An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 20
VERS. 20.
Wherefore if we be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world, why as though ye liued in the world are ye burthened with traditions.
21.
As touch not, taste not, handle not.
22.
Which all perish with the vsing, and are after the commandements and doctrines of men.
23.
Which things indeed hauehave a shew of wisdome in voluntarie religion, and humblenes of minde and not sparing the bodie, which are things of no value, sith they appertaine to filling of the flesh.
In these words is conteined the third branch of the conclusion, and it is inforced against traditions: here I obserue both the manner of propounding, and the matter. For the first, it is to be obserued, that whereas he condemned the former by way of aduise, he condemnes these by bitter and tart expostulation, why are ye burthened with traditions, as if he should say, were there not a singular proannesse of nature to corruption, could they be so blinded, as to suffer false Teachers, to impose traditions vponupon them?
In the matter consider first what he condemnes, viz. traditions explicated in the kindes, v. 21. 2. The reasons why hee condemnes them and these, are 6. First ye are dead with Christ, and therefore yee ought not to bee subiect to traditions, of the force of this reason afterwards. 2. You are dead from the rudiments of the world, that is, from the ceremoniall lawes of Moses, which yet were are rudiments or waies of instructing the world in the principles of the Kingdome of God, and therfore much more should you now giuegive ouer traditions? 3. They are burthens, and the greater by how much the lesse sence you hauehave of them. 4. The matter of them is light, and vaine, and idle, v. 21. 5. They are all corruptible and perish with the vsing. 6. They are after the counts and doctrines of men. ver. 22. Ob. But there seemeth to be a depth in these traditions. Sol. v. 23. He confesseth that they hauehave a shew of wisdome, and that in three things. 1. In voluntary religion aforeign.. 2. In humblenesse of minde bforeign.. 3. In not sparing the body cforeign., which hee censures two wayes.
1. It is but a shew or flourish, no true substance, either of worship or sanctity, 2. It with-hoolds the honour due to the body.
Now that the whole may be better vnderstood, we must distinctly consider what he meaneth by tradition, which will appeare if it be considered negatiuely, with comparison with the two former.
1. They are not things required by Scripture any way: For all such were condemned vnderunder the first kinde, viz. ceremonies, which though now abrogated, were once required.
2. They are not such rites besides Scripture, as are practized with opinion of worship, for they are condemned vnderunder the second kinde, viz. philosophy.
So then the traditions heere condemned, are such rites, customes, or obseruations, as men binde their consciences to, to obserue or practize in the ciuill life of man. Besides the instances in the text, such are the obseruation of euill dayes, or houres to be borne in, or to marry in, or to set out on a iourney in; the rules obserued about infants vnbaptized, as that they must not be washed, or they must lie in a sieue, or such like about weomen that lye in. Such is the not marrying with kindred at the font, as they call it, such are the obseruation of signes of ill lucke, or of death gathered from the crying of birdes, or the running of beasts; such is praying at the lighting vp of candles, and the burning of candles ouer the dead corps, or the naming of children with names that agree to men and women, to make them liue the longer; such is, not burying in the north side of the Church, and the like silly trash, with which simple people, abound more then is ordinarily obserued.
Thus of the generall.
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ] In these words diuers things may be obserued.
1. Heere we see the necessity of our vnion with Christ, the Apostle will not a done with it, he remembreth it still.
2. When he saith, if yee be dead, it implies that men may make a faire shew, and professe long, and liue in true visible Churches, and yet it is a question whether they be in Christor no, If ye be dead with Christ.
3. Note heere the praise of a mortified life, for when he saith, if yee be dead in Christ, it imports that to be so, is an excellent condition: to be truly mortified with Christ, is a rare happinesse; to die with Christ, is better then to liue with the world.
4. Penitent sinners hauehave life and death, ioyes and sorrowes &c. common with Christ.
5. In speciall they hauehave death common with Christ. They die with Christ 1. Because Christs death was theirs: when Christ died they died, because his death was for their sakes, & for their benefit. 2. Because when their bodies die they die in vnion with Christ. 3. Because the vertue of Christs death is deriued to their souls: whence flowes, death to the law, that is, a release from the rigour and curse of it. 2. Death to sinne, that is, a power to mortifie sin, conueiued in the ordinances of Christ, and applied by the spirit of Christ. 3. The presence of Christ in all the duties of mortification, though they be done neuer so secretly, yet Christ is with them.
