19 eminence. For it pleased the Father, that all fulness 20 should dwell in him: And by him to reconcile all things. to himself, (having made peace by him, through the blood of the cross,) whether things on earth, or things in heaven, 91 And you that were once alienated, and enemies in your 22 mind by wicked works, he hath now reconciled, By the

body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy, 28 and spotless, and unreprovable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and are not removed from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard, which is preached to every creature that is under heaven, 24 whereof I Paul am made a minister. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ for his body, which is 25 the church: Of which I am made a minister, according

to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you, 26 fully to preach the word of God: The mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations; but now is

V. 19. For it pleased the Father, that all fulness-All the fulness of God, should dwell in him-Constantly, as in a temple, and always ready for our approach to him.

V: 20. Through the blood of the cross-The blood shed thereon; whether things on earth-Here the enmity began. Therefore this is mentioned first; or things in heaven-Those who are now in paradise, the saints who died before Christ came.

V. 21. And you that were alienated and enemies-Actual alienation of affection, makes habitual enmity; in your mind-Both your understanding and your affections; by wicked works-Which continually feed and increase inward alienation from, and enmity to God; he hath now reconciled-From the moment ye believed.,

V. 22. By the body of his flesh-(So distinguished from his body, the church,) the body here denotes his entire manhood; through death-Whereby he purchased the reconciliation which we receive by faith: to present you-The very end of that reconciliation; holy-Toward God, spotless-In, yourselves, unreproveable-As to your neighbour.

V. 23. If ye continue in the faith-Otherwise ye will lose all the blessings which ye have already begun to enjoy; and be not removed from the hope of the gospel-The glorious hope of perfect love; which is preached—Is already begun to be preached, to every creature under heaven.

V. 24. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up-That is, whereby I fill up, that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ That which remains to be suffered by his members. These are termed, the sufferings of Christ, 1. Because the suffering of any member, is the suffering of the whole, and of the head especially, which supplies strength, spirits, sense, and motion to all. 2. Because they are for his sake, for the testimony of his truth. And these also are necessary for the church; not to reconcile it to God, or satisfy for sin, (for that Christ did perfectly,) but for example to others, perfecting of the saints, and increasing their reward.

-Or, the

V. 25. According to the dispensation of God, which is given to me— stewardship with which I am intrusted.

V. 26. The mystery-Namely, Christ both justifying and sanctifying Gentiles as well as Jews, which hath been comparatively hid from former ages and past generations of men.

27 manifested to his saints: To whom among the Gentiles. it was the will of God to make known, what is the riches of this glorious mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope 28 of glory: Whom we preach, admonishing every man, and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may 29 present every man perfect through Christ Jesus. For which also I labour, striving according to his mighty working, who worketh in me mightily.

CHAP. II. 1. For I would have you know how great a conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and 2 for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; That their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, even unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, both 3 the Father and Christ, In whom are hid all the treasures 4 of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, that no man 5 may beguile you with enticing words. For though I am absent from you in the flesh, yet I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to behold your order, and the steadfast6 ness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received 7 Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him; Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8

Beware lest any man make a prey of you through philosophy and empty deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

V. 27. Christ dwelling and reigning in you, the hope of glory-The ground of your hope.

V. 28. We teach the ignorant, and admonish them that are already taught.

CHAP. II. Ver. 1. How great à conflict-Of care, desire, prayer. As many as have not seen my face in the flesh-Therefore, in writing to the Colossians, be refrains from those familiar appellations, Brethren, beloved.

V. 2. Unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the acknowledgment of the mystery of God-That is, unto the fullest and clearest understanding and knowledge of the gospel.

V. 6. So walk in him-In the same faith, love, holiness.

V. 7. Rooted in him-As the vine; built-On the sure foundation.

V. 8. Through philosophy and empty deceit That is, through the empty deceit of philosophy, blended with Christianity. This the apostle condemns, 1. Because it was empty and deceitful, promising happiness, but giving none: 2. Because it was grounded, not on solid reason, but the traditions of men, Zeno, Epicurus, and the rest: and, 3. Because it was so shallow and superficial, not advancing beyond the knowledge of sensible things; no, not beyond the first rudiments of them.

