Exposition of Colossians, Sermons · Chapter 2 · Verse 22
VER. 22. Which all periſh with the vſing, and are after the commandements and doctrine of men.
In this Verſe our Apoſtle brings two other arguments to diſſwade the Coloſſians from ſuffering themſelues to be held vnderunder the decrees of men, of not touching, taſting, or handling this or that kinde of meate.
The firſt, is from the condition of things, about which their decrees were in theſe words, (which all periſh with the vſing) it may thus bee conceiued, ſuch decrees as are of tranſitory things, the obſeruation whereof hath no force nor ſtrength to ſaluation and to life euerlaſting, you are not to place holineſſe and religion in them, but ſuch are theſe decrees (touch not, taſte not, handle not) and that is laid downe in the proofe of it, theſe are of things vaniſhing and paſſing away with the vſing of them, they endure no longer, therefore you are not to place holineſſe and religion in them.
The ſecond argument is from the efficient cauſe of ſuch decrees of men, that they were the commandements of men, and therefore they ſhould not ſuffer themſelues to be held vnderunder them.
Interpretation.Of theſe in order. (Which all periſh with the vſing) (that is) all which touching, taſting, and handling, together with the things to be touched, taſted, and handled, (periſh with the vſing) the words ſignifie (are to corruption in the vſe) the meaning is, are conſumed in the vſe, or are corruptible, and endure no longer then the very vſe of them and both they and the vſe of them doe vaniſh and paſſe away with the time.
Now, heere firſt the argument of the Apoſtle is to bee conſidered, in that he reaſoneth thus; that the decrees of falſe teachers were of things periſhing, and paſſing away with the vſe of them, and therefore the Coloſſians ought not to place holineſſe in them. Hence we are giuen to vnderſtand thus much.
Doctr. 1 That holineſſe, religion, and the worſhip of God, conſiſteth not in vaniſhing things, it is not in things that paſſe away with the vſing, and are onelyonly appointed for our vſe in this mortall life, as in meate and drinke, in daies in apparell, and the like; theſe things of themſelues make vsus not more or leſſe holy in the ſight of God.Tranſitory things of this life doe not of themſelues make vsus more or leſſe holy in Gods ſight. I ſay, theſe things of themſelues; wee may ſinne, and that grieuouſlie, in the vſe of ſuch things, and we may pleaſe God in the moderate and ſober vſe of them; but the things themſelues, or actions about them conſidered by themſelues, doe not make vsus more or leſſe holy. 1. Cor. 8 8. The Apoſtle ſaith plainely, meate maketh not vsus acceptable to God; for, neither if we eate, hauehave we the more, neither if we eate not hauehave we the leſſe. The meaning is, more or leſſe piety and religion, or are more or leſſe pleaſing to God, Rom. 14.17. The Apoſtle ſaith, the kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke (that is) religion and the power of it, ſtandeth not in meate and drinke, but in righteouſneſſe, and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghoſt.
The reaſon is this, becauſe godlineſſe and religion as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Tim. 4.8. is profitable, it is of vſe to all things hauing the promiſe, both of this life, and of that which is to come.
Now meate and drinke and other outward things, Reaſon. beeing appointed onelyonly for the vſe and neceſſity of the body, they reach no further then this life, the vertue and efficacie of them doth not extend it ſelfe any further then to this preſent life; therefore godlineſſe and religion cannot ſtand in them.
It will be ſaid, Object. doth not religion and the worſhip of God conſiſt in any vaniſhing thing, in any thing that paſſeth away with the vſing; what ſay you then to the waſhing of water in Baptiſme, and to eating and drinking at the Lords Table, doe not theſe things paſſe away with the time?
I anſwer, Anſw. indeed the outward and bodilie actions are ended with the time of vſing, but the force and efficacy of theſe actions reacheth further; euen to ſignifie and ſeale vp grace to life euerlaſting, they are ordained of God to ſignifie & ſeale vp grace to life eternal and are auailable to that purpoſe and therfore not to bee eſteemed as things vaniſhing and paſſing away with the vſe of them. But for the point in hand, I hope it is cleare, that Religion and the worſhip of God conſiſteth not in things vaniſhing and paſſing away with the time.
