say that the rust was eaten off and destroyed, and yet should again recommend diligence in clearing away the rust, he doth not contradict himself, for it is not that rust which he scoured off that he recommends should be cleared away, but that which grew afterwards; so it is not that former putting to death he speaks of, nor those fornications, but those which do after- wards grow. He said that this is not our life, but another, that which is in heaven. Tell me now. When he said, Mortify your members that are upon the earth, is then the earth also accused? or does he speak of the things upon the earth as themselves sins?837 “Fornication, uncleanness,” he saith. He has passed over the actions which it is not be- coming even to mention, and by “uncleanness” has expressed all together. “Passion,” he said, “evil desire.” Lo! he has expressed the whole in the class. For envy, anger, sorrow, all are “evil desire.” “And covetousness,” he saith, “which is idolatry. For which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.” By many things he had been withdrawing them; by the benefits which are already given, by the evils to come from which we had been delivered, being who, and wherefore; and all those considerations, as, for instance, who we were, and in what circumstances, and that we were delivered therefrom, how, and in what manner, and on what terms. These were enough to turn one away, but this one is of greater force than all; unpleasant indeed to speak of, not however to disservice, but even serviceable. “For which things’ sake cometh,” he saith, “the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.” He said not, “upon you,” but, “upon the sons of disobedience.” “In the which ye also walked aforetime, when ye lived in them.” In order to shame them, he saith, “when ye lived in them,” and implying praise, as now no more so living: at that time they might. Ver. 8. “But now put ye also away all these.” He speaks always both universally and particularly; but this is from earnestness. Ver. 8, 9. “Anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth. Lie not one to another.” 837 [This is a passing allusion to the Manichæans, who held that matter is necessarily the seat of evil, and might try to interpret the apostle as here accusing the earth of being evil. The passage has been expanded in the often above mentioned group of documents, and so in the editions before Field, so as to be fuller and more perspicuous, thus: “But lo! say the heretics, Paul accuseth the creation; for he said before, ‘Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth;’ again he saith, ‘Mortify your members which are upon the earth.’ But the words ‘ upon earth’ are here expressive of sin, not an accusing of creation. For it is thus he calls sins themselves, things upon earth, either from their being wrought by earthly thoughts and upon earth, or from their showing sinners to be earthly.”—J.A.B.] 520 Colossians 3:5-7