An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse 14
VERS. 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.
This Verse and the next containe the seuenth reason of the dehortation, it is laid downe in this verse and amplified in the next. The argument may stand thus: If the ceremonies were a Chyrographe or hand-writing against vsus, when they were in force, and if now Christ hauehave cancelled that writing, then we ought not to vse them againe; but such they were, for they were a handwriting against vsus, and Christ hath remoued them by fastening them vponupon the crosse, therefore we ought not to reuiue them againe: or thus, it the debt be paid and the obligation cancelled, then is it a fond course to cause the obligation wilfullie to be of force againe.
Hand-writing] This hand-writing is by diuers diuersly referred, for some thinke it is to be referred to the couenant with Adam; all mankinde in him was bound to God, this obligation he brake and so the forfeiture, lay still vponupon our necks till Christ paid the debt, and cancelled the obligation. Some referre it to the law of Moses in generall, and say the people did binde themselues vntounto it, Exod. 14 by the rites there vsed. This bond was forfeited by the Iewes and lay vponupon them. Some referre it to the morrall law in speciall, and therein we did enter into bond which was called the couenant of works: the rigor and curse of this law lieth vponupon all mankinde, and when God sues out this bond men are carried to prison, euen to the prison of hell. Some referre it to the conscience of men, and say that an euill conscience is a Chyrographe, a bill of debt, and it accuseth by ordinances, that is, it taketh conclusions from the law of God to arrest, or condemne the sinner. But most vsuallie it is referred to the ceremoniall law, by some of them men did enter into bond, as by circumcision, so saith the Apostle, he that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole law, Gal. 5.5. By others of them men made bills of debt, circumcision confesseth corruption of nature by propagation. The washings were open confessions of the foulenesse of our liues; in the sacrifices men subscribed to their owne death and damnation: for they confessed they had deserued to die in steed of the beast.
The words may be true of all, but most principally of the ceremoniall law. In generall he here intreateth of deliuer…nce from the ceremonies of Moses, then, two things may in particular be noted, 1. What the ceremonies were in themselues. 2. The manner or meanes how the Church was discharged of them. For the 1. if we require what they were? They were 1. for honor, ordinances of God. 2. for vse, hand-writings. 3. for effect they were against vsus, or contrary to vsus.
Ordinances] Some read for ordinances, some read by ordinances, some with ordinances, and some of ordinances. They that read for ordinances, say the handwriting was for ordinances, that is, either in fauor of the decrees that were against vsus, or for the better assureing of the keeping of the ordinances; it was by ordinances viz. euangelicall, for they say the decrees of Christ did euacuate the lawes of Moses. They that read with ordinances, say that the hand-writing was the debt of death which Christ tooke away with the ordinance; that is the externall rites and rudiments of Moses. But I thinke the sense is cleere as it is here rendred of ordinances.
And so the point to be obserued is, that the ceremonies imposed vponupon the Iewes were Gods ordinances, which may shew vsus that God did take vponupon him the right to binde the conscience, of men, by ceremonies. 2. Seeing Christians are freed from them by God himselfe, therefore the Apostle would hauehave them stand to their libertie. 3. This should exalt the praise of the morrall law; if they were bound to obserue the very ceremonies because they were Gods ordinances, then much more should wee bee carefull to keepe the morrall.
Hand-writings] This word notes their vse, because men are by nature wonderfull slow to acknowledge their misery, therefore the Lord in all ages did driue men vnderunder their hands as it were openly to make profession of their owne sin-guiltinesse and fall, that so Gods iustice might be clered: Therefore were the sacrifices required presently after the fall; and baptisme now is of like nature to shew vsus our naturall vncleannesse, that need to be washed.
Against vsus] In effect they were against vsus. The ceremonies were against vsus, that is against the Iewes 4. waies, 1. As they were bills of debt. 2. As they told the longing wife that her husband was long after to come. 3. As they proclaimed God infinitely hating sinne, so as he must hauehave attonement in bloud and that daily. 4. As they were transgressed in respect of the right manner of obseruing them.
Now though these ceremonies belong not to vsus Christians, yet we are in the same debt by nature, that they were, though wee hauehave not that way of expressing our debt.
