profane neglect of
the most herein in this great light. Many are so
drowned in carelessness that they have not yet so
much as a Bible in their houses, and others, though

for their credit sake they have gotten them Bibles,
yet they read them not.
This epistle. In that this epistle may not be
neglected, but must be read, it shews that whatso
ever is revealed to the church to be a part of the
word of God, it must be read. So soon as this
epistle is written, it must be read of all Christians,
which shews that every part of God's word is to
be read.
Now for the persons that must read the scrip
tures, it is here set down indefinitely ' of you,'
meaning of all sorts of people, which is in other
parts of the word of God distinctly expressed, For,
1 Tim. iv. 13, 15, ministers must read the scriptures,
and Deut. i. 17, 19, it is required also of kings, and
magistrates also — none are too good or too great to
be employed herein ; young men must study in the
word, Ps. cxix. 10, so must women also, Acts xvii.
12. PriscUla was ripe in the knowledge of the
scriptures, able to instruct others, Acts xviii. 27.
What should I say? Every good man must read
the scriptures, Ps. i. 2.
The use may be to stir us up to do it, and to do
it constantly, for the same word of God that requires
it to be done shews it should be done frequently.
We must read aU the days of our lUe, Deut. xvii.
19, and that daily, Acts xvii. 11, day and night,
Ps. i. 2 ; they read four times a day, Neh. ix. 4.
And the rather should we be excited to this
daily reading of the word, considering the profit
comes thereby. It would exceedingly comfort us,
Rom. xv. 4 ; it would be a lantern to our feet, and
a light unto our paths, Ps. cxix. The word is the
sword of the Spirit, Eph. vi. ; and how can we resist
tentations with, ' It is written,' if we read not what
is Avritten ? And without reading we can never be
expert in the word of righteousness ; thereby we are
made acquainted with the mysteries of the kingdom,
and come to understand all the counsel of God ;
it will teach us the fear of the Lord, and keep
that our hearts be not lifted up, Deut. xvh. 19
20. Quest. But what should be the reason that many-
get no more good by reading the word, and cannot
find any great profit in their reading ?
I answer diversely : 1 . Some men are poisoned
with the inclinations of atheism and security ; they
3f

410

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

come to the word to observe it, not to let the word
observe them.
2. Men seek not a blessing by prayer, whereas it
is certain the flesh will not of itself savour the
things of the Spirit.
3. Men bring not a humble and meek spirit,
whereas unto the fruitful meditation of the word, a
heart quiet and patient, and a mind free from pride
and passion is requisite, Ps. xxv. 9.
4. Men lay not down their cares and lusts, they
have marred their taste before they come, they do
not empty their heads, and separate themselves to
seek the wisdom of the word. Care or lust will
choke the Avord.
5. Men read not all God's word, nor do they read
constantly ; they will not Avait daily at the gates of
wisdom. To read seldom, or by starts and here
and there, will do little good.
6. One great cause of not profiting is the not
seeking of the law at the priest's mouth, that is,
want of conference and propounding of doubts.
7. In many, unprofitableness is the scourge of
unthankfulness for the good they have found in
reading. 8. In reading men do not mind their own way,
for if men did propose unto themselves what sin of
then own they might find rebuked, and what direc
tions might be collected out of that they read for
their lives, or did note how the word did offer com
fort when they need it, they could not but find
many excellent experiences of God's providence and
power in the word ; they could not live in any sin,
but either reading or hearing would discover it ; nor
could they go long Avithout some word of comfort
when they needed it ; yea, they might observe how
God in the word they read did counsel them too
when they were in distress ; therefore let him that
readeth mark ancl read for himself.
Lastly, The cause is, in the most, that their hearts
are not turned to God, and so the veil is not taken
away, 2 Cor. iii. 16.
Cause to be read. Observe here : —
1. That it is not enough to read ourselves, but
we must cause others to read, by exhorting, en
couraging, commanding, &c. ; especially parents and
ministers should see to it, so should magistrates
also.

2. From the coherence note, that we must cause
others to read when we have read ourselves ; it is
vile hypocrisy for a minister or parent to urge their
children or servants to read the scriptures, when
they neglect reading themselves.
In the chwrch. Here we have a plain proof for
reading of the scriptures publicly in the church ;
we see it was anciently both required and practised.
Add for the further confirmation hereof these places :
Deut. xxxi. 11, 12, Neh. viii., Luke iv., Acts xiii.
And this may assure us : 1 . That public reading is
no invention or ordinance of man ; 2. That the
people of God have found in all ages great need of
this help. And therefore they are miserably trans
ported with humour that so vihfy or neglect this
ordinance of God, and it may be just with God that
thou shouldst not profit by reading at home, when
thou carest not for reading in the church. Thus of
the reading of the Epistle to the Colossians.
Epistle from Laodicea. Here is a great ado among
interpreters to find out what epistle this was.
1. Theophylact thinks it was the first Epistle to
Timothy, which was written from Laodicea, another
tOAvn of that name, not this Laodicea before men
tioned. 2. Some think Paul did write an epistle to the
Laodiceans, which was apocrypha ; and so Dionysius
tells of a third Epistle to the Corinthians. Jacobus
Stapulensis caused such an epistle to be printed,
but Catharinus could easily avouch that it was a
bastard and counterfeit.
3. Some think the Laodiceans Avrote to the
apostle, and propounded then doubts, unto which
the apostle hath answered in this epistle ; and there
fore required that his answer might be compared
Avith their doubts ; this is the most public opinion.
But in the general it shews us thus much, that
we must read otlier good books as Avell as scrip
tures. Thus of the sixteenth verse.
Ver. 17. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the
ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, tliat thou
fulfil it.
These words concern the Colossian preacher, who
is not only saluted, but exhorted.
This Archippus, as it seems, Avas their pastor,

