Forty-nine Sermons upon Colossians, Part 2 · Sermon 27
The Twenty-ſeventh SERMON.
COL. CHAP. II. VER. XVI, XVII.
Ver. xvi. Let no man condemn you in meat, or in drink, or in the diſtinction of a feſtival day, or of a new moon, or of ſabbaths.
Ver. xvij. Which things are ſhadows of thoſe that were to come; but the body of them is in CHRIST.
DEar Brethren, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST doth excellently ſhew us the difference of that Evangelical ſervice which he hath inſtituted in his Church, from the Legal ſervice which had place in Iſrael under the Old Teſtament; when ſpeaking of it to the Samaritan, he ſaith, Woman, John 4.21, 23believe me, the hour cometh, that neither in this mountain, nor at Jeruſalem, ſhall ye worſhip the Father; But the true worſhippers ſhall worſhip the Father in ſpirit and in truth. Under the Law, the ſervice of GOD was affixed to certain places, as the Temple at Jeruſalem, and the Land of Canaan; to certain times, as Sabbaths, New Moons, and thoſe great Feaſts of the Paſſover, Pentecoſt, and Tabernacles; to certain corporeal things, as Beaſts, and other Kinds, which were offered upon a material Altar, with divers ceremonies; and to certain ſorts of Meat; it being not permitted at that time to eat of any other. But now the LORD JESUS hath abrogated this adhering to places, to times, and to the elements of this world, as a low and childiſh exerciſe; and appointed for his people a ſervice altogether ſpiritual and divine, proportioned to that admirable light of knowledg which he hath ſhed into the hearts of the faithful; a ſervice that wholly conſiſteth in love to GOD, charity and beneficence towards our Neighbour, and in honeſty and purity in reſpect of our ſelves. This is the true ſervice of the Deity; worthy of man that preſents it, and of GOD that receives it; ſince man is a reaſonable Creature, and GOD a Spirit infinitely good and holy; according to what our Saviour addeth, that the Father ſeeketh ſuch to worſhip him; and that being a Spirit, they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth. But though this kind of ſervice be ſo juſt and ſo rational in its ſelf; and though the LORD JESUS have ſo clearly inſtituted it by his Divine Authority; yet, on the other part, the inclination of our nature is ſo violent towards groſs and earthly things, that even among thoſe who make profeſſion of acknowledging JESUS CHRIST for the Son of GOD, a multitude is found that cannot let go theſe bodily exerciſes, in which a part of Divine Service did heretofore conſiſt. The Apoſtle teſtifies in divers places, that there were ſuch in his time; 1 Tim. 4.3.and he advertiſeth us in others, that there would alſo be ſuch in after-ages; and the event hath preciſely anſwered his prediction: an evident ſign, it was the Spirit of Truth, that is, the Spirit of GOD, which illuminated his underſtanding, and cauſed him to ſee in thoſe days, things hidden in a time to come, ſo far beyond the reach of the natural ſight of men. It's againſt theſe people that he laboureth, in this Chapter, for to defend from their abuſing them, not only the Coloſſians, to whom he writes, but alſo the faithful of all Ages. He laid firm and unmovable foundations of the truth, in his foregoing diſcourſe; and the ſame, as his manner is, with great ſtrength, and glorious evidence; ſhewing us, that we have all thoſe advantages plentifully in JESUS CHRIST, upon pretence of which, error would introduce its inventions and carnal obſervations; that in him we have all fulneſs neceſſary to compleat us; that his Reſurrection and his Spirit do diveſt us of all the vices of the fleſh; and that his Croſs doth give us full remiſſion of our ſins; ſince it hath both made void the obligation concerning all the puniſhments we owed to Divine Juſtice; and triumphed of all thoſe powers that were capable of accuſing or tormenting us. Whence it clearly followeth, that it's a vanity for any to go about to oblige us unto legal and material obſervations, ſeeing that we moſt perfectly have, in the death and reſurrection of our LORD, all that ſanctification and juſtification, for the advancing of which it is pretended that theſe things do ſerve. This is, Dear Brethren, the direct concluſion that the Apoſtle doth now deduce from that excellent and divine Doctrine which he eſtabliſhed afore. Therefore, ſaith he, let no man condemn you in meat, or in drink, or in the diſtinction of a feſtival day, or of a new moon, or of ſabbaths. Which things are ſhadows of thoſe that were to come, but the body of them is in CHRIST. He firſt forbids them to ſuffer themſelves to be put in ſubjection to theſe legal things; and next, he brings them a reaſon for it, taken from their nature, for that theſe things were but ſhadows; of which JESUS CHRIST hath exhibited to us, and given the true body. Theſe ſhall be, by the will of GOD, the two points we will handle in this Exerciſe; obſerving, in the one and the other of them, what we ſhall judg conducible to your edification.