Quest. But how could that which God commanded them to do be against them? Answ. Many waies, 1. When they failed in the matter, as when they offered strange fire or sacrificed their sonnes. 2. When they did anger God by omissions, or delaies, as when Moses tri…led out the circumcision of his sonne. 3. When they did it for wrong ends, as when the whore would sacrifice to colour her whoredomes, Pro. 5. or when men did thinke thereby to make amends for their sinnes, Ier. 7. or when they vsed them for the hurt of Gods children, as Balaam vsed his sacrifice. 4. When they mingle their owne inuentions with Gods ordinances; and their feare towards God was taught by the precepts of men. 5. When they did vse them, as a burthen, and it was a wearinesse to them. Lastly, when they that vsed them were wicked men, and did vse them without knowledge, or faith, or repentance for their sinnes, or the care of the due manner, as many places of scripture shew. And thus may the very law of God be against vsus still, aswell as against them.
The vse of all this cheifly may be to shew, the miserie of eueryevery impenitent sinner, his sinnes are vponupon record, there is the hand-writing against him, let him looke vponupon sacrificing Iewes, and there he may behold man daily in effect saying thus. Thus must it be done to the man that repenteth not of his sins, the obligation lies forfeited, and the Lord may call vponupon him for his debt of 10000. talents when he hath not a farthing to pay, and then he will be cast into prison.
Againe when he saith [vsus] he shewes that this is the estate of all men by nature, there was a hand-writing against the very Apostle himselfe, and such as were in the visible Church, therefore he saith against vsus. Thus of what the ceremonies were in themselues. Now of the discharge from them, there two things may be noted, 1. The manner, Christ put them out, tooke them away, fastned them. 2. The meanes, viz. the Crosse. The summe is, that Christ Iesus by his sufferings on the Crosse, paid our debt, and freed vsus from the hand-writing that was against vsus; the anger of God conceiued against vsus, for the forfeiture, was thereon by the bloud of Christ appeased aRom 5.9., and forgiuenesse of sinnes and debts, therein merited b1. Ioh. 1.7.; And by the bloud of Iesus, the faithfull ouercome the deuill cReuel. 12.11. Heb. 11.28., that had power to destroy, by reason of the forfeiture; and because none of the former agreements would serue by reason of mans weaknes, therefore God makes a new couenant, and seales it by the bloud of Christ vponupon the Crosse dZach 9.11. Heb. 9.18.; and if we would be assured of our release, in particular, First, for the forfeiture in Paradice, we receiue an atonement in the bloud of Christ eRom. 5 11.12.17.; And he that from the curse in Paradice had power ouer death, was now by Christ destroyed fHeb. 2.15.. And for the law of Moses, we are by Christ deliuered both from the rigor of it, and from the curse of it, his owne sacrifice being the propitiatorie, to still the cry of the Law, and to hide it from the eyes of Gods iustice h; and as for the writing of the conscience, the bloud of Christ cleanseth it from dead workes iHeb 9.14., and quieteth it in the declaration of forgiuenes kEph. 1.7.8., and it maketh intercession for sinne lHeb. 12.14.after calling to keep it quiet; and as for the ceremoniall hand-writings they were both fulfilled mCol. 2 17.and abolished in the sacrifice of Christ on the crosse, hee himselfe saying, It was finished. And the more to assure vsus, of our safetie, from these forfeitures, he vseth those diuers phrases, of putting out, taking out of the way, and fastning it to the Crosse.
Vses.The vse of all is, 1. For information; we may see what a case sinne sets vsus in by nature, and how hatefull the nature of sinne is: if wee hauehave any thing to doe with God, why our sinnes lie like so many blocks in our way, and Christ Iesus only can lift them out of the way; and can our wretched hearts delight in sinne, seeing they nailed Christ to the Crosse? It is an easie thing to rent an obligation amongst men, but it was not so easie, to get ours cancelled, it could be rent in no place, but on the Crosse, Christ Iesus himselfe must be fastned to the tree, that he might fasten our cancelled hand-writing therto: and if God spared not his owne Sonne, when he came about this businesse of cancelling the hand-writing, what thinke we shall be the case of all wicked men, that die in their sinnes, and must suffer the whole forfeiture to fall on their necks? if what Christ endured on the Crosse were so painefull, they must not thinke to escape. Hence also we may see what wonderfull cause we hauehave to louelove the Lord Iesus, that hath done all this for vsus, Oh how precious should his memorie be amongst vsus? Finally, here the faithfull should gather singular comfort against the law, sinne, death and hell, seeing here they may be informed all these were nayled vponupon the crosse, and Christ hath openly declared that he hath cancelled whatsoeuer might be to shew against vsus, for any forfeiture or debt of ours whatsoeuer; And shall not wee take heed of running in debt againe, by sinning, after the sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ? or shall wee wretchedly binde our selues to the law againe, by pleading our iustification before God by the works of the law?