The Epistle to the Colo&esset;ians is not only in sense, but almost in vvordes also, all one vvith the Epistle to the Ephesians, and vvas sent also by the same messenger Tychicus. c. 4, v. 7. And in it he maketh like mention of his bandes and sufferings. c. 1. v. 24. and c. 4. v. 3, 18. And therfore no doubt it vvas vvritten at Rome at the same time, to vvitte, in his last apprehension, yet before he knevv of his martyrdom.

This difference there is, that he had himself preached to the Ephesians, but vvith the Colo&esset;ians he had neuer bene, as he signifieth c. 2. v. 1. Therefore although in matters of exhortation he be here briefer then to the Ephesians, yet in matters of doctrine be is longer. And generally he assureth them, that to be the truth, vvhich their Apostle Epaphras had taught them, but namely he giueth them vvarning both of the Iudaical False-apostles, vvho sought to corrupt them vvith some ceremonies of Moyses lavv: and also of the Platonike Philosophers, vvho reiected Christ (vvho is in deede the head of the Church and Mediator to bring vs to God) and in steed of him, brought in certaine Angels as more excell&ebar;t then he, vvhom they termed, Minores dij, teaching the people to sacrifice vnto them (calling that, humilitie) that they might bring them to the great God. Vvith vvhich falsebod the heresie of Simon Magus a long time deceiued many, as vve reade in Epiph. bar. 21.

Against such therefore S. Paul telleth the Colo&esset;ians, that Christ is the Creator of all the Angels, God in person, the head of the Church, the principall in all respects: that he is the Redeemer, Mediator, and pacifier betvvene God and men, and therefore by him vve must goe to God, so that vvhether vve pray our selues, or desire any other in earth or in heauen to pray for vs, al must be done (as the Cath. Church in euery Collect doth) Per Christum dominum nostrum, that is, through Christ our Lord .or, per Do.nostrum Iesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum viuit & regnat, &c. Vvhereby the Church professeth c&obar;tinually against such seductions, both the Mediatorship, and the Godhead of Christ.

THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE COLOSSIANS. Chap. I. Saying, that he thanketh God for their excellent faith and charitie, and continually praieth for their encrease, he doeth vvithal giue vvitnes to the preaching of their Apostle Epaphras, and extolleth the grace of God in bringing them to Christ, vvho is cheefe aboue al, and peacemaker by his bloud. This is the Gospel not of Epaphras alone, but of the universal Church, and of Paul him self vvho also suffereth for it.

1   Pavl an Apostle of Iesvs Christ by the vvil of God, and brother Timothee:

2   to them that are at Colossa sainctes and faithful brethren in Christ Iesvs.

3   Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Iesvs Christ.

3   Vve giue thankes to God and the Father of our Lord Iesvs Christ alvvaies for you, praying:

4   hearing your faith in Christ Iesvs, and the loue vvhich you haue tovvard al the saincts,

5   for the hope that is laid vp for you in heauen, vvhich you haue heard in the vvord of the truth of the Gospel,

6   that is come to you, as also ^note in the vvhole vvorld it is, and fructifieth, and grovveth, euen as in you, since that day that you heard & knevv the grace of God in truth,

7   as you learned of Epaphras our deerest fellovv-seruant, vvho is a faithful minister of Iesvs Christ for you,

8   vvho also hath manifested to vs your loue in spirit.

9   Therfore ^note vve also from the day that vve heard it, cease not praying for you and desiring, that you may be filled vvith the knovvledge of his vvil, in al vvisedom, and spiritual vnderstanding:

10   that you may vvalke ^{note note} vvorthie of God, in al things pleasing: Fructifying

in ^note al good vvorke, & increasing in the knovvledge of God:

11   in al povver strengthened according to the might of his glorie, in al patience and longanimitie vvith ioy

12   giuing thankes to God and the Father, vvho hath made vs ^note vvorthy vnto the part of the lot of the sainctes in the light:

13   vvho hath deliuered vs from the povver of darkenes, and hath translated vs into the kingdom of the sonne of his loue,

14   in vvhom vve haue redemption, the remission of sinnes: &cross4;

15   vvho is the ^note image of the inuisible God, the first-borne of al creature:

16   because ^note in him vvere created al things in heauen, and in earth, visible, and inuisible, vvhether Thrones, or Dominations, or Principalities, or Potestates: al by him, & in him vvere created:

17   and he is before al, and al consist in him.

18   And he is the head of the body, the Chvrch, vvho is the beginning, first-borne of the dead: that he may be in al things holding the primacie:

19   because in him it hath vvel pleased, al fulnes to inhabite:

20   and by him to reconcile al things vnto him self, pacifying by the bloud of his crosse, vvhether the things in earth, or the things that are in heauen.

