reward of the inheritance serve the Lord Christ.

Observe here, 1. The general duty incumbent upon all servants, and that is, obedience to such as are their masters according to the flesh, to execute all their lawful commands; such as are God's freemen, may be servants to men, though not the servants of men. Observe, 2. The qualifications and properties of this obedience which is due and payable from servants to masters: it must be in singleness of heart, in great simplicity and sincerity of spirit, and with an eye to their great Master in heaven; with an eye to the command of their great Master, with an eye to the presence of their great Master, to the assistance and acceptance of their great Master, and to the honour and glory of him also; and it must be done heartily, and with good-will, as to the Lord, and not to men. Learn hence, That the meanest and basest services in the place and station in which God sets us, being done with right qualifications, and from sincere motives, and for sincere ends, is service done to Christ, and as such shall be accepted and rewarded by him. Observe, 3. The mighty reward which the Spirit of God propounds as an encouragement to poor servants in their obedience to their masters, Of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance. No service so mean but shall be rewarded, if conscientiously performed; no distinction in heaven between servants and sons, all shall receive the inheritance there, who have done faithful service here; and as the meanest service done with right qualifications, is service done to Christ, so shall it be accepted of him, and rewarded by him Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons.

That is, “Such servants as have wronged their masters, or such masters as have oppressed their servants, God, who respects no man's person, and regardeth the rich no more than the poor, will take his time to revenge the injuries and wrong done by either to each other." Note here, The severity and impartiality of divine justice; God, the righteous judge, will revenge the

CHAP. IV.

MASTERS, give unto your ser

vants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Our apostle concluded the foregoing chapter with an exhortation to servants, to discharge their duty with all fidelity to their masters, remembering, that whatever wrong is done by them, shall, sooner or later, be revenged by God: he begins this chapter with advice to masters, to give unto their servants that which is just and equal; that which is just, or that which is according to compact and agreement, either explicitly or implicitly made; as work, wages, food, clothing, and all fitting accommodations; also that which is equal in reason and charity, is to oblige them to serve God faithfully, to serve their masters cheerfully, not exercising a magisterial, much less a tyrannical, power over them; and the argument to enforce it is strong, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven; remembering they have one above them, from whom they must expect the like. Learn hence, That justice is to be observed towards poor servants, and that there are several offices of humanity and charity which are due unto them by the command of God: such are these, 1. That we look upon them not barely as servants, but as brethren, partakers of the same common nature, and capable of the same grace with ourselves, consequently not to treat them as vile persons. 2. That we wink at some of their miscarriages which are not apparently sinful, and do not punish every transgression committed by them: he must keep no servant that will have a servant with no faults. 3. That we do not rule with rigour, without giving some reason for what commands seem hard and difficult, and that we permit them to plead their cause, and to defend their right, provided they do it with humility, not contradicting or refusing to execute the commands of

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.

verance.

Observe here, 1. The duty exhorted to, and that is, prayer; a transcendent privilege, as well as an important duty. Observe, 2. The manner of the duty, and how it must be performed with constancy and perse1. Continue in prayer, that is, continue instant in prayer; not that every other duty is to be neglected, that we may always perform this, but we are always to keep our heart in a praying frame, and be found in the practice of the duty at all fitting seasons; we are then said to do a thing continually, when we do it seasonably; what a man does out of conscience, he will do with perseverance. Nature will have her good moods, but grace is steady. 2. Watchfulness in prayer is here directed to, Watch in the same; particularly we ought to watch for the duty, in the duty, and after the duty; to watch for the fittest praying season, to watch our hearts in the season of prayer, that our thoughts do not wander, nor our affections flag; to watch after the duty, that our hearts be not lifted up by any assistance received in the duty; nor be too much dejected, upon the score of those infirmities that mingle themselves with our prayers; but direct the eye of our faith to Christ as our intercessor, who pleads for the gracious acceptance both of our persons and services, notwithstanding the imperfections of them both. Observe, lastly, What must always accompany prayer for mercies we want, namely, thanksgiving for mercies received: Watch in the same with thanksgiving. There is no such effectual way of begging, as thanksgiving; God is offended, when we are loud and clamorous in asking favours, but dumb and tongue-tied in returning thanks: need will make us beggars, but grace only thanksgivers.