And firſt, this meets with that error of the Papiſts, who place a principall part of Gods worſhip in the vſe of outward Vſe. 1 vaniſhing things,Confutation of the Papiſts placing a chiefe part of Gods worſhip in the vſe of outward things. they hold it a great part of holines & religion, to weare this or that kind of habit, to abſtaine from one kind of meat and to eat another; it is a ſtrange thing that men ſhould be ſo ſimple, eſpecially, that men of vnderſtanding ſhould be ſo ouerſeen, as to perſwade themſelues that the very vſing of this or that outward thing, the abſtaining from this or that kind of meate, ſhould make any thing to eternall life, that a thing corruprible in it ſelfe and conſumed in the vſe, and hauing no further vſe, but naturall, for the preſent neceſſitie of the body ſhould any thing auaile to life euerlaſting. This is a ſtrange thing but that by the iuſt iudgement of God they are giuen ouer to themſelues.
Vſe. 2 For the vſc of the point to our ſelues, is it ſo that religion ſtandeth not in vaniſhing things,We muſt look that our religion bee not in vaniſhing things. in ſuch things as paſſe away with the vſing of them: then, I beſeech you, let vsus eueryevery one looke that our religion (for we will be held ſuch as hauehave religion, and ſuch as worſhip God in ſpirit and truth) Let vsus therefore looke, that our religion be not in things vaniſhing, tranſitorie, and paſſing away with the time; there is no doubt, but moſt of vsus, if not all of vsus, can diſcerne the groffeneſſe of Poperie, and cry ſhame on it, in placing religion in not touching, not taſting, or not handling this or that kind of outward thing; yet we our ſelues many of vsus hauehave no other religion, but euen that which is found in vaniſhing things, in things paſſing away together with the time: for what elſe is our formall hearing of the word, our receiuing of the Sacraments of cuſtome, and for faſtiion, our praiers vttered with the mouth, when our hearts are wandring farre from God; yea the iudgements of God being vponupon vsus in plague, vnſeaſonable weather, and ſuch like. Will not we ſometimes confeſſe, and ſay, theſe things are come on vsus for our ſinnes, and yet what is ſuch confeſſion in the moſt of vsus, but a vaniſhing thing, a fleting motion, euen a thing paſſing away with our breath, and the ſpeaking of it, we hauehave not any ttue ſenſe and feeling of our ſinnes, neither will we (as we ought) come to any particular ſinne of our owne confeſſing, that to hauehave deſerued ſuch a iudgement; what then is this but to place our religion in things vaniſhing, and paſſing away with the time: indeed I confeſſe that hearing the word and receiuing the Sacraments are not vaniſhing things in themſelues, they hauehave vſe both in good and bad, in the one ſort to life and ſaluation, in the other to iudgement and condemnation, but beeing formally vſed they are vaniſhing things, in reſpect of theit ſauing and comfortable vſe, they paſſe away with the time, in reſpect of that vſe we are not bettered by them, wee hauehave no profit by them to life and ſaluation; and if we place our religion in a formall hearing of the word or receiuing the ſacraments, and thinke wee are religious in ſo doing, ſurely, our religion is not ſound, it is but hypocriſie, let vsus take knowledge of it, and let vsus not thinke it ſufficient, if we come to the Church, heare the word, and receiue the Sacraments, vnleſſe we finde theſe exerciſes of holineſſe, and of the worſhip of God, powerfull in working grace in vsus, and of comfortable vſe to our owne ſaluation, yea, let vsus euer looke that our religion bee found in things permanent, and ſuch as hauehave vſe to life euerlaſting, as in faith, hope, louelove to God and men, humility, patience, and in workes of mercy; for theſe indeed paſſe not away with the vſing, but endure to life euerlaſting, though the action of them bee tranſient, and paſſe away with the time, and yet being done by a true beleeuer, one that is in Chriſt, the good of it remaines after the action, yea, the good of it ſhall follow him when all things in the world forſake him, for they leaue him at the graue, but that ſhall follow him to heauen, as ſaith the holy Ghoſt, & that is a notable inducement to ſtir vsus vp to the doing of good, and to the practiſe of religion in this manner.
