Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 19
THE NINETEENTH LECTVRE VPONUPON THE Epiſtle of PAVL to the Coloſsians.
COLOS. Chap. 2. verſ. 16. 17.
16 Let no man therefore condemne you in meate and drinke, or in reſpect of an holie day, or of the new Moone, or of the Sabboth daies,
17 Which are but ſhadowes of things to come: but the bodie is in Chriſt.
THe purpoſe of the Apoſtle in all this place (beloued brethren) it is partly to exhort the Coloſsians to beware of falſe teachers, that had crept in amongſt them; & partly to admoniſh them. Now, heretofore ye heard, hee fell vponupon occaſion into a faire deſcription of God, and of Coherence.the effectualnes of his power, which was from the effects: firſt from the raiſing of Ieſus Chriſt from the dead. Secondly, from raiſing vp of the Gentiles, and namely the Coloſsians, who were dead in ſinnes and in the vncleannes of their fleſh, from that death they lay in. And thirdly, from the quickening of the Iewes, who had ſubſcribed an obligation againſt themſelues, ſealing vp that they were guiltie of damnation. Therefore Ieſus Chriſt, the firſt thing he doth, is the cancelling of the obligation, and putting it out of the way, by nailing it on the croſſe: then when he had done this, he turneth him vponupon the ſame croſſe, to principalities and powers, who are the diuels that perſecuted mankind, and accuſed them vponupon that handwriting. He turneth (I ſay) to them, and fighteth with them, ſpoyling and leading them captiues. Then hauing ſpoyled them, he leadeth them to their ſhame and his glory in the ſight of God and his Angels, openly in a triumph, hee ſitting as it were, in his triumphing chariot the croſſe, more glorious then all the chariots wherein any triumphing Emperour euer triumphed from the beginning. Now (brethren) in this text which we hauehave read, the Apoſtle returneth to his former purpoſe, and vponupon the former doctrine, containing that fact of Chriſt vponupon the croſſe, in nailing the hand-writing to the croſſe, and putting it out of the way, and vanquiſhing the diuels; he gathers this admonition. Seeing this hand-writing of ordinances, all rites, ceremonies and all, are aboliſhed by the croſſe of Chriſt: therefore ye Coloſsians, let no man condemne you for theſe things. They are not, they are all aboliſhed, and put away; therefore beware of the falſe teachers, that would condemne you for not vſing of ſuch things: I meane (ſaith he) new Moones, Sabboths, meates, drinkes, and ſuch other ceremonies. If wee will weigh theſe words well, wee ſhall finde in them not onelyonly a ſimple admonition giuen to the Coloſsians, that they ſhould not ſuffer themſelues to bee condemned in ſuch things: but alſo we ſhall finde an inhibition giuen to the falſe teachers, forbidding them to condemne the Coloſsians, or any of the Gentiles, in any of theſe rites that were alreadie aboliſhed, forbidding them ſtreightly vnderunder the paine of their condemnation to vrge them with the ſame. The very forme of the words ſheweth, that it is a very law: for it is giuen after the manner of a law: Let no man. As if he would ſay, I inhibite that no man condemne you for theſe ceremonies of the law alreadie aboliſhed in the death of Chriſt.
