Colossians 2:23

REFLECTIONS

What a lovely view doth this Chapter open with of Paul'8 love for the Church, in his soul exercises for their spiritual welfare. And, what a contradiction of sinners did Christ endure against himself for his Church and people, lest his exercised ones should grow faint, and be weary in their minds. Oh! thou unequalled pattern of everything that is fair, and good, and lovely!

Oh! Lord the Holy Ghost! let thy Church praise thee for the gracious remedy thou hast taught in this chapter against philosophy and vain deceit, the tradition of men, and the rudiments of the world. It is, indeed, a sure relief, when a poor sinner is enabled, through all the time-state of the Church, to receive Christ as he first received him, when called out of darkness to light, and both to receive Christ, and to come to Christ, and to live upon Christ, from first to last, the same needy, helpless, self-condemned, self-loathing sinner still. Lord! be it my portion thus to receive Christ, and thus to walk in Christ, and to be rooted and built up in him, to the Lord's glory, and my joy.

Lord! keep thy Church from being beguiled with enticing words. Keep all thy redeemed from being vainly puffed up with a fleshly mind. Ye Ministers of my God, hold up the glorious Head, from which all the body having nourishment ministered, and knit together, may increase with the increase of God. Ye fathers, to the children make known his name!