Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/593

Rh. With such sacrifices God is leell-pleased, Heb. 13. 16. . He would recompense it ; But my God shall iufifily all your wants according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus, zk 19. He does as it were draw a bill upon the exchequer in heaven, and leaves It to God to make them amends for the kindness they had shewed him. " He shall do it, not only as your God, but as my God, who takes what is done to me as done to himself. You supplied my needs, according to your poverty ; and he shall supjjly your's, accordmg to his riches." But still it is by Christ Jesus : through him we have grace to do that ■which is good, and through him we must expect the reward of it. Not of debt, but of grace ; for the more we do for God, the more we are indebted to him, because we receive the more from him. . Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 21. Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. 22. xll the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Ceesar's household. 23. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. The apostle concludes the epistle in these verses : 1. With praises to God ; .Yoiv unto God and our Father be gl'^ry for ever and ever. Amen, v. 20. Observe, (1.) God is to be considered by us as our Father ; Aow unto God and our Father. It is a gij.it condescension and favour in God, to own the relation of Father to sinners, and allow us to say to him. Our Father ; and it is a title peculiar to the gospel-dispensation. It is also a great privilege and encouragement to us, to consider him as our Father ; as one so nearly related, and who bears so tender an affection towards us. We should look upon God, under all our weakness and fears, not as a tyrant or an enemy, but as a Father, who is disposed to pity us and help us. (2.) We must ascribe glory to G(i(l as a Father: the glory of his own excelleiice, and of all his mercy unto us. We must thankfully own the receipt of all from him, and give the praise of all to him. And our praise must be constant and perpetual ; it nmst be glory for ever and ex'er. . With salutations to his friends at Piiilippi ; "Salute every saint in Christ Jesus, {v. 21.) give my hearty love to all the Christians in your parts." He desires remembrances not only to the bishops and deacons, and the church in general, but to every particular saint. Paul had a kind affection to all good Christians. . He sends salutations from those who were at Rome ; " The brethren who are with me, salute you ; tlie ministers, and all the saints here, send their affectionate remembrances to you. Chiefly they who are of Cdear's household ; the Christian converts who belonged to the emperor's court." Observe, (1.) There were saints in Cxsar's house- hold. Though Paul was imprisoned at Rome, for preaching the gospel, by the emperor's command ; yet there were some Christians m his own family. The gospel early obtained among some of the rich and great. Perhaps the apostle fared the better, and received some favour, by means of his friends at court. {2.) Chiefly they, 8cc. Observe, They, being bred at court, were more complaisant than the rest. See what an ornament to religion sanctified civility is. . The apostolical benediction, as usual ; " 7%^ grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. The free favour and good-will of Christ be your portion and happiness."

COLOSSE was a considerable city of Phrygia, and, probably, not far from Laodicea and Hierapolis ; we find these three mentioned together, ch. 4. 13. It is now buried in ruins, and the memory of it chieflv preserved in this epistle. The design of the epistle is to warn them of the danger of the Jewish zealots', who pressed the necessity of observing the ceremonial law ; and to fortify them against the mixture of the Gentile philosophy with their Christian principles. He professes a great satisfaction in their steadfast- ness and constancy, and encourages them io perseverance. It was written about the same time with the epistle to the Ephesians and Philippians, Anno Domini 62. and in the same place, while he was now prisoner at Rome. He was not idle in his confinement, and the word of God was not bound. This epistle, like that to the Romans, was written to those whom he had never seen, or had any personal acquaintance with. The church planted at Colosse was not by Paul's ministiy, but by the ministry ol