Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 22
THE XXII. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 2. verſ. 21. 22. 23.
21 As touch not, taſte not, handle not,
22 Which all periſh with the vſing, and are after the commaundements and doctrines of men.
23 Which things hauehave in deede a ſhew of wiſedome in voluntary religion and humblenes of minde, and in not ſparing the bodie, which are things of no value, ſith they pertaine to the filling of the fleſh.
YE heard the laſt day (welbeloued brethren in Ieſus Chriſt) the Apoſtle when he had ſet downe that faire deſcription of Chriſt the head of the bodie, he returned to his purpoſe, and that admonition which is through this whole chapter; that they ſhould beware of falſe teachers and falſe doctrine, and eſpecially that they ſhould not take on thē the burthen of ordinances, that is to ſay, ye burthen of the rites and ceremonies of the law, that ſometime had place in the Church of the Iewes before Chriſts comming: but now Coherence.are ſo aboliſhed, that they become not the tradition and doctrine of God, but of men. His argument was, Ye are dead with Christ from all theſe things, by your death ye are freed. Therefore why ſhould ye be burthened with ordinances? I inſiſt not vponupon that which was ſpoken, but I goe to the verſe that followeth, wherein he ſetteth downe a certaine kinde of rite, whereunto the falſe teachers preſſeth them, to wit, concerning meates; and hee bringeth in this matter by counterfaiting of the voyce of the falſe teacher: O ſaith the falſe teacher, Touch not, taste not, handle not: there is the doctrine of the deceiuer: ye heard when hee admoniſhed them to beware of theſe ceremonies. The firſt ſort was concerning rites: from that he paſt to daies. Now againe, the onelyonly ſort of ceremonies, which here he expreſſeth, is the ſame concerning meates. This importeth ſomething that he ſticketh ſo vponupon this ceremonie of meates. Wherfore the Apoſtle ſpecifieth the Iudaicall ceremonie concerning meates.It teacheth vsus this, that the diuell, the enemie of man, ſpecially tempteth men about meate. He begun betimes. Our firſt parents were not ſo ſoone created and placed in Eden, but he begun to tempt them about meate; and from that houre to this houre, he neuer reſteth to tempt men about meate, either after one manner or other; either to abſtaine or elſe to exceede. He hath thus tempted the world in this ſubiect of meates. VVhat is the cauſe of this? He ſeeth not a meeter ſubiect to tempt men with, then meate & drink. It is the thing that we vſe and muſt vſe daily: therefore he ſetteth his engine to tempt men in this. Yet to open this matter better: there are two things eſpecially, wherein the Lord hath giuen men libertie, meate and mariage: In theſe two the Lord hath giuen vsus libertie. And this hath euer been the craft of Sathan to reſtraine this libertie giuen by the Lord. The Apoſtle foreſaw this in the 1. Tim. 4. 1. and foretold that in the latter daies, men ſhould ariſe, with a lying ſpirit, and ſhould deliuer the doctrine of diuels. And then he nameth theſe two points of their doctrine, forbidding (ſaith he) meates, and mariage. Now there muſt be ſome cauſe of this temptation of Sathan: he knoweth well enough there is a faire The pretence of hypocrites.pretence for reſtraining of mens libertie; to wit, the mortification of the fleſh: Abſtaine (ſay they) from meate, abſtaine from mariage, becauſe it mortifieth the fleſh. So hauing a faire pretence, he tempteth men in theſe things, and reſtraineth the libertie that the Lord hath graunted. This pretence is friuolous, becauſe there is no meane of mortifying, but that that God hath commanded. Therefore if thou ſhouldeſt pine and famiſh thy ſelfe to death, thou ſhalt not be mortified; but the more thou vſeſt that dealing, without the ſpirit of Ieſus, thou ſhalt be the more puffed vp in the vanitie of thy minde: for it is a meane to pride to vſe that which the Lord hath not commaunded thee. It is true that Paul ſaid, 1. Cor. 9. 27. he held his bodie vnderunder at a ſtraite diet, and ſo doe all godly men; this is a good meane, and the Lord hath commaunded a diet to be kept: but to abſtaine frō meat as an vncleane thing, thou haſt no warrant; neither oughteſt thou to follow ſuch as would perſwade thee to the ſame. Therfore follow no meane to mortification, but that which the Lord commaundeth thee. And as for that which Paul did, hee had the warrant of the ſpirit of Ieſus: but yet ye ſhall ſee there that he placeth no merit in it. But the falſe teacher, as the Pope and his Clergie, they place a merit and neceſſitie in theſe things.
