1 This may relate either to the divine myſtery, wherein, are in abundance all neceſſary do&rins to conſolation, and ſalvation ſtored up, reſpetting the foregoing verſe, compare 1 Cor. 2. 7+ Eph. 3+ 3, 4+ in oppoittion to the vain ſhew of wiſdom ſeducers did boaſt of, or (as the moſt ancient and modern take it) to Chrift the immediate antecedent in whom (as we render it) 7. e. in Chriſt; conſider either (1.) As the objet, which being right- ly known, we may have all wiſdom and perfe& knowledge to Salvation ; he ſpeaks not here of all that Chrift knoweth, he xeveals- not all that in the Goſpel to. us, but what we muſt Enow of him that we may be ſav'd. (2.) In the ſubje# becauſe all the treaſures of wiſdom in order to Salvation, are not only known and found out in Chriſt, m But alſo do dwell and a- bide in him as the fountain, what he can give to us for our con- ſolation and perfeftion. Tt had been little pertinent for Paul to have ſaid that all theſe deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2. 10. were known to our Lord ; but that they are found in him, Yo dwell in him, are all tored up, diſplayed and ſet forth in him to be ſeen through the veil, that is to ſay, his fleſh, Zeb. 10. 20. or the infirmity of his Croſs. The Series of the Apoſtle's diſcourſe comparing, v. $. and 1. ſhews it to be thus under- ftood of Chritt as the ſubje& and fountain of all ſaving wiſdom, in oppoſition to the comments of human wiſdom which the falſe Dottors did boaſt of : Continuing the metaphor he ſhews from what fund: the treaſuxes of ſaving knowledge may be drawn: by treaſures intimating-the excellency and abundance thereof 3 there was ſome ſtore in the Tabernacle of Moſes, but very ſmall compared to the abundance, certainly to be found in Chriſt, all elſe of no worth to the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt for conſolation, v. 2. Phil. 3. $. things to be believed and pratti- fed are by way of eminency Chrittian wiſdom and knowledge. The treaſures of which how and when hid, is to be well contt- dered, becauſe in our tranſlation, and in almoſt all others the Greek word we render hid is by traje&ion put next to the rela- tive whom, whereas it is indeed in the original the laſt word in the verſe, and ſeems to be expreſſive rather of what was hid befoxe Chrift than what # hid in him. For, as a learned Man faith, bidden treaſures, as ſuch, ſeem to be like hidden Mulick, of no regard z or like the hidden talent, Luke 19. 20. it not being ſo eafie to think that the Apoſtle in this Epiſtle teaching that the ſecrets which had lain hid from the wiſe Men of the World, in the ages paſt, and now were made bare, brought into light, and made known even to Babes by Chriſt, ch. 1. 26, 27. With Luke 10. 21. and having juſt before, v. 2. ſpoken of the under- fianding and acknowledgment of the myſtery of the Father and the Son, what ſhould the riches of glory to the knowledge of the myſtery be, but the treaſures of wiſdom now revealed, - here- tofore hid, of which continuedly a little after he ſays that al the fulneſs of the God-head dwells in him bodily, 1. e. perſonally, not in a ſhadow, as it were hid in a cloud, but in fleſh that may be really ſeen and touch'd. So that it ſhould ſeem beſt to retain hid as it is placed in the Greek to this ſenſe, q. d, 1 Chriſt are and dwell in the greateſt fulneſs, all the treaſures of wiſ- dom, hid under the law, which are therefore called a myſtery, ſecret or a biddew thing from Ages and Generations, ch. 1. 26, 27. noW made manifeſt to his Saints, they are now not hid in Chriſt, but made known among the Gentiles as God willed : not then hid-
en riches, h. e. treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge of this myſtery as of hid treaſure, but out of Chriſt, and before Chriſt, amongſt the Fews : For Chrift himſelf is that myſtery, <. 4. 2. not hid after his appearance, but manifeſted , and manifeſting the Father, Fon 1. 18. however, if any will rather chuſe to read, as if in Chriſt were at preſent hid all trealures, 'tis to be underſtood, ſtored up, not expoſed to the view of every Eye, being as in a rich cabinet, not to keep them from being known to men, but rather to make them more precious and deljrable. For Chriſt came when ſent of his Father. to ſpread this heavenly wealth. He is the Sun of righteouſneſs, Fobn 1. 9. the unbelieving muſt thank themſelves if where he is truly preached he be hid to them, and his arm be revealed
but to a few, Jſ7z. 53+ 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4+ 1+» *Tis their own blind- ing that they do not ſavingly diſcern what is diſplay'd in Chriſt, Wherefore both may be true in divers reſpetts. .(1.) Conlider the thing in it ſelf, objetively, ſo treaſures of wiſ- dom are evidently laid up in Jeſus Chrift, and manifeſted 'up- on his appearance, 1 7:m. 3. 16. Tir. 2» It. but (2.) with reſpe&t to the eyes and perceptions of Men (ſubjettively) as naturally obſcured and corrupted by finz fo natural men, or meer animal men perceive not in Chrift the riches of wifdom and knowledge which are in him as our Mediator when they look upon him as having no beauty or comlinels for which they thould defire him, Jſa. 53+ 2. be as crucified being to the Fews
COLOSSIANS.
z He calls this the myſtery of God, or a di- vine myſtery (no humane invention) as before, ch. 1. 26, 27+ and ſo vindicates the dignity of faith and the excellency of the Goſpel, afſerting it to be a myſtery of God, not only as the ob-
a ſtumbling-block and to the Gentiles fooliſhneſs, when he | thoſe of them, who are called, the power of God and whe dom of God, x Cor, x. 23, 24. the Lutherans inference hence that omniſciency agrees to Chriſt's human nature, is altoge- ther inconſequent; both (as before) becauſe the Apoſtile's bufi- neſs here 1s not to acquaint us what Chriſt himſelf knoweth , but that 1s to be known of us, which may be found treaſur'd up in him. Treaſures here in him not being conſidered abſo- lutely, but comparatively, to all the knowledge of Men and Angels. Yet from a ſuppoſal of an infinite knowledge in Chriſt, who is God man in one Perſon, it followeth not that the Soul of his Human Nature knoweth all things.
4 And this I fay z, leſt any man ſhould beguile you o with inticing words p.