x Having with kindneſs and delight reported to Paul and Tims" thy, &c:. y» What a ſpiritually fervent atfettion not moved by carnal Conſiderations, but inwrought by the Spirit, Gal. 5. 6. 22. ariting from a renew'd heart, 1 Tim. 1, 5. & 2 Tim. I. 7. they had for Chriſt, for the Goſpel, the Apoſtle, and all that did love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, Gal. 6. 10, 1 Pet. 22, 23»
9 For this cauſe we alſo z, fince the day we | heard it, do not ceaſe to pray for you a, and to de- un.12, fire that ye might be filled with the * knowledge of
- his will 6, in all wiſdom c, and ſpiritua} under- ; | Mfanding 4. \ | 7 He doth here ſugzeft the Motive mentioned in the precedent y | Verſes, viz. their faith and love, verſe 4. 5. and their ſpecial u | love, verſe 8. to him, why he and his Brethren had them ſo much ) ; upon their hearts, ſee on Epkeſ. 1. 15, 16, 17. 4 It ſeems from y the time they were refreſh'd with theſe Tidings they did (as he v- exhorts the Coleſſhuas here, ch. 4. 2.) always upon all ſolemn N, | occations wait upon God for the Coloſſizas ſpiritual proſperity, as Paul himſelf did for the Philippians, See on Luke 15. 1. Rom. 12. 12. Phil. 1.4, 9. with 1 Theſ{-<.-17. b And the ſubject matter of
"1 | their inſtant Prayer was that they might attain to a more diſtinet, 01 | clear and pradtical knowledge of the mind of God in Chrift, and
a greater meaſure of conformity to what he requires in the Goſ- pel, verſe 6. Eph. 5. 15,16, 17. © In (rather than with) all ne-
(C- ceſſary knowledge of the things of faith and manners according to ors | the preſcript of the Goſpel: for ſapience or wiſdom doth properly wn | reſpe&the moſt excellent things, and ſuch we learn moſt diftinatly Io | and ſatisfactorily from the revealed will of God, which we have ly in the Bible; This is that which Pauland other holy men ſpake as e * taught of God amongſt the perfe& or grown Chriſtians in oppo- £20 ſition both to rhe wiſdom of Man and of the World, 1 Cor. 2. 4,6. Jl + | being agreeable to the will of God, Fob 28. 28. Prov. 23. 7. Foh. by | 6.40. 1 Theſſ. 4.3. d And with this Chriſtian wiſdom ſome would u? | render the following words in ſpiritual prudence, but if we render | ol | it underſtanding or intelligence it may be expounded to the ſame | ſenſe, for which there may be very good reaſon, for the Phileſo- us | pher doth ſometime by the Greek word mean that power or habit Ie} * whereby men judge aright of things preſented conducing to hap- ore” | pineſs, ſoas upon a due expence of circumſtances to diſcern the ned good from the evil, the true from the falſe, and the real from
by | the apparent; Such a* Gift as Paul prays the Lord would give
6.7 unto Timothy, 2 Tim. 2. 7. compared with 1 Cor. 1.5. that they = might rightly diſtinguiſh *rwixt the ſimplicity and purity of the iP Goſpel, and thoſe falle glofſes and colours that falſe Teachers went
ths, | about to ſophiſticate it with, not be without underſtanding (as ſome who follow'd-our Saviour, Mat. 15. 16.) what courſe they
1dp, ſhould take in the prattice of piety 3 but be able to diſcern the
yOu, times, 1 Chron. 12. 32. and other circumſtances, Pj]. 39. I. &
a. 9 23. Eccleſ. 5. 1. Luke $. 18. for the ordering their actions
'e OC, aright, fo as they may adorn the Dottrin of God our Saviour
in all things as becomes the Goſpel, Eph. 1. 8. with Phil. 1. 10,
© 27. Col. 4. 5. Tit. 2. 10. Tgnorance then can be no Mother
ſt g ot true Devotion , nor the Inventions of Men acceptable Ser-
he vice to the living God , Whoſe will alone is the rule of his ek worſhip. |
- wel 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord e,
WH Þito all pleating /, being fruitiu! in every good
hin work g, and encreaſing in the knowledge of mart | (30d h. Ji tne o ; . y_ *
arte! © They pray'd for the above-mentioned 2rac:0us habits that | nc "12 Colofr.ms might exerciſe them in a courſe of lite as it becomes | Ai: WH ve who arc cifettaally called: by the Goſpel, to be the Sons of |
COL OSSIANS.
Men; they do not bring forth that genuine fruit which the Coloſ-
Chap. I,
God and the Servants of Chriſt 5 ſuitable to the Members of ti Body of Chriit. See on Eph. 4. 1. Phil. 1. 27. compared with,
Rom. 16. 2. 17Theff. 2. 12. & 2 Ihe 1.11. As the word Ged alone ordinarily connotes the Father, ſo Lord doth Chrift ; anſwer-
able to whole wiſdom, holineſs and example, Chriſtians profcihng
a relation to him, and expetting benefit by his purchaſe ſhould
behave themſelves, ſo that the P.piſts cannot from this walkin
worthy of the Lord juſtly infer a merit of condignity, behaving our
ſelves as Chriſtians being ſo far from any merit, or deſert of ours * chat it is a devr, we being indilpenſably obliz'd to do (©, practice
being the end of our knowledge. f And this end we are to reſpect
unto all pleaſing, i.e deſigning and endeavouring not in one thins
only, or in few things, but in all things whatſoever are incumbent
on us, we may find acceptance with our Lord and Mater, chap. 2+
20. 1 Cor. 7. 32-& 10. 31. 1 Theſſ. 2.4: Heb. 12. 28. all ſhould
be great and generous ſuch as may belt like our Lord, keeping
themſelves from the defilements of the Age, R-v. 5. 4. « Par-
ticularly frucifying,” which in the ſenſe may be joined with being filled, verſ. 8. being fruitful is a metaphorical Expreſſion borrow'd from fruit-bearing Trees unto which godly Men and real Chriftians are compared, P/al. 1.3. Foh. 15. $. and every good wort is the fruit which theſe plants of the Lord, having his lpirit as the ſeed remaining in them, 1 Foh. 3. 9. do brings forth of every ſort from a right Principle, 1 Tim. 1. 5. according to rule warranted by God, J/. 29. 13. GU. 6. 16. or having a call from him, for his glory. See 2 Cor. 9. 8. Phil. 1. 11. 2 Theſſ. 2. 17. Heb. 13, 21. þ The Coloſſ.ns were not yet perfe@ in knowledge, and thereforc they pray'd that they might go on, and grow in grace and know- ledge of God and Chriſt, 2 Pet. 3.15. the beft here knowing but n part, 1 Cor. 12. 9. therefore they detired thele Chriſtians as the Philippians, ch, 3. 10, 12. and the Epheſizns might come to their ſtature, Eph. 4.13. See on the Texts.
11 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power 7, unto all paticnce &, and long ſut- tering with joyfulneſs.