Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Chapter 2 · Verse 23
VERSE 23. Which things have indeed a ſhew of wiſedome, in will worſhip, and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the ſatisfying of the fleſh.
NOw followeth the third Argument:
Such things as have but an empty ſhew, wanting ſubſtance; you muſt not ſtand upon:
But theſe are ſuch: this is laid downe Verſe 23. wherein is expreſſed:
1 The appearance and ſemblance of Vertue.
2 The Cenſure of the HOLY GHOST, in the firſt part of the Verſe.
We muſt marke:
1 The ſhew it ſelfe, Which have a ſhew of wiſdome.]
2 The things which make this ſhew: Will worſhip or religious devotion. 2. Humility: fained lowlineſſe of minde. 3. Neglect of the body; which the moſt led by ſenſuality, have onelyonly in admiration.
The Cenſure of the HOLY GHOST likewiſe hath two things:
1 The ſentence paſſed of them, they are of no worth.
2 The reaſon; becauſe they are occupied about ſuch things wherewith the fleſh is filled.
Though this may be read otherwiſe as tending to deſcribe the laſt thing named in not ſparing the body; thus: Which things have a ſhew of wiſdome] in not ſparing the body, as not having in any account things belonging to the filling of the fleſh, that is, meats and drinkes wherewith the body is repleniſhed, as if [foreign] were borrowed from the beginning of the Verſe, and thus underſtood.
The Verſe is not a compound ſentence ſtanding of parts, one oppoſite to the other, but a ſimple ſentence, thus to be reſolved, as containing:
1 The ſhew of wiſdome:
2 The things which make this ſhew which are three, as is aboveſaid: the latter of not ſparing the body; firſt being propounded, then expounded by the cauſe of it, viz. a pround contempt of thoſe things wherewith it is cheriſhed: And thus the Verſe layeth downe both a third reaſon, and an anſwer to an objection: the reaſon is above expreſſed; the prevention may be thus conceived: I, but how commeth it to paſſe, that theſe things are every where almoſt received with applauſe? Anſw. They have indeed a ſhew of wiſdome, ſo it is no wonder if many be beguiled and bewitched with them: And this as it agreeth with the tranſlation, ſo it ſeemeth to me the moſt warrantable ſenſe; for the things which are ſaid to have a ſhew of wiſdome, are not onelyonly precepts of difference in meats, but of worſhipping Angels; for Verſe 18. this was it which pretended humility, refraining meats was a point of perfection, in which they gloried above others as prophane; not grounded in confeſſion of their unworthineſſe, but in the prophane pollution of the creature refrained. Now the end of the Verſe cannot be a cenſure of theſe things by the HOLY GHOST, becauſe this is a ſpirituall will worſhip, yeelding no repletion to the body. Againe, this reaſon ſeemeth to be intimated in the Verſe before, they periſh with their uſe: for what is this? They goe into the mouth, thence to the ſtomack, and ſo are caſt into the draught. To come unto the Doctrines:
1 We ſee, Doct. that vice and errour may have a ſhew of truth and vertue: Even as an harlot can wipe her mouth, and looke as demurely as a grave matrone, with a face more ſober than many an honeſter woman: So falſhood and vice will put on an appearance, as if they were true and vertuous; yea, will ſeeme more true than truth it ſelfe: take this example of Iewiſh rites, was it not (to have examined it by fleſh and bloud) more likely that they ſhould ſtand ſtill in force, than be abrogated, ſeeing God Himſelfe had given them, Moſes the Man of GOD delivered them, ſeeing God did ſo miraculouſly teſtifie to them by His anſwering by Vrim and Thummim, ſeeing all ages had obſerved them: So to carnall reaſon doth it not ſeeme more probable, that to honour with ſumptuous and ſtately Temples, more glorious than Kings have in that kinde, to beautifie the worſhip of God with pompous ſolemnities (as all is in the Church of Rome) is more pleaſing to Nature, than to performe all in naked ſimplicity, without any thing to the eye glorious? For even as men give poyſon in wine, that it drunke downe in ſuch liquor may kill more forcibly: So the Divell doth in ſhewes of vertue and probabilities of truth, conveigh his errours, that they may be taken more eaſily and affect us more deepely.
To admoniſh us that we be wary that no falſe vizards beguile us: Vſe wee would be loath to take a counterfeit peece of money for that which is right: Let us be wiſe here, and not judge after the eye, and externall appearance; all is not gold that gliſters: yea, we muſt the rather arme our ſelves againſt this, becauſe we live in the laſt dayes, wherein the outward figure and ſhow of godlineſſe is in many, the power in few.
