Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 40
THE XL. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL to the Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 4. verſ. 12, 13, 14.
12 Epaphras the ſeruant of Chriſt, who alſo is one of you, ſaluteth you, ſtriuing alwaies for you in prayers, that ye may ſtand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
13 For this I teſtifie of him, that he burneth in a great deſire of you: and of them of Laodicea, and of them of Hierapolis.
14 Luke the beloued Phyſition greeteth you: and ſo doth Demas.
THe Apoſtle hauing begun to name ſome, who ſaluted the Church of Coloſſe, as you hauehave heard, in ſome of the former verſes; holdeth on in theſe verſes to doe the like: and nameth particularly two or three, as Epaphras, Luke, and Demas: all which it is very probable, if not certaine, that they were Gentiles. And two of them, that is Epaphras and Luke he diuerſly deſcribeth, contenting himſelfe with the bare naming of Demas. Touching eueryevery one of them, as they lie in the text. Epaphras is the firſt, & he deſcribeth him by diuers adiuncts: as firſt that he was one of thē, by which what he meaneth, hath bin expounded alreadie, when we treated of Epaphras commended.the 9. verſe of this chapter, where Oneſimus hath the ſame title giuen vntounto him. But the Apoſtle alleageth it here, to tell them that euen in that reſpect hee ſhould be the more deare vntounto them, and the better accepted of them, notwithſtanding that our Sauiour ſaith; and we finde it eueryevery where true in the world, that a Prophet is not without honour, but in his owne countrey and his fathers houſe. Secondly, hee is ſaid here to be the ſeruant of Chriſt, whom alſo he had mentioned before, chap. 1. verſ. 7. where he is called a faithfull miniſter of Chriſt for the Coloſſians. By which we may ſee, that he hath this title of the ſeruant of Chriſt, by reaſon of the ſpeciall calling that God had committed vntounto him, in which he ſerued Chriſt, by the preaching of his glorious Goſpell. Thirdly, he is deſcribed by the earneſt and continuall prayers that he powred foorth vntounto God, as on the Coloſſians behalfe: as alſo from the hartie and vnfained affection that he bare to the Coloſſians, and to diuers other faithfull people beſide. His continuall prayers are mentioned in the latter end of the 12. verſe, and his ſyncere heart is deſcribed in the 13. verſe.
The ſecond that the Apoſtle mentioneth here, that greeteth Luke commended.the Church, is Luke: whom the Apoſtle deſcribeth here firſt by the vocation that he had and exerciſed, before he was called to the office and function of the Miniſterie, in preaching or writing the Goſpell of Chriſt, that is, he was a Phyſition. Secondly, that he was beloued: vnderunder which terme hee is commended, from that louelove the Apoſtle caried towards him, as a very Chriſtian man, and very familiar and inward with the Apoſtle. So that hee ſignifieth that if they loued him himſelfe, they could not chuſe but affect Luke: becauſe that the louelove of Chriſts Apoſtle, and the familiaritie that hee had with Luke, could not but much commend him to the Church.
The third man mentioned is Demas, who hath no title of commendation giuen vntounto him here or elſewhere, for ought I Demas.know, which to me may ſerue to argue, that hee caried not himſelfe ſo well as others did, and that the Apoſtle had ſome ſuſpition of him, or elſe hee would not hauehave been ſo ſparing: And of all theſe the Apoſtle ſpeaketh verſ. 14. But wee will treate of them ſeuerally as they lie in the text.
Concerning many of the termes or titles attributed to Epaphras, we ſhall not neede to ſay much, becauſe they hauehave been ſundrie times expounded alreadie. Such as hauehave not been declared let vsus ſomewhat deale with. And firſt for his prayers, three things are expreſſely marked therein by the Apoſtle: Firſt, the manner that hee vſed therein, contained in theſe Things obſerued in the Apoſtles praierswords, ſtriuing alwaies, meaning thereby earneſtnes and feruencie in powring them foorth. Secondly, the perſons for whom he prayed ſo heartily, namely the Coloſſians, who no doubt had great neede of that dutie, comprehended vnderunder theſe termes, for you. Thirdly, the very matter or grace hee prayed for, as on their behalfe, which was not light but graue and gracious, expreſſed in theſe words, that ye may ſtand perfect and complete, &c.