Thoſe Seducers, whom the Apoſtle oppoſeth in this place, had drawn the devotions which they would add to the Goſpel, partly from the Moſaical Law, partly from Heathen Philoſophy, and partly out of their own imagination; whence it comes, that in one of the precedent Verſes he adviſed the Coloſſians to beware that no one made a prey of them by philoſophy and vain deceit, Col. 2.8.after the tradition of men, and the rudiments of the world. They had borrowed from Moſes, circumciſion, and the diſtinction of meats and days. They had beg'd from the Schools of Philoſophy, the worſhipping of Angels, and the vain diſcourſes wherewith they colour'd over this abuſe; and they had invented of themſelves certain auſterities and pretended mortifications, of which they made great account in Religion. See, I beſeech you, what an heap of ſtrange things the Spirit of Superſtition did, even at that time, thruſt into Chriſtianity; that you be not amazed, if men, in ſo many ages as have rouled down ſince thoſe days, purſuing the ſame deſign unheeded, according to the paſſion of their fleſh, have by little and little quite fill'd up Religion with the like ſervices and obſervations; and, as it were foul'd and dirted that pure and clear Fountain of our Saviour's Diſcipline, with the dregs and ſediment of their inventions. For if fleſh had the impudence to promote ſuch abuſes, during the lives, and under the eyes of the Apoſtles; how much more would it have the boldneſs to enterpriſe, and facility to execute it, during the night of ſo many ages, which were not only deſtitute of the light of thoſe great Tapers, but alſo overſpread with the darkneſs of groſſeſt ignorance. But let us ſee how S. Paul condemneth the Traditions of thoſe of his age, to the end we may preſerve our ſelves from thoſe of our own, by the example and authority of his Doctrine. He ſpake before of circumciſion, to which they would have had Chriſtians ſtill ſubmit themſelves. He now takes to task their other abuſes; and firſt, the diſtinction they made of days, and of meats; and next, in the verſes following, their Doctrine touching Angels, and the worſhip they gave them; and laſt of all, their Diſciplines and Mortifications, from the 20th Verſe to the end of the chapter. We will ſee, by the grace of GOD, the two other parts of His diſpute, each of them in its place. As for the former, the Apoſtle taxeth here two ſorts of deſtinctions, or obſervations, which theſe men made in religion; the one of meats, the other of days. And as to the latter, he noteth particularly, and by name, ſome of the days, which they obſerved, to wit, Feſtivals, new Moons, and Sabbaths. But about the other, he expreſſeth himſelf in general only, ſaying ſimply, Let no man condemn you in meat, or in drink, without declaring particularly the kind of meat, or drink, which they prohibited, or permitted; ſo as, the Apoſtle not telling it us, and we having no light in it neither any other way, it is not eaſy for us to know preciſely, what the meats were, the diſtinction whereof theſe people did ſet up. For firſt, the Law of Moſes, whence they had taken ſome part of their diſcipline, did forbid a great number of meats, and contained ſeveral very ſcrupulous regulations about eating, as you may ſee in the eleventh chapter of Leviticus, and in other places: Among the beaſts of the field, it permitted the Jews to take none for meat, but ſuch as chew the cud, and divide the hoof: and among fiſhes, none but ſuch as have fins, and ſcales: and by this rule, it baniſh'd from their tables, Hares, Rabbets, Leverets, The Hog, the Lamprey, the Tortoiſe, and many other kinds: that I may not ſpeak of ſeveral ſorts of birds, which were interdicted them. It was an abomination for them, ſo much as to touch any of theſe things. And for drink, though there was no general rule given, yet they had divers particular obſervations which do referr unto it; as for inſtance, N…m. 19.15.they were not to drink any liquor drawn out of a veſſel that had no cloſe cover; and the more devout, abſteined from wine, and ſtrong drink, either for ever or for ſome time only, according to the law of the Nazarites. And that they might not fall unwittingly, into the tranſgreſſing of