In will worſhip] Obſerve hence: Doctr. That will worſhip hath a plauſible ſhew of wiſdome. In civill things to be able, when a thing is begun, to adde to it, and perfect it more and more, argueth a wiſe man: So here in the matter of GOD, to take up theſe Iewiſh ſolemnities, which may further adorne and ſet it forth as glorious to the eye, ſeemeth an invention of great underſtanding: Thus the Phariſies waſhed pots, hands, would pray at corners of ſtreets, &c. and who were thought wiſe, learned, holy, in compariſon of them? But this ſeemeth ſo only, for it is the highteſt folly: what greater folly, than to charge GOD with folly? But he will preſume to adde to His ordinances, doth ſay that God was not wiſe enough to frame the thing ſo perfectly as at the firſt it might, and by his fact ſpeaketh as much as if hee were able to mend GOD's inſtitutions: So though it ſeeme devotion; yet it is nothing but toying ſuperſtition to put upon GOD worſhip he requireth not. GOD infinite in wiſdome is able to preſcribe all things which are pleaſing to Him, and Hee loveth obedience better than ſacrifice; that whoſoever goeth before Him doing things commanded, that ſo hee may pleaſe Him, doth hereby moſt heavily provoke Him: Thus the Phariſies waſhing hands with a religious reference, In vaine (ſaith CHRIST) you worſhip mee; who hath required theſe things at your hands? He that ſtayed the Arke ready to fall, being a perſon not of that Tribe which was by God's inſtitution to ſerve in ſuch things, how did God's anger breake out againſt him? the bare and empty ſhew of wiſedome and devotion are ſhrewd bates to beguile.
In humility of minde] Obſ. Doct. That lowlineſſe of minde argueth wiſdome; It is thus gathered, theſe by a counterfeit humility made a ſhew of wiſdome: now the ſhadow of it could not make a ſhew of wiſdome, if the ſubſtance of it were not a token of wiſdome; yea, wiſdome it ſelfe: This property Saint Iames aſcribes to wiſdome, it hath lowlineſſe accompanying her inſeparably; ſhee is gentle, eaſie to be entreated. For the wiſer every man is, the more he knoweth his wants and miſeries, which begetteth a lowly minde; and when we will ſet a phraze on Pride, wee ſay, there goeth a proud foole, noting thus much, that Pride is a certaine proofe of folly: by law of contraries then this is proved which we gather.
The Vſe of it is to confute ſuch as doe thinke it folly and baſeneſſe of mind, not to put themſelves forth, Vſe and crow downe others: As it muſt make us the more to love ſubmiſſion, ſeeing ſeducers themſelves are glad to counterfeit it, that they may be reputed wiſe.
2 Marke hence, Doct. What is a thing falſe teachers will make a ſhew of, even humility: This is the ſheeps fell in which they have wrapped themſelves, to the end they might ſeeme to the ſheepe more lovely, and ſo make them a prey more ſecurely: thus the Phariſies did in ſhew give ſuch honour to their fore-fathers, as if they had beene made of ſubmiſſion, ſuch praying, faſting, &c. when they cared not for GOD's Commandements, when they deſpiſed poore humble ones in compariſon of themſelves: Thus the Papiſts charge us with Pride, as if wee contemned Antiquity, themſelves profeſſing I know not what dependencie upon their Conſent, as Arrius, Eunomius, and Dioſcorus did before them. Ego dogma ab electis ſecundum fidem Sanctis rectigradis Dei diſcipulis accepi. Ego (ſaith Eunomius) non multorum incertas opiniones, ſed ſanctorum in omnibus doctrinam tueor. Ego Dioſcorus habeo teſtimonia ſanctorum Patrum, Athanaſii, Gregorii, Cyrilli, in mult is locis. The Pope he pretended himſelfe Servus ſervorum; But as Aven. lib. 7. Ser…us ſervorum eſt dominus dominorum. So what is more humble to ſhew than a Monk and a Frier, the embleme of holineſſe (to ſee to) in their habit, manner of life; but they are ſinkes of ſpirituall pride, for they thinke none holy to them, thinke they merit heaven it ſelfe by their fond hypocriſie.
To teach us that we doe not let our ſelves be enſnared with the hypocriticall ſhew of this vertue. Vſe Looke at the end they have in theſe things: See if their courſe otherwiſe agree with the lowlineſſe they pretend; trie it well before you truſt it.
