from attempting any thing diſorderly, and to overſway difinci;. nations to the divine pleaſure or the good order of Chriftiz; community, The Arabick Vernon is, Ict it be as the centre Yet one learned man conceiving the Apoftle doth here as before. ch. 2,18, glance upon the falle Apoſtles, (who would infinuate the mediation or interceſhon of Angels) thinks becauſe the word fignifics alſo to medzate, intercede, or interpole, the Apo- ftle's meaning may be let the peace of God be to you inftead of all conceited Angelical Mediators or Interceffors, which wou1q derogate from him that made peace, ch. x. 20. nailing what hindred to his Crols, ch. 2. 14. let that preponderate with von in your hearts to over-ballance any thing that can be ſuggeſted tg the contrary. Conſidering, f The divine vocation or the ca1j of God, Rom. 12,18, 1 Cor. 7. 15. and, g The condition gr unity of the Body into which ye are called under Chriſt yoyr Head, 1 Cor 10.16, & 12. 12,13, 25, 26, Eph. 4. 4. he adds, þ Be ye gracious, or amiable, of an obliging temper (as ſome render the word pafhvely : ) or rather as we take it attiyely, hs ye thankful, i.e. to Ged and Chriſt and Chriſtians, be min{Ff1 of the benefits you haye received, giving thanks to God :1yays for all things, Eph, 5. 20, and behaving your ſelves as becomes the Goſpel.
16, Let the word of Chriſt dwell in you richly In all wiſdom z, teaching and admoniſhing one :no- ther k in Pſalms, and Hymns, and fpirituat _ I, ſinging with grace #2 in your hearts to the Lord ». |
z One learned Man conceives Paul to have written this firſt clauſe of the Verſe, as in a Parentheſts, joining in the ſenſe what next follows to be ye thankful in the foregoing Verſe; another would have the Parenthefis to begin from the 14th Verſe, The thing here exhorted to, is the plentiful inhabitation of the Do- ctrin of the Bible more eſpecially of the Goſpel, that it may take up its reſidence and abode in our Souls, which comes from the (ſpiritual incorporation or mixing of it with faith, Zeb, 4. 2. without which it may enter in as a ſtranger, but will not abide, it may caſt a ray, or ſhine, but is not comprehended and doth not enlighten, Fob 1, 5, 2 Cor. 4. 4. it may afford ſome pre- ſent delight, Mark. 6. 20. but not laſting. The Apoſtle would hare the word to be diligently ſearched, heartily received, and carefully obſerved; a Child may have it in his memory, that hath it not in his heart, this indwelling of the word imports a regarding, as well as a remembring of it, Pſal. 1. 2. Jobs 5+ 39. & 20. 31, AS 17,11. 27Tim,3.15,16-17, If all the Saints at Coloſſe were concerned in this Exhortation, the P:piſts oppoſe the ſpirit of God in excluding (thoſe they call) the laity trom familiarity with the Scriptures in their Mother Tongue. # Being that all Chriſtians are here indiſpenſably obligcd to in- ſtru& and warn themſelves ( according to the original word) as well as each other mutually ; ſee Epheſ. 5, 19, 1 Then the ue of the word, and the manner of expreſſing their thankfulnefto God amongſt themſelves is in ſinging to his praiſe PſzIms, and Hymns, and ſpiritual Songs, He doth not ſay teaching and admo- niſhing from theſe (as elſewhere) Afs 8. 35, & 28. 22. but it them ; implying It 1s a peculiar ordinance of Chriſt, for Chri- tians to be exerciſed in holy ſinging, as Fam. 5, 13. with an audible voice muſically, P/al. gs. 1, 2. & 100 1, Afs 16. 25. As foretold Iſa, 52. 8. with Rom, 10. 14. Some would diſtin- guiſh the three words the Apoſtle here uſeth from the manner of ſinging, as well as the matter ſung. Others from the #ebrew uſage of words expreſſed by the LXX, in the Book of 7/uns, yet whoever conſults the Titles of, the Pſalms and other places of the 0, 7, they ſhall find the words uſed ſometimes promiſcu- ouſly, compare Fudg. 5. 3, 1 Chron. 16.8, 9. 2 Chron, 7. 6. & 23. 13. & 29. 30, Pſal. 29. 2. &45 1. &47.1. & 48,1. C G5. I, & 105, 1, 2.1/2, 12. 2, 4. & 42. 10. or conjundly to the ſame matter, Pſal. 30. & 48. & 65. & 66. & 74. & $3, & 87. Hereupon others ftand not upon any critical diftinQion of the thr ce words, yet are enclined here, to take Pſalms by way Of eminency, Luke 24. 44. or more generally as the Genus, noting any holy Metre, whether compoſed by the Prophets of old, or others ſince aflifted by the Spirit extraordinarily or ordinarily, Luke 24. 44. AS 16, 25, 1 Core 14» 1%, 26, Famnes 5, 13 here tor clearnels ſake two modes of the Pſalms, viz. Hymns whereby we celebrate the excellencies of God, and his benefits to Man, Pfal. 113. Mat. 26, 30. and Cdes or Sengs, which word thouzh ordinarily in its nature and uſe it be more general, yet her? Sinechdochically in regard of the circumſtance of the conjoyne( words, it may contain the reft of ſpiritual Songs of a more ample, artificial and elaborate compoſure, beſides Zymns, 12%. I4. 2,2.& 15. 2,3. Which may be called Spiritual] or holy S07g5,
rom the efficient matter, or end, viz that they proceed from the holy ſpirit, or in argument may agree and ſerve thercto. Being convenient they be ſo called from the Argument, 25 0P- poſed to carnal ſenſual and worldly Ditties, & And then that this holy ſinging be not only harmonious and tuneable to the Ear, but acceptable to God, *tis requiſite it do proceed from i gracious ſpirit, or grace wreught in the heart by the holy ſpirit and the inhabitation of the word, 1/2. 29. 13. Mat. 15.8. # TO the honour of God through Chrift our Lord, Zke 1, 46, 47- Fohn 5, 22. 1 Pet, 4. 11,
17 And whatſoever ye do o in word or deed p, 0 all in the name of the Lord Jeſus 9, * giving thanks #*2c! to God and the Father » by him.
rule, govern, ſway, or moderate by way of arbitration, as he
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