An exposition upon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not only the text is…An exposition vpon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not onely the text is…

Now for the remedies of this loss of steadfastness,¹ they must know that there is required of them, a special humiliation, note that I say a special humiliation: For they must in private afflict their souls before the view of their special sins, and Gods 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 ⟨p. 22⟩themselves vile before the people of God, so did David, and Solomon, and Paul; yea they must voluntarily resign over themselves unto Gods scourging hand, being so desirous to be cleansed of their sins, as to be contented God should wash them throughly though it were with many crosses. And further they must be revenged of their own flesh, by straitening and curbing themselves in their lawful desires and delights. Thus of their special humiliation: Now secondly, they must take special 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 records of Gods promises, especially waiting upon the preaching of the Gospel, to see when the Lord will return and have mercy by reviving of their hearts 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 all watchfulness the stirring of it, resolving with all thankfulness to acknowledge any measure of the reviving of the spirit.

Now for the remedies of this losse of stedfastnesse,¹ they must know that there is required of them, a speciall humiliation, note that I say a speciall humiliation: For they must in priuate afflict their soules before the view of their speciall sinnes, and Gods fierce wrath, with strong cries and sighes vnspeakable making their moane before God, They must cry vnto God out of the deepe, as the Psalmist saith. Besides they must shame themselues openly by making ⟨p. 22⟩themselues vile before the people of God, so did Dauid, and Salomon, and Paul; yea they must voluntarily resigne ouer themselues vnto Gods scourging hand, being so desirous to be cleansed of their sins, as to bee contented God should wash them throughly though it were with many crosses. And further they must bee reuenged of their owne flesh, by straitning and curbing themselues in their lawfull desires and delights. Thus of their speciall humiliation: Now secondly, they must take speciall paines to recouer their faith in God, and to get pardon of their sinnes, They must crie daily vnto God, they must search againe and againe in the records of Gods promises, especially waiting vpon the preaching of the Gospell, to see when the Lord will returne and haue mercy by reuiuing of their hearts with the comforts of his presence. And for this they must be wonderfull carefull of the spirit of grace, to stir it vp by daily prayer, and to obserue with all watchfulnesse the stirring of it, resoluing with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge any measure of the reuiuing of the spirit.