And in not ſparing the body] Obſ. 1. That he ſaith, there is a ſhew of wiſdome in this: Doct. That to keepe the body in ſubjection is a thing which argueth wiſdome. This counterfeit mortification of theirs could not make ſhew of wiſdome, if it were not a wiſe part to doe it in truth; which indeed it is. To eſcape the flattering of ſome enticing concubine or wife, ſo as not to be much ſwayed with it, is great wiſdome: So the body, which is ſince ſinne rather a concubine, than a wife, not to liſten to it, but keepe it downe, is a point of great underſtanding; this was heavenly wiſedome in Saint Paul, that he did make his body a ſervant, and did buffet it downe, to keep it in ſubjection; Not to be overcome of fooliſh pity, but to chaſten a childe, and keepe him under, argueth a wiſe man; how much more not to dote in love of our owne fleſh, but to uſe it with wholeſome ſeverity?
Which may confute ſuch Epicures as doe even count it wiſdome, to franke up themſelves with all delight, Vſe to ſatisfie their ſenſes with all inordinate deſire; as if happineſſe ſtood in fatting up the body: It is folly to feed a horſe that will when pricked with provender, caſt his maſter: So here.
Againe, this muſt teach us the rather to keepe our bodies in due ſubjection, becauſe it ſhall make us juſtly reputed wiſe: fooliſh ones may eſteeme one a ſqueamiſh companion, a foole to let paſſe a preſent pleaſure; but wiſdome ſhall be juſtified of her children, and in whom this appeareth, young or old, they ſhall be commended for it as prudent.
Obſ. Againe, Doctr. What often falſe teachers labour to make ſhew of, viz. of mortification of the fleſh. We reade of Baals Prieſts how they did lance and cut themſelves, ſhewing great barbarouſneſſe towards their bodies: So wee ſee amongſt ſuperſtitious Anachorets this practice of uſing themſelves moſt ſeverely, and ſecluding themſelves from all bodily comforts; yea, from the ſociety of men. The like is now amongſt the Papiſts, there being at Antwerp ſuch an one who is kept caged up; ſuch was that Alberick the Monke, of whom we reade, he would whippe himſelfe till bloud followed, are nothing but barley bread, dranke water, goe in haire-cloth, barefooted; and there are ſome at this day, who will not ſticke to ſerve themſelves in this kinde. But there is a ſecond branch of this inclemencie, which ſtandeth not in doing that which is injurious, but in with-holding that which is convenient for the body, and this is chiefly here noted: when men by too much abſtinence macerate themſelves, and while they ſpare the fleſh of beaſts, devoure their owne fleſh moſt inhumanely: As the woman ſaid to Baldwin, ſometime Archbiſhop of Canterbury with us: for when it was reported that from what time he was made a Monke, hee had never eaten fleſh, a woman asked him whether it was true? to whom he affirmed, it was ſo: this woman replying, that it was not ſo; for he had eaten his owne fleſh up, there ſcarce being left the bones of him, Rau. lib. 7. cap. 24. And many doe ſtill place great religion in this letter, counting it mortification, and an excellent point of perfection: the truth is; the body muſt be uſed with mediocrity: we muſt not wound it, as it is a friend; becauſe we muſt not pamper it ſo as to make it an enemie: Stulti dum vitant vitia, in contraria currunt.
Let us not then be beguiled with ſuch auſterities, Vſe as if they were perfection; whereas CHRIST Himſelfe lived a ſociable life, Hee did eat and drinke, that they ſaid He was a bibber of wine, He ſlept, and tooke a pillow under His head; yea, He did eat, not ſitting on the ground, but leaning on beds, which were then in uſe for ſuch purpoſe. The Manichees would goe up to the top of high mountains and caſt themſelves down headlong, and that they counted the mortification of the body. The like mortification it is which ſubſtracteth things behovefull from the body, or uſeth it barbarouſly.
Neither have they it in any eſtimation to ſatisfie the fleſh] Obſerve from this explication: That ſeducing ſpirits will make ſhew of great abſtinence; will refraine meates and drinkes which others uſe gladly, and nature after ſome ſort craveth, thus theſe did here; they would not touch many things, nor taſt them which others much affected. There have beene ſome Papiſts ſo abſtinent, that being Biſhops it is reported of them,Theod: hiſt lib. 7. cap. 13. in vita. O…ho. nis Bambergenſis, cap. 23. that they did never ea…e bread to ſatiety in all their time of being Biſhops. For this they count mortification, wholly to refrayne this or that kind of meate: But we muſt diſtinguiſh true mortification from ſelfe affected ſuperſtition. True mortification is either active or paſſive.
