This I say, lest any man should beguile you, and, what he saith in the beginning of this 8. vers. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy, it is as clear as the light, that the opposition is between Persons; between the Persons of seducing Philosophers, and the Person of Christ the great Teacher. We may further observe, That the Author, who honours the Gospel with the Title of Christ, doth somewhat degrade it, by calling it Philosophy, which I ever took to be but of natural Extraction, and not, as the Gospel, of supernatural Revelation; however, it is more tolerable to call, ⟨p. 15⟩than make it so, by introducing into the Christian Religion those Dogmata Philosophica, touching Free Will and inherent Righteousness, which as Bp Davenant notes, are drawn ex Ethicis Philosophi, non ex Epistolis Pauli. The next Instance is, that in the 6. Verse of the same Chapter, As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him: By receiving of Christ, is meant believing on him, as appears, Joh. 1.12. Bishop Davenant observes a great Emphasis in the words; Non dicit accepistis Doctrinam Christi, sed Christum; 1per fidem enim non modò percipimus Doctrinam Christi, sed vivificum nostrum Salvatorem recipimus, & in corda recondimus ad salutem. By walking in Christ, I understand, with the same Author, living juxta hanc fidem & juxta ductum Spiritus Christi: but saith the Author, It is only to obey the Doctrine of Christ as you have been taught; for the next Verse saith, being established in the faith, as ye have been taught: I answer, The next Verse saith not only, established in the faith, but rooted and built up in him, that is, in Christ; and the teaching, which is inward as well as outward, was, that they might adhere to Christ as well as to his Doctrine. The ⟨p. 16⟩last Instance is Eph. 4.20, 21. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be ye have heard him and been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: Now what (saith the Author) can learning Christ signify but learning the Gospel? and how could they hear him in any other sense, or be instructed in him, as the Original carries it? To which I answer, Learning of Christ here is not a mere Notion, but a Practical Knowledge of him, such as the Apostle mentions, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death, Phil. 3.10.
This I say, lest any man should beguile you, and, what he saith in the beginning of this 8. vers. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy, it is as clear as the light, that the opposition is between Persons; between the Persons of seducing Philosophers, and the Person of Christ the great Teacher. We may further observe, That the Author, who honours the Gospel with the Title of Christ, doth somewhat degrade it, by calling it Philosophy, which I ever took to be but of natural Extraction, and not, as the Gospel, of supernatural Revelation; however, it is more tolerable to call, ⟨p. 15⟩than make it so, by introducing into the Christian Religion those Dogmata Philosophica, touching Free Will and inherent Righteousness, which as Bp Davenant notes, are drawn ex Ethicis Philosophi, non ex Epistolis Pauli. The next Instance is, that in the 6. Verse of the same Chapter, As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him: By receiving of Christ, is meant believing on him, as appears, Joh. 1.12. Bishop Davenant observes a great Emphasis in the words; Non dicit accepistis Doctrinam Christi, sed Christum; 1per fidem enim non modò percipimus Doctrinam Christi, sed vivificum nostrum Salvatorem recipimus, & in corda recondimus ad salutem. By walking in Christ, I understand, with the same Author, living juxta hanc fidem & juxta ductum Spiritus Christi: but saith the Author, It is only to obey the Doctrine of Christ as you have been taught; for the next Verse saith, being established in the faith, as ye have been taught: I answer, The next Verse saith not only, established in the faith, but rooted and built up in him, that is, in Christ; and the teaching, which is inward as well as outward, was, that they might adhere to Christ as well as to his Doctrine. The ⟨p. 16⟩last Instance is Eph. 4.20, 21. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be ye have heard him and been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: Now what (saith the Author) can learning Christ signifie but learning the Gospel? and how could they hear him in any other sence, or be instructed in him, as the Original carries it? To which I answer, Learning of Christ here is not a meer Notion, but a Practical Knowledge of him, such as the Apostle mentions, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death,
- 1Expos. in Epist. ad Col.
