reaks forth with much more ſplendor amongft the Gentiles, Rom. 15.7, 8,9. 1 Cor. 2. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 9, 18. all glory before was but a ſhadow to this, ch. 2, 17. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Gal. 3.1. Heb. 10. 1, 6 Which is Chriſt, among, for, or in them, 7. e. who not only was preached among them, but whom they poſſeſſed, and who dwelt in them by Fatih, Eph. 3. 17. the Revelation being accom- panied with the power of the Spirit in the tranſlating them by his glorious power from the Kingdom of Darknels into his King- dom, v. 12. Luke 17. 21. Gat. 2. 20. & 4s 19. Eph. 2. S, 7s c S0 is not only the Object, 1 Tim. 1. 1. but the ground of their expectation of glory, he in whom the myſtery begins, and ends, 1 7:1. 3.16. out of whom all are hopeleſs of being happy, Eph. 2+ 12. and in whom all have ſtrong conſolation, Zeb. 6. 18.
28. Whom we preach 4; warning every man and teaching every man in all wiſdom e, * that we may preſent every man perfe& in Jeſus Chriſt
confuſion, 2 Cor. 11. 2. Phil. 3. 12, 15. Heb. 5. 14.
29 Whereunto I alſo labour, ſtriving according to his working g, which worketh in me mightily.
£ To perform which, ſaith he, T earneftly endeavour and take Pains to wearineſs as an Husbandman, 2 Tim. 2. 6. contendins as one in an agony, 1 Thefſe 5. 12. by his grace which was with me, 1 Cor. 15. 10. in power, not by my own ſtrength or wiſdom to do or ſuffer. h But ?by his effeQtual aids enabling me for his Service with might, c. 1. 11. Rom. 15 15. tO 21. I Cong, 25, 26, 27+ Eph. Is 19., 20, & 3+ 7. Phil. 4. 13,
CHAP. II.
His care for them that they may be confirmed in Chriſt, and conſtant 1 him ; not ſeduced, 1——$. by Philoſophy or Inſtitution of the Law ; for the Godhead dwells bodily in Chriſt, and we are perfet in him, and ſpiritually Circumciſed, of which m_—_ is a Seal; dead, and raiſed with Chriſt, 9g 12. Who bath aboliſhed the Ceremonial Law, and triumphed over Satan, and taken away the difference of Meats and Times, 14. 17. Againſt worſhipping of Angels and all ſelf-will Worſhip, 18 22,
got 4 I would that ye knew what great | #20, conflict I have for you b, and for them at Lao- oi dicea c, and for as many as have not ſeen my face in*!ti the fleſh 4d. | H oF
4 This cauſal Particle refers to what he had ſaid juſt before kn”? the former Chapter. 6 The certainty of which Truth for the Evidence of his unfeigned Affettion to them, he heartily wiſhes they might be certified what a combate he ſuſtain'd for them, by reaſon of that oppoſition he met with in his minifterial Lz bours. This filled him with inward Fears and Cares, and en: compaſs'd him with outward Troubles, as 2 Cor. 11. 23. to 30 2 Tim. 2. 10. Wherein he addreſſed himſelf to God for them by earneft Prayers, as ch. 4. 12. 2 The, 1. 11. deſiring the affiſtance of their Prayers, Kom. 15: 30. Heb. 13. 18, theſe with his Tra- vels, Writings, &c. might well be called a conflict, 7hz1. 1, 30. c Which he had not only for the Saints at Coloſſe, but for their Neighbours liable alſo to the imprefſion of the ſame or the like Seducers at Laodicea definitely, to whom he deſigned this Epi- ſtle might be imparted, c. 4+ 16. d And indefinitely for as many Chriſtians, eſpecially in Phrygia, as had not ſeen him bodiiy pre- ſent among them, or heard him preach with a lively voicz, whi- ther becauſe *tis ſaid he twice paſſed through all Phryygia where Coloſſe and Laodicea were ſituate, As 1. 16. & 18. 23. he had been perſonally at theſe Cities, is not determinable from the c0- pulative here (which poſſibly may be uſed as a Particle to ſeparate theſe from thoſe who had not converſed with him) neither is it 0 much importance. Jt ſhould ſeem Pau} was acquainted with Philemon ( a Coloſſian or Laodicean ) his Wife and Family, Fl: I. 2,
2 * That their hearts might be comforted e, be- #26 ing knit together in love f, and to all riches of the* full aſſurance-of underſtanding g, to * the acknow- til ledgment h/of the myſtery of God z, and of the Fa- ther, and of Chriſt k.
e Whereas falſe: Teachers did endeavour to adulterate the Chriſtian Inſtitution, the firiving of the Apoſtle's holy Soul here was as in the former Chapter, v. 28. to this end, that they might be compleat and eftabliſh'd Chriſtians to the laſt. f And as a proper means conducible to this good purpoſe he would have them be joined or compacted together , be all of a piece, in the »#=ion and exerciſe of love. 8 And to attain to a well-grounded powerful evangelical Faith , which he ſets forth lively by an elegant increaſe of words both in regard of the atts and the object of it which is called 2 myſtery to be believed, 1 7m. 3. 9. upon its being revealed, The ſenſe of that which he heartily detires is that they might have (1.) all abundance of nnderſtanding with full ſatisfaction theſe main Principles of the Goſpel, they are called to aſſent (0- Signifying faith is no blind, but a certain —_—— —_— fion z to diſtinguiſh it from uncertain Opinion, Fohy 6. 0g- Rom. 4. 21. I Theſſ. 1. 5, Heb. 6, 11. & 10. 22- h (2.) = - ward conſent, and vital owning, a cordial embracing OR fundamental Truths of the Goſpel, EpF. 4+ 13, 14+ £#ebe Os 2»
. ; :0ns and Traditions which in oppoſition to thoſe vain Speculations deluded
Chap, nc!
Or,
e- #21
he 6
N= $ſhi
hich 1ded
TM Chap. 11:
deluded many.
jet, but revealer of it. For the Father reveals Chrift, c. 1. 27. Mat. 16+ 17. Eph. 3.3. as Chriſt doth the Father, Mat. 11. 27.
obn 1. 18. k Whereas it is ſaid, and of the Father and of Chriſt. This firft ad here needs not be rendred as a copulative but as exegetical, or as expletive, and may be read even, or t0 wit, or both, (as a learned Man obſerves) the Greeks and Latins uſually do when the copulative is to be repeated, the name of God referring commonly to the Father and the Son (as <elſe- where God even the Father, ch. 1. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 24. and 2 Cor. T1. 31. Eph. 1. 3. Phil, 4. 20) So the former and here may be xead q. 4d. the myſtery not of God abſtrattedly conſidered ; but 1 would have you be united and all one, in the acknowledg- ment of the whole myſtery of God, z. e. both of the Father and of Chriſt. :
3 | In whom are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom, and knowledge m.