Head of his Body, the Church,

303

and glorified in them. And he is before Sect. 2.
all, both in the Duration and the Dignity

of his Nature, and in him all Things, which Col. I. 17.
constitute this univerfal System, do conti-
nually fubfift in that harmonious Order of
Being, which renders it one beautiful whole;
whereas, unfupported by him, it would
immediately run into Confufion, or fall
back into its original Nothing.

And it is worthy of our particular Confi- 18
deration, that be, who is thus the Head and
Lord of all, is in a peculiar Senfe the Head
of the Church, [which] he [is] graciously
pleased to own as the Body, and which he
with amazing Condefcenfion has united in
the strictest Bonds to himself, taking it un-
der his peculiar Guardianfhip, Government
and Care [even he] who is, as we before
declared, the Beginning of the Creation of
GOD, and having stooped to affume our Na-
ture and to die in it, was also appointed to
be the First-born from the Dead (d), the
first who ever rofe to an endless Life; that.
fo in all Things he might have the Pre-emi-
nence, fuitable to the infinitely superior Dig-
nity of his Nature above all created Beings.
For in him his Father is ever well pleased, 19
as he declared by a Voice from Heaven;
and it was his fovereign Pleasure, as dwel-
ling in him to inhabit the whole Fulness of
the Church: And to qualify him for the
high Office which he fuftains, he hath
ap-
pointed that all Fulness of Gifts and Graces
fhould ever refide in him (e), even all the
Fulnefs

(d) First-born from the Dead.] Mr. Fleming would render it the Efficient (or Prince who is) the first Raifer from the Dead. (Chriftol. Vol. i. pag. 216.) But I have given here, as every where elfe, what appeared to me the eafteft, furest and most natural Senfe, and the best Commentators are agreed in it.

(e) That all Fulnefs fhould refide in him.] There is undoubtedly an Ambiguity in the original Phrare, εν αυτώ παν το πλήρωμα κατοίκησαν. Mr. Peirce would render it, in or by him to inhabit all Fulness, that is, the whole Church or Body of Christ: And that

Render

304

Sect. 2.

By whom GOD reconciles all Things to himself.

Fulness of the Godhead bodily. And it hath pleafed the Father likewife, by him to Col. I. 20. reconcile all Things to himself (f), that is, to the Purposes of his own Glory, having made Peace by the Blood of his Grofs; by which the Defign of the Ceremonial Law having been answered, the Obligations of it were abolished, and the Wall of Partition between Jews and Gentiles broken down. Yea by him [GOD bath reconciled all Things] to each other; whether Things on Earth, that is, Jews or Gentiles, or Things in Heaven, that is, celeftial Spirits, who are now reconciled to fallen Men, and incorporated with them into one holy and happy Society.

21

And the Calling of the Gentile Nations
into the Church is one important Part of
this Plan; fo that you, who were once alie-
nated, and Enemies in [your] Mind to the
bleffed GOD by wicked Works, he hath now
reconciled to himself and to the Society of
22 his People.
And this he hath done in
the

20 And (having made. Peace through the Blood of

his Crofs) by him to reconcile all Things unto himfelf, by him, I fay, whether they be Things in Earth, or

Things in Heaven.

21 And you that were fometime alienated, and Enemies in your Mind by wicked Works, yet now hath he reconciled,

Rendering would include the Senfe of ours, referring to God's dwelling in Chrift, and fo with us. Comp. Rom. xi. 12, 25. But I was cautious of altering our Verfion of fo important a Text, without certain and evident Neceffity. But fome Criticks have obferved, that when what Grammarians call an Infinitive Verb is in the New Teftament joined with the Word sudoxe, it fignifies the Action of him who is pleafed, which would indeed make the Paffage parallel to Eph. ii. 21, 22. Comp. Eph. i. 23, where the Church is called Anpaya, that is, GOD's Fulness. See Peirce in loc. As the Word Father is not in the Original, Mr. Reynolds would render it be, (that is, Chrift was pleafed that in him, (i. e. in himfelf,) all Fulness should dwell. (Reyn. of Angels, pag. 76.) But not to infift on the Harfhnefs of the Interpretation in other Refpects, it seems moft evident, that the whole Connection determines the Senfe quite another Way.

(f) By him to reconcile all Things, &c.] Dr. Whitby would render it, "by him to "make all Things friendly in him, making Peace between them and the Blood of his "Crofs;" and I apprehend that to be the true Senfe, and the only Sense in which Things in Heaven can be faid to be reconciled; for if it were to be granted, according to the Affertion of Mr. Reynolds in the forecited Place, that the Angels received confirming Grace in Chrift, they could not upon that Account be faid to be reconciled; but when Breach commenced between Man and the bleffed GOD, the Angels, as faithful Subjects, muft join with him against the rebellious Creature, and be ready to act as Enemies to him, while he continued the Enemy of GOD.

They fhould continue fteadfast in the Faith.

Flesh, through Death, to prefent you holy and unblameable, and unreproveable in his Sight:

23 If ye continue in the Faith grounded and fettled, and be not moved away from the Hope of the Gofpel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every Creature which is under Heaven; whereof I

Paul am made a Minister.

L

Col. I. 22.

23

305 the Body of his Flesh (g), which he hath Sect. 2. affumed, and by that Death which he hath fuffered therein, that fo be might present you holy and blameless, and free from all Accufation in his Sight. You will certainly be fo prefented, if ye continue established and grounded in the Faith in which you have been inftructed, and be not by any Floods of Affliction, or Tempefts of Temptation removed, and carried away from the important Hope of a happy Immortality, brought to us by the glorious Gofpel; which ye have heard, [and] which hath not only been publifhed among the Jews, but, by a special Commiffion from GOD, been preached to the whole Creation under Heaven, as a Meffage which extends to all the Species of Mankind; by which he commandeth all Men every where to repent, and promifes Salvation to all who believe and obey. Of which Gofpel I Paul am appointed a Minifter, and esteem it my peculiar Honour and Happinefs that I am fo.

