ions gave
him this, 2 Tim. iii. 14, 15, "But continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned; and that from a child thou hast known the Scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation," &c. So he would have the
Colossians walking in Christ, rooted and built up in him, and stablished
in the faith as they had been taught, Col. ii. 6, 7.

13. Especially they would be holding the groundwork fast,--faith in
Christ. It were good in such a time of erring from the way of truth, to
be gripping Christ faster, and cleaving to him by faith, and living by
faith in him. This is to hold the foundation fast; and then let the
tempest of error blow as it will, they will ride at a sure anchor, and
be safe, because fixed upon the Rock of Ages; and further, living near
Christ in such a dangerous day, would be a noble preservative from the
infection of error. The soul that is dwelling in Christ and gripping to
him daily by faith, and acting love on him, dwelleth in light, will
discover error sooner than another, because living under the rays of the
Sun of Righteousness, which discovereth error.

14. They should labour to learn the truth, as it is in Jesus; and the
truths which they have heard of him, and have been taught by him, as the
truth is in him, will abide, when other truths that have been learned
but of men, and heard of men, and as it was in the preaching of men, and
in books, shall soon evanish in a day of trial. This is to learn Christ,
as the apostle speaketh, Eph. iv. 20, 21, "But ye have not so learned
Christ, if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as
the truth is in Jesus." When we learn the truth, as it is in Jesus, it
bringeth us always to him, and hath a tendency to fix our hearts on him,
and is a piece of the bond that bindeth us to him and his way: we
receive it then as a piece of his doctrine, which we must own, and stand
unto. O if we learned all our divinity thus, we would be more constant
and steadfast in it than we are!

15. When controversies arise, and they know not which side to
choose--both seemeth to them to be alike well founded on the word--they
should exercise their spiritual sagacity, and set their gift of
discerning a work, to see which of the two tendeth most to promote piety
and godliness, and the kingdom of Christ, and so see which of the two is
the truth, "which is after godliness," as the apostle speak