Exposition of Colossians, Sermons · Chapter 2 · Verse 21
VER. 21. Touch not, taſte not, handle not.
In this verſe hee doth ſpecifie their decrees and expreſſe them particularly in their owne words, as if hee had ſayd, why are yee helde vnderunder the decrees of falſe teachers, as namely theſe, they ſay vntounto you, Touch not, taſte not, handle not, Interpretation.ſome expound theſe words as ſpoken of diuers things as touch not a dead corps, taſte not of this or that kinde of meate, handle not holy veſſels, and the like, but I take it they may more fitly bee vnderſtood as all ſpoken of the ſame thing (namely) of meates, Touch not, taſte not, handle not, this or that kinde of meate, for that is more agreeable to the context and to the wordes of this verſe, and that matter of meates did put the faithfull of thoſe times both teachers and others to much buſineſſe and trouble both in regard of the zeale that ſome had by legall ceremonies, and in reſpect of continuall vſe of meat and drinke (Touch not) the originall word tranſlated (touch) ſignifies either to touch or to eate, yet but a little, and theſe wordes (touch not) may thus be vnderſtood, eate not, no, not a little, or touch not with thy teeth, or chewe not with thy mouth (taſte not) that is a further degree of prohibition, doe not ſo much as taſte with thy mouth: then followes a third degree yet higher (handle not) doe not lay thine hand on this or that kind of meat, thus then conceiue we theſe words.
Chew not in thy mouth, taſte not with thy tongue, nor lay thine hand, on this or that kinde of meat.
Now heere firſt wee are to marke that the Apoſtle hauing ſayd in generall in the verſe before, bee not burdened with traditions, be not held vnderunder the decrees of men, in this verſe he ſubioynes their particular decrees of touching meates, and hee giues inſtance and example onelyonly of them bee not burdened with traditions as (namely) touch not, taſte not, handle not, this or that kinde of meate, no doubt hee might hauehave inſiſted in many other things, but he thought it moſt needfull to ſtand againſt their ſuperſtitious decrees concerning meats as moſt dangerous to the Coloſſians, and hence wee may gather this concluſion.
That as Satan and his inſtruments do enſnare the ſoules of men in many outward things, ſo not with the leaſt danger Doct. 5 in or about their meats and drinkes.Satan doth dangerouſly tempt and enſnare the ſouls of men in reſpect of meat and drinke.
Satan the enemie of our ſaluation is euer tempting and that dangerouſly in reſpect of meate and drinke either on the right hand or on the left, either to abſtaine as did theſe falſe teachers, or elſe to exceede, hee beganne this kinde of temptation betimes, our firſt Parents were noe ſooner created and placed in Paradice but hee preſently beganne to tempt them about meate, and from that time to this hee neuer reſteth laying ſnares to entrappe vsus, euen in, or about our meat and drinke, and he knowes this temptation to be of great force. Therefore he laid it againſt him that was moſt ſtrong thinking to preuaile but in vaine, euen againſt our Sauiour himſelfe Mat. 4.3. And the reaſons why Satans temptation in, or about meat and drinke is ſo dangerous, are theſe. Reaſons.
Firſt, it is a thing we vſe and muſt vſe daily, and if we want it, without the ſpeciall grace of God, we are readie to vſe any vnlawful meanes to get it, as the ſaying is, hunger will breake ſtone wals, it wil make men wanting grace to break through the commandements of God, by lying, ſwearing, ſtealing, and what not, that they may be ſatisfied.
Againe, if we hauehave it, we are not onelyonly prone to abuſe it in a moſt high degree; witnes the practiſe of beaſtly drunkards; who, not onelyonly glory in their ſtrength to poure in ſtrong drinke, but will beſtow much coſt on others, to make them of their own wretched condition, euen drunkē like themſelues, that they may ſport and laugh at them.
And herein the deuil hath preuailed further then in many other ſins;Note. who will beſtow coſt on others to make them ſin in any kind, only to make themſelues meery? indeed for their profit or credit wicked men will hire others to lie, & to ſwere falſly for them, but for ſport & meeriment only who will be at any great coſt in making others to ſin, except only in drunkeneſſe. This ſhewes plainely, that the deuils tempation, in, or about meat or drink, is exceeding powerful & dangerous, and that he many times preuaileth therin very far in bringing men to an high degree of ſin.