In the next place, from the matter of this reaſon of the Apoſtle, in that hee ſaith (which all periſh with the vſing meaning meats forbidden by the Law of Moſes, and the touching, taſting & handling of them; we may eaſily ſee this concluſion laid before vsus; that food of the body, corporall meat and drinke, and the actions about them in the vſe of them, namely eating and drinking paſſe away with the time, and reach no further then the time of this life, I neede not ſpend much time in proouing this poynt, it will eaſilie be confeſſed to be a truth, Matth. 15.17. our Sauiour hath ſet it downe as a generall concluſion that whatſoeuer entreth into the mouth goeth into the bellie, and is caſt into the draught, it periſheth and is conſumed, 1. Cor. 6.13. the Apoſtle ſayth, meates are ordained for the bellie, and the bellie for meates, but God ſhall deſtroy both it and them (to wit in reſpect of eating and drinking, and ſhall cauſe theſe actions to ceaſe, and the vſe the bellie hath in time of this life, for in the life to come there ſhall be no vſe of meate or drinke, we ſhall be as the Angels of God in Heauen; what is our vſe of this point?
Vſe. Surely that which our Sauiour hath taught vsus Ioh. 6.27. That we labour not for the meat which periſheth, but for that meate that endureth to euerlaſting life,We are not to labour for the meat that periſheth but for that which endureth to life euerlaſting a duty wherein moſt of vsus are much wanting, wee labour and toile, and ſpend the ſtrength of our bodies in ſeeking onelie after bodilie foode, and hauehave little or no care to ſeeke after the foode that endureth to eternall life; yea, manie are ſo eager in ſeeking after the foode of their bodies that they will hauehave it though it be with the loſſe of Gods fauor, and with the breach of a good conſcience, witneſſe that buying of trifles, peares and apples, and ſuch like on the Sabboth day, this argues wee care not for any other thing, but that wee may hauehave to fill our bellies, let as many as are thus minded, whoſe bellie is their God, Phillip. 3.19. let them know that this ſinne is highly diſpleaſing to God, yea ſuch a ſinne as brings downe Gods curſe on all that they hauehave in ſpeciall manner, for ſo the Lord hath threatned Ierem. 17, 27. if yee will not heare mee to ſanctifie the Sabboth day, &c. Let vsus then know that wee are no gainers by breaking the Sabboth, wee thinke we get much by it, but the Lord will either conſume our goods with fire or ſend a curſe that like an vnquenchable fire ſhall deuour all that wee hauehave; Let vsus then learne to keepe the Lords Sabboth holie, and to beſtow it in holie exerciſes, and on that day eſpecially to labour and ſeeke after that meat that endureth to life euerlaſting, this is that one thing abfolutelie needefull ſpoken of, Luke the 10. and 24. verſes, Maries parte, though the entertainement of Chriſt was as neceſſarie as anie outward buſineſſe, yet not neceſſarie in reſpect of this one thing for without this a man cannot bee ſaued,Note. which hee may without any thinge elſe hauing this.
Come we now to the arguments of the Apoſtle being three in number, by which hee diſwades the Coloſſians from ſubmitting themſelues to the decrees of falſe teachers in the words following (and are after the commandements and doctrines of men.)
The firſt argument is from the efficient cauſe of theſe decrees (namely) men, that they were the fruite of mens braines, and therefore they ought not to place religion in the obſeruation of them; now touching this argument, a doubt muſt be remooued before we come to the words of it (namelie) this, it may ſeeme by the argument,A doubt propounded. that the tarditions and decrees of men before ſpoken of verſe the 20. were ſuch as were meerelie inuented and deuiſed by the braine of men, and not (as we ſaid) ſuch as were deriued from the ceremoniall Law of Moſes, for then they ſhould not be ſaid to bee commandements and doctrines of men.
