Commentary Upon Colossians, Sermon 30
The 30. Sermon.
COLOSS. 4. V. 7. to the 12.
7 Tychichus our beloued brother, and faithfull Mininiſter, and fellow ſeruant in the Lord, ſhall declare vntounto you my whole ſtate.
8 Whom I hauehave ſent vntounto you for the ſame purpoſe, that he might know your ſtate, and might comfort your hearts.
9 With Oneſimus a faithfull & a beloued brother, who is one of you. They ſhall ſhew you of all things here.
10 Ariſtarchus my priſon-fellow ſaluteth you, and Marcus, Barnabas ſiſters ſonne (touching whom ye receiued commandements. If he come vntounto you, receiue him.)
11 And Ieſus, which is called Iuſtus, which are of the circumciſion. Theſe onelyonly are my work-fellowes vntounto the kingdome of God, which hauehave been vntounto my conſolation.
WE hauehave heard how the Apoſtle hauing firſt admoniſhed and taught of the things belonging to all Chriſtians, proceeded to thoſe things which belonged to eueryevery particular eſtate of Chriſtians. And now he ſhutteth vp his Epiſtle with certaine other things, which are neither generall, nor particular, but of a middle ſort.
In the louelove and care I beare vntounto you, I hauehave ſent Tychicus vntounto you who ſhall informe you of all my eſtate, whereof I know you will be glad to heare: whom that you may receiue as it becommeth, I commend vntounto you for a brother, worthy to be beloued: alſo for a faithfull Miniſter, and my fellow in the Lords ſeruice.
Whom I hauehave ſent, as to let you vnderſtand of mine affaires, ſo to know what caſe you are in, thereof to make report vntounto me, and eſpecially that he may comfort you at the heart, againſt the ſtorme of perſecution raiſed againſt you.
And with him, that the embaſſage may hauehave more authority, and that in the mouth of 2. witneſſes, the things concerning you or me, may be better aſſured, I ſent Oneſimus▪ a brother both faithfull and worthy to be beloued, howſoeuer he hath ſlipped in time paſt; who is alſo one of the members of the ſame Church: theſe two ſhall giuegive you to vnderſtand of all things that may concerne you, that are done in thoſe parts.
Ariſtarchus in louelove ſaluteth you.
So doth Marke and Ieſus: whom that you may be prouoked to louelove againe, I would hauehave you to vnderſtand, that touching Ariſtarcus, he is me, fellow priſoner for the Goſpell: touching Marke, he is ſiſter ſonne to Baraabas, that not able ſeruant of God, of whom you hauehave had commandement, that if hee come vntounto you, you ſhould receiue him accordingly.
And touching Ieſus, his conuerſation hath bene ſuch as thereby he hath gotten the ſurname of. Iuſt. And of them all three together, there are great cauſes why you ſhould reſpect them, for that they are of the race of the Iewes, with whom God hath made ſpeciall couenant: eſpecially ſeeing that of ſo great a number of Iewes that are here, onelyonly theſe three, helpe to aduance the kingdome of heauen by giuing aſſiſtance vntounto mee.
The ſumme of all which, as well of this, as of that that followeth to the end of the Epiſtle, is to giuegive to vnderſtand their mutual eſtate, as well his to them, as theirs to him, together with certaine ſalutations from ſome, and to ſome.
But firſt we are to ſpeak of that in the former Text,Ʋerſe 5. which remaineth to be handled, wherein the Apoſtle had exhorted them to walk wiſely, & warily. One ſort of wiſedome is that they be not infected by the pitch and canker of the naughty corruption of the wicked.
Secondly, that they ſo walk towards the ſtrangers, that they giuegive no occaſion to them to ſpeake euill of the Goſpell, and that by their godly conuerſation thoſe without may be called to the truth.
And it is neceſſary that dwelling among wicked mē Note.we ſhould walke warily and wiſely, that wee bee not corrupted by them, becauſe by reaſon of the infection remaining in vsus, wee are as ready to take infection from others, as the tinder to take fire.
Which how dangerous it is, we reade in the example of diuers of the notable ſeruants of God: As of Lot, who by couetouſneſſe chooſing to liue in the fatteſt country of Sodom, learned their to be drunken, withGen. 19. which he was ouertaken by his daughters.
And Ioſeph himſelfe though a notable yong man, as the like was not in thoſe daies, yet in the Court of Pharoah learned to Court it and diſſemble, & ſweare fearefully by the life of Pharaoh: And therefore muchGen. 42. 15. more ought we to take heed of this infection.
Another cauſe why we ſhould take heed of walkingFoure reaſon… of walking wiſely toward… them, that are out of the Church. Reaſon. 1. 1. Theſ. 4. 11. wiſely, is becauſe the wicked will be ready to take all occaſions of ſpeaking euil of vsus. And the occaſiōs are diuers, that the infidels wil hauehave regard vntounto: as in the 1. Theſſ. 4. the Apoſtle bids them to walke quietly, not to be trouble ſome: for they will marke, if we be ſuch as be buſy to meddle in other mens matters, and therefore we ought to be ware of that, which without wiſedom we cannot auoid.
