Matthew Poole and continuators on Colossians 2:23

By way of confession the Apostle here grants that the precepts and doctrines of men about religious abstinences had a shew of wisedom; and 'twas but a meer [illegible: 1 letter]hew, a bare pretext a specious appearance, a fair colour of wisedom, which is of no worth, not the reality and truth of Christian wisedom, however it might beguile those that were taken more with shadows than substance, v. 3, 4, 8, 17.

(1) In abitrary superstition, or humane invention, or self-will'd Religion rather than divine institutions; as all the Ancients, and almost all the moderns do interpret that word, it having no good, but an ill Character accompting the compound word here which we render will-worship, of no better import, as to the ordainers of worship, than the two simple words of which it is compounded, expressing humane arbitrariness and worship, v. 18. (even as the Apostle doth by a compound word which signifies peace-making, c. 1.20. understand the very same thing which he expressed by the two simple words of which it is compounded, in another Epistle, Eph. 2.15.) it being rational to conceive considering the Apostle's drift in the context that by will-worship he doth connote the same here, that by willing in worship, he doth assunder there. For though a performing those acts of worship willingly, which God himself hath commanded, be necessary, and commendable in his willing people, Psal. 110.3. and they cannot be acceptable otherwise: yet when the will of man, in contradistinction to the will of God is considered as constitutive of that worship which is offered to God of a Man's own brain & devising without God's warrant, then that will worship is hateful to God and the more voluntary the more abominable. It being most just, that not in what way we will and chuse, but onely in that way which he will and chuseth we should worship him with acceptance (which should be our greatest care, 2 Cor. 5.9.) we know, amongst men, those persons of honour that give [illegible: 1 word] to their Servants, would discard such of them as [illegible: 1 span] to attend them in new ones of their own devising, thou[illegible: 1 letter]h [illegible: 1 span] might be so foolish, as to conceit those of their own [illegible: 1 word] wer[illegible: 1 letter] more expre[illegible: 2 letters]ive of their humble respects. Much [illegible: 1 word] worship of mans devising distaste full to the all-wise God who sees through all colours, and though he loves a willing wor[illegible: 1 letter]hipper, yet he hates will-worship.

However it be pa[illegible: 3 letters]ated (2) with a pretended demission of mind, or an affectation of humility, as if more self abasement were designed in such an arbitrary way of worship, like those Hypocrites [illegible: 1 letter]n their fasts, who put on mortified looks and a neglected Garb with disguised contenances, Mat. 6.16. shewing themselves most submi[illegible: 1 letter]sive to the orders of their superiours in that way of m[illegible: 1 letter]ns devising▪

Wherein the more superstitiously devout do labour to outdo others (3) in puni[illegible: 1 letter]hing, not sparing, neglecting, or afflicting the body (as some Monks, at this day in the Papacy in denying it that, with which nature should be supplyed.

Not in any honour, which a learned Man thinks the Apostle would have read as included in a Parenthesis, as conceiving the series of his discourse requires these to be joyned. viz. Neglecting of the body as to what pertains to the satisfying of the flesh. So by (not in honour) is not he[illegible: 1 letter]e meant a sparing of the body in order to real sanctification, temperan[illegible: 1 letter]e and continence in opposition to the dishonouring of the body by Luxury (as, Rom. 1.26. with 1 Cor. 6.18, 19, 20. 1 Thess. 4.4. Heb. 13.4.) That honour of the Body the Apostle doth elsewhere require, he doth here oppose to the seducers pretended mortifications. For their Religious abstinency was not from that, which occasion'd Luxury, onely from some certain sorts of meat, the use of which no way defiles the body, nor violates in any manner the holiness and honour it ought to be kept in. Others read neglecting the body which is in no esteem.

For pampering the flesh. Not in any esteem, i. e. with God, or not in any honour to God, but in a tendency onely to make provision for the flesh (as, Rom. 13. last) others take honour for regard, q. d. in no regard, to the supplying of nature with that which is due to it. Others take honour for having a care of, 1 Tim. 5.3. q. d. neglecting the body in taking no care of it, or not at all valuing the things that are requisite to the due nourishment of it; this is somewhat generally received. Having no care that the body may have that which will satisfie nature, and if the last phrase which we translate to the satisfying of the flesh, seem not so well to express moderate sa[illegible: 1 letter]iety, we should consider 'tis said in a good sense God filleth the hungry w[illegible: 1 letter]th good things, Luk. 1.53. and Christ filled the multitude, Io[illegible: 1 letter]. 6.12. yea the use of the word in Authentick Greek Authours may be found to note a moderate as well as immoderate filling, i. e. in a good sense, for a satiety (or enough) that i[illegible: 1 letter] not vitious.

Marginal references: 1 Tim. 4.8,; Or, punishing, Or, not sparing.