Then briefly (brethren) ye ſee there is a law giuen: the holie Spirit giueth it, the Apoſtle proclaimeth it, the law is this, An euangelicall law.that no man condemne them whom God abſolueth. When God abſolueth a man, let no man condemne him: no, if it were all the Kings in the earth they are ouer bold to condemne the ſillieſt creature that God abſolueth. Paul to the Rom. chap. 8. 33. 34. commandeth and vrgeth, Who will intend any crime? who will be ſo bold to doe it? it is God that iustifieth, who then dare be ſo bold as to condemne him whom hee iustifieth, and abſolueth? The law is giuen in generall. But to come to the particulars. There is a law giuen concerning the Iew, that after God hath rent his hand-writing, and aboliſhed all the rites that hee was ſubiect vntounto; let no man condemne him for not obſeruing of theſe ceremonies. And as concerning the Gentile, there is a law, let no falſe teacher condemne a Gentile for not obſeruing any of theſe ceremonies, conſidering the Gentiles neuer receiued them: they were impoſed vponupon the Iew. As for the Gentile, they were not impoſed vponupon him, and therefore it is a great preſumption to impoſe theſe rites vponupon them who neuer had receiued them. But to come neere and ſpeake plainly. There is a law againſt the Pope and Papiſts, that they condemne no Chriſtian man vnderunder paine of condemnation, for not obſeruing of ſuch rites, as their feſtiual daies, & ceremonies of their owne inuention. And in the name of the ſame Ieſus (as the Apoſtle intimateth this law) ſo doe I intimate the ſame to them and you that heare me; let no man condemne you for not keeping of ſuch things, as the Papiſts would impoſe vponupon you. The Lord hath made you free of them. The Lord hath giuen you libertie: He is too impudent to binde you with the obſeruation of ſuch things.
But let vsus particularlie ſee the things, in the which he will not hauehave the Coloſſians and the reſt of the Gentiles & vsus this day condemned. He calleth them, in meate drinke, and holy daies, apparantly he vnderſtandeth the feaſts, that were moſt ſolemne, as the Paſſeouer, the feaſt of Tabernacles, and ſuch others. And then he commeth to them that were not ſo ſolemne, as the new Moones and the reſt. And if you will marke the manner of ſpeaking, he ſpeaketh of theſe rites with a diſdaining of them. They are of no worth after the body is come. I will not inſiſt to ſpeake of the rites of the Iewes, onelyonly thus farre concerning their meates. Before the Lord came and was manifeſted, Leuit. 11. 1. Deut. 14. there ye ſhall finde that among the Iewes there was a difference of meates, ſome cleane, ſome Of the Iewiſh obſeruation of meates.vncleane and forbidden. All was to ſignifie the difference betweene the Iewe and the Gentile, that the Iewe ſhould not communicate with the Gentile. But that partition wall was throwne downe by Ieſus Chriſt at his comming, and all difference was taken away. Now the falſe teachers did as much as they could, to hauehave raiſed vp the partition wall, and ſo to make voyde the croſſe of Ieſus Chriſt.
As concerning holy daies I onelyonly touch it, among the Iewes there were many feaſts obſerued, but all were figures of Chriſt; Holy daies.and when he came, they all tooke end. And therefore the falſe teachers, that preſſed the obſeruation of thoſe daies, did what they could to annihilate the comming of Ieſus Chriſt, as though he had neuer yet come into the world. And here yee may cleerely perceiue the nature of erronious ſpirits that incline Erronious ſpirits.to hereſie, for the moſt part they are occupied about trifling things; things indifferent, as meate, drinke, holy dayes, and ſuch like. O as the Papiſts here are buſie about meates, holy dayes of their owne making, and ſuch like, from the which the Lord hath freed vsus: To impoſe lawes neceſſarie to be kept (as they ſpeake) vnderunder the paine of ſaluation and damnation; as the eating of fleſh on friday: O vaine foole! As for things neceſſarie to ſaluation and the worſhip of God, Papiſts paſſe ouer them as friuolous. They will not condemne an adulterer. Behold their religion (brethren) I thinke ye deſire that I ſhould ſpeake ſome thing of the obſeruation of daies, and difference of meates. Seeing this hath been handled in the doctrine of the Catechiſme; it is not my purpoſe to inſiſt vponupon it. Yet I ſhall ſhew you mine opinion as plainly and briefly as I may poſsibly, agreeing with the godly and learned in theſe daies. Ye will aske, is there any difference betweene meates, what ſhall we thinke of them that wil abſtaine from meates? I anſwere, if for policies ſake, becauſe of any politike law, and in regard of a common-weale, thou abſtaineſt from meates, Law concerning meates.thou doeſt well. As on the contrary, thou doeſt euill, if thou abſtaine not: for the Magiſtrate is to be obeyed for conſcience ſake, Rom. 13. 5. If againe thou abſtaine from meates, and vſe not theſe bodily exerciſes, that by abſtinence and faſting thou maiſt be the better helped in the exerciſes ſpirituall, as prayer and repentance: whether there be a conſtitution of the Church to that effect, or whether of thy owne motion, thou doeſt it, thou doeſt well. But if thou begin to place godlines True fast.in eating and not eating, putting a neceſſitie in them, and that with the opinion of merit, that thou deſerueſt this or that (as the Papiſts ſpeake) away with thee and thy faſting. If thou be of that opinion, faſt and it were fortie daies together, thou art an Idolater, and all thine exerciſe ſtinkes in the noſe Superſtitious faſt.of God; yea though thou doeſt faſt till thy bones and skinne came together.