3 Withal, praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door

Our apostle having directed the Colossians to the duty of prayer in general, bere he requests an interest in their prayers for himself, and all the ministers of Christ in particular. Whence observe, 1. That the ministers of Jesus Christ are, and ought in an especial manner to be, remembered in the saints' prayers. Observe, 2. The mercies he desires may be prayed for on his behalf, namely, utteranee and boldness: ministers depend upon God, as for other ministerial gifts, so particularly for the gift of utterance, and it is their people's duty to be earnest and instant with God for the their message, so for boldness in suffering same and as for utterance in delivering for it, when called to it. No prayers can be too much to strengthen the hands, and encourage the hearts, of the ministers of Christ unto an holy boldness, who suffer persecution for what they preach; therefore is St. Paul so earnest here with the Colossians, as he was before with the Ephesians, chap. vi. 18. and with the Romans, chap. xv. 30. desiring them to strive together in their prayers for him: where, by the way, remark, That the apostle thus passionately desiring the living saints to pray for him, but never once desiring the prayers and intercessions of the saints departed, nor of the Virgin Mary, is an evidence that he ap proved not of their prayers, nor looked with God then, as the church of Rome upon them as mediators and intercessors does now.

5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without,

By them without, are meant the heathen, who are yet without the pale of the visible church; to walk in wisdom toward them is a duty of great latitude, but imports particularly here an endeavour to the uttermost to promote their conversion and salvation, by begetting in them a due veneration for the gospel, and a love and liking to the christian religion. Learn hence, That private christians, by walking wisely before them that are yet unconverted effectually to christianity, may be exceedingly helpful to promote the entertainment of the gospel amongst them. They may pray,

and pray in faith, for their conversion, and the further spreading of the gospel, in or der to that end. The ardent devotions and the holy conversations of private chris

tians are excellent means to recommend

the gospel and the christian religion, and to represent them as most amiable and desirable.

-Redeeming the time.

Having, in the former part of the verse, directed the Colossians to walk wisely before the unconverted gentiles that were among them, in this latter part of the verse he advises them to redeem every opportunity for gaining over those infidels to the christian religion. A christian that knows the worth of time, will redeem it, will improve it for the soul, for the benefit of his own soul, and for the advantage of others: see note on Eph. v. 16.

6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer

every man.

Direction is here given to all christians for the right government of the tongue, and well ordering of the speech, that it be not corrupt and rotten, filthy or frothy, vain and unprofitable, but mild and courteous, savoury and gracious, wise and discreet. Note here, 1. That we are not left at random in our ordinary discourse, to let our tongue run riot and talk what we please, without any regard to the edification of others. Note, 2. That there ought to be both a gracefulness and grace in our speech, some savour of piety, something that may testify there is grace wrought in ourselves, and tends to the working of grace in others. Note, 3. That our speech may be thus savoury at all times, it must be seasoned with salt. 1. With the salt of truth: there must be an agreement betwixt the thing and our words, without falsehood; and an agreement betwixt our tongue and our hearts, without dissimulation. 2. With the salt of wisdom and prudence; this will teach us the time when, the manner how, and measure how much, to speak; those words must needs be unsavory, that have neither truth nor prudence in them. The people wondered of old at the gracious words which came out of Christ's mouth; and we may justly wonder at the graceless words which come out of the mouth of many that are called christians.