For remoouall of this ſcruple wee muſt call to minde that which wee hauehave often heard that the rites and ceremonies of the Law, Anſw. were to endure but for a time (namelie) for the time of the old Teſtament, till the comming and death of Chriſt, he being come in the fleſh, their time was out in regard of the obſeruation of them: therefore to deliuer things deriued from thence as neceſſary now to be obſerued, is no precept of God but of man, though before the comming of Chriſt they were things commanded by God himſelfe, yet now beeing abrogated to deriue anie thing from thence as neceſſarie to be obſerued may be truelie ſaid to be no precept of God, but of men; we may eaſilie conceiue this by the like, it is Gods Law that a woman ſhould bee bound to her husband ſo long as he liues and he being dead then to bee free from him, ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.2. Now then if men by their commandements binde her to him after he is dead, and decree that ſhe is ſtill bound to him, and that it is vnlawfull for her to take another man to her husband, ſurely, that is not Gods Law, but a commandement and decree of men, ſo is it in this caſe, the people of God being bound to the things preſcribed in the Law of Moſes, but for a time, if men decree that they are ſtill bound to them as before, that time being expired, that is not Gods commandement, but the commandement and doctrine of men: and ſo this argument makes nothing againſt my former expoſition, that by traditions we are to vnderſtand decrees of men deriued from the ceremoniall Law of Moſes, the words of this argument hauehave no difficulty in them, they are to be conceiued according to the proper ſignification of them, and the meaning of the Apoſtle in them is.
That the decrees of men of not touching, not taſting, not handling, though they ſeemed to be decrees deriued from the ceremoniall Law of Moſes, yet indeed they were only the commandements and teachings of men, and had no ground nor warrant from the word of God.
We are in the firſt place to conſider the argument it ſelfe in that the Apoſtle reaſoneth thus, that the Coloſſians ſhould not be held vnderunder thoſe decrees of falſe teachers, of not touching, not taſting, not handling, as things of neceſſary obſervation vntounto their ſaluation, becauſe they were precepts and commandements of men, hauing no ground in the word of God; we are plainely taught thus much.
That men can giuegive no precepts nor rules without warrant from the worde of God of neceſſarie obſeruation to life euerlaſting: rules giuen by men not grounded on Gods worde in caſe of religion, in matters of faith and manners are not of any moment, or of any neceſſity, we are not neceſſarily bound to the obſeruation of them as things needfull to life and ſaluation.
The reaſons of this are manifeſt. Reaſons.
Firſt, mans eye is not onelyonly dimme or bleared, but ſtarke blinde in heauenly things; therefore men can giuegive no direction for the way to life eternall.
Secondly, the written word of God containes all things needfull to be knowen, beleeued or practiſed, and is ſufficiently able to make wiſe to ſaluation. 2. Tim. 3.15. Therfore other rules beſides that are needleſſe, and if any be giuen as needfull to ſaluation, we are not bound to obſerue them. This I note in a word, to let vsus ſee what we are, Ʋſe. to deeme of the vnwritten traditions of the Papiſts,The obſeruation of popiſh vnwritten traditions is dangerous & damnable. of their rules of abſtinence from meat and drink, marriage and the like, which they vrge on men as things of neceſſary obſeruation, and ſay the breach of them is a damnable and a deadly ſin, wee are to know there is no neceſſity in the obſeruation of them, but rather indeede the obſeruation of ſuch decrees and precepts is dangerous, yea, it is damnable & deadly to obſerue them as the Papiſts would hauehave men obſerue them with opinion of neceſſity, and of merit, and as a part of holines and religion. Why but ſay they did not the Apoſtles, impoſe it as a neceſſary law and decree on the Gentiles conuerted,Act. 15.28.29 that they ſhould abſtain from things offred to idols, and bloud, and that that is ſtrangled, Object. and from fornication, they ſay it ſeemed good to the holy Ghoſt and to vsus, to lay no more burthen vponupon you then theſe neceſſary things, the things there ſpoken of, ſome of them beeing ceremoniall were abrogated by the death of Chriſt, and yet they cal them neceſſarie things, they hauing decreed the obſeruation of them.