21   And you, vvhereas you vvere sometime alienated and enemies in sense, in euil vvorkes:

22   yet novv he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh by death, to present you holy & immaculate, and blameles before him:

23   if yet ye c&obar;tinue in the faith, grounded and stable, and vnmoueable from the hope of the Gospel vvhich you haue heard, vvhich is preached among al creatures that are vnder heauen, vvhereof I Paul am made a minister.

24   Vvho novv reioyce in suffering for you, and09Q1244 do accomplish those things that vvant of the passions of Christ, in my flesh for his body, vvhich is the Chvrch:

25   vvhereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, vvhich is giuen me tovvard you, that I may fulfil the vvord of God,

26   the mysterie that hath been hidden from vvorldes and generations, but novv is manifested to his sainctes,

27   to vvh&obar; God vvould make knowen the riches of the glorie of this sacrament in the Gentiles, vvhich is Christ, in you the hope of glorie,

28   vvhom vve preache, admonishing euery man, and teaching euery man in al vvisedom, that vve may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesvs.

29   Vvherein also I labour striuing according to his operation vvhich he vvorketh in me in povver.

^note Chap. II. He is careful for them, though he vvere neuer vvith them: that they rest in the vvonderful vvisedom vvhich is in Christian religion, and be not caried avvay either vvith Philosophie, to leaue Christ and to sacrifice to Angels: or vvith Iudaisme, to receiue any ceremonies of Moyses lavv.

1   For I vvil haue you knovv brethren, vvhat maner of care I haue for you and for them that are at Laodicia, and vvhosoeuer haue not seen my face in the flesh:

2   that their hartes may be comforted, instructed in charitie, & vnto al the riches of the fulnes of vnderst&abar;ding, vnto the knovvledge of the mysterie of God the Father of Christ Iesvs,

3   in vvhom be al the treasures of vvisedom and knovvledge hidde.

4   But this I say ^note that no man deceiue you in loftines of vvordes.

5   For although I be absent in body, yet in spirit I am vvith you: reioycing, & seeing your order, & the constancie of that your faith which is in Christ.

6   Therfore as you haue receiued Iesvs Christ our Lord, vvalke in him,

7   rooted and built in him, and confirmed in the faith, as also you haue learned, abounding ^note in him in thankes-giuing.

8   Bevvare lest any man deceiue you09Q1245 by philosophie, and vaine fallacie: according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the vvorld, and not according to Christ.

9   For in him dvvelleth al the fulnesse of the Godhead corporally:

10   and you are in him replenished, vvho is the head in al Principalitie and Povver:

11   in vvhom al you are circumcised vvith circumcision not made by hand in spoiling of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,

12   buried vvith him in Baptisme: in vvh&obar; also you are risen againe by the faith of the operation of God, vvho raised him vp from the dead.

13   And you ^note vvhen you vvere dead in the offenses and the prepuce of your flesh, did he quicken together vvith him: pardoning you al offenses,

14   vvyping out the hand vvriting ^note of decree that vvas against vs, vvhich vvas contrarie to vs. and the same he hath taken out of the vvay, fastening it to the crosse:

15   and spoiling the Principalities and Potestats, ^note hath ledde them confidently in open shevv, triumphing them in him self.

16   Let no man therfore iudge you09Q1246 in meate or in drinke, or in part of a festiual day, or of the Nevv-moone, or of Sabboths:

17   vvhich are a shadovv of things to come, but the body Christs.

18   Let no man seduce you, ^note vvilling in the humilitie and 09Q1247 religion of Angels, vvalking in the things vvhich he hath not seen, in vaine puffed vp by the sense of his flesh,

19   and

09Q1248 not holding the head, vvhereof the vvhole body by ioyntes and bandes being ^note serued & compacted, grovveth to the increase of God.

20   If then you be dead vvith Christ, from the elements of this vvorld:09Q1249 vvhy do you yet ^note decree as liuing in the vvorld?

21   09Q1250Touch not, tast not, h&abar;dle not:

22   which things are al vnto destruction by the very vse, according to the precepts and doctrines of men.

23   vvhich are in deede 09Q1251 hauing a shevv of vvisedom in superstition and humilitie, and not to spare the body, not in any honour to the filling of the flesh. ^{note note note}

^{note note note note}

Chap. III. Me exhorteth to mortifie and put of al corrupt maners of the old man, and to put on such vertues as are for the nevv man. 18 In particular also, vviues and husbands, children and parents, seruants and maisters, ech sort to do their duetie.

1    ^noteTherfore if you be risen vvith Christ, seeke the things that are aboue: vvhere Christ is sitting on the right hand of God.

2   Minde the things that are aboue, not the things that are vpon the earth.

3   For you are dead: and your life is hidde vvith Christ in God.

4   Vvhen Christ shal appeare, your life: then you also shal appeare vvith him in glorie. &cross4;

5    ^noteMortifie therfore your members that are vpon the earth, fornication, vncleannesse, lust, euil concupiscence, and 09Q1252 auarice, vvhich is ^note the seruice of Idols.