Ver. 17.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

411

joined Arith Epaphras, Avho Avas now at Rome with
Paul. It is likely he Avas grown negligent in teach
ing, and careless and idle.
Many times it comes to pass, that men that some
times Avere painful in then ministry, do aftenvards
grow slack and negligent.
1. Sometimes from very discouragements from
their people, either because they profit not, or
because they weary their teachers with indignities
and wrongs. Thus the very prophets have been
sometimes so tired that they could have been almost
willing never to speak more in the name of the
Lord. 2. Sometimes this comes from the corruption of
their own natures, they grow soon Aveary of God's
work ; or else having taken more work to do than
they are sufficient for, they grow to neglect all ; or
else they are drawn away with the love of the
world ; or else forbear of purpose to preach often
lest they should be thought to be too precise ; or
else to win applause, they set out at first with such
a strife to seem eloquent and learned that they
quickly spend their store, and then rather than
they will be observed to want, they will give over
preaching. °
3. Sometimes God himself, for the wickedness of
their lives, casts a barrenness upon their hearts, and
blasteth their gifts.
In this exhortation four things may be noted :
1. Who he is that exhorteth, ' say to Archippus.'
2. The matter charged upon him, ' see to thy
ministry.' 3. The reason by which it is urged, ' thou hast
received it of the Lord.'
4. An explication of the matter charged by the
extent of it, 'to fulfil'
Say to Archippus. Here I observe seven things :
1. The sinner must be told of his sin, Lev. xix.
17. 2. Such as offend publicly, must be told of it
publicly. 3. Ministers as well as others may be rebuked,
though some clergymen are so sore and so proud
that they may not be touched ; and many times it
is a just judgment of God that no man should re
buke them that their sores might not be medicined,
but, like unsavoury salt, they should be cast out of

God. No man's learning or greatness of place can
so protect them, but that they may be- told of their
faults. It is too commonly knoAvn they can sin as
wrell as others, Avhy, then, should they not be re
buked as well as others ?
Doth Archippus need to be told ? The Lord be
merciful to the land and church ! There be many
Archippuses in the Church of England had need to
be wakened with a loud trumpet of rebuke, and to
be told of their faults, even of their ignorance,
silence, sloth, pride, covetousness, simony, disso
luteness, ambition, contempt of their brethren, and
soul -murder of many kinds.
4. The people may put their teachers in mind of
their faults ; as they ought to encourage them in
well-doing, so may they admonish them for what is
evil. Therefore ministers should strive so to live
and so to teach as their people should not have cause
to find fault.
5. Ministers must be told of their faults by their
people, with great reverence and heedfulness and
wisdom, according to that direction, ' Rebuke not an
elder, but exhort him as a father ; ' here they must
' say to Archippus,' not directly reprove him.
6. They must say it to him, not say it of him.
Ministers ought not to be traduced behind their
backs. 7. He doth not threaten him if he do not, which
implies, he hoped their exhortation would speed.
Certainly it is a great praise to profit by admo
nition. Take heed to thy ministry. This ' take heed ' hath
in it three things :
1. Consideration, a weighing and meditation of
the greatness of the function, of the dignity of it,
and the duty also, with the accounts he must make
to God, and his high calling and the great price of
souls, &c.
2. It notes divers of the worthy qualities of a
minister, as care, attendance, watchfulness, aptness
to teach and divide the word aright, discretion, to
give every one his portion, diligence, gentleness, in
not marring the doctrine Avith passion, patience
to endure the work and labour of his ministry,
&c. 3. It notes caution, and so ministers must take
heed both of Avhat is within them and what is with-

412

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

[Chap. IV.