When he expreſſeth the manner of his prayers, by the word ſtriuing, we muſt not thinke that he meaneth any carnall combat or bodily conflict, but ſuch a one as was ſpirituall, and had indeed hand to hand with the ghoſtly enemies of our ſaluation, the world, the fleſh and the diuell. Which as they are alwaies readie to hinder all the good motions of the ſpirit in our Hinderers of the praiers of the Saints.minds; ſo ſpecially doe they exerciſe their force and their fraud, in oppoſing againſt our prayers, ſometimes caſting ſtumbling blockes in our waies, to hinder vsus from the doing of that duty, as diſturbing our paſſions and affections, of louelove, hatred, feare, anger, and ſuch like: and ſometimes when they ſee that theſe will not preuaile to let or hinder our prayers, they aſſay by all meanes to make them cold, faint, few: and leaſt by continuing our prayers wee ſhould conceiue hope to be heard, they ſet before vsus one while our owne, another while other mens ſinnes, for whom ſometimes wee pray as for our ſelues. All which things are not obſcurely ſignified and ſet out in the third chapter of the prophecie of Zechariah, vnderunder the perſon and practiſe of Iehaſhua the high Prieſt, mentioned there, and matters contained therein. But what ſhall we doe? content our ſelues with the knowledge of theſe things? No, that is diſcomfortable. But wee muſt reſiſt and ſtriue againſt, Weapons to withſtand our ſpirituall enemies bybeing fenced and armed with the weapons of the holy Ghoſt, that is, with faith and hope, and other good graces expreſſed and plainly put downe Epheſ. 6. Neither may we at any hand ſuffer our enemies to be more powerfull in hindring our praiers, then the might of the ſpirit to further them in vsus. For the firſt of theſe is, to giuegive place vntounto Satan: and the latter were to quench and coole the ſpirit, and both be euill, and therefore wee ſhould auoidthem.
But he addeth in the doing of this dutie: alwaies, in ſinuating thereby that as he did it often and earneſtly, ſo we ſhould not doe it for a time onelyonly as many doe, but that this combate and conflict of ours, in and about prayer, muſt bee perpetuall and continuall, euen as our prayers themſelues ought ſo to be. Whereunto the better to bee prouoked, wee muſt remember theſe two things: firſt, that whether we pray for our ſelues or Two things furthering perſeuevance in prayer.for others, wee hauehave daily need of ſome new benefit and increaſe of Gods grace in vsus. Secondly, that wee ſhould eueryevery moment and minute forgoe the grace that we hauehave receiued from God, except God, who hath giuen it vsus, did preſerue the ſame both in our ſelues and in others. To which we may adde the third, that we can neuer come to praier, but that Satan our common aduerſarie, will ſet himſelfe againſt vsus, and do what hee can to hinder our prayers: and that therefore he being alwaies oppoſite, we ſhould alwaies pray.
The next thing he telleth vsus of in this ſeruice of prayer, is, the parties for whom we muſt pray: for you. True it is, that we muſt powre foorth prayers, and ſtriue in our ſupplication for all men: according to which the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Timoth. 2. 1. I exhort therefore, that aboue all things, ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions and thankeſgiuings be made for all men: yet we are more ſpecially bound to pray for them that are linked vntounto vsus in Whom we ſhould chiefly pray for.the ſame fellowſhip of the bodie of the Church, then for others not ſo ſtraitly ioyned with vsus. Again, amongſt the faithfull, we are more obliged to pray for them that are of kin vntounto vsus in the fleſh and touch vsus in our bloud, then thoſe that are further remoued. For euen this naturall coniunction worketh in them, that otherwiſe are ioyned together in Chriſt, ſome more great and excellent degree of louelove. The reaſon is, becauſe the more bands we hauehave to tye vsus together, ſo much the more great ought to be our louelove and care for our and others ſaluation. And this doth Paul profeſſe Rom. 9. 2. 3. ſaying, that he was eſpecially carefull for the Iſraelites, his kinſmen according to the fleſh. And Philip. 2. 26. he commendeth Epaphroditus, that he was much troubled and grieued, by reaſon of the ſorrow of the Philippians, from whom he was ſent, as it ſhould ſeeme, to the Apoſtle.