IMPROVEME N T.

ET us learn by this fublime Difcourfe of our holy Apostle, how we are to conceive of our Lord Jefus Chrift, to whofe Glory he fo wifely and happily confecrated the Labours of his Pen and of his Life; and while we commemorate that Blood of his,' in which we have Redemption, even the Remiffion of our Sins, let us Ver. 14. bow to him as the Image of the invifible GOD, and the First-born of Ver. 15. the whole Creation. And whatever Discoveries we may at any Time receive, as to the Display of divine Power, Wisdom, and Goodness in the Formation of the visible or invifible World, let us re

.member

(8) In the Body of his Flesh through Death.] Some have understood this, as if it had been faid, he hath now by his Death reconciled you or incorporated you into the Body of his Church, which is to him as his own Flesh. Comp. Eph. ii. 16. v. 29, 30. But furely the Body of his Flesh moft literally and naturally fignifies, that Body of mortal Flesh, which he was pleafed to affume, that he might be capable of fuffering.

VOL. V.

306

Sect. 2.

Ver. 16.

Ver. 18.

Ver. 20.

Ver. 23.

Ver. 21.

Ver. 22.

Ver. 23.

Reflections on the Dignity and Condefcenfion of Chrift. member that by Chrift all Things in both were created, not excepting Thrones and Dominions, Principalities and Powers. The Angels of GoD worship him, as with and by the Father, their great Original and Support, acknowledging with Paul, and with the whole Catholick Church, as taught by him, that in Chrift all Things fubfift. Let us then, with the whole Hoft of Heaven, bow down before him, and worship him that fits upon the Throne and the Lamb. Let us with all Humility adore his Condefcenfion, in uniting us to himself in fuch dear and intimate Bonds, and avowing himself the Head of the Church, which he difdains not to call his Body, though he be the Beginning of the Creation of GOD, as well as the First-born from the Dead, and beyond Comparifon pre-eminent in all.

Important indeed are the Confequences of this his Condefcenfion! It is by him that GOD is reconciled to us, and dwells in us. It is the Blood of his Crofs that hath made Peace between Jews and Gentiles, between Heaven and Earth. Juftly might the Angels have forfaken this Earth of ours, and have afcended to Heaven, to enter their Proteft against finful Man, yea to feek a Commiffion for executing Vengeance upon the Apoftate Creature. But now through Chrift they are become our Friends and our Brethren. At his Command they minifter unto the Heirs of Salvation, and will continue their kind Offices, till Heaven gives the Interview which Earth denies, and lays a Foundation for the Endearments of an everlafting Friendship.

Oh that this reconciling Gofpel might be effectually preached to every Creature under Heaven! But to obtain its Effect, it must subdue our Hearts to Holiness. To be ftill under the Power of Sin, to go on in a Courfe of evil Works, is to continue the Enmity with Gop, and all his holy and happy Creatures. Let us fee to it, that we thankfully accept the Reconciliation, which the Gospel propofes. Then fhall we at length be prefented blameless, irreproachable and holy in bis Sight.

As we hope for this End, let nothing remove us from our Stedfaftness, nor from that glorious Hope of the Gospel, for which it is certain, nothing can be an equivalent. May divine Grace eftablish and confirm us in it, and make us victorious over every Thing that might attempt to fupplant our Feet and take away our Crown!

SECT.

St. Paul rejoices in his Sufferings for the Church,

SECT. III.

The Apoftle takes Occafion from what he had before said of the Excellency of Chrift's Perfon, and the Riches of his Redeeming Grace, to express his own Solicitude to fulfil his Miniftry among them in the most fuccessful. Manner; and lays open his tender Concern for the Coloffians, and other Chriftians in their Neighbourhood, that they might be established in their Adherence to the Gospel. Col. I. 24, to the End. Chap. II. 1,---7.

25 Whereof I am made a Minifter according to the Difpenfation of GOD, which is given to me for you, to

fulfil the Word of God;

COL. I. 24.

307

3.

Col. I. 24.

NOW, my Brethren, give me Leave to Sect.
tell you, that I am so far from repent-
ing of the Miniftry in which I am engaged,
on Account of any Difficulties it brings along
with it, that on the contrary, I rejoice even

in

my Sufferings for you, and with great Plea-
fure fill up whatever is wanting of the Afflic-
tions of Chrift (a) in his Members, by taking
Part of them in my own Flesh, for the Sake
of his Body, which, as I faid before, is the
Church, fo dear to him the common Head,
and to every Member vitally united to him.
Of which Church I was made a Minifter, to 25
wait upon it, and ferve it in every Office of
humble Love, according to the Difpenfation
of GOD, which was given me in Refpect of
you, that I might thoroughly and faithfully
preach

(a) Fill up whatever is wanting, &c.] Nothing could be farther from the Apostle's Intention, (as we learn from the whole Tenour of his Writings) than to intimate, that the Sufferings of Christ were imperfect, as to that Fulness of Atonement, which was neceffary, in order to the Juftification of Believers. But he deeply retained in his Mind the Impreffion of that firft Leffon, which he had from his Saviour's Mouth, viz. that he was perfecuted in his Members: (Acts ix. 4.) he therefore confiders it as the Plan of Providence, that a certain Measure of Sufferings fhould be endured by this Body, of which Chrift was the Head; and he rejoices to think, that what he endured in his own Perfon, was congruous to that wife and gracious Scheme.

Qq2

(b) When'