A.D.62. and Him alone, to be our Mediator with the Supreme Father And therefore by Him only, and his Interceffion, ought we to offer up all our Prayers and Praises to Him. 10 And ye are compleat in him, which is the head of all principality and power. 10. And you cannot but be abfolutely fafe, as to all the Means of Salvation, by Him, who is the Lord and Governour of all Degrees and Ranks of Creatures whatever. (Compare John i. 14, 16, 17.) 11 In whom also 11. And as Circumcifion was the ye are circumcifed external Rite of admitting Men inwith the circumcifion to the Jewish Religion, your Bapmade without hands, in putting off the bo- tifm into Chrift's Profeffion, and dy of the fins of the the Reformation of all your finful flesh, by the circum- Principles and Practices, make you, in a much higher and better Senfe, the Members of God's true Church, and entitled to nobler and better Privileges. cifion of Chrift: 12 Buried with him in baptifm, wherein 12. For as your being plunged in Water fignifies your dying to all Sin and Vice, in Conformity to Christ's Death and Burial; fo your certain Belief and Affurance of his Refurrection (denoted by your rifing again out of the Water) gives you the Certainty of your own Refurrection to Glory and Happiness; by the fame divine Power that raised up Him from the Dead. * 14 Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances, that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross : having 15 And fpoiled principalities and powers, he made a fhew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in refpect of an holy day, or of the new-moon ||, or of the fabbath days. 17 Which are a fhadow of things to come, but the body is of Chrift. 14. For he has now, by the A. D. 62. Death of Chrift upon the Crofs for all Mankind, cancelled and difannulled the Obligation to all those Jewish Ceremonies that made the Difference between you and that People, and kept you at a Distance from them. 15. And by the fame Sufferings on the Crofs has made Chrift the Conqueror of Sin and Satan, depriving them of their former wicked Power and Influences over Mankind, and leading them, as it were, Captives in Triumph t. 16 & 17. Wherefore, 'tis a vain thing for the Jewish Zealots to condemn you Gentile Converts, for not obferving the Jewish Festivals or Sabbaths, and the Ceremonial Diftinctions between clean and unclean Meats. For the Ceremonies of that Law were nothing but figurative and temporary Reprefentations of Chriftianity; in Chrift they are all now perfectly answered and ceased; and, in comparifon of his Religion, they are no more than the Shadow is to the Subftance. 18 And *Blotting out the hand-writing-nailing it to his Cross. An Allufion to the two ancient Ways of cancelling a Bond or Obligation; viz. either by croffing the Writing, or striking it through with a Nail. + Ver. 15. And having spoiled Principalities and Powers, &c. Note, I have expreffed the Meaning of this Verse agreeably to the general Senfe of Interpreters. That of the learned Mr. Peirce (who interprets the Principalities and Powers of the Good Angels) is very particular, but withal exceedingly curious, and worthy of Confideration. Let the judicious Reader judge for himself. Or of the Sabbath-days- Perhaps this is not meant of the Seventh-day Sabbath, enjoined by the Moral Law; but of the Feftivals appointed by the Ceremonial Law. Let the Reader judge for himself. A.D. 62. 18 Let no man + beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility, and worfhipping of Angels, intruding into thofe things which he hath not feen, vainly puft up by his fleshly mind: 18. And as you are to fence against these Notions of the Jewish Zealots, fo take heed that none of the Philofophers, either of the Gentiles, or of thofe Jews that borrow their Philofophy from them, impofe upon you, and endanger + your future Happiness, by any Mixtures of falfe Worship with that of God and Chrift. Particularly that of addreffing to Angels, or inferior Demons, as Mediators and Interceffors with God for Mankind; under pretence of Humility, in not addreffing to God himself immediately. This is the Effect of a proud Conceit of Human Reafon, that makes Men venture to dive into, and determine thofe divine Matters they have no Notion of, nor warrant for. 19 And not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment miniftred, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. ceive all proper and 19. For to worship any fuch Beings, as Interceffors for us, is the highest Disparagement to Chrift, our only Mediator and all-fufficient Interceffor; who being the Head of his Church, it is by him alone that we have Access to God the Father; and from our Union to Him only, do all the Members of his Body refull + Supplies, for their Growth Religion. 