They cal them neceſſary, not becauſe they were by their decree in that manner neceſſary as they were vnderunder the Law, but in reſpect of the edification of the weake, Anſw. for charity did require that the Gentiles conuerted ſhould not vſe their liberty in eating bloud and ſtrangled amonge their weake brethren the Iewes, and thereby cauſe them to ſtumble and to bee offended: but rather it was neceſſary that they ſhould abſtaine from that liberty, for the edification of their brethren, and that is the meaning of the Apoſtles in ſaying (theſe neceſſary things) and ſo the Papiſts hauehave heereby no aduantage for maintaining any neceſſity in their rules and decrees, not warranted by the word of God.
Obſerue we further that the Apoſtle in propounding this argument ſaith not onelyonly after the commandements but addes to that (and doctrines of men) no doubt of purpoſe to auoyd an exception that the Coloſſians might iuſtly make, for if he had ſaid onelyonly after the commandements of men, they might hauehave ſayd indeed theſe decrees of not touching, not taſting, not handling, are the commandements of men, but yet it may bee they are the doctrines of God, they are commanded by men we confeſſe, but happily taught of God, now to take away all occaſion of ſuch exception, the Apoſtle ſaith, they were both the commandements and doctrines of men.
Doctr. 4 Hence we are put in minde of a difference of mens commandements.Some commandements of men are alſo mens doctrines and not to bee obeyed; other commandements of men there bee which are alſo taught of God and to them obedience is due. Some are the cōmandements of men, & are alſo the doctrins of men (as were theſe decrees of falſe teachers) and not taught of God at all in his word, either expreſſely or by neceſſary conſequent, and theſe we are to renounce, and not to yeeld obedience vntounto. Other commandements of men, there bee which are alſo taught of God, and to them we are to yeeld obedience, for example, it is the commandement of man, that we aſſemble our ſelues publikely to heare the word, and this alſo is a thing commanded of God, and wee are bound to ſubmit our ſelues to this commandement of man, and if we do not the Magiſtrate may lawfully compell vsus, as it is ſayd of good King Ioſiah, 2. Chro. 34.32. he cauſed all that were found in Ieruſalem, and Beniamin euen all his ſubiects to ſtand to the couenant he had made, yea, ver. 33. it is ſayd, he compelled all that were found in Iſrael to ſerue the Lord his God: Vſe. And this meetes with that cauill of the Browniſts againſt the conſtitution and planting of our Church in this land.Confutation of the Browniſts touching the conſtitution and planting of our Church in England. They ſay wee hauehave no Church truely planted, and why ſo? becauſe ſay they, your Church was gathered only by the commandement of the Magiſtrate, after Poperie was put downe men were compelled by the Magiſtrate to make profeſſion of the faith, and their profeſſion was not voluntary.
Anſw. Anſw. It is a meer vntruth, to ſay that the true members of the Church in this land were gathered by the commandement of the Magiſtrate, and compelled to make true profeſſion of the faith, the Magiſtrate neuer tooke on him that power to compel men to beleeue or to make true profeſſion of the faith that was wroght by the Spirit of Chriſt working by the word, indeed the Magiſtrate did only that he might lawfully do, yea, that which he was commanded to doe, that is, command the word publikely to bee preached, and men to aſſemble themſelues to the hearing of it, which was a meanes to make men of vnwilling to become willing to beleeue and to profeſſe the faith; the word preached, was that which from time to time wrought faith in the hearts of true beleeuers: therefore our Church in this land is truly gathered and planted, ſay the Browniſts what they can to the contrary. Come we to verſe 23.