Possibly sometimes Christ may signify the Gospel or Doctrine of Christ;1 but I shall a little consider the instances; the first is that, Gal. 6.15. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, that is, saith the Author, in the Gospel and Religion of Christ, nothing is of any value to recommend us to the favour of God, but a new creature, a holy and virtuous life; unto which I answer, those words, (in Christ Jesus) may be fairly construed, to a man in Christ, one who (as it is in the former Verse) is crucified to the World; Thus judicious Calvin upon the Words, ⟨p. 13⟩Ratio est, cur sit mundo crucifixus, & mundus illi, quia in Christo, cui insitus est, solùm nova valet creatura; and upon the parallel place, in this Epistle, In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. St. Jerome hath it, His qui in Christo Jesu vivere volunt; and St. Chrysostom, [Greek or Hebrew], he that puts on Christ, need not be curious in such things. When the Author in his way saith, Nothing recommends to God, but a new creature, I hope he doth not exclude the Merits and Righteousness of Christ; and when afterwards he contradistinguishes the Gospel from the Law, I hope under the latter the new Creature was requisite. The next instance is, Col. 2.8. After the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ; where, saith the Author, after Christ, is opposed to traditions and rudiments, and so must signify not the Person, but the Gospel; that is, Have a care lest ye be corrupted with the opinions and superstitions of men, which are inconsistent with the Christian Philosophy: unto which I shall only say, After Christ, is, as I take it, after Christ himself, ⟨p. 14⟩the great Doctor of the Church, in whom, as the Apostle tells us, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, ver. 3. and, in whom, as he speaks, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, ver. 9. Quid igitur opus est extra hunc alia aut documenta aut adjumenta salutis quaerere, saith the excellent Davenant? such an admirable Teacher may well be opposed to all the Philosophers in the world: Neither is the Author's Reason, That Christ is here opposed to traditions and rudiments, and so must signify the Gospel, of any value; for if we observe what the Apostle saith ver. 4.
Possibly sometimes Christ may signifie the Gospel or Doctrine of Christ;1 but I shall a little consider the instances; the first is that, Gal. 6.15. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature, that is, saith the Authour, in the Gospel and Religion of Christ, nothing is of any value to recommend us to the favour of God, but a new creature, a holy and virtuous life; unto which I answer, those words, (in Christ Jesus) may be fairly construed, to a man in Christ, one who (as it is in the former Verse) is crucified to the World; Thus judicious Calvin upon the Words, ⟨p. 13⟩Ratio est, cur sit mundo crucifixus, & mundus illi, quia in Christo, cui insitus est, solùm nova valet creatura; and upon the parallel place, in this Epistle, In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. St. Jerome hath it, His qui in Christo Jesu vivere volunt; and St. Chrysostome, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, he that puts on Christ, need not be curious in such things. When the Author in his way saith, Nothing recommends to God, but a new creature, I hope he doth not exclude the Merits and Righteousness of Christ; and when afterwards he contradistinguishes the Gospel from the Law, I hope under the latter the new Creature was requisite. The next instance is, Col. 2.8. After the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ; where, saith the Author, after Christ, is opposed to traditions and rudiments, and so must signifie not the Person, but the Gospel; that is, Have a care lest ye be corrupted with the opinions and superstitions of men, which are inconsistent with the Christian Philosophy: unto which I shall only say, After Christ, is, as I take it, after Christ himself, ⟨p. 14⟩the great Doctor of the Church, in whom, as the Apostle tells us, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, ver. 3. and, in whom, as he speaks, dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, ver. 9. Quid igitur opus est extra hunc alia aut documenta aut adjumenta salutis quaerere, saith the excellent Davenant? such an admirable Teacher may well be opposed to all the Philosophers in the world: Neither is the Author's Reason, That Christ is here opposed to traditions and rudiments, and so must signifie the Gospel, of any value; for if we observe what the Apostle saith ver. 4.
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