Colossians 3

Colossians 3:1

SEek] endeavour to live the spirituall and Angelicall life, elevating your hearts and mindes towards Heaven, after your spirituall resurrection and imitation of Christ, setling no more your affection, nor any opinion of holinesse, upon earthly things.

Colossians 3:2

Set your affection upon] the Italian, think upon; See Romans 8:5.

Colossians 3:3

Dead] namely, with Christ, not onely to sinne, by being freed from it, and by having no more commerce with it, but likewise to the ceremonies of the Law Colossians 2:20 Your life] you are already made living in Christ in the participation of Gods grace, and in the communion of his Spirit: but yet the perfect state of spirituall life, in the full fruition thereof is not appeared, nor the glorious manifestation thereof: all that is yet in safe custody with God in Christs person. Strive therefore to attaine to that Soveraigne end, by a continuall exercise of holinesse,Phil. 3. 11. 12. 14.

Colossians 3:4

Who is our] namely, in the communion of whose Spirit you subsist in this state of spirituall life, whereof Christ is as it were the root and spring, which gives and preserves it.

Colossians 3:5

Your members] namely, all the affections, motions, and concupiscences of corrupt nature, whereof is composed all that masse of vice, which is called the body of sinne, Romans 6:6.Colossians 2:11. Or by members he meanes all the vicious actions of the body, Romans 8:13.

Colossians 3:6

The children] See upon Eph. 2. 2. & 5. 6.

Colossians 3:7

Walked] that is to say, which you sometimes practised Ye lived] when you see all your heart, and delight in them, and were wholly given to them, as men in whom sin raigneth.

Colossians 3:10

Which is renewed] the renewing of which is not fulfilled in an instant, but goeth forward by degrees in holinesse; according as the lively enlightening of the Holy Ghost encreaseth, by meanes whereof, all the remainder of the worke of regeneration is accomplished, Romans 12:2. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Ephesians 4:23.

Colossians 3:11

Where there is] in which worke of sanctification, all these regards, conditions, and qualities, doe neither availe, nor hurt. And God in producing of it hath no respect unto them But Christ] Christ alone apprehended by faith, for the remission of sinnes, is the onely spring, and cause of all good and salvation, to all believers; and living and working in them by his Spirit to regeneration.

Colossians 3:14

Above all these] the Italian, instead of all these; to the end that you may worke all these particular things: Get you a habit of charity, which is the root of all these vertues The bond]namely, the only meanes of a true and perfect union, which ought to be between believers, aboue all humane conjunctions, and which containeth perfectly in it selfe all the duties whereby men are joyned with God, and one with the other.

Colossians 3:15

Of God] namely, that holy tranquillity in your Spirits, and that spirituall concord, which God requires, and creates in his beleevers Rule] namely, governe and temper all your affections, so that they may all yeeld and have a relation thereunto In one body] namely, in the communion of the Church, which is Christs body Thankefull] for the benefits received from God and men.

Colossians 3:16

Let the word] namely, the doctrine of the Gospell, have a firme seate in your hearts, and in the middest of your Church: and as the soule dwels in the body to preserve it alive, to cause it to grow, and operate by it: So let this active truth be in you, in abundant fruits of good workes With grace] in a godly gracious manner, which may allure and edifie the hearers. See Luke 2:52 Acts 2 47 Ephes. 4. 29 Colossians 4:5 In your hearts] by a lively feeling of the soule, and not with the lips onely.

Colossians 3:17

In the name] calling upon his holy Name, and according to his command and to his honour and service.

Colossians 3:18

In the Lord] namely, as it is fitting for women that are in Christs communion as members of his Church. Or according to his command. Or in respect and by vertue of him.

Colossians 3:20

In all things] which belong to the right of parents, and whereunto children are lawfully bound Ephes. 5. 24.

Colossians 3:21

Lest they be] lest they put off all manner of affection, and desire of being thankfull to you. Despairing through your immoderate rigor of obtaining your good wils. Or lest they lose all joy of heart, and so run into precipitate resolutions.

Colossians 3:22

In all things] as v. 20 According to the] namely, your corporall and worldly masters. As Ephesians 6:5 Eye service] See upon Ephesians 6:6.

Colossians 3:24

Of the inheritance] namely, the heavenly inheritance: which though beleevers doe obtaine meerely by vertue of their adoption, yet it is promised unto them likewise by the name of reward, and guerdon for to incite them to doe well The Lord] who being the Soveraigne Lord of all, giveth and appointeth to every one his vocation, and thereby exerciseth his command in the world.