Now as concerning daies, what ſhall wee thinke of other countries, that yet keepe holy daies? I ſhall tell you, the holy daies (as they call them) they are either commaunded by God, or inſtituted by man: God is the author of them, or els man. The daies commaunded by God in old time before Chriſt came, they were many, as ye may reade in the bookes of Moſes: but as touching the daies inioyned by God to be kept of vsus, after the comming of Chriſt, reade the Scripture from the beginning to the end, and yet thou ſhalt finde but one day onelyonly inioyned thee to be kept, and that by the law Morall, and this day is the Lords Sabboth: and in keeping of this ſtandeth the worſhipping of God. So thou that keepeſt the ſeuenth day, thou doeſt the thing that is acceptable with God; and thou that doeſt it not, thou highly offendeſt God. Then concerning the daies inſtituted by man, whether of old, or of late, they are different. Some were inſtituted by man, for the honour of vulgar and common Saints: of ſome of the which it may be doubted whether they were Saints or no. Some were inſtituted for the honour of the Apoſtles, indeede they were Saints; yea euen although the Pope would not canonize thē. Some were inſtituted for the honour of God and Ieſus Chriſt. Now to go thorow: as for the holy daies appointed for ye honor of common Saints, I ſay this (and it is the opinion of the learned) they are Idolatrous; thou that doeſt run to the bones of Popiſh holy daies.this Saint, or that Saint, & kiſſeſt it, and thou woteſt not whether it was the bone of a murtherer, a theefe, or an oppreſſour, or of a Saint: And therefore the reformed Churches in Europe hauehave aboliſhed theſe daies. As for the daies inſtituted to the honour of the Apoſtles, indeed it is true ye reformed Churches agree not vniformally in this point. Some keepe theſe daies, and yet without perill of Idolatrie, becauſe they keepe the daies only, and yet without dedication of ſeruice to the Saints. But certainly, will ye ſee the matter as it is. It wanteth not ſuperſtition (if the Apoſtles were neuer ſo holy) to dedicate a day to them, and ſeruice for them. I wil not bring in more reaſons, yet this I ſay, to celebrate a feaſt to any man, whether dead or liuing, with diuine worſhip to the ſame, it is Idolatrie: for the celebration of a feaſt, with ſeruice adioyned thereto, is a kinde of worſhip, that pertaineth to God onelyonly. Reade the Lawe, and ye ſhall finde this. Now will ye hauehave Gods mind in this matter? When Moſes was dead, God taketh his bones and cauſed them to be buried ſecretly; that not one of the people ſhould know where they were laid. And wherefore doth he it? To preuent the ſuperſtition of the people, that they ſhould not worſhip them, and celebrate a feaſt to them. He knew the vanitie of mans braine, he will make a God of a dead bone: Bleſſed art thou that art reſtrained by the word of God.