ſome of theſe rules, they did never eat with Pagans, or of any meat, they had dreſs'd, for fear, there might have been ſome lard in it, or ſome other mixture of things prohibited them: or that their meat, and drink had been offer'd to idols, as with the Pagans was ordinary; a thing they greatly had in abomination. For this cauſe, Daniel, and his fellows, Dan. 1.8.would not taſte of the meat, or of the wine of the King of Babylon's table: deſiring rather to eat nothing but pulſe, and drink nothing but water, then put themſelves upon the danger of being defiled. And hereto we muſt referr, that eating herbs, which the Apoſtle reports of thoſe weak ones, Rom. 14.2.who ſtill retained the Moſaical diſtinction of meats. The meaning is, that living among Pagans, and fearing leſt the victuals they ſold in their ſhambles, and ſhops were defiled one way or other, they forbore them, and reſtrain'd themſelves to herbs, in which they feared no ſuch thing. The Judaical rules about eating and drinking being ſuch, it is hard to ſay, whether the Seducers reteined them all in general, or obſerved only part of them. Great probability there is, that they adhered to them in ſome ſort, either in whole, or in part. Yet drawing a part of their obſervations (as they did) from the ſinks of ſecular Philoſophy, it might well be, that beſide what they had taken out of Judaiſm to this purpoſe, they did mingle with it ſome obſervances of the Philoſophers alſo, who likewiſe had their abſtinences, as we underſtand by the books of the ancients. And that of the Pythagoreans is ſufficiently known who fed on herbs, and fruits only, forbidding the uſe of all animated things. It is very likely, that thoſe falſe Apoſtles, upon whom S. Paul hath his eye here, had ſome ſuch diſcipline, conſidering that which he addeth afterwards, of the nature, and ends of their abſtinences. And this is that, which we may ſay, concerning their laws about the matter of eating and drinking.
As for the days, which they obſerved; all thoſe, that the Apoſtle nameth in the Text, were taken out of Judaiſm. For that the new Moons, by which the Hebrews began all the months of their year, (as the moſt part of the people of the Eaſt do to this day) that they, I ſay, were ſolemnly obſerv'd among the Jews, do's appear, both by divers places in Moſes; where he ordeineth, Num. 10.10. & 28.11. Pſal. 81.4.that a Trumpet be ſounded at the beginning of the month, and that certain peculiar ſacrifices be offered unto GOD: and alſo by that Pſalm, where the Prophet commandeth, to ſound the trumpet, on the new Moon, upon the ſolemn feaſt-day, and again by Iſaiah, where GOD, rejecting the vain ſervices, which hypocrites preſented Him, without any true, … 13 14.faith, or devotion, doth ſay. As for the new Moons, and the Sabbaths, and the opening of your convocations, I can no longer bear the trouble of them, nor of your ſolemn aſſemblies. My ſoul hateth your new Moons, and your ſolemn feaſts. They are grievous to me. I am weary to bear them. As concerning the Sabbath, that is, the ſeventh day of every week, which we call Saturday, no body is ignorant, with what devotion it was obſerved, and kept holy, by the Jews; according to the ordinance of GOD, repeated in divers places of Moſes, and even regiſtred among the ten articles of the Decalogue. Again, by the feſtivals, which S. Paul mentions, he meaneth thoſe high days, which, beſides the Sabbaths, and new Moons, that went on in the ordinary ſucceſſion of weeks, and months, were ſolemnized at certain ſeaſons of the year; as the Paſſeover, on the fourteenth day of the firſt month, remarkable for the immolation of the Lambe, and for the unleavened bread, N…m 24.and laſted ſeven dayes; Pentecoſt, which was kept fifty dayes after the Paſſeover; and the feaſt of Tabernacles, which was celebrated the fifteenth day of the ſeventh month, and laſted ſeven dayes, which the people ſpent under Tents, and Booths. So, you ſee, the Apoſtle doth here point at all the three kinds of Jewiſh feaſts; thoſe of the year, which he calleth ſimply, feſtivals: to wit, the Paſſeover. Pentecoſt, and the Tabernacles: thoſe of months, which were the new Moons; and in fine, thoſe of the weeks, which were the Sabbaths.