Now wee come to the matter, for which he prayeth, as on the behalfe of the Coloſſians, in theſe words: that ye may ſtand perfect and complet, &c. He doth not pray for this onelyonly that they might be perfect, but that they might ſtand perfect, that What it is to ſtand perfect.is, that they might conſtantly perseuere and goe forward in that perfection, which God had vouchſafed vntounto them. For the word of ſtanding, ſignifieth conſtancie and perſeuerance, yea ſuch a conſtancie and perſeuerance, as hath courage of heart ioyned therewithall. Our perfection ſtandeth in the knowledge of God, in righteouſneſſe, holines, &c. And this is two-fold. One imputed vntounto vsus, that is, that perfect righteouſneſſe Two ſorts of perfection.and ſatisfaction of Chriſt, which God imputeth vntounto vsus, that through faith beleeue in Chriſt, and in which hee doth euen think vsus as perfect, as if we were altogether iuſt and holie in our ſelues. The other is inherent in vsus, when the holie Ghoſt worketh in our mindes the knowledge of God and of his will, and in our hearts holines and righteouſnes, and wholy purgeth vsus in the inward man from ſinne and natural corruption. The firſt of theſe is wholy and altogether perfect, and that euen in this life, and indeed is the true cauſe of that perfection that is inherent in vsus: which wholy floweth from, or conſiſteth in our coniunction and fellowſhip with Chriſt: without which indeede there could be no perfection at all in vsus. But as for that other, namely that inherent perfection, which is wrought in vsus by the holie Ghoſt regenerating vsus, it cannot be abſolute and in eueryevery reſpect perfect in vsus in this life, by reaſon of ſome darkneſſes that we carrie about with vsus in our minds, for we know in part, and prophecie in part, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Cor. 13. 9. and by reaſon of the remainders of ſinne and filthines of corruption, which ſhall neuer be vtterly and altogether aboliſhed in vsus, vntill that by the ſpirit of Chriſt dwelling fully in vsus, we be perfectly freed from impuritie, and all manner of pollution, which ſhall be brought to paſſe in that other life that is to come, when wee ſhall be altogether preſent with the Lord. Notwithſtanding wee muſt endeuour and ſtriue continually, that we may be comefully perfect, and daily attaine to greater perfection, Chriſt ſo commanding vsus, Matth. 5. 48. Be ye perfect: for vnleſſe wee daily proceed in perfection in this life, wee ſhall neuer hauehave it altogether perfect and abſolute in that which is to come. And this indeed is it which the Apoſtle ſaith, Epaphras prayed for, as on the behalfe of the Coloſſians, that they might in an vnwearied courſe perſeuere and hold on till they came to be perfect.
He addeth, In all the will of God. In which words he doth after a ſort as it were limit, this perfection. And it is the ſame with that which he wiſheth to the Epheſians, that they might be filled with all that fulnes of God, Epheſ. 3. 19. for all that fulnes of God, which he mentioneth there, is nothing elſe but al that fulfilling, in all the will of God, which he ſpeaketh of here. And in both places the Apoſtle adding an vniuerſall terme, he thereby declareth, that it is not enough for perfection and filling, that in ſome one or ſundrie things wee ſtudie to pleaſe God, but that it is neceſſarie that in all things we ſhould be conformed In all things we muſt ſiudie to pleaſe God.to his will: which then is brought to paſſe, when the eyes of our minds are inlightened, that we may both know and acknowledge him and his will; and that our hearts and all the affections thereof are ſanctified vntounto his obedience, and all our actions both outward and inward are framed according to his law, which is the moſt exact rule of righteouſnes, religion, and whatſoeuer elſe.
In the next verſe, to wit the 13. the Apoſtle declareth, that theſe earneſt prayers, which the Apoſtle ſheweth Epaphras made for the Coloſſians, did proceede not onelyonly from a great care and godly zeale that hee bare towards them, but alſo towards their neighbours, the Laodiceans, and them of Hierapolis: for whom certes euen as for the Coloſſians, hee did in prayer euen as it were ſtriue with the Lord. For wee cannot earneſtly powre forth prayers vntounto God for any, vnleſſe that our hearts be ſeized before hand with an earneſt affection towards them. And it would bee marked, that to the end this great care and louelove of Epaphras towards them might be the more aſſuredly manifeſt, and they the better perſwaded of it, he confirmeth it by his owne teſtimonie, which conſidering what great authoritie and credit, ſpecially as an Apoſtle, hee ought to hauehave amongſt them, ſhould at no hand be counted either light or deceitfull: and that cauſeth him to ſay and deliuer it in this forme, This I teſtifie of him.