Paſſive is the obedient receiving of ſuch things from Gods hand, which he layeth on us for the mortifying of us; humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God.
Active mortification is a ſpirituall endeavour of ſubduing the luſts dwelling in us, that GOD may be glorified, and wee more at liberty to ſerve Him: If by the ſpirit ye mortifie the fleſh, you ſhall live.Rom. 8.13
Now this endeavour hath belonging to it many exerciſes:
1 Repentance, a mournefull ſpirit under the remnants of ſinne; for while the heart truely grieveth, ſinne lyeth a bleeding; therefore it is ſaid, the ſacrifice of God is a broken ſpirit. Pſal. 51.
2 In preſenting our ſelves with the lawes of luſt we feele dwelling in us, to CHRIST our High Prieſt, and praying Him to offer us a burnt offering to GOD His Father.
3 In holding the perſwaſion of faith, that Chriſt who is made of God our ſanctifier, will kill in us, will diſſolve this life of Sathan which is in us, for Chriſt bruiſeth his head, that is, killeth that old ſerpent, when He killeth this life of ſinne, which entered through him, and is after a ſort the Divell living in men: For as there is the life of God in the Saints; So on the contrary there may be ſayd the Divells life in the unregenerate: theſe are principall meanes.
Now there are other aſſiſtant meanes: as
1 Not to ſerve our luſtings when they are inordinate: thus David did in that water which hee had deſired impotently; thus Saint Paul did buffet, and keep his appetite as a ſlave in ſubjection, and at the command of his ſanctified reaſon.
2 Wee muſt ſometime refraine lawfull things, that we may not be under the power of them, but have them under us; All things are lawfull to me, but I will not bee brought under the power of any thing; and theſe exerciſes are through the whole life, as occaſion ſerveth, and the conſcience warneth us.
3 Wee muſt bee diligent in ſome good calling; for this is a great helpe of mortifying the fleſh, the Lord having layd them upon us for the humbling of us.
Let us then take heede of ſuperſtitious witcheries, Vſe which not knowing mortification, turne all the practice of it into a Philoſophicall auſterity.
Hypocrites may abound in theſe outward pennances in which they place their mortification; yea Philoſophers: Plato, when he thirſted, would draw water at a well, and powre it downe before his owne eyes, not taſting. Socrates, Pomponius and others: though the truth is, theſe non Curios ſimulant, ſed Bacchanalia vivunt, they (like the Manachees) diſſemble: It is read of them, they would drinke no wine, but they doubted not to eate grapes. Aug. lib. 2. de Manich aeorum moribus. cap. 16. Contra Faustum. cap. 31. their faſts are ſo pleaſant now, that they may ſay with the little boy, Mother when ſhall we faſt againe? they abſteyne from Egges and Cheeſe, but eate dainty fruites, and quaffe in wine liberally: yet if they ſhould truely doe their taske, they goe no further then heathens may, who never received the ſpirit of God, and therefore never knew true mortification.
But how may wee diſcerne a difference betwixt heathens and Chriſtians, and Papiſts; when the one faſteth, Queſt. and refrayneth ſome things, and the other doe the ſame?
There is great difference in the antecedents, Anſw. and manner of doing it, and effect. A Papiſt and naturall man conceiveth of luſtings, as rebelling to reaſon, and hindering morall vertue, and the free contemplation of mind, not as ſins, but a thing indifferent, capable of vertue or vice, as obeyed or otherwiſe: thus the Papiſts alſo after a manner. But Gods children reſiſt them as ſinfull inclinations and whooriſh luſtings, which hinder them in loving their God, yea are enmity to him, and fight againſt their ſoules. They differ alſo in the ends which moove the one and the other to refraine: Naturall men, they doe it, to vaunt themſelves of more perfection then others have attayned, to purchaſe themſelves a naturall liberty of mind in ſuch conſiderations as by Nature it reacheth: Sometime for politique reſpects, becauſe hee is not counted fit for government who is ſubject to ſenſuall paſſion. The Papiſt he doth it as a part of perfection, as a thing in it ſelfe pleaſing God, as a point of merit with God: But a good Chriſtian hee doth refraine for the kingdome of heaven: how? not to deſerve it by ſuch courſe, but that by this courſe done in faith, he may ſubdue his luſts, and kill them, for it is their death not to be obeyed, and that hee may have more freedome in Gods ſervice.