The vse may be both for triall and comfort. For triall, art thou not dead with Christ in respect of the mortification of thy corruptions? then art thou not in Christ. For comfort to the mortified, thou art in Christ, and hee will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee, till hee hath raised thy body and cured thy soule. Thus of the wordes in themselues; they are also to bee considered as they are heere vsed against traditions, and so they are two wayes.
Christ is dead, and in his death ye are freed from all bondage of soule to any thing but the will of God, and therefore t'is a dishonour to Christs death and the freedome purchased in it, to make our selues seruants to traditions.
2. You are dead with Christ, that is, you are mortified persons, and these things are too light for any graue and penitent persons, to take vp his thoughts or cares about them; fleshly persons are onelyonly capable of this trash, mortified persons without teaching suspect them.
Thus of the first reason.
From the rudiments of the world] The second reason stands thus, if by the death of Christ, ye be freed from the ceremonies of Moses, which were then rudiments, or as it were the first grounds of instruction, then much more are you freed from traditions, which are but beggerly obseruations, that no body can tell whence they came, or what good they doe. This should bee of force to preuaile, with vsus against the multitudes of idle traditions that raigne amongst the people.
Why as though ye liued in the world are ye burthened &c]
Quest. Doe not the faithfull liue in the world, that he saith with such a salt interrogation, as though ye liued in the world?
Answ. They liue in the world corporally, yet not in the world in respect of their profession of spirituall and celestiall life: So Christs kingdome was not of this world. 2. In respect of subiection to all the frame of rites and obseruations of the world: they liue not as men that are tyed and vowed to the seruice of the world in whatsoeuer obseruations it shall propound.
Burthened] Traditions are a greiuous burthen to the soule, and the worse, the lesse they are felt, men will not willingly suffer vniust impositions, in their free-holds in the world, nor should men suffer the world to impose burthen vponupon their soules.
The world also notes the audacious libertie of the imposers, before they pestred the Church with the ceremonies of Moses, then they corrupted Gods worship with philosophicall dreames, such as was the worship of Angels, now they proceede further, they clogge the ciuill life of man and his priuate affaires with imperious obseruations.
Thus of the third reason.
As touch not, tast not, handle not] These words must be vnderstood to bee vttered mimetic…s in a kinde of scorne, see the wicked subtilitie of the Deuill, he turnes himselfe into all formes to ruine vsus. Once hee destroyed the world by tempting man to eate, now he goeth about to poison mens soules, with restraining them from eating.
Some obserue that the hast of the words without copulatiues, notes their eagernesse in pressing these things, and perswading men, to the care of them; sure it is, men of corrupt mindes are more eager about these then about waightier matters.
Some learned, render touch not, by eate not, and so note a gradation, First they would not hauehave them eate, then not so much as tast, and when they had gotten them to that, then not so much as to handle: Ambrose runnes against the streame of all interpreters, to vnderstand these words, to bee the commandement of the Apostle. Thus of the fourth reason.
Which all perish with the vsing] These words are two waies interpreted.
1. They bring destruction to the vsers, they are a doctrine of diuels, and make men the children of hell. This is true, but not the truth of this place.
2. They are of a perishable nature, and therefore men ought not to load their consciences with necessity of obseruing them.
This is the nature of all outward things thy perish with the vsing, all is vanity, the glory of the flesh is but as the flower of the field dEsay. 40., rust or moth doth corrupt them eMath. 6., euen crownes are corruptible f1. Cor. 4.24., here we see a cleere difference betweene earthly things and spirituall. Earthly things not onelyonly in the abuse, but in the very vse, are either worne out or lesse regarded, or hauehave lesse vigor, fairenesse, power, &c. but cleane contrary with spirituall things? why should wee not then moderate our louelove to these outward things? why should we not striue to vse this world as if we vsed it not, no more trusting in vncertaine riches. This should also stirre vp to the care of spirituall graces and duties, that neuer perish, that we may attain that vncorruptible crown of righteousnes, which God will giuegive to all that louelove his appearing: The very daily perishing of food and raiment, are types of thine owne perishing also. Thus of the 5. reason.