Observe here, 1. That although St. Paul had now with him but a few friends at Rome to comfort him in his bonds, yet he spares two of them to visit and comfort See the public spirit of these Colossians. our apostle, who preferred the common good of the church at Colosse, before his own comfort at Rome. Observe, 2. The persons whom St. Paul sent to them, Tychicus and Onesimus, whom he styles the brethren, faithful brethren, beloved brethren : : nothing endears persons so much to one another, as religion and the grace of God. These ties are stronger than those of nature: no such love as likeness occasions, especially likeness to God. Observe, 3. The design and end of St. Paul's sending these two persons to them, namely, 1. To make known unto them all things done at Rome; mark, all things, without exception, both his doings and sufferings, both in public and private, the apostle was ashamed of neither. Happy it is, when the conversation of Christ's ministers is such, both in public and private, that they need not be ashamed to have it known, or that the church may understand it. 2. That he might comfort their hearts: how could Tychicus and Onesimus do this? 1. By making known to them the true cause of his sufferings, that it was for the gospel's sake. 2. To keep them from discouragement at the report of his sufferings, that they might not be offended at his chain, nor sink under the burden of immoderate sorrow upon his account. 3. To comfort their hearts, with the report of that holy joy and cheerfulness which the apostle had in his own spirit, under the present burden of his sufferings. See the note on Eph. vi. 22.

10 Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sis

look upon themselves as ministers of the whole church; and although they take care of a particular congregation, yet is it their duty to desire and endeavour, that all christians within the reach of their ministerial labours may find some special benefit and advantage by them. Epaphras had a fervent zeal for the churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis, as well as at Colosse, and it was his commendation that he had so.

Still our apostle is sending salutations from Rome to the Colossians. 1. From St. Luke, who of a physician for the body, becomes a physician for the soul, as Matthew of a publican became a preacher. Luke well deserved the title here given him of beloved, in that he undertook the ministry at a time when civil authority did allow no maintenance for ministers, and when his employment as a physician would probably have advantaged him much more. Luke, the beloved physician, greets you. 2. Demas also, who when persecution grew hot, his affections grew cold, yet now he sends salutations with the rest to the church at Colosse. St. Paul complains of his forsaking of him, 2 Tim. iv. 10. for the sake of this present world. Let no professor judge of himself by his external profession, by his performance of outward duties, by his associating himself with the people of God, nay, by his sufferings with the servants of God, (Demas did all this,) but by their sincere love to Christ, and persevering faithfulness in the trying hour of temptation: we know not what we are, till sufferings appear.

15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

Our apostle had sent the salutations of others to them before; he sends his own now, 1. Generally, to all the christian brethren which were in Laodicea, to whom he directs this epistle to be read, in the next verse. Now to prepare them to hear it with great attention, he sends salutations particularly to them; Salute the brethren in Laodicea. No particular people must desire or expect to monopolize and engross the whole of a minister's affections to themselves; but as he is the minister of the ca tholic church, so it is both his duty and desire that all particular churches, yea, in

household in religion and godliness, instructing, reproving, exhorting, all that are under their care, that their house may deserve the name of a church; The church which is in his house. 2. Some, by the church in his house, understand a material house, or some particular room in his house, which he had given to a certain number of the christians for a place of public worship. Although the church in the apostles' times had not the countenance of civil authority, to provide either places for worship, or maintenance for ministers; yet such fervour of zeal was found in the breasts of

christians, that then such as were of ability wanted not for inclination to contribute largely and freely unto both; charity moved to give more then, than force of law can compel and constrain now; Nymphas gives his house to be a place of public worship to the church. See the learned Mr. Mede on 1 Cor. xi. 22.

16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodi

ceans;

Here St. Paul directs to the reading of this epistle themselves, which the Spirit of God had directed him to write unto them. Let this epistle be read amongst you. All holy scripture is to be read and perused by every private christian; the same Spirit that did indite the scriptures, requires the reading and understanding of them. And further, St. Paul desires this epistle, being read amongst the Colossians, should next be read in the church of Laodicea; who being their neighbours, received the same poison or errors from the false teachers crept in amongst them, and consequently stood in need of the same antidote. That doctrine which is directed to some particular church or person, recorded in scripture, was of universal use then, and may be now, to all particular persons and societies.