Now whereas, the French hath tranſlated it, in the diſtinction of a feſtival day, it is word for word in the original, in part of a feſtival day which ſome take to ſignify, in reſpect of feſtivals, or upon the account of feſtivals: in the ſame ſenſe, that S. 1 Pet. 4.16.Peter ſeems to uſe the word, when he ſaith, If any man ſuffer, as a Chriſtian, let him not be aſhamed, but let him glorify GOD in this part, or in this behalf, that is, in this reſpect, and as to this matter. And thus the Apoſtle in this place would ſay, let no man condemn you in regard of feſtivals; or for feſtivals; that is, in the matter of the obſervation of certain dayes. But the word here uſed, being the root of that other, which in Greek ſignifies to diſtinguiſh, to ſever, to divide; as in French, partir, and partager, do come from the word part, or partie; that Interpreter hath not ſucceeded ill, in rendring it, the diſtinction. For they, that keep holy certain dayes, and make them feſtival, do diſtinguiſh them from others, and ſet them apart to obſerve, and celebrate them quite otherwiſe, then they do other dayes. For ſubſtance, the Apoſtles intention is clear; namely, that he forbids every man, whoever he be, to condemn Chriſtians, in reſpect of the uſe of certain meats, and the obſerving of certain dayes. Let no man condemn you, ſaith he, in eating, or in drinking, or in diſtinguiſhing of a feſtival day, or of a new Moon, or of Sabbaths. It is properly in the Original, Let no man judge you; and this word doth aptly ſuite the Apoſtle's ſenſe. For theſe Seducers would make their ordinances, about the diſtinction of meats, and dayes, to paſs for neceſſary laws: which they meant to impoſe on the faithful, and by the ſame, judge them; prayſing, and approving ſuch as abſteined from the meat, they forbad them, and obſerved the dayes they had marked out to them; and condemning as guilty of a ſin, thoſe, that failed to doe the one, or the other. And the Apoſtle, a little after the Text, mocking at their pretended laws, will ſhew us the form of them. Why (ſaith he) are ye charged with Ordinances, to wit, Eat not, taſte not, touch not. And this is that, which ſhould be heedfully marked: For as concerning thoſe, who, through a certain feebleneſs of mind, did at that time ſtill ſcruple the violating of theſe Moſaical diſtinctions, but however without condemning ſuch as practiſed otherwiſe, or obliging them to ſuch obſervations, as neceſſary things; thoſe the Apoſtle would have to be ſupported with patience, and ſweetnes, and he ſharply, reproves ſuch as gave them any offence. But though he hath this condeſcendency for the infirm; yet he is altogether rigid, and inexorable againſt theſe pretended teachers: who acting the Legiſlators, would put Chriſtians under their yoke; and not content with that ſupportance, which would have been given to their infirmity, did pretend to make others ſubject to it, and fiercely condemned thoſe, that obſerved not their traditions. It's to them, what he ſaith here, is addreſſed; Let no man condemn you; let no man judge you. And if notwithſtanding his prohibition, theſe men have the preſumption to proceed, and condemn Chriſtians for ſuch things; it is evident, that in this caſe, he would have us deſpiſe all their judgements, their fulminations, and their anathema's; holding them themſelves worthy of condemnation, ſince they dare to make laws in the houſe of GOD; according to the inſtruction he gives the Galatians, about the ſame. Gal. 1.9.If any one evangelize to you beyond what you have receiv'd let him be an execration. It's thus that the Apoſtle guardeth, and fortifyeth the liberty of Chriſtians, in reference to meats, and dayes, againſt the attempts of all ſuch as would intrude to make laws in the Church about ſuch things, being indifferent in their own nature.
