Colossians 2

Colossians 2:1

COnflict] Or, fear, or, care.

for you] Gr. concerning you.

face in the flesh. Or, person.

Colossians 2:3

In whom] Or, wherein.

hid all the treasures of wisdome] Either the meaning is, that Christ hath in him the perfection of all wisdome and knowledge; or that all saving knowledge and true wisdome consisteth in this, that we rightly know Christ, out of whom there is no precious knowledge.

Colossians 2:6

receied Christ] As you have received the doctrin of Christ, so persevere you in it, and live according to it: or, as you have received Christ by faith, so walke you in him, who is the Way to eternall life.

Colossians 2:7

with] Gr. in.

Colossians 2:8

spoil you] Carry you away for a spoile, or a prey, namely, from Christ and his truth, to other doctrins or means of salvation without Christ: A comparison taken from such theeves, or Pirats, as do not only take and carry away the goods of those they rob, but their persons also, to make them their own, or other mens slaves.

through philosophie] Or, by. Hereby is not meant true Philosophie, which is a gift of God, and a great help to the knowledge of Divinitie: but he meaneth Sophistry, and captious subtilties of some Heathen Philosophers, as the following words, vain deceits, do explain it, and as Paul speaketh thereof, Romans 1:21-22. Which Philosophers had propounded divers matters in their vain speculations, measuring heavenly mysteries by their naturall reason.

rudiments of the world] Or, elements. Ceremonies of the law, for as much as it pleased God in the infancie of the Church to lead the Israelites, and consequently in them the rest of the world that were saved unto Christ by this meanes, even as a childe is led to read by learning the A. B. C. or a Scholar by his Accedence to his Grammar. See Galatians 4:9.

not after Christ] Not according to the doctrine and institution of Christ, which only ought to take place in the Church, Galatians 1:6. 8, 9. & 2. 21. & 5. 2. 4.

Colossians 2:9

in him dwelleth] By the union of the Divine nature with the humane in the unitie of his person; the Godhead dwelleth in Christ as the soul in the body.

all the fulnesse of the Godhead] Or, the whole fulnesse. The perfect Deitie of the Sonne with all his attributes, and not only in regard of some particular gifts and graces, as he dwelleth in the Prophets, Apostles, and other Saints.

bodily] That is, personally, as the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sometimes signifieth; or, substantially, in opposition to the shadows and figures of the old Testament, as the word is taken in this very Chapter, Vers. 17. yet the meaning is much at one, in whether of the two senses we take the word. For God is said in the Old Testament, to dwell in the Tabenacle, Ark of the Covenant, and Temple, but only as in the shadows and figures of Christs humane nature, which he shjould take on him in the fulnesse of time, to dwell in the same personally, or really and substantially with all his fulnesse: from whence the Apostle inferreth, that we must not look for any salvation without him; neither in the Ceremonies of the Law, nor in any humane institution, but onely in him and his Word.

Colossians 2:10

Principalitie and power] See Col. 1. 16.

Colossians 2:11

Circumcision made without hands] Not a carnall and outward Circumcision, but an inward; not whereby a small part of the flesh or skin, but the whole body of sinne is taken away. Romans 6:6.

the body of the sinnes of the flesh] Gr. Tec. the body of the flesh.

Colossians 2:12

Buried with him in Baptisme] See Romanes 6. 4.

Colossians 2:13

dead in your sinnes] See Ephesians 2:1.

Colossians 2:14

Blotting out] The Law was as the Writ or the Obligation, the use of the Ceremonies the ratification and acknowledgement of the debt, the bloud of Christ the payment thereof, whereupon the Obligation was cancelled.

hand-writing] The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, some take for a Writing by Gods own hand in Tables of stone, Exodus 34:1. and thereby understand the Morall Law, or ten Commandements, said here to be against us, in regard of that severe requiring of perfect obedience, which we were not able to perform; and thereby became subject to the curse thereof, which Christ did bear on the Crosse on our behalf, & thereby redeemed us from it; Galatians 3:13. Yet forasmuch as the Apostle here purposely disputeth against Circumcision and other Ceremonies of the Law, it seemeth most probable, that by the hand-writing we are to understand the Ceremonies of the Law, which are called a hand-writing against us, because they were as an Obligation or bond whereby men did daily acknowledg their trespasses and debts unto God, and that they deserved the same death which the beast did endure; and could not by the outward use thereof be acquitted of the debt, as the Apostle declareth to the Hebrews, c. 10. v. 1, 2.

Colossians 2:15

spoiled] Taken from the Devill the unrighteous prey of so many soules, or stripped and unfurnished them of their power and armour, which were sinne and death, whose strength was the Law, 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56. Luke 11. 22. A metaphor taken from conquered and subdued Souldiers and Commanders, who were wont to be stript bare of their Arms, and to be publikely led in triumph, to be a spectacle to all men, untill they were brought to prison, and either there kept in bonds, or put to death.

a shew of them] Bringing them to open shame.

in it] Or, in himself. The Crosse was a Chariot of triumph, no Conquerour could have triumphed so gloriously in his Chariot, as Christ did on his Crosse; there he tooke away from Satan, that had the power of death, all ability to hurt us; for although he doth assault us still, yet we are assured of an absolute victory. Luke 10:17. Romans 8:37. & Romans 16:20. Revelation 12:10.

Colossians 2:16

in meat] Or, for eating and drinking.

in respect] Or, in part.

Colossians 2:18

beguile you of your reward] Or, judge against you. Permit no man to usurpe a power of domineering over your consciences, and to judge them guilty in these things; or, let no man take the prize which is laid ready at the Goale for you, by drawing you aside, under pretence of voluntary humility to those opinions and observances, which are not warrantable, as to use the Angels for your Mediatours, under a colour of awfull modestie, in not making your immediate addresse to God.

in a voluntary humilitie] Gr. being a voluntary humility.

intruding into those things] Usurping upon Christs office, and speaking as confidently of those his doctrines and laws, concerning Gods worship, as if they had come down from heaven, whereas they were nothing else but humane devices and speculations, without any solid ground at all.

Colossians 2:19

not holding the head] Not holding himself to the true knowledge of Christ, who is the onely head of the Church, from whom all the body of the universall Church, being knit together by the joynts and bands of one common spirit, receiveth spirituall nourishment and augmentation, with the increasing of God, that is, which cometh of God.

Colossians 2:20

from the rudiments of the world] Or, from the elements of the world.

subject to Ordinances] Or, burdened with opinions, or, traditions. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifieth as well an enthralling our selves to doctrinall errours, as superstitious Rites and Ordinances.

Colossians 2:21

Touch not, taste not] These are the speeches of superstitious men, which Paul here inserteth, shewing thereby, that superstition doth grow from one degree to another. For first, they forbid to touch, that is, to eat or to drinke; then, to taste; and lastly, to handle at all; for that the speech is here onely of such things wherewith the body is fed, appeareth by the two next following Verses. Or, because touch not, and handle not, seem little to differ, or not at all; it may be here said to one, touch not; to another, taste not; to a third, handle not, such or such meats.

Colossians 2:22

to perish] Gr. to corruption.

with the using] Gr. in the consumption of them.

Colossians 2:23

neglecting of the bodie] Or, punishing, or, not sparing of the body.