out them ; they must take heed of their own divina-
tions ; they must take heed of sloth and idleness ;
they must take heed of the objections of their own
flesh, and the tentations of the devU ; without them
they must take heed of the new errors that will
daily rise ; they must take heed of the sins of the
people, with all the methods of Satan in devising,
committing, or defending of sin ; they must take
heed of men's fancies; and for persons they must
take heed of hypocrites and open adversaries, domes
tical vipers, and foreign foes, false brethren, and
professed idolaters.
The use may be for great reproof of our sleeping
watchmen and blind guides, that take no heed to
their ministries. Oh, the woes that will fall upon
them ! who can recount the miseries that the blood
of souls avUI bring upon them ?
Wliich thou hast received in the Lord. A minister is
said to receive his ministry in the Lord in divers
respects : first, Because it is God's free grace that
he is chosen to be a minister, Rom. i. 1 ; secondly,
Because he is inwardly called and qualified by God ;
thirdly, Because he received his outward authority,
though from men, yet by direction and warrant of
God's word ; fourthly, Because he receives it for
the Lord, that is, to God's glory, and the further
ance of his kingdom over the mystical body of
Christ. The use is threefold : first, The people should
therefore learn to seek their ministers of God ;
secondly, Ministers should hence learn, neither to be
proud nor idle ; not proud, for they received their
ministry of God — it was his gift, not their deserts ;
not idle, for they are to do God's works ; thirdly,
Ministers may hence gather then own safety not
withstanding the oppositions of the Avorld, that God
that called them avUI perfect them.
To fulfil it. Ministers are said to fulfil their min
istries two ways : 1. By constancy, holding out in
it to the end ; to fulfil it is to go on, and not look
back when they are at plough ; 2. By faithful per
formance of it, with a due respect of all the charge
they have received of God : thus to fulfil it is to shew
the people all the counsel of God ; it is to rebuke all
sorts of sins and sinners ; it is faithfuUy to do every
kind of work that belongs to their ministry, whether
public or private.

Ver. 18. The salutation by the hand of me Paul.
Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
There are three things in this verse, a sign, a
request, a vow or Arish.
The salutation by the hand of me Paul. To Avrite
with his own hand he calls ' the token in every
epistle,' 2 Thes. hi. 17. Here two things maybe
noted :
1. The great care that anciently hath been to pro
vide that none but the true writings of the apostles
should be received of the church ; it should cause us
so much the more gladly to receive and read these
apostolical writings.
2. It implies that even in the times of the apostles;
Satan raised up wicked men who endeavoured to
counterfeit books and Avritings, and to father them
upon the apostles themselves, or other eminent and
worthy men ; this continued successively as a most
derilish practice in divers ages after.
Remember my bonds. The observations are : 1.
God's children have been in bonds.
2. It is profitable to remember the troubles and
afflictions of God's children, and to meditate of them:
for 1. It may serve to confirm us when we find like
hatred from the world ; 2. It is an alarm to prepara
tion, and the harnessing of ourselves agamst the fight
of affliction ; when one part of the host of God is
smitten, should not the rest prepare for the fight ?
3. It will soften our hearts to mercj", both spiritual
and corporal ; and, 4. It may learn us AAisdom and
circumspection. Quest. How should they shew it that they did
remember his bonds ?
Ans. 1. By praying for him to God; 2. By shew
ing like patience under their crosses ; 3. By constant
profession of the doctrine he suffered for ; 4. By a
care of holy life, that they might strive to be such,
as he need not be ashamed to suffer for them ; 5. By
supplying their Avants.
3. As any have been more gracious, so they have
been more straitened and oppressed by the Avicked.
4. The actions of great men are not always just ;
a Avorthy apostle may be unworthily imprisoned.
5. The people should be much affected AAith the
troubles of their teachers ; and therefore they are far
wide, that instead thereof trouble their teachers.
Grace be with you. By grace he means, both the

Ver. 18.]

BYFIELD ON COLOSSIANS.

413

love of God and the gifts of Christ ; as he began so
he ends, with vows and wishes of grace, which shews :
1. That in God we have wonderful reason con
tinually to exalt the praise of his free grace and
love. 2. That in man there is no greater happiness
than to be possessed of the love of God and true
grace ; it is the richest portion and fairest inheritance
on earth.
When he saith ' be with you,' it is as if he said
three things : 1. Be sure you have it, be not deceived,
nor satisfied till ye be infallibly certain ye have at
tained true grace and God's love ; 2. Be sure you
lose it not — never be without it ; it matters not
though ye lose some credit or wealth or friends, Sec,
so you keep grace still with you ; 3. Be sure you use
it, and increase it ; employ it upon all occasions,
be continually in the exercise of it.

Thus of the whole epistle.
There followeth a postscript or underwriting in
these words :
Written from Rome, and sent by Tychicus and Onesi
mus. There is a difference about the reading ; some
copies have not Tychicus and Onesimus; in some Latin
copies read, Missa ab Epheso. But the Greek copies
generally agree that it was from Rome.
But it is no great matter for the certainty of the
reading, for the reader must be admonished, that
the postscripts are not part of the canonical scrip
ture, but were added by the scribes that wrote out
the epistles. If any desire to be more particularly
informed herein, he may peruse a learned tractate of
this argument published by Master Rodulph Cud-
worth upon the subscription of the epistle to the
Galatians.

Tfi, ATNAMENX1; 'TIIEP IIANTA nOIHSAI EK IIEPISSOT 'AN 'AITOTME0A 'H NOOTMEN,
KATA THN ATNAMIN THN ENEPrOTMENHN 'EN 'HMIN, 'ATTO; 'H AOSA 'EN TH, 'EK-
KAH2TA, 'EN XPISTfl, 'IH20T 'EI2 IIA2A2 TA2 TENEA2 TOT 'AIflN02 TON 'AinNflN. AMHN.

THE END.

PRINTED BT BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, EDINBURGH.

YALE UNIVERSITY

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