But becauſe theſe falſe teachers covered themſelves with the authority of Moſes; to the end that this pretext might not dazle the eyes of the ſimple, he prevents it; and granting, that ſuch diſtinctions had place yer-while in Judaiſm, by the ordinance of GOD; he ſhews, by the quality of their nature, that the uſage of them is ceaſed now under Chriſtianity. This is the ſignification of thoſe words, which he addeth for the ſecond part of the Text. The which things (ſaith he) are ſhadows of thoſe that were to come; but the body of them is in CHRIST. It is evident, he means the diſtinction of meats, the feaſts, the new Moons, and the Sabbaths, of which he had been ſpeaking, and in general, all other like things: and he ſaith that they are ſhadows of things, which were to come; not to ſignify, that they ſtill ſubſiſt of right, (on the contrary, he affirms, that they have no more place) but ſimply to declare unto us, what their nature is, and for what end they were, both inſtituted of GOD, and practiſed, during their time, by His people. He ſaith then, that they are ſhadows of things to come, of which the body is in CHRIST. A ſhadow is the repreſentation of a body, but an obſcure one, and groſs, and imperfect, and ſuch as ſhews us meerly ſome of its lineaments, and not the lively colour, and true form of its members. Whence it comes that this word is taken, in the Greek language, in which the Apoſtle wrote, for that which we call, a rough draught; which is a dark, and groſs painting, done only with lines, and not with the luſtre, and diverſity of colours; oppoſed to that, which they call, painting to the life. And S. Paul himſelf doth elſewhere make this oppoſition, when he ſaith, that the law had a ſhadow of good things to come, Heb. 10.1.and not (ſaith he) the lively image of the things: and again, in another place, he ſtileth the law, the pattern, Heb. 8.5.and the ſhadow of heavenly things. But here, as you ſee, he takes the word, ſhadow, properly, and not figuratively for a rough draught; oppoſing it to the body its ſelf, which it repreſenteth, and not to another kind of more expreſs, and more lively image. What then is this body, of which the legal obſervations were ſhadows? It is (ſaith the Apoſtle) things to come; a body, which is of CHRIST, or in CHRIST. The things, he meaneth, were already come, and accompliſh'd, for the moſt part, at the time he wrote; foraſmuch as CHRIST, in whom they are, having been manifeſted, hath fullfilled all the myſteries of ſalvation. But the Apoſtle conſidering them as in the time, when the ſhadows were afoot under the Law calls them things to come; becauſe at that time they were indeed not come, CHRIST who was to exhibit them, being not then revealed. At that time, they were future; now they are preſent. Theſe things (my Brethren) are the Offices, and the Benefits of our LORD JESUS, and all the parts of that heavenly diſcipline, which He hath brought into the world. The Apoſtle therefore ſaying, that legal obſervances were ſhadows of them; doth mean, firſt, that they figured them, and referred to them; and ſecondly, that that repreſentation of them, which they afforded, was dusky, and obſcure, and groſs: that it was not a clear, diſtinct, and lively pourtrait of them: but only as it were a tricking, a naked, and ſimple delineation: ſuch as a ſhadow is in reſpect of the body, which projects it. This was one of the principal offices of the Moſaical law; even to figure out the CHRIST, that was to come. For GOD, having purpoſed, in His infinite wiſdome, for juſt, and great reaſons, not to ſend CHRIST into the world, until the laſt ages, and (as the Scripture ſpeaks) the fulneſs of time, did judge it meet, to give in the mean time, the figure, model, or deſigne of this great maſter-piece of work, in the law of Moſes. Firſt, for the entertaining of His people, during this time of their minority, in thoſe low, and puerile exerciſes, which ſuited with the weakneſs of their age, until the revealing of CHRIST; as the Apoſtle excellently teacheth us, Gal. 3.4.in his Epiſtle to the Galatians. Secondly, He proceeded in this manner, for the juſtification of His Goſpel, when it ſhould be once come. For the ſhadows, and delineations of it, which we ſee in the law, do clearly ſhew us, that it is the workmanſhip, and deſignement of GOD; and the admirable reſemblance, between theſe ancient figures, long ſince drawn by His own hand in the Tabernacle of Moſes; and the bodies of the things, that have been revealed in JESUS CHRIST, doth irrefragably prove, that He who heretofore took the care to make thoſe draughts, is Author of the verities they repreſented; and that the body doth deſcend from the ſame Heaven, that at firſt, did make the ſhadows of it to be ſeen. I paſs by, for this time, the Lamb, and the Sacrifices, and the aſperſions, and expiations, and all the Levitical Prieſthood; a true delineation, of our grand Victime offer'd for the ſalvation of the world, and of that eternal righteouſneſs, which His bloud hath procured for us, and other like things, which cannot but with extreme difficulty be mainteined, nor accorded with the ways of the ordinary wiſdom of GOD, ſave by acknowledging, and receiving as veritable, what the Apoſtle doth here teach us, and is evident enough of it ſelf, namely, that all this was heretofore ordained, for the prefiguring of CHRIST.