Reaſon. 2 Againe, they will marke whether men be laborious in their vocation, that they labour with their owne hands, therefore the Apoſtle bids vsus worke with our owne hands. For it is a ſhame that we by idleneſſe1. Theſ. 4. 11. ſhould be conſtrayned to beg at their dores, Reaſon. 3 which will be a cauſe to make them blame our religion.
Thirdly, another cauſe why we ſhould walke wiſely is to the end that we might call thē to repentāce2 Pet. 2. 12. &. 3. 1. 2. by our godly conuerſation, hauing care eſpecially to be wary in thoſe things, which the aduerſaries of the Goſpell hauehave by the light of nature a ſpeciall in-ſight Reaſon. 4 1. Pet. 3. 16.in▪ els we ſhall be a great offence vntounto them. Laſtly, that men, that ſpeake ill of vsus, might be aſhamed.
After the Apoſtle exhorteth to another matter,Verſe. 5. that we redeeme the time: the word ſignifieth an oportunity of time, and fitneſſe. Which waryneſſe the Apoſtle draweth from the practiſe of marchants, that hauing had any great loſſe, they will watch all markets, and oportunities to recouer that loſſe, whichA ſimile. they hauehave had, and to make vp the breach, they hauehave made in their ſubſtāce, ſo are we to watch to recouer, that we hauehave loſt. by taking all good oportunity.
And we are to do as the wayfaring man, that hauingNote. A ſimile. ſlep't to long, or been to long at dinner, will make the more haſt after. So ought we to conſider how in our life time we hauehave ſpent the time lent vsus by God, and wherein we hauehave been behind hand in the ſeruice of God. That whereas if our life were a 1000. yeares, (as none neuer came vntounto, which yet is but a momēt to the life to come) it were too little to ſpend in the ſeruice of God. And therefore if any of it hath not been ſo ſpent, we are to be carefull to indeuour our ſelues according as the Apoſtle Peter exhorts vsus, that, if we hauehave ſpent the time in drunkeneſſe gluttony, luſts, wantonneſſe, we ſhould now leaue.
Redeeming the time: ſignifying that if poſſible we can, we are to buy it out, and to buy it out euen with much money, nay with our life it ſelfe, if need be.
And therefore it ſheweth the notable corruption of vsus, that the time, which we ought to redeeme and buy out by much coſt, we are ſo careleſſe of it▪ that we ſpend it in our worldly gaynes and pleaſures. And therefore we ſee how men fpend and paſſe the time in cards and dice, and other vanities. We ſee our SauiourLuk. 14. 7. 10. 13. Chriſt Luke 14. being on the Saboth called to a feaſt, ſee how he redeemeth the time. Firſt ſeing them ſtriue for high places, he there taketh occaſion to tell them a no…able doctrine, not to exalt themſelues: and againe he counſels them to bid the poore.
And further, vponupon the ſpeach of a man, which ſaid, Bleſſed is he, that eateth bread in the kingdome Luk. 14. 15. Math. 22. 2.of God, he propounded a parable to inſtruct them therein.
Another notable example of our Sauiour Chriſt, that redeemed the time, he we ſee in his taking occaſion with the poore woman, which was an harlot, to call her, Ioh. 4. And after, with the diſciples, one ſeeing the harueſt taketh occaſion to giuegive a notable ſpeech to his Diſciples, to pray vntounto the Lord to ſend forth reapers into his ſpirituall harueſt:Math. 9. 37. Luke 10. 2. which teacheth vsus to redeeme, and take all good occaſions of ſpeaking and doing good things; contrary to the wretched practiſe of filthy perſons, that take all occaſions of filthy ſpeeches and deeds, as of Herodias againſt Iohn Baptiſt, Marke 6. 23. 24.
After hee commeth to a notable doctrine aboutVerſe 6. the tongue, that in regard of their godly conuerſation to the Infidels they ſhould hauehave eſpeciall regard to vſe their tongues wel. For it is as a rudder of a ſhip, or fire, that being well vſed is profitable, if otherwiſe dangerous: And hee will hauehave them to order their tongues wiſely, that their ſpeech be ſeaſoned, viz: that they know when to ſpeake, when to bee ſilent: And in ſpeaking that they know how to ſpeake according to the perſons preſent, ſo to direct the ſpeach according as is moſt fit for eueryevery ones condition & eſtate. Which as it is requiſite in the Miniſter, ſo in all men: Therefore the Apoſtle wils Tymothie to admoniſh an1. Tim. 5. 1. 2. old man, as it becommeth a father, and the yong men as brethren: And Salomon ſaith, Anſwere not a foole Prou. 26. 4.according to his folly, viz: in words and babbling: for that will breed further brabling without end. And yet anſwere him in his folly, to ſtoppe his mouth, meaning, according as is moſt fit for to be anſwered vntounto him, leaſt he be wiſe in his owne conceite.Prou. 26. 5. Verſe 7. & 8.