And are after the commandements and doctrines of men] The reason stands thus, whatsoeuer hath no better warrant then the commandement and doctrines of men, is to be reiected as a burthensome tradition: But these things are such, therefore why are ye burthened? See the wretched disposition of mens natures, how ready men are to prescribe, and how easie men are to bee lead on in these foolish vanityes. But are the commandements of God so easily obeyed? are the doctrines of Gods word so willingly embraced? Alasse, alasse, mens examples, or counsell will easily passe for lawes, but the Lord is as if he were not worthy to be heard in the practise of the most.
Thus of the sixe reasons.
Now followes the obiections. Though these things were not commanded in the word, yet they were wisely deuised by our fathers, and therefore are to be obserued. Sol. v. 23. The Apostle grants that there were 3. things alleadged to approoue the discretion of the founders of these things, and instanceth in one kinde, viz. abstinence or fasting, for that he confesseth that had a shew of voluntary, nor coacted or forced religion. 2. Of humblenesse of minde. 3. Of the taming of the body, but when he hath granted this, he doth dash all as it were with thunder and lightning, when he saith. 1. This was but a shew of wisedome. 2. This sparing did with hold the honour due vntounto the body.
Obserue heere that it is a faire propertie to vse candor and ingenious enquiry after the truth, and willingly to acknowledge what they see in the reasons of the aduersaries, we see the Apostle fairly yeeldes the full of the reasons, not mangling them, but setting them out distinctly, and then▪ confutes them. It were happie if there were this faire dealing in all reasonings publike and priuate, in print or by word of mouth, in all that professe to louelove the truth especially.
Shew of wisdome] There is a wisdome onelyonly in appearance, and in mens account in name onelyonly. Some men hauehave wisdome, other hauehave the praise of wisdome. But in matters of conscience and religion, it is dangerous for man to lift vp himselfe in his wisdome, or to admit the varnish of carnall reason. The wisest worldly men are not alwaies the holiest, and most religious men, Oh that there were an heart in vsus, indeed to acknowledge and to seeke the true wisdome that is from aboue.
The colours cast vponupon their traditions were three. 1. Voluntary religion. 2. Humblenesse of minde. 3. The taming of the body: All these as base varnish, to smeire ouer mens insolent wickednesse, are hee reiected. Which may confirme vsus in the detestation of popery, euen in that wherein it makes the greatest shew, what are their workes of supererrogation, their vowes of single life, their canonicall obedience, their wilfull pouerty, and the like, what can be said or shewed in their praise, which was not pretended for these traditions, for or are all of these; three are the chiefe arguments of their defence. The Apostle heere giues warning, let not men be deceiued, these faire pretences of our Papists, are but the old obiections of the false Apostles, new varnished ouer againe by the Pope, and his vassals; Oh that our seduced multitude would consider this? then would they not be thus led to hell with their faire shewes.
The last thing in this verse is the Apostles reason against these colours.
They hauehave it not in estimation to satisfie the bodie or flesh] That is,The body is to be honored for many reasons. they yeelde not due honor to the body: the body of man is to be honoured; for first the sonne of God (as the fathers say) made it with his owne hands in the likenesse of the body he assumed. 2. The soule a diuine thing is kept in it, and helped by it in great imploiments. 3. The sonne of God tooke the body of a man into the vnitie of his person. 4. He redeemed the body by his bloud, and feedes it with the sacramentall body. 5. The body is the temple of the holy Ghost. 6. It is consecrate to God in baptisme. 7. It is a part of the mysticall body of Christ. Lastly, it shall be gloriously raised at the last day. Then let men know, they must giuegive account that dishonor their bodies, and if these superstitious persons must reckon for it, that punish their bodies without commandement from God, where shall these beasts appeare that sinne against their bodies by gluttony, and drunkennesse, and lust and whoredome, and crueltie and murther? Oh the condemnation that abides these impenitent men, that glory in their shame, and minde only to fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Thus of the dehortation.
Thus also of matters of faith.
Thus also of the second Chapter.