For the manner of doing it, the one doth it out of Nature ſometime; for as Chriſt ſaith of Eunuchs, ſome are by nature ſo; the ſame may be ſaid of abſtinence: Some by Nature are averſe from that liberty in dyet which others affect: But all beſides true Chriſtians doe it out of their owne ſtrength: whereas a true believer, he doth it by the ſpirit of GOD, bewayling his weakeneſſe, ſeeking to Chriſt for his ſtrength to crucify theſe things to him, and him to them.
2 A Chriſtian doth not abſteyne for the thing ſimply prophaning that, but from luſt ſimply, that he reſiſteth the thing ſo farre forth as his luſt taketh occaſion by that which is in it ſelfe good. Now unbelievers looke not to inward luſts ſo much, nor cry not downe them, as they vilifie the things themſelves deſired.
Hence is a third difference: the faithfull doe not make a ſet exerciſe, upon ſtinted times onelyonly to refraine or totally at once renounce the touching them; but daily as they feele themſelves tempted, they reſiſt, eating with thankeſgiving, when they feele themſelves not indangered by them.
Laſtly, they ſo refraine, that they know their refraining it ſelfe doth not commend them to GOD (for if not eating and drinking were in it ſelfe more holy than eating and drinking; Iohn Baptiſt ſhould have been more holy than CHRIST) but as through the working of GOD's Spirit, it is to them, being weake, a meane of their more firme cleaving to GOD. Now all other extoll the thing it ſelfe, and reſt in it as a matter of great perfection.
In the effect following they may be diſtinguiſhed: for the one have by their exerciſe greater confirmation of an externall morall habit; the other true ſanctification, viz. death of ſinne, and life of grace promoted in them.
To teach us that we bee not beguiled, Vſe 1 nor yet have theſe externall exerciſes in admiration, which ſuch as know not the power of godlineſſe abound in often: yea, we muſt be wiſe to diſtinguiſh things that differ; for the Divell in his will play the Ape, and imitate what GOD doth worke ſoundly in the hearts of His choſen.
This muſt provoke us to fight in right order againſt ſenſuall luſts: Vſe 2 Shall naturall men and others led in error be thus abſtinent, and in their faſhion ſubdue their ſenſuall appetites; and ſhall wee who have CHRIST with us our ſanctifier, lye downe as conquered of them? Plato ſuperſtitious; Popiſh wretches will condemne many Chriſtians, who feed their hearts in whatſoever they deſire. And ſo much for theſe words.
Now if you take the end of it, ſounding to the firſt ſenſe: Obſ. 1. That exerciſes much regarded with men, Doct. are of no eſteeme with GOD: Circumciſion, nor uncircumciſion are nothing, much leſſe meat, eating or not eating, commend not to GOD, but a new creature: many things great and glorious in the eyes of man are abominable before GOD: which if the Papiſts conſidered, they would not extol the rules of their Monkiſh orders, the life of Anachorets, nor yet cry downe with ſuch baſe termes thoſe that uſe their liberty in CHRIST, as CHRIST and Abraham, the Father of the faithfull have given them example.
2 From the reaſon why they are in no price with GOD, becauſe they are occupied about the body; the filling of it; Doct. Obſerve therefore in generall, that Bodily externall things are not of worth with GOD: He is a Spirit; worſhip in ſpirit and truth, is His delight: for a Synecdoche muſt here be marked, one kinde put for the generall, ſeeing there is the ſame diſproportion in them to God, the ſame in one that is in another: even as in Nature, like joyeth that which is like it: So here, GOD being a Spirit doth delight in that which is ſpirituall, like Himſelfe: And as to a creature which liveth a pure ſenſible life, reaſonable delights are as nothing to it, tell a horſe a ſtory never ſo pleaſant, it affects him not: So to a pure ſpirituall nature, ſenſible matters give no contentment. In which the Papiſts had need to conſider, who follow GOD too too much with ſenſible things, and thinke they take Him, becauſe they affect us.
FINIS.
LECTVRES PREACHED VPONUPON THESE TEXTS OF SCRIPTƲRE.
By Mr. PAUL BAYNE.
Eſay Chap. 5. v. 12.
Pſal. 50. v. 21, 22, 23.
1 Pet. Chap. 1. v. 17.
Pſal. 119. v. 1.—to v. 32.
Luke Chap. 13. v. 24.
1 Pet. Chap. 4. v. 18.
2 Cor. Chap. 7. v. 1.
Luke Chap. 2. v. 14.
Philip. Chap. 2. v. 12, 13.
Hebr. Chap. 3. v. 13.
1 Tim. Chap. 2. v. 2.
2 Tim. Chap. 1. v. 9.
2 Tim. Chap. 1. v. 12, 13, 15, 16.
End of the text · Paul Baynes, Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2 (1634)