A commentary of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle to the Colossians. And translated…A commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine, vpon the Epistle to the Colossians. And translated…

13 Which hath taken us away. Behold the beginning of our salvation, When God taketh us out of the deep pit of destruction in which we are drowned. For where his grace is absent ⟨p. 11⟩there is darkness: as is read in Isaiah 60.2. Behold darkness shall cover the earth, and mist the people: but upon thee shall the Lord arise, and his glory shall be seen in thee. First we our selves are called darkness: and then all the whole world. And Satan is the prince of darkness, under whose tyranny we are held in bondage, until we be set at liberty by the hand of Christ. Hereof gather, that the whole world, with the painted wisdom and righteousness thereof, is in the sight of God reputed nothing else but darkness: because there is no light without the kingdom of Christ. Hath set us over into the kingdom, This is now the beginning of our happiness, when that we are set over into the kingdom of Christ: because we pass from death into life. And this also doth Paul ascribe to the grace of God: lest any man should think he could by his own force attain such a good thing. As therefore our deliverance from the bondage of sin & death is the work of God: even so is our passing over into the kingdom of Christ. He calleth christ the Son of love, or beloved of God the Father: because it is he alone in whom his soul delighteth as is in Mat. 17.5. & by whose means all other are beloved. For thus must we think, that we are not otherwise accepted of God but by Christ. And there is no doubt but Paul meant after a sort to note the hostile enmity and dissension that men have with God, until the love in the mediator doth shine out.

13 Which hath taken vs away. Beholde the beginning of our saluation, When God taketh vs out of the deepe pit of destruction in which we are drowned. For where his grace is absent ⟨p. 11⟩there is darknesse: as is read in Esay 60.2. Behold darkenes shall couer the earth, and mist the people: but vpon thee shall the Lord arise, and his glory shall be seene in thee. First we our selues are called darkenes: and then all the whole world. And Sathan is the prince of darkenes, vnder whose tiranny we are helde in bondage, vntill we be set at libertie by the hande of Christe. Hereof gather, that the whole world, with the paynted wisedome and righteousnesse therof, is in the sight of God reputed nothing else but darknesse: because there is no light without the kingdome of Christ. Hath set vs ouer into the kingdome, This is now the beginning of our happinesse, when that we are sette ouer into the kingdome of Christe: because we passe from death into life. And this also doth Paule ascribe to the grace of God: lest any man should think he could by his own force attain such a good thing. As therfore our deliuerance frō ye bondage of sin & death is the work of God: euen so is our passing ouer into ye kingdom of Christ. He calleth christ ye Son of loue, or beloued of God ye Father: because it is he alone in whome his soule delighteth as is in