V. 9. For in him dwelleth-Inhabiteth, continually abideth, all the fulness the Godhead-Believers are filled with all the fulness of God, Eph. iii. 19,

10 And ye are filled by him, who is the head of all prin 11 cipality and power. By whom also ye have been circumcised with a circumcision not performed with hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circum12 cision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, by which ye are also risen with him, through the faith of the 13 operation of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, 14 having forgiven you all trespasses, Having blotted out by his decrees the hand-writing against us, which was contrary to us; and having nailed it to his cross, he took

but in Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead, the most full Godhead: not only divine powers, but the divine nature, chap. i. 19. Bodily-Personally, really, substantially. The very substance of God, if one might so speak, dwells in Christ in the most full sense.

V. 10. And ye-Who believe, are filled by him, John i. 16. Christ is filled with God, and ye are filled with Christ. And ye are filled by him. The fulness of Christ overflows his church, Ps. cxxxiii. 3. He is originally full. We are filled by him with wisdom and holiness. Who is the head of all principality and power-Of angels as well as men. Not from angels, therefore, but from their head, are we to ask whatever we stand in need of.

V. 11. By whom also ye have been circumcised-Ye have received the spiritual blessings typified of old by circumcision, with a circumcision not performed with hands-By an inward, spiritual operation, in putting off, uot a little skin, but the whole body of the sins of the flesh-All the sins of your evil nature, by the circumcision of Christ-By that spiritual circumcision which Christ works in your heart.

V. 12. Which he wrought in you, when ye were, as it were, buried with him in baptism The ancient manner of baptizing by immersion is as manifestly alluded to here, as the other manner of baptizing by sprinkling, or pouring of water, is, Heb. x. 22. But no stress is laid on the age of the baptized, or the manner of performing it, in one or the other place; but only on our being risen with Christ, through the powerful operation of God in the soul, which we cannot but know assuredly, if it really is so: and if we do not experience this, our baptism has not answered the end of its institution; by which ye are also risen with him-From the death of sin to the life of holiness. It does not appear, that in all this St. Paul speaks of justification at all, but of sanctification altogether.

V. 13. And you who were dead-Doubly dead to God, not only wallowing in trespasses-Outward sins, but also in the uncircumcision of your Aesh`(A beautiful expression for original sin,) the inbred corruption of your nature, your uncircumcised heart and affections; hath he-God the Father, quickened together with him-Making you partakers of the power of his resurrection. It is evident, the apostle thus far speaks, not of justification, but of sanctification only.

V. 14. Having blotted out-In consequence of his gracious decrees, that Christ should come into the world to save sinners, and that whosoever believeth on him should have everlasting life: the hand-writing against us-Where a debt is contracted, it is usually testified by some hand-writing. And when the debt is forgiven, the hand-writing is destroyed, either by blotting it out, by taking it away, or by tearing it. The apostle expresses in all these three ways, God's destroying the hand-writing which was contrary to us, or at enmity 'with us. This was not properly our sins themselves, (they were the debt ;) but their guilt and cry before God.

15 it out of the way. And having spoiled the principalities and powers, he exposed them openly, triumphing over them in him,

16

Let none therefore judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of a feast-day, or of the new moon, or of sabbath17 days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the 18 body is of Christ. Let none defraud you of your reward by a voluntary humility and worship of angels, intruding into the things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up 19 by his fleshly mind, And not holding the head, from which all the body being nourished and knit together, by the joints and ligaments, increaseth with the increase of 20 God. Therefore if ye are dead with Christ from the

rudiments of the world, why, as living in the world, 21 receive ye ordinances, (Touch not, taste not, handle not: 22 All which are to perish in the using,) after the command23 ments and doctrines of men? Which things, (though

they have indeed a shew of wisdom, in voluntary worship and humility, and not sparing the body,) yet are not of

V. 15. And having spoiled the principalities and powers-The evil angels of their usurped dominion, he-God the Father, exposed them openly-Before all the hosts of hell and heaven, triumphing over them in, or by, him-By Christ. Thus the paragraph begins with Christ, goes on with him, and ends

with him.