It followeth in our text, namely verſ. 14. of this chapter, Luke the beloued Phyſition ſaluteth you, &c. Theſe are ſtill ſalutations and greetings ſent them, and indeed comefrom ſundrie of the Gentiles, as diuers of thoſe before did. This Luke that is mentioned here, was Pauls continuall companion in all his troubles and trauailes, as appeareth in the Acts of the Apoſtles, which hee himſelfe wrote: and hee remained with Paul, euen then when other being ſent away from him, Demas forſooke him alſo: which alſo the Apoſtle ſheweth, ſaying, OnelyOnly Luke is with me, 2. Timoth. 4. 11. And in Pauls Epiſtle to Philemon, verſ. 24. he is called Pauls helper, that is, a labourer or worker with him in the Miniſterie. Now Paul deſeribeth him here, firſt by the calling which he had before God put him a part to preach the Goſpell, hee was a Phyſition: from whence wee may learne, that no politike or ciuill calling or occupation, can hinder Gods calling vntounto the miniſterie of Nothing can hinder Gods calling of men to the holie miniſterie.Chriſt, but hee will call whom hee will, and of what ſort of people pleaſe him. He calleth Matthew from the receipt of cuſtome to be an Apoſtle. He calleth Peter, Andrew, Iohn and Iames, who were buſied about catching of fiſhes, and he maketh them fiſhers of men. He choſe Amos from being a heardman, to be a Prophet: and the like may we reade in many other. And ſo he maketh Luke the Phyſition to become an Euangeliſt. For as God is moſt free in himſelfe, ſo is he not tyed to any condition or calling of men whatſoeuer, but chuſeth whom he will, & as he will, to do his worke, alwaies notwithſtanding induing them with gifts fit for the execution of their duties, according to his good pleaſure. Secondly, hee ſetteth him out by this adiunct, beloued: in which terme the Apoſtle commendeth him, for that great louelove which he bore towards him as a Chriſtian man, and one that was very inward with him, and familiar vntounto him. For the louelove that Chriſts Apoſtle, and the friendſhip that was betweene them, did not a little commend the man. By which wee may ſee, that it is no ſmall To be beloued of them that louelove God.matter, but indeed of good worth, both to our ſelues and to others, to be beloued of them, that either louelove God, or are loued of him. To our ſelues, as a teſtimonie of good comfort; and to others, as an argument of good credit.
To him he adioyneth Demas. This was he of whom the Apoſtle complaineth, that he was forſaken, ſaying, 1. Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath for ſaken me, and imbraced this preſent world. In the Epiſtle to Philemon he is called Pauls helper: from whence we may with good probabilitie gather, that at that time he was a miniſter of the Goſpell, but afterwards forſaking his calling he fell away, and gaped after gaine. From whence wee may ſee, that the louelove of this preſent world cannot ſtand with the The louelove of the world and the ministerie of the Goſpell cannot ſtand together.miniſterie of the Goſpell. For no man (ſaith Chriſt) can ſerue two maſters: for either he ſhall hate the one and louelove the other, or cleaue to the one and forſake the other. Ye cannot ſerue God and Mammon, Matth. 6. 24. If the mind once be caried away with the carefulnes of worldly things, it cannot be wholy occupied in ſeeking Chriſt and his glorie, but will eaſily preferre the world before Chriſt himſelfe. And thus farre concerning theſe verſes, and the true and naturall meaning of them, with other neceſſarie matter, in ſort and manner as you hauehave heard.
Now to ſome obſeruations out of them. And firſt in that Epaphras did alwaies ſtriue for them in his prayers, wee may gather that it is not ſo eaſie a matter to make prayers vntounto God, No eaſie matter to pray well.as commonly men account it, but rather indeede very hard and of great labour. Which may appeare by this, that if a man doth but once ſettle himſelfe to it, ſpecially if hee doe it earneſtly, hee ſhall finde a thouſand lets and hindrances ſet before him, if not vtterly to pull him away from prayer, yet to ſtay him much therein, or to make his prayers more cold and faint. Sometimes Satans malice, ſometimes his own corruptiō will ſtand vp againſt him: ſometimes other mens examples of neglect, or of cold performance of prayer. And though Hindrances to pray.theſe were not, but that men thought ſtill they prayed, yet ſhall men, if they would ſift and ſound their hearts well, perceiue yt this is one cauſe why in prayer, or to prayer, men find no hindrance, becauſe they are content with a certaine forme of words which flow from the mouth, but hauehave no ſeate in the heart, and ſo praying without true faith indeede, or any ſerious affection of the minde, or any vnfained reuerence of God, or any ſound feeling of their owne miſeries, or any heartie deſire to bee reconciled to the Lord, &c. their prayers are Things neceſſarie to him that would pray well.lip-labour, yea loſt labour. Neither will Satan much ſet himſelfe againſt ſuch praiers (if we may call them praiers) becauſe he knoweth they will not much hurt him and his kingdome. But hee will mightily oppoſe againſt the heartie praiers of Gods people, and reſiſt them, by obiecting and caſting in their way all the temptations that poſſibly he can, becauſe he well knoweth, that by meanes thereof his kingdome ſhall, if not be ouerthrowne, yet greatly diminiſhed.