Will ye hauehave the example of the Iewes, reade where euer they made a feaſt to Moſes, or Aaron, or old Abraham? And if any ſhould hauehave a feſtiuall day, they ſhould hauehave had it: but I neither read nor heard tell, that they got any. Come to the Apoſtles themſelues, reade the Acts, when that idolatrous people would hauehave worſhipped them, they rent their cloathes for griefe of their ſuperſtition: And this day I trow they ſhould riue their cloathes, if they ſaw and vnderſtood the ſuperſtition and worſhip that is done to them: and if Paul had accepted of thy feaſt, O vaine Papiſt! hee ſhould not abide in heauen one moment: for that were to the diſhonour of God: they giuegive thee no thanke: if they wiſt of it, they would not faile to rent their cloathes and bodies both, and to curſe thee to thy face, for taking the honour that is due to God, and to giuegive it them. So concerning this, it is a peece of ſuperſtition, and idolatrie, to celebrate a feaſt, and appoint diuine ſeruice to the Apoſtles; I will except none of them: no, not Mary would not ſtand in heauen, if ſhe accepted of that honour that thou giueſt her. Fie on theſe vaine Papiſts, they rent Gods cloake aſunder, and would put it on another: fie on them and their ſtinking idolatrous daies.
To come to the next word. In it hee ſubioynes another argument of his admonition, that none ſhould condemne them of theſe ceremonies, and it is taken from the nature and definition of all the old Ceremonies. What are they all, but ſhadowes? and therefore ſeeing they are vaniſhing things, let no man condemne you vponupon trifles; let no man find fault with you, nor thruſt them vponupon you, as though they were neceſſarie poynts to the ſeruice of God. Then no man ſhould be condemned for a ſhadow, a vaniſhing and fickle thing: if thou werſt a King doe it not, there is no man ſo giuen ouer into the hands of men. It was not giuen to Angels to condemne a man for ceremonies; much leſſe oughteſt thou to condemne a man, ſpecially for a ſhadow. And yet for all that brethren, as I ſaid before, this is the nature of an erronious ſpirit, all their cenſuring Iudging of men by their obſeruation of ceremonies.proceedes of iudging a man for obſeruation of ceremonies, and they will ſend him to heauen and hell for eueryevery trifle at their pleaſure. So marke an erronious ſpirit and a deceiuer: his head is buſie about theſe trifling things, cenſuring vponupon ſhadowes, putting a neceſſitie where there is none, and ſtepping ouer the neceſſarie poynts of Religion. In a word, ye ſhall finde the diuell hath been a ſore enemie to this chriſtian libertie, to burden thee with things indifferent. But as Paul counſelleth thee, Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made thee free, and count him for a falſe teacher that would reſtraine thee.
But to weigh the words better, which are but ſhadowes, that is, no ſubſtantiall thing. There is a great difference betweene the ſhadow and the body: for a man going to the Eaſt, his ſhadow ſtriketh to the weſt; ſo all the ſhadowes, when Chriſt roſe in the Eaſt, were ſtricken backe to the precedent times, and for the times ſince his reſurrection, are aboliſhed and done away. The Sacraments that we now receiue, are not ſhadowes, but ſure ſeales of Ieſus Chriſt alreadie come. Marke what was the eſtate of the Iewe: he liued vponupon ſhadowes vnderunder the law, and yet he was ſafe: not by the vertue of the ſhadowes, but becauſe in the meane time, while he is in remembring of the The Iewes before Christ.