An Exposition Upon Colossians, Metaphrase 2
THE METAPHRASE vponupon the second CHAPTER.
VERSE 1. FOr I would ye knew what great fighting I hauehave for your sakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for as many as hauehave not seen my person in the flesh.FOr I would ye were throughly informed of it what great care, conflict, strife, and fighting I hauehave for your sakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for such as I neuer knew, but only heare of to be such as embrace the Gospell which we preach, and to this end I tell you of my care and fighting so to moue you to be much the more resolute in perseuering in the faith and hope of the doctrin you hauehave receiued.
Verse 2. That their hearts might bee comforted and they knit together in louelove, and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to know the mysterie of GOD euen the Father and of CHRIST.Great are the benefits which you and all those that beleiue in your parts receiue from our paines in the Gospell, for hereby both your hearts are comforted with true refreshings, and besides you are hereby knit, one to another, and established in brotherly louelove; and as the benefits of the adiuncts of the Gospell should much moue you to sticke still to it if you consider how rich GOD hath made you, in the infallible and full perswasion of vnderstanding which you hauehave felt, and withall what admirable desires, there are in the doctrine of the Gospell concerning GOD the Father and CHRIST.
Verse 3. In whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge. Verse 4. And this I say least any should beguile you with inticing words. Verse 5. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, reioycing and beholding your order, and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ. Verse 6. As ye hauehave therefore receiued CHRIST IESVS the LORD, so walke ye in him.Or lastly, if you consider the perfection of the doctrine of the Gospell either as it conteines the treasures of wisedome and knowledge, or as it shewes vsus CHRIST, in whom are all admirable perfections of all sorts of rich knowledge.
Now if you aske me why I am so tedious in vrging these things, I answere it is only for feare least any should by plausible and probable inticements of speech beguile you from the simplicitie that is in CHRIST.
And if you say I know not your estate, I answere though I be absent from you in the flesh yet I am present with you in the spirit, and if you thinke that this discourse implies that I dislike you, know that I do truly reioyce to heare of your good order of life, both publike and priuate, and how stedfast your faith in CHRIST is.
Now if you aske me at once what is the summe of all I would hauehave you to doe, I answere that as concerning holy life, I would hauehave you walke on in the same manner as ye hauehave receiued CHRIST hitherto.
And for matter of faith,Verse 7. Rooted and built vp in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye hauehave been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiuing. Verse 8. Beware lest there bee any man that spoile you through Philosophie and vaine deceit, through the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. I would hauehave you by all meanes to seeke to be further rooted and built vp and stablished in the assurance of faith accordingly as you hauehave been taught, but by any meanes remember to abound in all thankfulnesse to GOD ▪ for the happie estate you are in: And thus for what I hauehave to exhort you to in matters of doctrine.
Now I must enter vponupon matter of dehortation, take heede, least any man of what gifts or profession soeuer, make a prey of your soules, and carry them away as a spoile: And in particular looke to it in three things, first in Philosophie, not simplie in the doctrines of Philosophie, but in such deuises, and vaine fancies, as vnderunder colour of such speculation, or from the authority of Philosophers are brought in by any. Secondly, take heede of traditions of men. And thirdly, of the ceremonies of Moses, which were things at first brought in to be as the A.B.C. or alphabet to traine vp the people of GOD in the principles: But now this and the other are not to be regarded for many reasons, whereof the first is, they are not after CHRIST.
Besides there is such an infinite fulnesse in CHRIST, Verse 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodily. Verse 10. And ye are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and power.by reason of the diuine nature that dwels by an vnexpressible vnion in the humane nature, that we need not seeke to any thing else but only vntounto CHRIST.
And you your selues in CHRIST hauehave all compleatnes, and sufficiency by reason of your mysticall vnion with him, and such is the fulnes of CHRIST, that the very Angels those excellent and potent creatures, are subordinate to him, and acknowledge him as their head, which by the way shewes that they are not to be worshipped.
And to speake yet more expresly what should you do with circumcision or any part of the law ceremoniall,Verse 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of CHRIST. Verse 12. In that yee are buried with him through baptisme, in whom yee are also raised vp together through faith of the operation of GOD, which raised him from the dead. Verse 13. And you being dead in your sinnes, and the vncircumcision of the flesh hath he quickened together with him, forgiuing you all your trespasses. Verse 14 Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances, that was against vsus, which was contrary to vsus, and tooke it out of the way, nailing it to his crosse. seeing in CHRIST ye hauehave receiued that which was signified by circumcision; for in him you are circumcised not with the hands of men, as they were vnderunder the law, but by the finger of the spirit of GOD: which standes in the mortification of that bodie of sinnes, which ye were guiltie of while ye were in the flrsh, and this ye hauehave by the vertue of CHRISTS circumcision.