But to come to the words of the Apoſtle: he counterfaiteth the voyce of the falſe teacher, and ſpeaketh as they doe, and that with bitternes of heart: O ſaith the deceiuer, Touch not, taste not, handle not: which teſtifieth plainly that in the heart of the ſpirit of God, there is a bitternes againſt the hypocrite, yea a bitternes like gall, eſpecially againſt the falſe teacher. O thou ſhalt finde one day a bitter voyce vttered againſt thee! Touch not, ſaith hee, that is, lay not thy fingers end vponupon ſuch meate, hold backe thy hand from it. Taste not, that is, bring it not to thy mouth, let not the tip of thy tongue taſte it. Handle not, that is, lay not thy hand groſly vponupon it, nor meddle not with it in any wiſe: handle not ſuch vncleane and forbidden meates. Brethren, theſe commandements that are ſo ſtreight, import that theſe falſe teachers thought there were in certaine meates vncleannes, and that they were poyſonable, and had force to infect and make a man vncleane: this was their mind concerning meates, and therefore their ſinne was manifolde. For firſt they are iniurious to the meate, in accounting the creature vncleane, which was cleane. In 1. Tim. 4. 4. it is ſaid, the creature is cleane. And Rom. 14. 14. that there is no meate vncleane. So they were very iniurious againſt the creature the meate. And then, that which is more, they were iniurious to the Coloſſians in taking their libertie from them, and in burdening them with an vnneceſſarie burden. To bind a man to this meate or that meate, thou ſnareſt the conſcience, and doeſt worſe then if thou ſhouldeſt ſtrangle that man, whom thou thus entrappeſt. What God commaundeth, that thou countermandeſt, Laſtly, they were iniurious to God who created althings cleane, & eſpecially to them that are in Ieſus Chriſt, who ſanctified althings, and gaue libertie to man to eate what it liked him: as wee ſee in the Acts 10. 15. when all ſort of meate was offered to Peter, and he being commaunded to eate indifferently of all, refuſed. Then the voyce commeth to him halfe in anger, and ſaith to him, that which God hath made cleane, make not thou vncleane. O Papiſt! God hath not made the meate foule, but it is thou that defileſt thy ſelfe, and the meate both: the Lord hath cleanſed it in the bloud of Ieſus; and thou deceiuer, ſhouldeſt thou ſtand vp and ſay, it is vncleane? O deceiuer! thou art vnworthie of meate. Yet more; ye ſee in theſe words, the nature of an hypocrite: A falſe The marke of a falſe teacher.Doctor, he is the ſtricteſt yt euer was in that that auaileth not; in a trifle he will be wondrous preciſe: in the things wherein the Lord hath giuen libertie, he will be a niggard and cloſe the hand of him. And by the contrarie; in that which the Lord hath forbidden, he will be liberall. Come to murther: he will giuegive thee a pardon before hand; hee reckoneth not of adulterie and oppreſsion, and ſuch groſſe ſinnes. Paul 2. Theſſ. 2. 4. giueth this as a note of the Antichriſt, that he ſhal oppoſe himſelfe to eueryevery thing diuine; he ſhall be euer in a contradiction to God. So where ye find this oppoſition, ſay, here ſitteth Antichriſt. Therfore I ſay, in the Church of Rome ſitteth the Antichriſt. There he ſitteth & ſhall ſit, vntill he be aboliſhed by the breath of the Lord Ieſus. This for this point of falſe doctrine.
