An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 4 · Chapter 4 · Verse 4
Vers. 4.
That I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake.
That I may vtter it] foreign That I may manifest it.
D. Sound preaching is the manifesting of the misterie of Christ, this Doctrine as it shewes the profit we may get by preaching so it maintaines plaine teaching, and reproues such as would be Doctors of the law, and yet vnderstand not of what they speake, they darken the texts they speake of.
It foreign] D. As good not preach as not preach the Gospell of Christ, wee doe nothing if our people vnderstand not the mysterie of Christ, but remaine still ignorant of the fauour of God in Christ.
As it becommeth me to speake.]
D. It is not enough to preach, but we must so preach as becommeth the misterie of Christ,How Ministers must preach. and to preach so is to preach with power 1. Thess. 1.5. with instance and all watchfulnesse 2. Tim. 4.2.3.5. with patience and all constancie with feare and fasting 1. Cor. 4.9.2. Cor. 6.4.2. Cor. 4.8. with assurance of Doctrine 2. Cor. 4.13. with all willingnesse, 1 Cor. 9.16.17. with all faithfulnesse, 1. Cor. 42. with all zeale knowing the terror of the Lord, perswading, exhorting, beseeching, 2. Cor. 5.11. 1. Thess. 2.12. aprouing themselues in the sight of God, to the conscience of the hearers, 2. Cor. 2.17. and 4.1.2. with all holy, iust, and vnblameable behauiour, 1. Thes. 2.11.
Thus do not they preach that are Neophites, yong Schollers, rash, scandalous, or dote about questions, and logomachios, or fables and vaine disputations which breed strife, and questions rather then godly edifying, nor they that come with wisedome of words and the inticing speech of mans eloquence, 1. Cor. 1.11. and 2.1.4.
All this may teach Ministers by reading, prayer, and preparation to be with their God, before they come to speake to Gods people, it may terrifie carelesse Ministers, woe vntounto thee if either thou preach not, or not as becommeth the mysterie of Christ, 1. Cor. 9.16. It may comfort good Ministers, for if God stand vponupon it to hauehave his worke thus done, he will certainely pay them their wages, yea if Israel should not be gathered yet their wages should be with God, and their worke before him.
Lastly if Ministers must preach as becommeth the mysterie of Christ,How the people must heare. the people must heare as becommeth the mysterie of Christ, with attention, constancie, patience, reuerence, in much affliction, as the word of God, with sinceritie, hungring appetite, and fruitfulnesse.
Thus of the first branch of the exhortation.