Matthew Poole and continuators on Colossians 3:14

14 And above all these things, put on charity , which is the bond of perfectness .

That which we render above as surpassing all, some read upon or over, and some for all these things, viz. the graces he exhorted them to be clothed with. Both agree, that mutual Christian love or Charity is the chiefest garment, the new man can put on, being the livery of Christ's disciples, Ioh. 13.35. but in prosecuting the allegory under the former notion, there is some danger of being over fine. And therefore it may be very pertinent to understand the putting on or exercising of charity, for the performance of the other graces and exercises, this being that which sets them on work with reference to their several objects engaging to sincerity in their actings without which the motions of the new man are no way acceptable, this links them together and so is in a sort as the Apostle elsewhere, Rom. 12.9, 10. Gal. 5.14, is a fulfilling of the whole law, with Mat. 22.39, 40. [illegible: 1 letter]eing the subjects of this hearty and regular affection of love to God and our neighbour are enclined by it to do good continually and to avoid the injuring of another in any respect; not that there is any fulfilling of the law perfectly in this estate, as the Papists argue impertinently from what follows of charity.

That it is the bond of perfectness or by an Hypallage or Hebraism the most perfect bond, therefore we are justified by it and so by the works of the law before God. For (1) Love or Charity it self is not perfect, and so the very best of the new creatures who have put it on however they may be perfect, with a perfection of integrity or parts, yet not with a perfection of maturity or degrees absolutely whiles in this life, see on Eccles. 7.20. Rom. 7.18, 19 Gal. 5.17. Phil. 3.12, 15. with Iam. 3.2. &c. (2) Upon supposition that charity in a new creature doth in some sort perfectly fulfill the law from the time he is endowed with it of God's grace, and a man hath put it on; he could not by it be justified from the breach of God's law before, he being a transgressour of it in time past, 1 Ioh. 1.8, 10. (3) That perfection of which charity here is said to be the bond, doth most likely respect the integrity and unity of the Members of the Church, holding the head being knit together in one body, see on c. 2.2, 19. with Ephes. 4.16. the Greek word we translate bond here, noting such a Collection and Colligation of parts whereof a body is composed, and in one Greek Copy it is found written the bond of unity. As a prevailing love to God, and to those, who bear his image, for his sake, doth bind up the other Graces in every regenerate Soul, so it doth the true members of the body of Christ, one to another being the best means for the perfecting of them under Christ their head, who hath upon that account expresly required mutual love amongst his followers, Ioh. 15.12. 1 Ioh. 3.23. & 4.21. and the cogent reason hereof is (as above in that Chapter of Iohn's Epistle, v. 10, 11.) God's loving of us, and then indeed when we entirely love God and his Children, we shew our love to be the bond of perfectness in returning love to him and his, when by this reciprocal affection, both ends of the band of love do meet and are knit together, we become one with God and in him through Christ as one Soul amongst our selves, walking in love according to his commandment, Acts. 4.32. Ephes. 5.2. 1 Thess. 4.9.