In the 22. verſe he falleth to, and refuteth this doctrine, and he bringeth in two forcible and pithie arguments: and firſt he reaſoneth from the periſhing nature of theſe things: what are they? They are corruptible things. Who will ſet downe rules about things that periſh, as though religion were in them? Paul 1. Corinth. 6. 13. in handling this ſame matter, he ſaith, Meates are ordained for the bellie, and the bellie for the meates, but God ſhall destroy both it, and them. As if hee ſhould ſay, both the meate and the bellie ſhall periſh. Now this argument taken from the corruptible nature of theſe things, hee aggrauateth when hee ſaith, but in the vſe they periſh. When they are in the hand and mouth they periſh. It is true that all theſe earthly things appointed for this mortall life paſſe away, all goeth away that is appointed for the ſuſtenance of man; yet there are ſomethings more laſting and more durable then others: but as concerning meate, and cloath, and ſuch things, they all weare away by the vſe. So the Apoſtle would ſay, that of all vaniſhing things, meate is the moſt vaniſhing thing that is. Then note this: Religion, godlines, and the worſhipping of God, it is not in things corruptible; it is not in things indifferent, as meate, drinke, daies, cloathes, and the reſt of theſe vaniſhing things: but true religion ſtandeth in things permanent, and in things neceſſarie. I giuegive thee an example: To eate this, and not to eate that, I will not count thee the more godly or religious; for that is to be in the kingdome of Antichriſt; but to honour one God onelyonly, the true God ſincerely, that is religion. And ſo goe through the whole commaundements, and if thou finde thy heart ſanctified to obey God in his word, and to follow him onelyonly; then I ſay to thee, thou art truly religious. Eate what thou pleaſeſt, all is ſanctified to thee; and to keepe temperance in the vſe of them, that is acceptable to God. But to eate, or not to eate, that is no religion; if thou hauehave not the warrant of the word of God for thy religion, I will not giuegive a poynts end for thy religion: for there is no religion, but that which the Lord hath commaunded. And therefore Paul to the Romanes chap. 14. verſ. 17. he ſaith, that the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke: religion conſiſteth not of theſe things, but in an vprightnes, peace with God, and with thy neighbour, and ioy in the holy Ghoſt. Albeit thou ſhouldeſt faſt all the fridaies and wedneſdaies in the yeere, yet if thou be a wrangler with thy neighbour, thou haſt no religion, thou art an hypocrite. Ye ſee the religiō of the Papiſts ſtandeth in things corruptible: goe to Rome and Spaine, ye ſhall ſee this; their religion ſtandeth in wearing this cloathing and that cloathing; in abſtaining from this meate, and eating of that, and ſuch other trifles, wherewith they hauehave troubled the world. Fie on them, will they neuer be aſhamed of it? Thus for the firſt reaſon of the refuting of this falſe doctrine: now followeth the ſecond.
What are al things ſaith he againe, but the doctrine of men? This doctrine, Touch not, taste not, handle not, was not the doctrine of God: and therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, it auaileth not. For euen as theſe things corruptible, as meate, drink, with the reſt of that ſort, they are no matter or ſubiect of religion: euen ſo the commaundement of man, and the doctrine of man that commeth from his braine, is no rule of religion. Liueſt thou after the doctrine of man? I affirme thou art not religious. Liueſt thou in abſtinence at the commaund of man? Ha, ha, there is a faire countenance in thee: but I ſay to thee, all is ſuperſtition, which is ruled by the doctrine of men. In one word, take all that religion in that Church grounded on the braine of man, not to be religiō, but ſuperſtition. Thou ſhalt find out a ſuperſtitious Friar by his habit; goe through all their Cloyſters, ye ſhall finde nothing but the doctrine of man: and the doctrine of man will neuer make a religious bodie. Secondly, The doctrine of mē cannot make any religious.I perceiue in this place, and ſuch others, that men in all ages hauehave buſied themſelues to ſet downe doctrine about things indifferent. Looke the doctrine of the Romane Church, ye ſhal finde this true. This teſtifieth whereto the wit of man inclineth, to wit, to be religious in vanities: in eating, drinking, cloathing, and to let thee liue as thou wouldeſt. As for other neceſſarie points, it will not acknowledge them: as for the honour of the parents, thou wilt paſſe by that. O the wicked nature of man! it hath no inclination to any thing, but to vaniſhing things, and it will hauehave a religion of theſe things in any caſe.