I will only ſpeak a few words, of the diſtinction of meats, and dayes. The Apoſtle opens the myſtery of it elſewhere. For as to obſervance of meats: giving us order in the Epiſtle to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 5.8.to keep the feaſt of our Paſſoever, not with the old leaven of naughtines, and wickedneſs, but with the unleavened bread of ſincerity, and truth; doth he not clearly ſhew us, that abſtinence, from leavened bread, obſerv'd by the firſt people, was a Picture of the Innocence, and ſanctity of the ſecond? and that by conſequence, it's to the ſame we muſt referr the diſtinction of other legal meats? the beaſts, which were forbidden them, repreſenting by the characters of their natural qualities, thoſe moral imperfections, that is, thoſe vices, and corrupt affections, from which our lives ought to be exempted? As for example, abſtinence from Swines fleſh, which was an abomination to them, did ſignifie, that the people of the Meſſiah ſhould have no commerce with thoſe uncleanneſſes, and ordures of deportment, wherein men of the world, notably repreſented by the genius of this animal, do wallow. And when the ſame Apoſtle telleth us, that we ſhould keep our feaſt, in truth, and ſincerity; and in another place, Hebr. 4 9.that there remaineth unto us a Sabbath, or a reſt; doth he not ſhew us again, that the old feaſts of Iſrael were ſhadows of ours? even of that feaſt, which the Meſſiah hath procured, and appointed for the faithful, and which doth conſiſt in two things; the one, that they do abſteine from the works of ſin, and of the fleſh, the common works of men; and the other, that they do celebrate a reſt in GOD, with eternal joy? Now that the body of theſe ſhadows is in JESUS CHRIST, is evident. For innocency, ſanctity, abſtinence from ſin, joy, and immortality do well in Him fully. There it is, and no other where, that the truth, the example, and pattern, the doctrine, and all the cauſe of them, are to be found; together with an almighty Spirit of light, which alone is capable of producing theſe divine things in every one of us. Whereby you ſee, it is ſo far from being conſequent, upon theſe diſtinctions having been heretofore ordeined of GOD, that we ought now to obſerve them ſtill; that on the contrary, it is to be concluded, we may inſiſt no longer on them. For ſince they were appointed, in the quality of ſhadows, until CHRIST ſhould be revealed; who ſees not, but that now when CHRIST hath been fully manifeſted, it would be meer folly in us to adhere unto them ſtill? even as, if ſeeing, and having in hand the very body of a thing, we ſhould buſy our ſelves in following after, and embracing the ſhadow of it?
Preciſely ſuch, was the extravagancy of theſe falſe Teachers, who are here noted by S. Saul; and ſuch alſo is the errour of all thoſe, who upon the like pretences, intermedle with the impoſing of laws upon Chriſtians, concerning uſage of, or abſtinence from, ſuch things, as are in their nature indifferent. And it is in this matter for one that our adverſaries of Rome, are infinitly to blame: who notwithſtanding the reaſon of the things themſelves, and the ſo clear doctrine of this great Apoſtle, both in this place, and in many other, have made, and conſtituted, a no leſs number of laws, about the diſtinction of dayes, and meats, then were among the Jews themſelves. They have marked more then half of the dayes of the year, ſome with black, and others with white. I call, marked with black, thoſe, which they have devoted to the ſadneſs of faſts, and abſtinences, as all the Fridayes, and Saturdayes of the year, the Ember weeks, the Rogation-dayes, the Advent, the Eves, and Lent. I mean, by marked with white, thoſe which they conſecrate to joy, as that great throng of Holy-dayes, which they diſperſe through all the fower ſeaſons. JESUS CHRIST, the Father of eternity, hath made His Diſciples free from the laws of time, raiſing them up above the Heavens, which do make, and meaſure it. But theſe men, put them in ſubjection to dayes, and months; and reduce them under the yoke of the Jews, and make their piety depend upon the Almanack. If they do not exactly obſerve all the dayes of the year; if they faſt not one day: if they eat not on another; if on one they don't do penance, if they make not mirth on another; though upon the former, they ſhould have cauſe to rejoyce in GOD; and upon the latter to afflict themſelves for their ſins, or their ſufferings; they commit a mortal ſin, though they did it without contempt, or ſcandal. Was there ever a diſcipline leſs reaſonable? or more contrary to the doctrine of S. Paul? who would not have Chriſtians condemned, for the diſtinction of a Feſtival-day, of a new Moon, or of the Sabbaths: who reprehends the Galatians for their obſerving-dayes, and months, and times, and years; Gal. 4.11. Rom. 14 6.and counts it for a weakneſs in faith, to eſteem one day above another?
