We have, indeed, only to look through this single epistle to discover some of the chief points in which this completeness consists.

Such brief expressions as these, for instance, present us with all the blessings of the gospel in a summary manner, as found in Christ-" Christ in you the hope of glory;" "Christ is your life;" Ye are "Ye

dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God;" are risen with Christ;” “Christ is all and in all;" "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus."

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Longer passages in the Epistle explain these compendious ones: Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Well, then, may the apostle say, "ye are completed in him;" for here is the great conversion of the soul of man from the power and dominion of sin and Satan, to the power and communion of the Son of God and holiness. Here is, also, in this same Savior, redemption through his blood shed as a sacrifice upon the cross, poured out in the stead of sinners, making atonement for us; the first effect of which is the pardon of the transgressor, the "not imputing his trespasses unto him;" and, on the contrary, the "imputing righteousness without works." And the whole terminates in our being "made meet" for the heavenly inheritance in glory.

Again" It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; and having made peace through the blood of his Cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of

his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." Christ, thus, as made man, incarnate, displaying all the perfections of Godhead substantially and personally, is the object of the Father's good pleasure; he makes peace by the blood of his Cross in the body of his flesh through death. It is in this wonderful transaction that all the parts of Christianity unite. He becomes man, in order that he may make this peace by his own sacrifice and death. In consequence of this, he sends down his Spirit and reconciles and subdues the before alienated hearts of sinners, and brings them to a cordial acceptance of this gift of righteousness, and a sincere obedience to God. thus at length they are presented in the final judgment unblameable and unreproveable in his sight. So complete are we in Christ in respect of pardon and principles of implanted holiness.

And

Nor are we less so as regards the rule of duty: As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." 'Mortify your members which are

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upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry." "Put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth." "Put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering." "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands." Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them." Children, obey your parents in all things." "Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath." "Servants, obey in all things your masters, not with eye-service as menpleasers, but with singleness of heart." "Masters,

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give to your servants that which is just and equal." "Walk in wisdom towards them that are without." "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned

with salt."

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving."

Again, if we advert to our deliverance from the yoke of the Mosaical law and the condemnation involved in it, we shall still find that we are complete in Christ; for he hath "blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, that was contrary to us, taking it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

Lastly, when we reflect on the need we have of support in trouble, consolation in sickness and death, and guidance and direction through all the conflict of life, the plenitude of Christ will be found fully adequate to all our necessities. For he "strengthens us with might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;" and even enables us to "rejoice in our sufferings, as filling up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ."

Here, then, is the simple, but magnificent scheme of Christianity as taught by the apostle; complete in all its parts; coming from the hands of God, like all his other works, full, adequate, perfectly adapted to all the ends of the Divine glory and human necessity. The object of worship, a present Deity, is set before us in Christ. The supply of all man can need, in order to avail himself of the vast discovery, is exhibited in the same divine Savior. Here is a practical, effective, divine scheme for remedying the consequences of the Fall, which, wherever it is promulgated in sincerity and lowliness of heart, is accompanied with the power of the Holy Ghost to the salvation of men.

From this infinite plenitude of Christ in himself, and our communicated plenitude in him, the apostle accordingly draws the inference and caution of the text against that presumptuous tampering of a vain philosophy which the circumstances of the Colossian converts required. This leads us to consider,

II. The manner in which this great evil insinuates itself "beware lest any man spoil you, through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." There were many deceivers and false apostles amongst the Colossians, who seem to have united the reasonings and sophisms of the Heathen philosophy with the exploded ceremonies of the Jewish law. The heathen dogmas, as it should appear, were partly Platonic and partly Pythagorean; the former teaching the worship of demons or angels as mediators between God and man; the latter, enjoining such abstinences from particular kinds of meat or drink, as were subversive of the liberty and universal design of the gospel.

These several heathen traditions agreed, also, but too well with the superstitious notions of the Jewish doctors, and assisted in reproducing the worldly and carnal rudiments of the now abolished ceremonial usages.

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These two classes of human inventions, then, Philosophic and Jewish-were craftily insinuated into the Colossian Church. Their patrons acknowledged the general truth and authority of Christianity, but represented it as not complete without these additions. "A voluntary humility," uncommand ed by God, and unsuited to the whole genius of the gospel, was thus introduced; the souls of men were beguiled by enticing words, "and began to intrude into those things which they had not seen, vainly puffed by their fleshly mind." "The worship of angels" was brought in. "A show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body" flattered the mutable converts. A vain philosophical parade of terms and notions borrowed from heathen sages or Jewish zealots threw a veil over the mischief; and thus, instead of remaining, as they professed, "dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world," and

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"holding" firmly by him "the Head," in whom "they would be complete," and would "increase with the increase of God;" they followed principles and usages which were not after Christ," but learned in a totally different school; and as the result of the whole, they were in danger of being made a spoil of and driven away from the fold of Christ,' as a booty and prey, by these marauders, just as the Amalekites of old, after plundering Ziklag, bore away as their spoil all the men and property of David and his people.

The apostle, therefore, cautions us with becoming warmth against this danger. For it is an insult upon revelation. It charges the gospel with being defective. It seeks additions and supplements to that Savior in whom all "the fulness of the Godhead bodily" resides, and in whom we are fully completed and consummated.

Against Philosophy itself, or the love of wisdom, you will observe, the apostle by no means objects. He explains in what sense he uses the word, by adding, "vain deceit." Philosophy in itself, and truly so called, is the knowledge of the works of God in his glorious creation and conservation of all things; it is the inquiry after truth; it is the tracing out the wonders of the Almighty's hand in the universe of mind and matter. The Bible is full of the principles of philosophy in this noble and genuine sense. The heavens declare the glory of God-the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, even his eternal power and Godhead." Revelation proceeds on these primary truths. In all ages since the promulgation of the gospel, the greatest philosophers, the most mighty discoverers, the most acute reasoners have been devout Christians. The testimony and tradition of past events, also,

1 Col. ii. 4, 16-23. See, also, the whole Chapter.