Commentary Upon Colossians 1 and 2, Chapter 2
A COMMENTARY, VPONUPON THE SECOND Chapter of Saint PAUL to the Coloſsians.
COLOS. Chap. 2. VER. 1.
VERSE 1.
For I would yee knew what great fighting I have for your ſakes, and for them of Laodicea, and for as many as have not ſeene my Perſon in the fleſh.
WE have had from the three and twentieth Verſe of the former Chapter, from the end of it, a digreſſion, the ſumme whereof conſiſteth in declaring Paul's calling. Secondly, his executing this calling, Verſ. 28, 29. of the former Chapter.
Now leſt this report ſhould ſeeme to drop from him unadviſedly, for ordinarily another mouth muſt praiſe us, not our owne, leſt it ſhould thus be miſconſtrued; he repeateth the ſtrife he had, with a more particular enumeration of the Perſons for whom he thus contended, v. 1.
2 The matter for which he laboured with GOD for them, Verſe 2, 3.
3 The end why he telleth them theſe things, or maketh ſuch requeſt, V. 4. Namely, that no Impoſtor might deceive them, and draw them from that ſtate wherein they were, or perſwade them, as if the Apoſtle knew nothing of their matter, nor yet tooke any care of them; for the fourth Verſe may be conceived as a reaſon of either of theſe; you muſt know wee are in good cafe before you can wiſh us eſtabliſhed in it.
But they might object, Object. thou never kneweſt us, nor ſaweſt us; or you know not Paul how we ſtand, how can you take care leſt we be deceived?
Though my bodily preſence is free from you, Anſw. yet it is not out of ſight, and out of minde; my Spirit is with you.
The firſt Verſe then hath to be marked in it a deliberate aſſeveration of that he had in generall ſpoken; I would have you know. 2. A more particular repetition of this his ſtrife applied in ſpeciall to ſome certaine perſons; firſt definitely, you and your neighbours about you, thoſe of Laodicea: then indefinitely; and all that have not ſeene mee in the fleſh. 1. Then wee learne this point of wiſdome from the Apoſtle: Doct. That we must warily prevent that which may be miſconſtrued of us in our ſpeeches: The Coloſsians might thinke him vaine-glorious in ſignifying ſuch things as tended to his owne praiſe, at leaſt that his pen went too faſt, and he a little forgot himſelfe in ſetting downe ſuch perſonall matter: the Apoſtle therefore goeth over again with it, and ſheweth a reaſon of it Verſ. 4. That he might wipe away the ſurmiſe of unadviſedneſſe, and vaine-glorious humour. To ſpeake any thing either to the praiſe or diſpraiſe of our ſelves is ſubject to imputation; for it is a tickle theame, hard to doe either without a ſpice of vanity in the one, or diſſimulation in the other: the Apoſtle knowing this well, had the hynt of their thoughts given him, and therefore doth prevent them wiſely: There is great reaſon for this practice frequent with the Apoſtle.
For the juſt mainteyning of our owne honour with GOD in the fifth Commandement doth lay it on us.
Secondly the preventing of falſe witneſſe-bearing by ſiniſter ſurmiſes in my neighbour, Reaſ. 2 which if occaſion offered, I doe not (ſo much as in me is) hinder, I become guilty of them.
Such therefore as give out ſpeeches ſubject to miſconſtruction without any qualifying of them and ſalving ſuch things as in probability are like amiſſe to be gathered by them, Vſe have not yet this wiſedome which the example of the Apoſtle ſetteth before us, being in this point for our imitation.
2 Marke hence; Doct. That in ſome caſe wee may report both our love, and what we doe in love for others. The Apostle telleth them now he out of his love to them, ſtrove in their behalfe. There is reporting of kindneſſe, which out of proud diſpleaſure upbraydeth thoſe to whom we ſpeake, and this begetteth unthankfulneſſe in them whom we have pleaſured. There is againe a reciting of that we doe, out of religion, love and wiſdom, which begetteth further love in thoſe who heare it: Out of religion (I ſay) for it is to Gods glory; that we ſhould tell ſuch things, as not we ſo much as His grace worketh in us; eſpecially when He doth ſo ſtand by us, that we are called to contend and ſtrive in prayer with him, in prayer for the good of any. Out of wiſdom, as when it breaketh the neaſt of ſuch as labour to ſlander us behind our backs with others. Out of love to God and my brother, when I tell it that God may have glory from my brother knowing it, that his confidence may be ſtrengthened, that his love to me may be further kindled: thus Saint Paul reciteth that matter, thus Rom. 9. He doth not ſimply proteſt his love to his Country men, but doth bind it with an oath, that he might mollify their diſpleaſure, and wind in with them. Yea we read of the Saints, who before God have orderly and holily made appeale how they have walked before Him. Though therefore ſuch as either proudly, or out of unadviſed levity, or contumeliouſly ſound out their owne praiſes, are not to be juſtified; yet neither on the other hand muſt we cenſure all ſpeeches of this nature: a mans neighbours may dwell ſo farre off, or be ſo malignant, that hee that would keepe ſilence in this kind, ſhould betray Gods glory, the truth, his owne honour and neighbours ſafety.
3 Obſerve, Doctr. That we muſt not onelyonly ſeeke the good of thoſe we know as familiars, but of thoſe who have no outward acquaintance with us. Eph. 16.18.Pray for all Saints. If our naturall Parents travailing to other places (we being left behind) ſhould beget other children; would we not upon the heareſay of it be affected to them as our brethren? So when we heare that our heavenly Father hath begotten Himſelfe other children here or there; though we have not ſeene them, yet we ſhould in all love embrace them, and ſeeke their well-fare; yea there was great need why he on whom lay the care of all the Churches, ſhould pray fervently for theſe; becauſe theſe might (even in this regard) more eaſily be ſeduced, as who had not knowne him and ſeen his converſation, who was the great Doctor of the Gentiles; for ſuch as knew what kind of man he was that delivered theſe things, were hence ſomewhat ſtrengthened and encouraged in their way.
But how may we be rebuked who are farre from ſtriving for thoſe we know? Vſe Husbands that pray not for their Wives, Parents that pray not for their children: If we doe thus by them we ſee, what doe we for ſuch we never ſawe? Let us imitate this duty, even of entreating for ſuch we have not ſeene. Which of us would not have benefit by the prayers of Gods people, who know us not? let us doe to others as we would have them doe to us. He were a graceleſſe child that would never pray for his Mother; and we would thinke he would doe little for us that would not lend us a good word here or there: So when we remember not the Church, and will not open our mouthes one for another to God, what love is there? Let us therefore frequent this duty, not in word or ſhew, but in deed and truth. From the practice of this duty it commeth to paſſe that a Chriſtian is like a rich Merchant, who hath his factors in divers Countryes: So a Chriſtian hath in all places of the world ſome that deale for him with God, that never ſawe his face, who are petitioners for him unto God.