Secondly, in the perſon and practiſe of Epaphras, learne, that it is the Paſtors dutie, not onelyonly to teach and to inſtruct his The Paſtors dutie in preſence and abſence.flocke in the doctrine of the Goſpell, whileſt he is preſent with them, but euen as it were to carrie them about with him in his heart, and to take himſelfe continually bound and tyed to zeale and care for them, and with earneſt requeſts and ſupplications to wiſh for and procure their ſaluation, and continually to pray for them to almightie God. And great reaſon, they are their fathers, they are their teachers. Fathers are vnnaturall, if they remember their children whileſt they are preſent with them onelyonly. Teachers are negligent, or at leaſtwiſe ſhort of their dutie, if they remember their ſchollers onelyonly whileſt they are in the ſchoole with them. The doctrine of the word is not eaſily receiued: neither doth it quickly bring forth fruite. Prayer is a worthie meane to helpe forward the one and the other, ſpecially the prayers of the paſtor and teacher. And if in other caſes, the prayers of a righteous man are much auaileable, ſpecially if they be feruent, ſo ſaith S. Iames; then the ſupplications of a godly and faithfull miniſter are likewiſe piercing.
Laſtly obſerue, that the Apoſtle highly, yea and as it were before others, commendeth Epaphras to the Coloſſians, and particularly for this that he was their miniſter, and preached the Goſpell vntounto them: yea and he giueth him this teſtimony, that he had a certaine feruent affection and earneſt deſire towards them. He doth the like vntounto Timothie, whom he purpoſed to ſend to the Philippians. He doth in like manner commend Epaphroditus vntounto them, Phil. 1. 19. Obſerue therefore I ſay and gather from hence, that it is very neceſſarie, that in any, yea in eueryevery particular congregation, there ſhuld amongſt all be a reuerend regard of the paſtor that liueth and teacheth The Paſtor of the Church ſhould be reuerently eſteemed.in the ſame: yea all ſhould be well perſwaded, not onelyonly generally of his honeſtie, pietie, faith, charitie, learning, conſcience, and other graces, neceſſarie and fit for the Miniſterie, but alſo of his ſingular affection and louelove towards them, yea ſpecially of his deſire and care to doe them good, ſo that hee may as it were poſſeſſe the hearts of his people, and hauehave them moſt ſtrictly conioyned to him. For ſo hee ſhall more eaſily bring them vntounto Chriſt, whileſt they are willing, and commit themſelues to the faith and truſt of their Paſtor. But where this perſwaſion is not of their Paſtor, his labour, to & amongſt the flock, though it be neuer ſo great & good, ſhould do ſmall good. And therfore we may ſee, that we are not only to pray, as our Sauiour Chriſt teacheth vsus, Matth. 9. to pray the Lord of the harueſt to thruſt foorth workmen into the harueſt, but alſo to intreate him ſo to linke the hearts of the Paſtor and the people together, that the work of his glorie in them and their ſaluation, may bee eueryevery day more then other aduanced. But where ſhall a man finde ſuch people? where ſhall he find ſuch Paſtors? A man may goe from the Eaſt to the Weſt, from the North to the South, and finde very few: which ſhould bee ſo farre off from diſcouraging vsus from this dutie, that it ſhould prouoke vsus more carefully to performe it. And that I ſay to you, I ſpeake to mine owne heart. Let vsus therefore trauaile againe and againe with God, to work ſuch a mutual coniunction betwixt the Paſtor and the flocke, as his glorie may be daily aduanced thereby, and the worke of eternall life furthered through Chriſt. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghoſt, be all power and praiſe, with thanks and glorie now and for euermore,
Amen.