ſhadowes, his eye lookes out beyond the ſhadow to that body that was comming: So it was hope that ſaued him. As for thoſe that had no eye to the bodie, they got no life but death by the ſhadow. Thou ſhalt neuer hauehave life by theſe outward exerciſes of Religion, except thou hauehave the inward ſubſtances: for the outward ſhall euer turne to thy damnation, if thou hauehave not the inward. And further, the very eſtate of the Iewes doth recommend to thee the bleſſednes of thy eſtate aboue the Kings, and all the Prophets of old. They embraced the ſhadow, but thou embraceſt the bodie. Ieſus Chriſt is come alreadie crucified in the Goſpell: ſo that thy eſtate is ſuch a bleſſed eſtate, yt thou canſt neuer think enough of it. But alas, heauēly things are not regarded! when thou haſt gotten ſome ſmall preferment in the world, thou wilt make much of it: but as for this preferment in Ieſus Chriſt thou careſt not for it. Yet the end will commend or condemne all thy ioyes. Now mark the power that riſeth from the ſhadowes of Chriſt: the very ſhadow of him, being rightly taken, ſaueth and comforteth the ſinfull ſoule. It was his ſhadow that ſaued Adam, and all Kings and people, before his comming in the fleſh: but yet, as the ſhadow muſt be ſtill vnderſtood to be accompanied with the bodie, and to hauehave the power from it. O what power muſt be in the bodie when it is ſtanding before thee without the ſhadow, ſeeing the ſhadow is ſo powerfull! O the wonderfull power that is offered to me and thee! fie on vsus that finde it not: the blame is in vsus that we finde not this power; and not in Ieſus. Seeke to Ieſus, take hold of him by faith, and I doe aſſure thee there ſhall come out of him ſuch a power that ſhall quicken thee ſo, as thou wouldeſt not want it for all the world.
Thirdly, ye ſhall ſee how fooliſh theſe falſe teachers are: they are teaching to embrace a ſhadow, when the bodie is come. See how vaine they are. The Iewes did well, that embraced the ſhadow before Chriſt came; but after his comming it was vaine to doe it: and ſo it was as much as to bid them embrace the thing that was not. And admit that the ſhadow abode ſtill, were it not follie to comprize the ſhadow with the bodie? the ſhadow goeth before, the bodie commeth after. But brethren, ſuch is the follie of theſe vaniſhing heads, this fellow will ſeeme to be ſome bodie, a iolly fellow, as who but he; and yet hee will make thee to thinke that light and darknes may dwell together, the ſhadow and the bodie to be both in one place. O but all this is vanitie! decline thou once from the truth, thou be commeſt mad, thou wilt cauſe the people to erre. So bleſſed is the man that ſtickes by Ieſus, and ſtands by the ſcripture of God: and if thou doe it, thou ſhalt be ſafe, otherwiſe thou ſhalt goe into euerlaſting darkenes: As the Apoſtle Rom. 1. 21. teſtifieth, ye ſhall become mad fooles, and in the end periſh with the reprobate, if yee ſticke not to this Ieſus Chriſt and his word.
Now to come to the end: they might hauehave ſaid, if theſe be the ſhadowes, where is the bodie? He anſwers, But the bodie is in Christ. There are two things here: firſt, there is the ſhadow of things to come: the ſecond is, the bodie which is Chriſt, and followes the ſhadow. The bodie that followes, is not this or that bodie; not Iohn the Baptist, not one of the Prophets, but onelyonly Ieſus Chriſt. Then note firſt, there was neuer from the beginning, nor is nor ſhall be to the end, any other ſubiect of Religion, of godlines, but Ieſus Chriſt the Lord: ſeeke it where ye will, there is no other foundation of faith: No man (ſaith Paul, 1. Cor. 3. 11.) can lay any other foundation beſide that that is laid, Ieſus Christ. OnelyOnly this is the difference: amongſt the Iewes he was but a ſhadow, now he is the bodie. So, wouldeſt thou hauehave a godly man defined? it is he whoſe heart is occupied about Chriſt in ſome meaſure: how he was incarnate, and of his paſſion. Thinkeſt thou that this ſhould goe out of thy thought? Alas, if thou thoughteſt of thy ſin, thou ſhouldſt neuer get reſt, till thou thinke of his croſſe, then of his reſurrection. This is the godly harted man Paul, 1. Tim. 3. 