The Autumn Part from the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, Letter 14
The Epistle.
COLOSS. 1. 3.
We giuegive thankes to God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c.
THis proem of Pauls Epistle to the Colossians is in effect hSarcerius. Aretius.all one with that to the Corinthians, expounded Sunday 18. after Trinity: and to the Philippians expounded Sund. 22. after Trinity. Wherefore lest I seeme tedious in tautologies, I will onelyonly part it, and so depart hence to the Gospell ensuing.
It consists of iMelanct. Zanchius.two parts, a
Congratulation for their gifts in present possession, and in it
Who: ver. 1. Paul an Apostle, not of kGalat. 1. 1.men, but of Iesus Christ. Not thorow his owne lSarcerius.intrusion, or for his owne mPrimasius.merit: but by the wil of God. And Timotheus his brother: in respect of their nZanchius.common faith on earth, and common father in heauen.
When: Alwaies praying: or as our translation, alwaies in our praiers. As pCaietan. Aretius. Marlorat.often in our deuotion as wee thinke of you, wee thank God for you since the day we first heard of yourfaith, v. 4. 9.
To whom: VntoUnto God & the father of our Lord, &c. that is, as we read, to God euen the father. Or to God qCaluin. Beza▪as the father of our Lords Iesus Christ, in rMatth. 3. 17.whom only God is well pleased. As if he should say, seeing eueryevery sIames 1. 17.gift is from God & bestowed on vsus for Christ: it is our bounden duty to thanke God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ alwaies in all our prayers; tCombard.able to heare, because God, for that is a stile of uBullinger apud Marlorat.maiesty; willing to helpe, because the father of Iesu, for that is a stile of mercy.
For whom: For you, because x1. Cor. 13. 4.louelove doth not enuy, but reioyce for others good. For you Saints at Colosse, verse 2. that is, Saints by y1. Cor. 1. 2.calling, all such as are consecrated to God in holy zTheophylact.baptisme, aAretius.sanctified by the sanctifying spirit. In a word, bPiseator.all the faithfull in Colosse.
For what. As Aretius for the 3. principall vertues of a Christian:
Faith, and that a true faith, hauing Christ Iesus for the cCaluin.proper obiect, and wholly relying vponupon his dBullinger.merits.
LoueLove, and that according to ePhilip. 1. 9.knowledge, louing especially the Saints, and those not a few, but without fPrimasius.exception of person, in respect of gCaietan.blood, affinity, fashion, or faction, all.
Hope. & that an assured hope, expecting an inheritance that is hHere in alluding to carefull parents hoording vp treasure for their babes: v… Zanchius in loc.laid vp in store; and that in a sure iLombard. Anselm.& secure place (where kMatth. 6. 20neither the moth nor canker corrupteth, and where theeues neither dig thorough nor steale) in heauen. As S. l1. Pet. 1. 4.Peter interprets Paul, an inheritance immortall & vndefiled, & that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen. All which is conueied vntounto them by the preaching of the Gospell, here commended à mAquin.veritate, dilatatione, profectu. That is in two words in respect of it
Contents, as being the word of truth, vers. 5.
Extents, as being come to all the world, and fruitfull in all good workes, vers. 6.
Comprecatiō for their further increase & future proficience nZanchius.in
Plentifull wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding, whereby to know the wil of God, vers. 9.
Fruitfull obedience, whereby to doe the will of God, walking worthie of the Lord, vers. 10. that is, as becommeth his oPhilip. 1. 27.Gospell, and his pLombard. Anselm.glorie, pleasing him in all things, &c.
Cheerefull patience, whereby to suffer according to the will of God and that with ioyfulnesse, vers. 11.
The difference between patience and long suffering may bee, that the first is qAretius.circa grauiora pericula; the second, circa leuiora. rTheophylact.The one teacheth vsus to forbeare when wee can reuenge; the other, to beare when we cannot reuenge. Or patience sCase▪ an.leuelleth as it were the minde in our present affliction, which is but for a moment; long suffering exalteth it in expectation of our future t2. Cor. 4. 17.far most excellent and eternall weight of glorie, when as wee shall be made partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, vers. 12. Spirituall vnderstanding is most vsefull in our contemplatiue life, obedience in our actiue, patience needfull in both. And therefore let vsus pray with Paul here to the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, that we may be strengthned with all might, through his glorious power, vntounto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse, &c.