To come to the laſt verſe; hauing thus confuted this falſe doctrine concerning meates by theſe two arguments, the falſe teacher might hauehave excepted and ſaid: O yet there appeareth ſome reaſon in this doctrine of abſtinence, becauſe it hath a ſhew of wiſedome. Secondly, it hath the appearance of the ſubmiſsion of the minde: and thirdly, it is a mortifying of the The third obiection.bodie: it ſpareth not the bodie, but it humbleth the body; and therefore this doctrine muſt hauehave ſome reaſon, and ſhewe of wiſedome. The Apoſtle graunteth this, but he ſaith, it auaileth not, becauſe this doctrine is about fleſhly things, the filling of the bellie, &c. But briefly to examine the words, which indeed hath the ſhew of wiſedome. Marke firſt a falſe teacher a Sophiſter, howbeit there be no wiſedome in his doctrine; yet if it hauehave a faire ſhew and a glance, it is enough to him. This is the nature of a Sophiſter, he is well contented with a ſhew of wiſedome, and beguileth the world with this: And the people are naturally as vaine as he. If thou get a ſhew of wiſedome, thou wilt be content with it: And why? The heart is vaine, and vanitie may ſerue a vaine heart, a vaine emptie heart that hath no ſoundnes, will drinke in vanitie greedily as a man drinketh in water, 2. Theſſ. chap. 2. verſ. 10. 11. Therefore (brethren) wonder not to ſee this world wander after vanitie, wonder not to ſee ſo many Papiſts and ſuperſtitious perſons to ſpread abroad, and the people to follow them: no wonder, becauſe the world inclineth to drinke in vanitie, and the world is content with a ſhew of truth; but thanke God if hee hath made thee able to diſcerne betwixt a ſhew and a ſolid thing: for thou haſt gotten a great grace. And therefore if thou heare of Phil. 1. 9.their vaine arguments, thanke God that thou haſt that heart to conſider of them aright, and that thou haſt an eye that can rightly diſcerne thereupon: for few hath gotten this ſpirit of God to diſcerne aright betwixt the ſhew and the ſound truth. Againe, note there is not one head of doctrine, but it will get a colour of an argument to defend it. There was neuer an hereſie, but it got the colour of truth: neuer doctrine ſo foule, but it will take to it a faire ſhew. Thinke ye that the diuel that can change himſelf into an Angell of light, that he hath not taught his owne to colour that vanitie of theirs, and to couer ouer with ſugar their poyſon ſpued into them by that foule ſpirit? No, no, I warrant you hee forgetteth not that: therefore be not deceiued with a colour of ſeeming probabilitie, but when thou heareſt a noueltie in doctrine, trie and proue the ſpirit, and hold that that is good. Truſt not till thou trie, and credit not lightly; for thou wilt be deceiued, except thou trie skilfully, and with time.
Now I paſſe to the colours of their doctrine. I tell you in generall of theſe ſorts of colours that teachers will put on. There is one that is falſe in it owne nature, as the doctrine is falſe. It is a falſe argument concluding a falſe head of doctrine. Secondly, there is another colour, that is a true colour, but falſely applied to ſuch a ſubiect, as thou wouldeſt colour a peece of dirt with faire colour; ſo a falſe teacher will take a faire colour and put it vponupon his dirt, vponupon his dreames, and phantaſies. But to come to the ſpeciall, and that ye may ſee this more cleerely: the firſt colour whereby the doctrine of meate is coloured, is called voluntarie worſhipping, that is, ſuch Colours of falſe teachers.worſhip as is not commaunded by God, but inuented by the vaine head of man. Woe worth ſuch a worſhip! when a man followeth his owne fanſie. And how coloured they this head of doctrine? after this manner. This doctrine of abſtinence from meates, is a kinde of voluntarie worſhipping, that God hath not commaunded (ſo readie is man to ſerue God vnbidden) Voluntarie worſhip.apparantly hee that tarieth for bidding, deſerueth no thankes at Gods hands, as the falſe teacher would ſay: but to anſwere. To worſhip God vnbidden, it hath a falſe colour, and it will not be allowed of God. If thou worſhip God vnbidden, thou ſerueſt a thankleſſe maſter. He will not accept of thee, nor thy worſhip. So there is a falſe colour applied to ſuch a ſubiect.
Come to the ſecond colour, humilitie and ſubmiſſion in the minde, how put they on this colour? O ſaith the deceiuer, the doctrine that maketh thee humble, it muſt be the doctrine of wiſedome. But ſo it is: this doctrine concerning abſtinence, it humbleth thee, and maketh thee lowly minded, for meates puffe vp: therefore this doctrine muſt be a good doctrine. I anſwere, this is a faire colour, humilitie and ſubmiſsion of minde, a thing commended: ſo it is a true colour. O but it is euill applied! for as the deceiuer ſaith, that ſorow & faſting is for humilitie, he belieth it. No, no, faſt all thy life long, hauing no warrant of God, it ſhall not profit thee to humiliation. Will then a falſe teacher bid thee abſtaine from that, that God hath commaunded, and hath giuen thee libertie of? I ſay to thee thou ſhalt neuer be the more humbled. So it is a good colour, but falſely applied to this foule doctrine.
