ans, then his
fellow prisoner at Rome, had made him acquainted with their state, and
the danger they were in from false teachers, who, during the absence
of their minister, labored to turn them from the duplicity of the
gospel; and this letter was written, through divine influence, to
guard them against those deceivers, and persuade them to abide in
Christ.

* Verse 1.

To this end he counselled them to keep to the divine directions,
carefully avoiding every alteration, or addition, which might be urged
upon them by uninspired men, though they might come with a shew of
wisdom and humility, and profession of regard to the honor of God and
happiness.

Many of the most successful attacks on God's earthly kingdom have been
made in this way. Open rebellion against God, is found chiefly on
those who have no faith in him; who are therefore devoid of his fear.
Others are tempted mostly to other sins, and induced to make indirect
opposition to the divine government, from them, the tempter hides the
truth, and leads them into error, and thus causes them to pull down
the cause which they aim to build up, and fight against God with a
view to serve him.

So much of God appears in his works, that comparatively few can be
made to doubt his existence, or his providential government. Hence few
are prevailed with to renounce his fear and rise directly against him;
but many are deceived, and consequently engaged to act with his
enemies.

Here a common source of seduction hath been suggesting improvements on
divine institutions--that _this_ and _that_, which God hath not
ordered, would help his cause and promote his interest. Sometimes the
improvements are attempted under pretence of divine order, and urged
with his authority; but this veil is not always spread over endeavors
to change his institutes. They are often urged as means adapted to
help his cause, without pretence to divine order requiring the use of
them; Much, it is alleged, is left to human discretion. This taken
for granted, the rest is easy. It is only to say _these measures_ are
wise and good, calculated to help on the cause of God, and whoever
denies it, is considered as fighting against God.

Thus men are led away from the divine institutions to those of human
invention. Human wisdom is exalted above divine; and all with a view
to glorify God!

Thus was the tempter laboring, through the instrumentality of his
agents, to seduce the Colossians, when this epistle