Our care then muſt be to take heed we bee not ouertaken with ſinne, Vſe. in things of neceſſary vſe as our meat and drinke; wee are to watch ouer our hearts, and to hauehave a godly feare in our hearts, in the time of our eating and drinking,we are to watch ouer our harts that ſinne do not creepe vponupon vsus in time of our eating & drinking. Saint Iude doth taxe ſome in his time for want of this, verſe 12. They feaſt with you (ſaith hee) without feare, feeding themſelues; and eſpecially, we are to hauehave this feare in our hearts in the time of feaſting, when wee come to a table furniſhed with ſtore and variety of meats, it is the counſell of the wiſe man, Prou. 23.3. That at ſuch a time we be not deſirous of the dainty meat, for it is deceiuable. To feaſt together is not vnlawfull, holy Iob ſuffered his children ſo to doe, but afterward he called them together and ſanctified them, and offered burnt offerings for them, for Iob thought, Iob 1.5. it may be that my ſonnes hauehave ſinned and blaſphemed God in their hearts, in time of their feaſtings.
And this are we to hauehave a godly ielouſie and ſuſpition of our owne ſelues, that ſinne do not intermingle it ſelfe with our plentifull eating and drinking, and that then our affections doe not ſettle and reſt too much one the ſweetneſſe of our meates and drinks, & that we forget not God the giuer, that we forget not the hunger and thirſt of our poore brethren, Amos 6.6. and that we exceed not meaſure in eating and drinking: and that our hearts may bee poſſeſſed with this godly feare and jelouſie.Note. Let vsus remember what a grieuous thing it is when our table is a ſnare to vsus, it is one branch of that praier that was made againſt the malicious enemies of the Church, Pſal. 69.22. Let their table be a ſnare before them: thus it ſhal be to vsus vnleſſe we watch ouer our hearts in our eating and drinking, euen our meats and drinkes ſhall bee ſnares vntounto vsus. Withall we are to remember that we abuſing the creatures of God, our meates and drinkes, the Lord doth many times ſecretly turne them euen to the hurt of our bodies, thoſe good gifts which he hath ordained for the preſeruation of nature; beeing abuſed, through the Lords iuſt iudgement, are ſometimes turned to the choaking and ouerturning of nature in vsus; for it is iuſt with the Lord, wherein men ſinne, therein for the moſt part to puniſh them; it therefore ſtandeth vsus in hand, if we reſpect the good of our owne ſoules or bodies, not to let our hearts looſe in time of eating and drinking, but to be wary and circumſpect, euen in receiuing our ordinary diet, but ſpecially when we come to a feaſt, take heed that then forgetfulneſſe of God, or our brethren, exceſſe, or any other ſin, doe not intermingle it ſelfe with our eating and drinking.
In the next place, in that falſe teachers among the Coloſſians were not content to ſay, touch not, or eate not, of this or that kinde of meat, but they proceeded further, to forbid the taſting of certaine meates:The mindes of ſuperſtitious perſons are reſtles. I might ſhewe you how reſtleſſe the mindes of ſuperſtitious perſons are, they are neuer content with the number of their owne deuiſed orders & decrees. Thus it is at this day among the Papiſts, one order, one decree is euer and anon inuented among their Monkes, and others of that rable which they call religious, but I will not ſtand on that point. Obſerue wee the manner theſe falſe teachers vſed in putting forth their decrees, they put them forth in the ſingular number, touch not, or thou ſhalt not touch, thou ſhalt not taſte, thou ſhalt not handle, that they might reach eueryevery particular, and in the negatiue, which is of more force then the affirmatiue, they would hauehave them binde as ſtrictly as Gods commandements. Doct. 2
Hence we are to note their curioſity,Falſe teachers are very curious and ſtrict in cauſing their followers to auoide the leaſt touch of things they ſuppoſe to bee vncleane. I cannot properly call it care, but their curioſity and ſtrictneſſe in prouiding that their ſhould be no medling at al with meats, they ſuppoſed vncleane, that men ſhould not touch them, no not taſte of them, nor handle them; and this ſtrictneſſe was not proper to thoſe falſe teachers alone, but hath been found in all of like ſort, in all ages and times, the Apoſtle ſaith Gal. 6.12. that falſe teachers were ſo earneſt and forward in vrging circumciſion on the Galatians, that they conſtrained them to be circumciſed.