Neither may it be replyed here, that we alſo do diſcriminate, Sundayes, and Eaſter, and Chriſtmas, and Pentecoſte. We obſerve them for orders ſake, not for Religion: for the Polity of the Church, and not upon ſcruples of devotion. For what a confuſion would there be, if we had no dayes appointed, for the aſſembling of the faithful? It's for our mutual edification, and not for the worth, and value of the dayes themſelves, that we obſerve them; and (as an Ancient ſaid) not, that the day, on which we do aſſemble, is more holy, or more glorious, S. Hie…ome. l. 2. Comment. in Ep. ad Gal. To. 9. p 314.then another; but becauſe, what day ſoever we aſſemble, it's a conſolation to us to behold our ſelves all jointly employed in holy exerciſes. For the main, to us all dayes are equal; as uniform parts of the ſame time, which flow on by the order of one, and the ſame LORD, all of them; and are all employable to His glory: but the neceſſity, and infirmity of this poor life, doth conſtrain us of force to divide, and part them out for divers uſes. If it be thus, O adverſaries, that you diſcriminate-dayes; I ſhall confeſs, I have done wrong, to accuſe you, of croſſing the doctrine of S. Paul. But who knows not, that it is a devotion for dayes; and not the profit of men, that makes you obſerve them? You believe you do GOD ſervice in this very thing, that you feaſt one day; and faſt another. You give it to the dignity of the day, and not to the neceſſity of order, or to your edification; neither do you eſteem dayes alike. Thoſe which you obſerve, you ſet up very high above others, not only by reaſon of the Church's command; but becauſe they have the honour to repreſent, and ſignify ſome myſterious thing. Accordingly you hold, that, beſides the uſe, which Feſtivals may be of for your inſtruction, and your having time for works of piety: your very ſolemnizing of them is a Religious act, ſuch as makes up a part of Divine ſervice, and is (as you ſay) meritorious in the ſight of GOD: which is exactly the opinion, and the practice of thoſe, whom the Apoſtle, in this place, doth oppoſe. For they condemned Chriſtians, not for abſence from the aſſembly of the Church on the day appointed for it, or for having profaned ſuch howers in the world, as were deſtin'd unto the ſervice of GOD, or for having ſcandaliz'd their neighbour by this kind of fault; but only, and preciſely (as you do) for not having celebrated a Feſtival-day.
What ſhall I ſay, of the other point, to wit, the uſe of, and abſtinence from meats? The Apoſtle ſaith, Let no man judge you in eating. In conſcience, dare you affirm, that you judge none of the faithful in this behalf? What mean then thoſe ſo rigorous laws of yours againſt them, that eat any fleſh? thoſe laws of yours, that deprive Chriſtians of this liberty, for more then one third of the year? and condemn that man, who during all this time ſhall taſt one bit of Bief, or Mutton, to as heavy penalties, as if he had committed a deadly ſin? You are come ſo far, as you look not upon thoſe, who violate theſe fine laws, as ſinners: You abhorr them, as pro…ne perſons, and Atheiſts and count them not for Chriſtians. Is not this a grave, and holy diſcipline, and well worthy of S. Paul, and JESUS CHRIST; to make the ſervice of GOD conſiſt in meat; whereof neither abſtinence, Matth. 15. 1 Cor 8 8. Rom. 14.17.nor uſe, (as reaſon ſheweth every one, and as our Saviour, and His Apoſtle do teach) doth pollute, or ſanctify? doth bring loſs, or gain? it being a thing purely indifferent in it's ſelf: good, or evil, only as it hurts, or helps the intereſts of temperance, and charity? But we ſhall have ſhortly a fitter occaſion to ſpeak unto you of this ſubject more at large.