20 & 21. As to the Nicety of the Jewish Zealots, about not touching any thing that has been offered to an Idol; not tasting any forbidden Meats, and not handling any unclean thing, &c. 'Tis plain, that fince the Death and Religion of Christ has freed you from them all, it + Ver. 18. Let no man beguile you of your Reward. KuraCpabrúsTw. Note, This Word fometimes fignifies to Judge or Condemn. If it be fo taken here, the Sense is the fame as in Ver. 16. With the increase of God. See the Note on 2 Cor. viii. 1. it would be the greatest Folly imaginable for you to im- A.D. 62. pofe, or fuffer others to come under, the Slavery of fuch Obfervances. 22 Which all are to perish with the ufing *) after the commandments and do&trines of Men. 23 Which things have indeed a fhew of wisdom in will worship and humility, and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the fatisfying of the flesh. : 22. And to impofe them now, as abfolutely neceffary, upon no better Authority than that of human Traditions, is fuch an Abuse * as tends to corrupt and spoil the Chriftian Faith. 23. Thus do they both equally err; the Heathen Philofophers, in pretending Angel-Worship to be a Religious Act of Humanity and Reverence; and the Jewish Zealots in recommending their Niceties about Meats and Drinks, &c. as a means to mortify our bodily Pleafures and Appetites. 'Tis all Shew, Invention and meer Pretence; nor is there any thing of true Religion in either of them, but the Gratification of a Carnal or Jewish Mind. CHAP. * Ver. 22. Which things are all to perish in the ufing. The literal Translation is, Which things tend to corruption, by the abufe of them, according to the Doctrines and Commandments of Men. Or elfe thus, 'Tis the abuse of these things, not the meer use of them, that tends to corrupt or defile a Man. So referring the following Claufe, after the Doctrines and Commandments of Men, to the foregoing Verfe; I think the latter is the more natural Conftruction, (though the former be very good Senfe) agreeable to our Saviour's Words, Matth. xv. 11. as interpreted by Grotius and Le Clerc. There is yet another Way of rendering these Words, ὁ ἐςὶ πάντα εις φθοράν τη απόκρησει. All uhich things are, or were made to be confumed for our Ufe. Which is very confiftent Senfe, if they be put into a Parenthesis by themselves. The judicious Reader is to chufe for himself, CHA P. III. The CONTENTS. From the Confideration of the Happiness of a future State, now affured to them by their Christianity, the Apostle exhorts them to renounce all thofe vicious Practices they were fubject to, in their Heathenish Condition; among which, immoderate Anger, Revenge, and filthy Converfation were the chief. He shows them their great Obligation to Purity, Peaceableness, and Charity; and to an exact Obfervation of the Relative Duties, notwithstanding any Differences of Religious Principles, in the Perfons fo nearly related to each other. A.D.62. T F ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek those things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the 1 & 2. INCE then your Chriftian Religion, and particularly that great Article of Chrift's Refurrection, has raised you Gentile Chriftians to the Hope and Affurance of an Eternal Life in another State; it highly concerns you, no longer to fuffer your Affections to be immoderately bent upon Earthly Pleasures and Enjoyments, but to fix the main of your Thoughts and Endeavours after the Happiness of Heaven; where Chrift your Head is now fet, in the utmost Degree of Glory and Majesty. And, for the fame Reason, do you Jewish Chriftans raife your Minds above Carnal and Earthly Ceremonies, and fix them upon spiritual and heavenly things. earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Chrift in God. 3. By your Baptism into this Religion, you profefs your felves dead to Sin, and the World, and them to you. The Life you are now to lead is purely Christian, and God-like; and though your future Happiness, confifting in the full Enjoyment of God through Chrift, be yet at a Distance, and its Glories invifible; that |