And if you say that Abraham had the circumcision without hands, and yet was circumcised in the flesh, I answere that we hauehave baptisme insteed of that circumcision, and therefore need it not: and the rather because baptisme doth so liuely set out our spirituall buriall and resurrection with CHRIST, which all they attaine vntounto that hauehave the faith of GODS operation, that is, that can beleiue that which GOD by his power will do what he promiseth in baptisme, grounding their faith vponupon the resurrection of CHRIST from the dead.
And further this should moue you to disregard those things, because they neither could help you, when you were miserable, nor conferre the benefits vponupon you, which you inioy without them, for in your estate of nature you were dead in actuall sinnes, and in respect of originall sinne you liued in the vncircumcision of the flesh: and since you were quickned by true regeneration you hauehave obteined the forgiuenesse of all your sins, and therefore what would you hauehave more from these things.
Lastly, the ceremonies though they were ordinances of GOD at the first, yet they were hand-writings against vsus, and now CHRIST hath cancelled them, and fastened the obligation vponupon the crosse, and so taken them out of the way, and therefore you should neuer more hauehave minde to them.
Verse 15. And hath spoiled the principalities and powers, and hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse. Verse 16. Let no man therefore condemne you in meat and drinke, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moone, or of the sabbath daies. Verse 17. Which are but a shadow of things to come: but the body is in Christ. Verse 18 Let no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenes of mind, and worshipping of Angels, aduancing himselfe in &c. Verse 19. And holdeth not the head, whereof all the body furnished and knit together by ioints and bands, &c. Verse 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world, &c. Verse 21. As, touch not, tast not, handle not. Verse 22. Which all perish with the vsing, and are after the commandements & doctrines of men. Verse 23. Which things hauehave indeede a shew of wisedome, in voluntary religion and humblenesse of minde, and in not sparing the body, neither hauehave they it in any estimation to satisfie the flesh.And the rather because our Sauiour hath not only cancelled them, but he hath spoiled the Diuels which had power to execute the forfeitures of these bonds, I say both in himselfe on the crosse, and in vsus daily he hath and doth spoile them, and triumph ouer them, and make an open shew of them, so as we are freed from the danger of their arrests.
Now therefore I come to the conclusion which I direct distinctly, first, against the ceremonies, then against philosophie, and lastly against traditions. First, I say let no man condemne you, (or if they do care not for it) condemne you I say for any of the ceremonies, whether it be about meates or drinkes, or about the ceremoniall daies, or monethes, or sabbathes, that were required in that law.
For these and all the rest were but shaddowes of things to come, and now in CHRIST we hauehave the substance and body of them.
The like I say against philosophie and in speciall against Angell worship. let no man beare rule ouer your consciences, for they that bring in this doctrine do it hipocritically vponupon pretence that it tends to make men humble, and they do it very ignorantly, for they neuer saw the kingdome of Angels, nor what is done in heauen, and most proudly doe they aduance themselues, swelling in the vaine conceits of their fleshly mindes.
Yea they that bring in this doctrine fall from the foundation, and hold not CHRIST, who is the head of the Church, of whom eueryevery member doth depend, and the whole body is excellently furnished, and indissolubly knit together, and increase with the increasing of GOD.
And lastly for traditions I wonder at it you should be clogged with them, seeing you are deliuered from them in the death of CHRIST, and they are not so honorable as the ceremonies of Moses, but are vile burthens.
Thinke but with your selues, how vainely they impose vponupon you, when they say, touch not, tast not, handle not.
Besides all these are perishable things, and fit nothing at all to eternall life, and further they are euidently the common documents and deuises, and doctrines of men, that neuer had warrant in the word of GOD.
It is true they finde out many faire pretences to blinde mens eyes withall, as that hereby we shew speciall zeale to GOD in doing more then he commandeth, and these things seeme to tend to humilitie and the taming of the flesh, but all these are but shewes, and therefore naught whatsoeuer they say, because they yeeld not a due respect euen to the body of man.