Here was the appearance of humility—So sensible of their unworthiness that they dared not approach God in their own names, or present their own petitions—others who had ceased to sin, and been admitted to the divine presence, must intercede for them. But this was "a voluntary humility"—not ordered of God—a mere matter of human invention.
A mediator is indeed necessary for man since the fall; but man is not left to choose his mediator. One every way suitable is provided, through whom we may have access to God: "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
The apostle further observes, that those who directed them to worship angels, arrogated a knowledge of matters not revealed. God hath given no intimation of such use to be made of angels, but ordered man to approach him in the name of Christ. Those who go to God in other ways, or depending on other intercessors, are said "not to hold the head." [104] "The head of every man is Christ." [105] Such people will lose their reward. "Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels"—The rewards of grace are promised to obedience but not to "willful worship, or voluntary humility." The utmost these can hope is forgiveness.
When Paul assured the Colossians that they were "complete in Christ," he had reference to the errors of all the deceivers who were laboring to seduce them. Gentile philosophy is as useless to the Christian, as Jewish rites. Christ hath the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him. We' have only to rely on divine mercy, through faith, in him, and we shall not be ashamed.
Such we conceive to be the sum of the instructions and warnings here given to the Colossians. They were only to keep to the divine directions, and seek salvation agreeably thereto, regardless of the traditions of men and rudiments of the world.
All error is deviation from divine rule. To this men are tempted with a view to honor God. This is a fruitful source of error. And when error is once generated, it is often diffused and perpetuated by tradition, custom, and the rudiments of the world.
We proceed to consider the success which hath attended this mode of fighting against God—that is, suggesting improvements on divine institutions and appointments.
The first attempt to seduce our race seems to have been of this kind. "The woman being deceived was in the transgression," Made upright, she could not have been persuaded to disobey God, unless she was led to believe that she might, some how, honor God in consequence of that disobedience. But how?—"In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil"—Then she could honor God better than while destitute of knowledge which would liken her to superior intelligences. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat." Thus some suppose the tempter to have prevailed against her. It may be thought strange that she should expect good to rise out of evil. Her descendants have often entertained such expectations; but they are depraved, and their minds are darkened.
Whether this was the sophism by which Satan's victory was obtained, we presume not to determine. It is however certain that he prevailed by deception; by persuading our common mother that advantage would accrue from ceasing to follow the divine directions.
Cain, her eldest son, fell into a sin of the same kind; was induced to change divine institutions. "Cain brought the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord," instead of the firstlings of the flock. The fruit of the ground did not typify the sacrifice of Christ, and had not been ordered of God. It was a mode of honoring him of Cain's devising. He thought to improve on divine appointments; or dared to change them to suit his circumstances. "Cain was a tiller of the ground." The fruits of the ground were the product of his own labors —"Of such as he had, he would bring his offering. What advantage would accrue from changing with his brother to procure what God had required? God needed nothing and could receive nothing from his creatures."