Now, this is not to be paſſed by without profit to our ſelues: let vsus therefore thinke on it to this purpoſe, Ʋſe. are falſe teachers ſo ſtrict in cauſing, if poſſibly they may,We are to bee careful, and indeed curious in auoiding all manner of ſinne. their followers to take heed of the leaſt touch, or leaſt medling with that they fancy to be vncleane; Oh; then how much more ought we to be carefull, & if you will curious, in auoiding that which is indeed vnclean (namely) al maner of ſinne: yea, we ought in this reſpect to be ſo ſtrict, as wee are not to touch any meanes, or any occaſion leading vntounto it, not to come into the company of ſuch as are notorious wicked perſons, more then we muſt needs in reſpect of the bond of nature, of office, of place and calling, not careleſlie to come into their company, for that is to touch pitch, and it cannot chuſe but defile vsus. Peter in bad company denyed his Maſter; and hyther too wee may truely apply that of the Apoſtle 2. Cor. 6.17. touch none vncleane thinges; and that alſo of Iude Verſ. 23. hate euen the garment ſpotted by the fleſh: it is too much boldneſſe in ſome who cauſleſſely ſort themſelues with any company.
Ʋſe. 2 Reproofe of ſuch as thinke they may with out danger meddle with ſinnes.And againe, ſome thinke they may without danger, attire themſelues like wantons, gariſhly; and may ſafely vſe filthy and rotten ſpeach at their pleaſure, theſe they thinke are things not to bee ſtood on, and it is too much ſtrictneſſe to make conſcience of them; but what ſaith the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 5.3. Fornication, and all vncleaneſſe, or couetouſneſſe, let it not bee once named among you as it becommeth Saints; the Apoſtle would hauehave vsus not to touch them with the typpe of our tongues. And there is reaſon for it,Note. it is a dangerous thing but to put on the counterfet of ſinne, and for a man to bee but perſonatus peccator, to play the part of a ſinner, as many fooliſh thinke; oh they will but dally with ſinne, they wil but make themſelues meery with a few ribauld termes, they will but touch ſinne and put it from them, before they enter into the groſſe practiſe of it, ſuch perſons as thus ſpeake, or thus thinke, they are not acquainted with the corruption of their their own nature; they muſt learne to know that if ſinne be ſweet in their mouthes, and they delight to ſpeake of it, certainely they will fauour it, and not forſake it till it turne to poyſon in their bowels as Zophar ſaith Iob 20.12. Yea let them know they might as ſafely drinke vp ſtrong poiſon and preſcribe it a meaſure how farre it ſhall worke, for why? whereas they ſay or thinke they will but ſport themſelues with ſinne for a time,Sinne makes ſure worke. and they will leaue it when they pleaſe; they muſt know that ſinne makes ſure worke hauing once ſeazed on them, it will hold them and that faſt by the heart, yea their will it ſelfe is kept in hold and bondage and cannot bee cleanſed till the Lord with his powerfull hand of grace doe deliuer it.
Therefore fancy not to thy ſelfe, thou wilt but touch ſinne for a time and then leaue it; No, no, learne to feare alwaies, bee afraid to come neere the borders of ſinne, flie from it as thou wouldeſt from one ſicke of the plague, whoſe breth thou wilt auoid, and the needleſſe touching of any thing about him: bee not thou like the foole ſpoken of, Prou. 14.16. Who rageth and is careleſſe, who hath neither quicke ſight to eſpie and foreſee the occaſions of ſinne, nor care to ſhunne them, but goes on ſecurely till ſome heauy iudgement ouertake him.