16. when he had ſaid, Great is the mysterie of godlines, then he comes to the parts of it, God manifested in the fleſh, iustified in the ſpirit, and ſo forth till he comes to the laſt, receiued vp in glorie: where we are taught, that the myſterie of godlines is onelyonly in Ieſus Chriſt. So that if thou wouldſt hauehave thy heart occupied in godlines, fixe thy heart on Ieſus Chriſt: for I aſſure you this, thinke of any thing in this world, or out of it, and leaue out Ieſus Chriſt, not thinking of him; thou ſhalt find that thy heart ſhall not be ſanctified, but prophane and wicked. So there is nothing to make a godly heart, but to thinke on Ieſus. When thou art thinking of many things, reſerue a peece of thy heart for him, giuegive him a thought; if thou wert a King, be not ſo buſie in thy affaires; if thou wert in Parliament, take heed thou forget him not, but euer giuegive him a thought or a looke, otherwaies thou art not ſanctified: yea, if in all thine affaires thou thinke not on Chriſt, and hauehave not a preſence of God, the very horſe thou rideſt on, is better then thou; and the higher thou art mounted vp, the more miſerable, if thou want a thought of God in Ieſus Chriſt. Againe, yee ſee Ieſus is called the bodie, yee know that by humane reaſon, a bodie is a ſolide thing, with dimenſions, that thou maiſt apprehend ſolidlie. In a word, Chriſt hath this prerogatiue to be called a bodie: Ieſus Chriſt, of all things is the ſolideſt and firmeſt: in compariſon of him, there is not a bodie in the world. I ſay to thee, when thou putteſt out thy hand to lay hold on the moſt ſolid thing in the world, thou ſhalt not find it ſo ſolid as the heart of the godly ſhall by, when it by the hand of faith layeth hold on him, for as ſoone as Ieſus toucheth the heart, then the heart that before was vaine and ſuperficiall, is made a ſolid bodie, ſo there is not a ſolid heart, but it that hath Ieſus cloſed in it. I tell thee thy heart is but as an emptie bagge if thou get not Ieſus into it: therefore crye euer, Ieſus fill my emptie heart. Neuertheleſſe, fooles ſet not greatly by this, but I ſay to thee, if thou wert a King thou ſhalt neuer be ſolid, thy heart ſhall neuer be ſolid, but a blaſt of wind ſhall carrie thee away, if thou hauehave not Ieſus Chriſt in thy heart. Laſtly, I ſee the religious heart that is occupied vponupon Chriſt, is occupied vponupon the firmeſt thing in the world: thoſe that faine would bee godly, and ſeparate themſelues from this world, and lay hold on Chriſt, the prophane may well ſay of him, what is this bodie doing, he is a ſillie fooliſh bodie? But if he were a King, if he knew the eſtate of that bodie, he would change his eſtate with his: this you may ſee in the example of Paul, ſpeaking to Agrippa, Acts chap. 26. verſ. 29. Well, as I hauehave ſaid before, the end ſhall trie all, and they that in this life followed Ieſus, and ſet their eye vponupon this ſolid thing, they ſhall abide, becauſe they hauehave laid hold on him who is eternall and abides for euer, and bleſſed is the ſoule that apprehendeth this onelyonly ſolid thing Ieſus. And thou that laieſt holde on the things that are ſeene, on the pleaſures of this world, O they ſhall vaniſh, they ſhall be caried away as duſt! becauſe the things that are ſeene are momentanie and paſſe away. Therefore if thou wouldeſt liue for euer, faſten thy heart vponupon Chriſt: it will not be honour, meate and drinke that will eſtabliſh thy heart when heauen and earth ſhall be ſhaken together, nothing ſhall eſtabliſh thee but that ankering of thee vponupon Chriſt, and therefore ſeeke to bee ankered vponupon him. To whom bee all honour and praiſe,
Amen.