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4. having heard of your faith in the Dispensation

of Jesus, and the love, for all the saints,

5. we give thanks for the hope that is laid up for you, in the heavens, which ye heard before through the word of the truth of the gospel that is in the possession of you.

6. As also of all the world, it exists bringing forth fruit and being increased. As also among you, from which day, ye heard of and acknowledged the grace of the God, in truth.

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12. with joy, giving thanks also to the Father that called and qualified you, for the portion of the inheritance of the saints in this world, by the light of i e by the knowledge he has vouchsafed,

13. who delivered us, out of the power of the darkness ie the ignorance in which we were, and translated into the kingdom of the son that is loved of him,

14. in whom we have the redemption, that is the forgiving of the sins that exclude man from the

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22. But now ye should have been reconciled anew in baptism in the body of his i e in which he had flesh, on account of the death you must incur, to have displayed you to man as a body holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable, in his sight,

23. if indeed ye continue in the faith, having been grounded and settled, and not having been moved away from the hope of the glad tiding, which ye heard of him that was proclaimed to all creation that is under the heaven, of which I Paul a minister became.

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721. A firstborn from the dead. Observe the accuracy of the Apostle's expression. Our Blessed Lord himself declares, That Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had risen from the dead before him, and hence he could not be styled, The firstborn, but only, A firstborn, and this is the Apostle's language.

722. Ta have reconciled anew the all things. Let this be noted, that the Apostle here does not say, To have Reconciled the all things, but, To have Reconciled them anew, Christ having previously in one sense Reconciled them, in having made peace for them by the blood of the cross; hence I judge, the new or second Reconciliation is that which man partakes of in the kind of body in which our Blessed Lord had flesh, See Verse 22, a Reconciliation alone enjoyed,

and in all cases secured in Baptism. The first act done by Christ the Apostle terms, Making peace by the blood of the cross, which although made for all men, would not Reconcile any except those that rightly accept it: and so the blood of Christ does not Literally Reconcile, it only is a means of obtaining Reconciliation; and hence the Apostle does not here style what Christ obtains by his blood Reconciliation. The Second act in relation to Christ, Baptism, the Apostle himself terms Reconciliation; since every Baptized Person obtains the Reconciliation that that act is designed to secure. 723. To whom the God desired. Literally, Personally wished to effect. This desire would include all men; whereas &c., To whom the God judged it desirable to unfold; hence &c., 321.

724. Absent in the flesh. Literally denotes, Death; whereas &c., Not dwelling together; hence &c., 321.

725. Your order. Literally, The order established by you; whereas &c., The order with which you practise obedience; hence &c., 321.

727. Having blotted out the hand writing concerning us. Literally, Us Christians; whereas &c., Us who were under circumcision; hence &c., 321.

728. Or of Sabbaths. This passage of Holy Scripture is advanced in defence of the non-observance of the Seventh Day, in respect of which it appears to have been overlooked, that this passage in no way justifies such non-observance, but only authorizes a disregard of censure on account of that estimation of any Sabbaths, which a Christian may feel accords with God's appointment. If at the time of St. Paul's writing this record the Colossian Church was disturbed with dissensions respecting the necessity of observing the Peculiar and Extra Sabbaths of the Jews, such as the two Sabbaths

18. let no one, defraud of a prize you, willing for humility even worship of the messengers sent to you, what things he hath seen, intruding vainly, being puffed up by the mind of his flesh,

19. and not retaining the head, of which, all the body, by means of the joints and hands, being abundantly supplied and united, it groweth the growth of the God,

20. if ye died with Christ, because of the rudiments of the world being unable to deliver you, why

of the Passover, the Sabbath of the First Fruits &c. he would write quite correctly to those Christians, and without any ambiguity, that they were not to regard those who condemned them on account of their observing or not observing Sabbaths, without in so doing, in any manner having reference to their duty in relation to the observance or non-observance of The Seventh day Sabbath; inasmuch as no question had arisen in that Church in relation to that day, and did exist in relation to the observance of the other Sabbaths; hence it followed, that his observations could alone have relation to those Peculiar or Extra Sabbaths, respecting which they were disturbed. Before therefore this passage can be advanced as any justification for Christians not observing the Seventh day as a Sabbath, it must be proved, that when St. Paul wrote this record, the necessity of observing the Seventh day was denied, a fact which all Revelation and Tradition contradicts; See Lardner Vol. 4, p. 215, who considers that till after the third century the Seventh Day was observed as a Sabbath by all Christians.

10. and having put on the new, that is renewed as to knowledge of good and evil, after a likeness of him that created him.

11. Where i e in which state there is not Greek or Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond, free, but the all things distinguishing, even in all, Christ is.

12. Therefore put on, as elect of the God, holy, beloved, bowels i e feelings of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering,

13. forbearing one another, even forgiving in ourselves, if any one, against any one, should have a cause of complaint. As even the Lord forgave you. So also ye.

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16. the word of the Christ, let it dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, on account of the grace vouchsafed to you, celebrating in song from your hearts to the God,

17. even every thing whatsoever ye shall effect in word or in deed, all things I mean, under i e relating to name of Lord of Jesus, ye shall effect, giving thanks to the God the Father, for it,

18. the women among you, be subject to the men, so that it ie the subjection has regard to Jehovah's requirements,

19. the men among you, love the women, and be not bitter against them,

useless, till it can be shewn, what members man can mortify that are not on the earth. Why do we not read in verse 1, Set your affections that are on the earth on things above &c.

733. As even the Lord forgave. If Christ without limitation did what is here stated, I know of no reason for the Disarrangement. See Rule 322,1.

without, redeeming the time that you spend with them,

735. The masters after the flesh. Literally, Those that excel in human things; whereas &c., Those that in this world have control; hence &c., 321.

736. Serve. Literally, This Sentence would be an explanation of that which immediately precedes it; whereas it is an Injunction; hence &c., 321.

738. Persevere in the petition. Literally, Never cease to urge it; whereas &c., Cease not at seasons to urge it; hence &c., 321. 739. Redeeming the time. Literally, Bringing affairs back to their former state; whereas &c., Not losing the time; hence &c.,

741. See 1 Cor. xvi. 18.

742. In order that perfect ye should have been placed. Literally, Absolutely such; whereas &c., Be accepted as such; hence &c., 321. 743. Salute the brethren in Laodicea. Literally, Do what is stated; whereas &c., A mode of expressing affectionate recollection of them; hence &c., 321.

744. The Church after her house. Literally, The Church which followed the instruction that was originated by her house; whereas &c. I consider, The Church which the influence and means of her house established and upheld; hence &c., 321.