A brief exposition of the Epistles of Paul to the Philippians and Colossians by James Fergusson ...

Vers. 23. Which things have indeed a shew of wisedome in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

He mentioneth three fair pretences, whereof use was made to plead for, and commend those superstitious rites; First, they were will-worship; a giving of more to God than he required. Secondly, the practising of them, was an evidence of peoples humility, in their submissive obe∣dience to the injunctions of superiours. Thirdly, their voluntary and excessive abstinence from meat, sleep, and their other laborious bodily exercises, did tend to morti∣fication, and was a part of mortification, in neglecting of the body, which the most part of men strive so much to pamper: all which the Apostle, having spoken suffi∣ciently to this purpose already, doth refute in one word, to wit, that they had onely a shew or pretext, but no soliditie of reason or wisedome in them; and addeth an∣other reason against the practice of those rites, because thereby they withheld that honor or just care: (see 1. Tim. 5. 3.) from the body, which ought to be had in the sa∣tisfying the necessities thereof. Doct. 1. There is no er∣ror, the maintainers whereof have not somwhat to say in its defence, whereby they labour to extoll it as most hea∣venly and excellent; Thus the doctrine of those super∣stitious rites pretended to wisedome, that is, heavenly and excellent doctrine. 2. All that can be said for any er∣ror, being rightly weighed, will be found but meer pre∣texts, fair shews, and no soliditie of reason; they had but a shew of wisedome. 3. As men do like well to serve God with their own inventions, thinking they do there∣by give unto God his whole due, and somwhat more:

So God will acknowledge nothing for service done to him, but what himself hath required; he approveth willing worship, but not will-worship; for, it is here re∣jected, notwithstanding the fair shew of wisedome which is in it. 4. For men to give blinde obedience unto the commands of Superiors, though it pre∣tend to humility and devout submission of mind; yet it is not reall humility, but a prostituting of our souls and consciences to the wills of men; So this humility or submissive disposition, which was their second pretence, hath but a shew of wisedome in it, and is not reall. 5. Though watchings, fastings, and other bodily exer∣cises are profitable, and may be lawfully used, if they be referred to the right end for bringing the body in subje∣ction, 1 Cor. 4. 27. lest through too much satietie it take loose reins to sin; and that hereby we may be helped to call on God more ardently, Joel 1. 14. providing there be due moderation in using of them, Josh. 7. 10. Yet the excessive and immoderate use of those, disabling the body from being serviceable to the spirit, and the pla∣cing of worship in them, being considered in themselves, and without relation to the fore-mentioned ends: The neglecting of the body thus, though it hath a shew of reason for it, yet it hath no more but a shew or pr••text, and is a reall sin before God: which things have a shew of wisedome, neglecting the body. 5. As there is an excessive pampering of the flesh, which is sinfull, and forbidden, when provision is made for it to fulfill the lusts thereof, Rom. 13. 14. So there is a lawfull and necessary care of the flesh or body, whereby things necessary for food and rai∣ment are provided for and bestowed upon it, in so far, that strength and health be not in-lacking for discharge∣ing the duties of our calling: and they who deny this care and honour to it, though even upon a religious pre∣tence, do sin against God; so he condemneth those super∣stitious rites in this, that many of them did carry with them the neglect of this care; not in any honour to the satis∣fying of the flesh.