before taxed lid proceed trom hence, that they let go the Lord Chriſt limſelf, ch, 2, $, 9. from whom all truths are to be de- rived, and conkquently he is all truth it ſelf, Fobz 14. 6. not to adhere tohim 1s the fpring, of all Apoftacies, iie being the head, ſee Eph. 4.15, 16. © Whence is communicated and diſtributed ſuch influence to the body, the Church, as is neceſſa- ry toall the ſenſations and motions thereof, d Being in all jits members fitly framed together by the ſpirit, Eph. 2. 21,
and united by faith, Eph. 3. 17. bath a continual ſubſily of life and vigour. e And faſtned together in a ſpiritual uni- on, which joineth all believers to their head, and each of them to the other in him, 1 Cor, 10. 17. and 12. 12, 20, 25, 27: f Whereupon to mutual edification in love it groweth with a divine growth and ſpiritual increaſe, ariſing, from the ethcacy of God, andstending to his glory, being filled with the influences of his grace, Cor, 3. 6. it is eftabliſhed and ftrengthned by little and little, in light and purity, and all graces fill it attain to the meaſure of its perfect ſtature in Chrift Jeſus our Lord ; whereas >n increaſe in the traditions of Men, and the inyentions of fleſh Jo only blow it up with wens and impoſthumes, to the dishgu- rin, deforming and deſtroying of it.
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Chriſt from the || rudiments of the world g : why as though living in the world are ye ſubjeCt to ordinances h ?
g Here the Apoftle doth further argue againſt all impoſitions of ſuperititious obſervances, obrruded as parts of divine wor: ſhip, whether in reviving thoſe abrogated, or ſetting up new ones : upon ſuppolition of their _union with Chrift their head, and their being dead in him as to all beggarly Elements from which he had freed them by his death, Rom. 6. 3, 5. and 7. 4, 6. Gal. 4. 9, 10, IT. with Gal. 2, 19. no uncommanded worſhip or way of worſhip being after Chriſt, v. $. in whom they were compleat, v.11. being buried with bim in Baptiſm, v. 12. having nailed thoſe ritual ordinances 10 his Croſs, as antiquated or out-dated, v, 14. why ſhould they who held the head, v. 19. bas if they lived in the old World with thoſe Children in bondage, G41, 4. 3. before Chrift came, be ſubject to ceremonial obſervances, qe. 4. '11s moft injurious that they ſhould impoſe this yoke upon yon, (Acts 15. 10.) yeare moft fooliſh if ye ſubmit your necks : for God would not have ceremonial worſhip which he himſelf inſtituted to be abrogated, that a new one ſhould be invented by Men. Tf the head of rhe Church like not the reviving that worſhip he hath laid afide 3 be ſure he will not approve of any new one which he never appointed, The Apoſtle is not here ſpeaking of the Magiſtrates Ordinances about things indifferent in their uſe for the real good of the civil Government ; but of the way of worſhipping God by religious abſtinencies, &,
21 (Touch not, taſte not, handle not z :
i Which he doth here by way of imitation, upbraiding of them, elegantly recite in the words, phraſes, or ſenſe impoling TDogmatifts, whoſe ſuperſtition and luſt of dominecring over the Conſciences of Chriſtians is taxed in the gradation, which the well S&il}d in the Greek judge to be in the original,for though the Er and which we render touch not be ſometimes fo rendred, yet confidering here the Coincidency or the tautology will,lorendred, make with the laſt, the fenie of it, as the moſt judicious ancl learned have evidencd, ſeems to be, eat 7ot, as noting they dic forbid the eating, 7, e. uſing certain meats at their ordinary meals (againſt the reviving of which impoſition above, v.: 16, 25 well ring, in a new one-of like import, the Apoſtle elſewhere exprefieth himſelf, Rom. 14. 17. 1 Cor, 8. Ss. 1 Tim, 4» 3.) ob: taining which, they proceeded to forbid the not zaſting, and then the not h:n41ling or touching of them with the han:!, as it that would defile. It beings more not to raſte than not to ear, and live- wiſe more; not to rouch with the finger, than not to taſte, Ex- prefling the ingeny of ſuch ſuperſtitious impolers, that they heapup one thing upon another to the burdening of conſciences, not knowing where to make an end in their new inyentec exter- nal devotions ana obſervances, which, as ſnares do firft bind faſt, and in tra& of time firangle. He ſpeaks of theſe as di- ſin from thoſe, v. 15. they being for antiquated rites which had been of God's appointment, thele for innovations of Man's invention, as is apparent from the laſt vyerle.
H 7
- 47
| +7; ; 22 Which all are toperiſh with the uſing &) * after
F 14,
the commandments and dodrines of men /.
þ He adds his reaſons why, under the Chriſtian inſtitution, acceptable worſhipping of God doth not contift in ſuch obler- vances, both becauſe meats, drinks, garments, &c. are Uc- ſigned unto the benefit of Man, for the preſerving of his tem- poral life, and are conſumed in their ule. They cannot in, or by themſelves either make a Man holy, er render him unclean, Mat. 15, 11, Mark 7,19, Rom. 14. 17. 1 Cor. 6.13, 1 Tim. 4. 2. They all come to corruption and are conſuancd in doing us ſervice, they cannot otherwiſe be of ute, which may evince, that all the benefit we receive from them, doth only relpect this mortal life, it not being imaginable thac what perifherh in our uſe ſhould be of any force to the life of oar Soul, which is im- mortal and incorruptible. And theretore to urge the reviving of antiquated ordinances, or bringing in ſuch-like new ones,1s to corrupt or conſume the Creatures without any ſpiritual adyan- tage, whereupon ſuch impoſitions muſt needs be deftruttive ; and becauſe of che Apoftle's ſtronger argument, they are not after Chrift, but afrer the precepts and decrees of Mz, compare v. 8, which js our Lord and Maſter's argument againtr te inno- vations of the Phariſees, Mar. 15, 9g, agreeing, with tLe Pro- pher,1/:.29.13.f0 bring in additionals of uncommande.l worihtp, 07 rites ar! wavs of iris forbidden of God, Deur, 12.32. Fobn 1g.
(3, who according to the purporc of
p J - > 4 ya 14 A a i b 2 a. © a2 GS-41 428 44 Li
X : : b "om" ME MS —__ - the ſecond Commandment, muſt be worſhiped in a manner pe- - * 4 ' ——% 4*.> iro y* h v CuUiar tO nM, at! | a m0Uu1tcd DY him, and therefore w orthip,nd [if x a 4 - . * : : '".. A Ip 4 LPOIECA, 7 No commanded. 1 forbutden by him, Wig will
COLOSSIANS.