For the preſent, Beloved Brethren, make your profit, I beſeech you, of S. Pauls inſtruction. Uſe the liberty, which the LORD JESUS hath obtained for you, as His Apoſtle doth declare. It is not reaſonable, that men ſhould take from you, what GOD hath given you, and bought with the precious bloud of His Son. Only ſee, Gal. 5.13.that you take not this liberty for an occaſion, to live after the fleſh. Lay by ſhadows, ſince you are no longer children. But embrace the body, which is in JESUS CHRIST. His Kingdom is neither meat, nor drink; and no one will He condemn for having eaten any of the things, which he hath created for the faithful to uſe with thankſgiving. If He otherwhile prohibited ſome of them, it was to deli…ate, and figure out by this fleſhly abſtinence, that which is myſtical, and ſpiritual, whereunto He hath ſhaped you by His croſs. Your abſtinence, Chriſtian, is, to renounce the meat that periſheth; to loath the paſſions, and productions of vice, whereon the world doth feed. It nouriſheth it's ſelf with the works of ſin. Avarice, and ambitions, and injuſtice, and luxury, and the ordures of wantoneſs, and the infamous ſweets of revenge, are the aliments it runs after, and cannot live without. This is, O ye faithful, that fleſh, the uſage whereof is forbidden you. This is the Lent, which JESUS CHRIST, and His Apoſtles, have in truth enjoyned; a Lent to be obſerved, not fourty dayes only, but all the year long: even that we abhorr what is evil; that we eſchew vice, as poiſon; that our lives be pure, and innocent, and clean from all the filthines of the fleſh. This is in truth that abſtinence, that makes a Chriſtian, and without which no man can have place among the members of CHRIST. Gal. 5.24. & 6.14.For they that are His, have crucify'd the fleſh, with the affections, and luſts therefore. The world is crucify'd to them. It's proviſions, it's pleaſures, it's allurements are had in execration of them. Whoever he be, that faſteth this Lent exactly, he ſhall have part in the reſurrection of CHRIST JESUS. Not a man ſhall attain thereto otherwayes. Proſecute it in good earneſt, Chriſtian Souls, and powerfully mortify in your ſelves, all the luſts of this accurſed fleſh, which periſheth it's ſelf, and will make all thoſe periſh too, that deſire it's delights, and cannot wean themſelves from it's deadly dainties. See what JESUS CHRIST hath done, and ſuffer'd for the deſtroying of it. See the excellency of that other divine food, on which He would have you live. Your true food is to fulfil the will of His Father. This is the food of the Prince of glory, and of all His Angels; food, that is holy and immortal; which will leave in your Souls a divine reliſh, and contentment, much better then all the feaſts on earth; and after the conſolations, wherewith it will ſolidly ſtrengthen your conſciences in this life; eternally repaſt you in the Heavens, with the delights of bliſsful immortality.
Brethren, this is the body, whereof the abſtinence of the Jews was the ſhadow, and delineation only. As for their feſtivals, they were alſo figures, verily, not of thoſe in Rome (which, to ſay true, are meer ſhadows, and weak repeſentations themſelves, no leſs then theſe of the Jews; only they are inſtituted by men; whereas the Jewiſh were ordeined of GOD) they were, I ſay, figures of the reſting and ſpiritual contentment of the faithful. Origen. againſt Celſ. s. l. 8. p. 404.Our feſtival (as one of the ancients heretofore anſwered a Pagan, that reproached Chriſtians for their having none) our feſtival is, to do our duty; to worſhip GOD, and offer Him the unbloudy ſacrifices of our holy ſupplications; to reſt from our own works, and entirely ſequeſter our ſelves to the work of GOD; to exterminate from among us, that really ſervile, and mechanick labour of vitious actions, and ſpend our lives in the truly noble, and divine exerciſe of Sanctification. Our Paſſeover is, to eat the fleſh of the Lambe, to make uſe of His bloud, to paſs out of Egypt unto Canaan, out of the world unto GOD, and from Earth to Heaven; leaving the things that are behind, and advancing daily towards the mark, and prize of our calling. Our Pentecoſt is, to converſe with CHRIST in heavenly places, to think, and medirate on Him, and to receive from His hand the Divine fire of His Spirit, that we may ſpeak of His wonderful works. Our feaſt of Tabernacles is, to live, as ſtrangers, in the world, without cleaving to it, ſtill aſpiring unto Jeruſalem which is above, the Mother, and the City of the faithful. Our new Moons are the praiſe we continually ſound forth unto GOD, not with Silver-trumpets, but with heart, and underſtanding. In fine, Our Sabbath is, to do, not our own will, but the will of GOD, repreſſing, and reſtraining the motions and ſentiments of our nature, that place may be left for CHRIST to work in us, ſo as it may not be we that live; but CHRIST, who liveth in us.
This is, Chriſtians, that true body, which was repreſented heretofore, by the Jewiſh ſhadows. Theſe are your feſtivals, your ſolemnities, and your devotions. Keep them holy, and celebrate them religiouſly. It is the great Prince of your ſalvation, who hath inſtituted, and conſecrated them. He recommends them to you, every where in His Goſpel; and hath indiſſolvably obliged you to them by that death of His, the remembrance of which we are to celebrate next LORD's day. If you acquit your ſelves worthily herein, be aſſured that after ſuch ſtay for a time as you make here below, He will raiſe you up to Heaven, there to celebrate with Him, and His Angels that laſt myſtical feaſt of the great day, which riſing at the point of our Reſurrection, ſhall not go down for ever; but ſhine eternally, and render us happy in the fruition of that life, and immortal glory, which was prepared for us, before the foundation of the world. So be it.