6   for vvhich things the vvrath of God commeth vpon the children of incredulitie.

7   in vvhich you also vvalked sometime, vvhen you liued in them.

8   But novv lay you also al avvay: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemie, filthie talke out of your mouth.

9   Lie not one to an other: ^note spoiling your selues of the old man vvith his actes,

10   and09Q1253 doing on the nevv, him that is renevved vnto knovvledge, ^note according to the image of him that created him.

11   vvhere there is not, Gentile and Ievve, circumcision and prepuce, Barbarous and Scythian. bonde and free: but al, and in al Christ.

12    ^notePut ye on therfore as the elect of God, holy, and beloued, ^note the bovvels of mercie, benignitie, humilitie, modestie, patience,

13   supporting one an other: and pardoning one an other, if any haue a quarel against any man. as also our Lord hath pardoned vs: so you also.

14   But aboue al these things haue charitie, vvhich is the band of perfecti&obar;:

15   & let the peace of Christ ^note exult in your hartes, vvherein also you are called in one body: and be thankeful.

16   Let the vvord of Christ dvvel in you aboundantly, in al vvisedom: teaching and admonishing your ovvne selues, vvith psalmes, hymnes, and spiritual c&abar;ticles, in grace singing in your hartes to God.

17   Al vvhatsoeuer you doe in vvord or in vvorke, al things in the name of our Lord Iesvs Christ, giuing thankes to God and the Father by him. &cross4;

18    ^noteVvomen be subiect to your husbands, as it behoueth in our Lord.

19    ^noteMen, loue your vviues: and be not bitter tovvard them.

20    ^noteChildren obey your parents in al things: for that is vvel pleasing to our Lord.

21   Fathers, prouoke not your children to indignation: that they become not discouraged.

22    ^noteSeruants, obey in al things, your maisters according to the flesh, not seruing to the eie, as pleasing men, but in simplicitie of hart, fearing God.

23   Vvhatsoeuer you doe, vvorke it from the hart as to our Lord, and not to men:

24   knovving that you shal receiue of our Lord the ^note retribution of inheritance. Serue our Lord Christ.

25   For he that doeth iniurie, shal receiue that vvhich he hath done vniustly: and ^note there is not accepti&obar; of persons vvith God. ^{note note} Chap. IIII. He exhorteth to instance in praier, 5 and to vvisedom in behauiour. 7 He sendeth Tychicus. 10 He doeth commendations, 15 and inioyneth to be done.

1   Yov Maisters, that vvhich is iust and equal, doe to your seruants: knovving that you also haue a Maister in heauen.

2    ^noteBe instant in praier: vvatching in it in thankes giuing,

3    ^notepraying vvithal ^note for vs also, that God may op&ebar; vnto vs the doore of speache to speake the mysterie of Christ (for the vvhich also I am bound)

4   that I may manifest it, so as I ought to speake.

5    ^noteVvalke vvith vvisedom tovvard them that be vvithout:

redeeming the time.

6   Your talke alvvaies, in grace let it be seasoned vvith salte: that you may knovv hovv you ought to ansvver euery man.

7   The things that are about me, Tychicus our deerest brother, and faithful minister, & fellovv-seruant in our Lord, vvil make you vnderstand al,

8   vvhom I haue sent to you for this same purpose, that he may know the things that concerne you, and may comfort your hartes,

9   vvith ^note Onesimus the most deere and faithful brother vvho is of you. Al things that are done here, shal they doe you to vnderstand.

10   Aristarchus my fellovv-prisoner saluteth you, & Marke the cosin-german of Barnabas (concerning vvhom you haue receiued commaundements, If he come to you, receiue him)

11   and Iesus that is called Iustus: vvho are of the Circumcision. these only are my coadiutors in the kingdom of God: vvhich haue been a comfort to me.

12   Epaphras saluteth you vvho is of you, the seruant of Christ Iesvs, alvvaies careful for you in praiers, that you may stand perfect and ful in al the vvil of God.

13   For I giue him testimonie that he hath much ^note labour for you, and for them that be at Laodicia, and that are at Hierapolis.

14    ^noteLuke the most deere physici&obar; saluteth you: and Demas.

15   Salute the brethren that are at Laodicia: and Nymphas and the Church that is in his house.

16   And vvhen the epistle shal be read vvith you, make that it be read also in the Church of the Laodicians: and that you read that vvhich is of the Laodicians.

17   And say to Archippus, See the ministerie vvhich thou hast receiued of our Lord, that thou fulfil it.

18   The salutation: vvith mine owne hand, Paules. Be mindeful of my bandes. Grace be vvith you. Amen.

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