A89915:1902
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…
An exposition upon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not only the text is methodically analysed, and the sense of the words, by the help of writers, both ancient and modern is explained: but also, by doctrine and use, the intent of the holy Ghost is in every place more fully unfolded and urged. ... Being, the substance of near seven years week-days sermons, of N. Byfield, late one of the preachers for the city of Chester.An exposition vpon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not onely the text is methodically analysed, and the sence of the words, by the help of writers, both ancient and moderne is explayned: but also, by doctrine and vse, the intent of the holy Ghost is in euery place more fully vnfolded and vrged. ... Being, the substance of neare seuen yeeres weeke-dayes sermons, of N. Byfield, late one of the preachers for the citie of Chester.
London: printed by Edward for Nathaniel Butter, 1617
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, for instruction, to be careful to bury our sins: but here take heed of the dissimilitude,1 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.2 But let all such as fear God be otherwise minded: especially let us learn from this comparison of burial to advantage our selves in what we may in mortification:3 if the master be buried, we know all his servants will attend the funeral: so is it with us in the mortification 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.
Secondly, for instruction, to be carefull to burie our sinnes: but here take heede of the dissimilitude,1 for in some things the comparison cannot hold: as here in two things; for first when we burie the bodies of our friends, we burie them in hope they shal rise againe. And secondly, we mourne because we must part with them: but both these must be denied here. It is the propertie of the wicked, to part with their sinnes with sorrow, because they must leaue them: or else with hope that at length they may returne to them againe.