The laſt colour is the ſubduing of the fleſh. Man conſiſteth of two parts, and this abſtinence ſerueth for both, how layeth he on this colour? That doctrine is a doctrine of wiſedome, that ſerueth for the chaſtening of the bodie, I can it not denie: but (ſaith he) that doth the doctrine of abſtinence. I ſay to thee, that is falſe; for there is no meanes wil ſerue thee for that turne, but that which the Lord hath commaunded. Put in thornes in thy ſhooes, put in pinning ſtones in thy ſhooes, ſcourge thy ſelfe: vaine lowne, thou ſhalt be whipped in hell; take penance to thee; doe all theſe things, and ſuch like; I ſay to thee, O deceiuer, the more thou vſeſt theſe, the more thou ſhalt bee puffed vp. There is none more proud then theſe of the Church of Rome: for I tell thee, it is a pride to follow that, that God hath not commaunded. So it is a faire colour, but falſely applied as a colour vponupon dirt, and all commeth to this. Trie well the argument of a Papiſt; for the argument of a Papiſt hath euer ſome falſehood, if thou haſt an eye to ſee it, howbeit it will not at the firſt appeare to thee. And if it bee a true thing, which he ſpeaketh, looke how he applieth it. For ye ſee that hee can take good and faire colours, and applie them very falſely. Truſt neuer any of theſe Ieſuits; for he will make thee beleeue that blacke is white: be not deceiued then with their colours. Now will ye hauehave the Apoſtles anſwere: he is ſhort. He granteth all theſe colours and ſhewes are true, and ſaith as it were to theſe falſe deceiuers, your doctrine will hauehave all theſe colours: but I anſwere you, all auaileth not, they are of no value, colour it as ye will colour it: for that which is not good in it ſelfe, it will neuer bee good, vſe what argument thou wilt. Thy argument what euer it be, will neuer make a falſe doctrine good. He condemneth then this doctrine of abſtinence, that the Papiſts this day vſe; for that that is falſe in it ſelfe, ſhall neuer ſtand true by any colour. He giueth the reaſon wherefore it auaileth not: becauſe it is a doctrine that serueth for the ſtuffing of the fleſh; as he would ſay, there is no true religion concerning things of the bellie, nor cloathing of the backe, nor filling of the purſe; what hath religion to doe with theſe things? Eate and drinke Papiſt (looke chap. 1.) while thou burſt, keep thy cord and cowle on thy backe, what hath religion to doe with that? He cutteth it therefore away in one word, it is of no value. Then brethren take the leſſon. The doctrine concerning things that ſerue for this life, for thy bodie, thy fleſh, thy bellie, thy back and cloathing, and if thou ſhouldeſt cloathe it with ſackcloath, and in one word things of this life hauehave not to doe with religion, with God, and his worſhip. God is not worſhipped by theſe things. There is not one commaundement giuen by God touching theſe things. Where readeſt thou it? is there ought concerning this meate, or that, this garment or that? no, no, all the commaundements that ſerue for the worſhipping of God, are all in the word of God. So then I ſay againe, there is no doctrine of religion in the things of this life: for why? the doctrine of religion is about things that concerne ſpirituall life, about faith, about worſhipping of God, about the honouring of thy parents, abſtaining from murther, and ſuch like, as thou haſt ſet downe to thee in the law of God, which is the lanterne that ſhineth before the feete of his elect ones. So then brethren, be earneſt in keeping and hearing ſuch doctrine as concerneth life euerlaſting: and when thou heareſt this doctrine of dirt, turne thy eare away from it, for there is no godlines in it. And I giuegive you my counſell, heare him not that ſpeaketh of ſuch things, but heare him that will ſpeake of Chriſt Ieſus and his doctrine, which ſhall feede thee to life euerlaſting. It will not be meate and drinke, and the doctrine thereof, which will feede thee; but it muſt be this doctrine of Chriſt, wherewith thou muſt be fed, and thou muſt ſtill feede on it, vntill thou be glorified in him and with him for euer and euer. To whom with the Father and holy Spirit, be al praiſe and honour now and euer,
Amen.