V. 16. Therefore-Seeing these things are so, let none judge you-That is, regard none who judge you, in meat or drink-For not observing the ceremonial law, in these or any other particulars, or in respect of a yearly feast, the new moon, or the weekly Jewish sabbaths.

V. 17. Which are but a lifeless shadow, but the body, the substance is of Christ.

V. 13. Out of pretended humility, they worshipped angels, as not daring to apply immediately to God. Yet this really sprung from their being puffed up, (the constant forerunner of a fall,) Prov. xvi. 19. So far was it from being an instance of true humility.

V. 19. And not holding the head-He does not hold Christ, who does not trust in him alone. All the members are nourished by faith, and knit together by love and mutual sympathy.

V. 20. Therefore-The inference, begun ver. 16, is continued. A new inference follows, chap. iii. 1. If ye are dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world-That is, If ye are dead with Christ, and so freed from them, why receive ye ordinances Which Christ hath not enjoined; from which he hath made you free.

V. 21. Touch not-An unclean thing, taste not—Any forbidden meat, handle not Any consecrated vessel.

V. 22. Perish in the using-Have no farther use, no influence on the mind. V. 23. Not sparing the body-Denying it many gratifications, and putting it to many inconveniences. Yet they are not of any real value before God, nor do they, upon the whole, mortify, but satisfy the flesh. They indulge our corrupt nature, our self-will, pride, and desire of being distinguished from others.

11I. any value, but are to the satisfying of the flesh. 1. If ye then are risen with Christ, seek the things above, 2 where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your

affections on the things above, not the things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil 6 desire, and covetousness which is idolatry: For which the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience; 7 In which ye also once walked, when ye lived in them, 8 But now put ye likewise all these things off, anger, wrath, ill-nature, evil-speaking, filthy discourse out of your 9 mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off 10 the old man with his deeds, And have put on the new

man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of 11 him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, 12 slave nor free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels

CHAP. III. Ver. 1. If ye are risen, seek the things above—As Christ being risen, immediately went to heaven.

V. 3. For ye are dead-To the things on earth, and your real spiritual life is hid from the world, and laid up in God, with Christ-Who bath merited, promised, prepared it for us, and gives us the earnest and foretaste of it in our hearts.

V. 4. When Christ-The abruptness of the sentence surrounds us with sudden light, our life-The fountain of holiness and glory, shall appear—In the clouds of heaven.

V. 5. Mortify therefore-Put to death, slay with a continued stroke, your members-Which together make up the body of sin, which are upon the earth - Where they find their nourishment; uncleanness-In act, word, or thought; inordinate affection-Every passion which does not flow from, and lead to, the love of God; evil desire-The desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life; covetousness-According to the derivation of the word, means the desire of having more, or of any thing, independent on God, which is idol atry Properly and directly; for it is giving the heart to a creature. V. 6. For which-Though the heathens lightly regarded them. V.7. Living-Denotes the inward principle; walking The outward acts. V. S. Wrath-Is lasting anger: filthy discourse-And was there need to warn even these saints of God, against so gross and palpable a sin as this? what is man, till perfect love casts out both fear and sin!

V. 10. In knowledge-The knowledge of God, his will, his word.

V. 11. Where-In which case, it matters not what a man is externally, whether Jew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, void of all the advantages of education, yea, Scythian, of all barbarians most barbarous : but Christ is in all that are thus renewed, and is all things in them and to them,

V. 12. All who are thus renewed are elected of God, holy, and therefore the more beloved of him. Holiness is the consequence of their election, and God's uperior love, of their holiness.