In this Text the Apoſtle ſendeth theſe meſſengers to vnderſtand the eſtate of the Church, and to ſignifie their eſtate: and further for mutuall comfort, and to ſtrengthen the Church: he therefore ſendeth theſe worthy men, Tychicus and Oneſimus.
Doctrine Heere we learne that it is a neceſſary duty for the Miniſter to know the eſtate of his Flock, and for the Flocke to know the eſtate of the Miniſter: For the Miniſter, it is neceſſary that he know. For as a good Shepeheard will know the eſtate of his Flocke, ſoProu. 27. 27. A ſimile. ought the Miniſter of his ſpirituall charge, that hee may accordingly lay forth vntounto them his admonitions, exhortations, and may commend them in their wants vntounto God.
The people are to vnderſtand the ſtate of the Miniſter:Note. not to the end to pry out his faultes to hauehave matter to accuſe him, as the cuſtome is now: but to the end they admoniſh him, if hee bee faulty, as after ſhall appeare in the end of this Epiſtle.
Secondly, that if there be any ſuch want, they may the more commend their Miniſter vntounto God, to hauehave ſupply for their inſtruction.
So is the Miniſter alſo to do for the people, And ſo is the duty of eueryevery Chriſtian to enquire of the ſtate of the Churches, and of the Miniſters in all places, to the end that for the good wee may bee thankfull vntounto God, for any euill we may be earneſt vntounto God in prayer.
Men for the end their Marchandize may proſper, will bee inquiſitiue of the ſtate of the place, and ofA compariſon. the traffique: Much more ought wee to bee of the Churches of God. And therefore wee ſee an example in Nehemiah that when Embaſſadours came vntountoNeh…. 2s5s6. the King out of his Country, hee was inquiſitiue of their eſtate, and went vntounto the Lord in prayer, in regard of their great afflictions: So ought we to do.
Here alſo we ſee the great louelove of the Apoſtle that parteth with Oneſimus, which (as is in the Epiſtle toVerſe 9. Philemon) had bene vnthrifty, but was now very profitablePhilem. 11. vntounto the Apoſtle: and therefore writeth to Philemon, that if hee would receiue him, hee ſhould, yet hee was very profitable vntounto him. And notwithſtanding he ſendeth him to the Coloſſians, and ſpareth him from himſelfe, which was much more to ſpare Tychicus, which was a Miniſter.
Doctrine Whereby Miniſters are taught to depart from their owne profit for the good of the Church.
After the Apoſtle ſendeth ſalutations of diuers,Ʋerſe 10. but of three eſpecially, Ariſtarchus, Marke, and Ieſus, to teſtifie their louelove to the Coloſſians.
Doctrine. Doct. The duty of Miniſters is not to diſgrace one another, but to commend and praiſe the good things in their fellow Miniſters to the Church, that they may nouriſh and increaſe the good opinion, which the Church hath of them, to the furthering of their Miniſteries.
Theſe three hee eſpecially commendeth to bee chiefly accounted of by them, in regard of the things common to them all, as namely they were of the circumciſion, being of the Iewes, and yet continued conſtant vntounto the truth: Then that they were fellowlabourers with him in the Miniſtery, and that they were very comfortable vntounto him, abiding and ſtaying with in his perſecution.
Particularly hee commendeth Ariſtarchus vntounto them, for that he was his fellow-priſoner, ſuſteyning the ſame bonds with him; Ieſus hee commendeth to be ſuch a one. as that by his godly conuerſation had gotten this good report, amongſt the children of God, that he was ſurnamed luſt.
And Marke he commends, for that hee was the ſiſters ſonne of Barnabas, a worthy man, and an Apoſtle, and therefore worthy to be acounted of by thē: and well entertained if hee ſhould come vntounto them: Where we may ſee what was the cauſe of the fallingNote? out of Paul and Barnabas was, why Barnabas tooke Markes part, when as Marke hauing fainted by the way, by reaſon of the hot perſecution, Paul refuſedAct. 15. 39. 40. to take him with him, whereas Barnabas was earneſt to hauehave Marke: But it ſeemeth that in the controuerſy Barnabas was in fault, in that the Church, ioyned with Paul againſt Barnabas, who as it is likely was too much carried away with affection.
How-be-it wee ſee heere that Marke hauing (as wee may well gather) confeſſed his fault, and profeſſed his repentance, and reconciled himſelfe to the Apoſtle, Paul, was receiued againe of him.Note. Where wee ſee the tender louelove of the Apoſtle who vponupon teſtimony of his repentance receiueth him and loueth him againe, after that he had begun to ſlip & ſtart aſide.
The end of the 30. Sermon.