'e 4, y Clemency towards cach other, not only in undergoing af- frents, but a ſutpending to take advantage from the infirmities of others, ſo, as not to irritate them to paſſion, or to take them tripping, , as to aggravate their failings, Prov. 16, 32, 1 Cor, 4. 12, Gal. 6.2. Eph. 4. 2. 2Theſſ. 1.4. 3 Yea, and if one hath any juſt complaint againſt another, mutually paſſhng it by, amoneſt cur ſelves; we render forgiving ove another that which in 1e Greek is forgiving our ſetves, and indeed he, that doth (ce the need he hath of pardon himſelf, will pals by the fault of his Bro- ther (ſocur ſelves here is put for ore another) Mar, 10. 26, Iuke 22. 12, conſidering, «4 The exemplar caule here added as a mo- tive -to mutual forgiveneſs, v2. our Head, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt forgiving of vs whoare bound tb conform to him in for- giving others, See on Mat, 6. 14. & 18. 32, 32. Mark, 11. 25, Fcbn 13 14. Fpheſ, 4: 32+ with 1 et. 2.21, yea the ftrong to indul*e and gratife their weak Brethren in ſmaller matters tor their good, Kon. 15e 2, 3» 14. And above all theſe things, put oz charity b, which is the bond of perfeQneſs c. b That which we render above as ſurpaſſing all, ſome read pon or 0-7, and ome for all theſe things, viz. the graces he exhorted them to be clothed with. Both agree, that mutual Chriftian Love or Charity is the chiefeſt Garment, the new Man car Put on, being the livery of Chriſt's diſciples, Fob» 12.3%. but in profecuting the Allegory under the former No- tion: there is ſome danger of being over fine. And therefore it may bc very periinent to underftand the putting on or exEr- ciſing, of charity, for the performance of the other graces and EXErcifes, this being that which ſets them on work with refer- ence to their ſeveral objeAsingaging to fincerity in their altings, without which the motions of the new man are no way accept- able, this links them together, and ſo is ina ſort, as the Apoſtle elſewhere, Rom. 12. 9, '#>+ Gal. 5.14. a fulfilling of the whole Law, with Mar. 22. 39, 40. being the ſubjetts of this hearty and regular affection of love to God and our Neighbour. are enclired by it to do good continually and to avoid the in- juring of another in any reſpe& ; not that there is any fulfilling of the law perfefly in this eftate, as the Papiſts argue imperti- nently from what follows of charity. c That it is the bond of per- feineſs, or by an Hypallage or Hebraiſm, the moſt perfe&t bond, therefore we are juftificd by it,and ſo by the works of the law be- fore God. For (1) Love or Charity it ſelf is not perfe&, and ſo the very beſt of the new Creatures who have put it on, how- ever they may be perfe&, with a perfection of integrity or parts, yet not with a _perfeCtion of maturity or degrees abſo- Iutely whiles in this life, SEE ON Eccleſ. 7, 20, Rom. 7.18, 19+ Gal. 5.17. bil, 3. 12,15. with Fam 3.2. &c, (2) Upon ſup- poſition that charity in a new Creature doth in ſome ſort per- feQly fulfil the Law from the time he is endowed with it of God's grace, and a Man hath put it on; he could not by it be juſtified from the breach of God's law before, he being a tranſgrefſor of it in time paſt, 1 Fob 1. 8, 10, (3) That perfeGtion of which charity here is ſaid to be the bond, doth moſt likely reſpect the integrity and unity of the Members of the Church, holding the Head being knit together in one body; ſee on ch, 2, 2, 19. with Epheſ. 4. 16, the Greek word we tranſlate bond here, noting ſuch a Colle&ion and Colligation of parts whereof a Body 1s compoſed, and in one Greek Copy it is found written the bond of uniry, Asa prevailing love to God, and to thoſe who hear his Image, for his ſake, doth bind up the other Graces in cyery re: | generate Soul, ſo it doth the true Members of the body of Chrift, one to another, being the beſt means for the perfecting of them under Chrift their Head, who hath upon that account exprefly requir'd mutual love amongtt his followers. Fohn 15.12. 1 Fohn 3. 223. & 4.21.and the cogent reaſon hereof is (as above in that Chapter of Fobr*s Epiftle, v. 10, 11.) God's loving of us, and then indeed when we entirely love God and his Children, we ſhew our love to be the bond of perfettneſs in returning love to him and his, when by this reciprocal affection,- both ends of the band of love do meet and are knit together, we become one withGod and in him through Chriſt as one Soul amongft our ſelves, walking in love according to his Commandment, A&s
4. 32, Epheſ. + 2, I Theſſ. 4. on
# Phil.4.7. 15 And let * the peace of God d rule in your
hearts e, to the which alſo ye are called f in one body g- and be ye thankful 5.
d He doth not ſay the peace of the World, but the jeace of God, or 2s ſome Copies, the peace of Chriſt ; be ſure without the mediation of Chrift we can have no peace with God; he alone hath made peace, ch. 1, 20, with ch. 2, 14. he is our peace, making it with God and among our ſelves to whom he hath preached it, £As 10. 36. Eph. 2, 14,15, 16,17. and whom he hath brought into the bond of it, Eph. 4. 3. the Lord of peace himſelf who al- ways gives it where it is enjoyed, Fohn 14. 27. 2 Thef}. 3. 16. *Tis then the peace of God through Chriſt, ſee Phil, 4. 7, 9. by faith in whom we have peace in our own hearts with God, Jja, 32.17. Rom.5.1. &% 14.17, and with one another, Fobn 17. 21. Rom, 15.6, 7, 13, that the members of Chriſt may live in this peace, 2 Cor, 123, 11. the Apoſtle here enjoyns, as we render the word, let it rule in your hearts, the Greek word (both {imple here, and compound, ch. 2.18.) is no where elſe to be found in the YN, T, but in this Epiſtle, and it may fignifie either to arbitrate, or to mediate ; our tranſlation and the generality of Interpreters take it in the former notion, for to arbitrate, or to
- COLOSSIANS.
who ſate Juage or Umpire to adjudge the reward in the Agonj. ſticks. So the import of the Apoſties Tnjunction is, 1-t it regy. late, govern, ſuperintend, or give law to the reſt of the 28>. ions of the new Man; let it be Miſtreſs and Governeſz of z;1
1 your motions to kcep them in que reſpe&, and withhold them