undoubtedly makes the Colossians much more solicitous about regulating their life properly, whilst he intimates that he was so solicitous to know the same. There is no doubt but even amongst ourselves, all in whom there is the least spark of shame and honesty, would live more holily, if pastors, according to their office, would endeavour to know the manners and course of life of individuals.

And comfort your hearts.] This is the last cause whereby Paul was impelled to send Tychicus. They needed consolation in a twofold respect :

1. Because, as it is very likely, they were much grieved on account of Paul's being imprisoned, of whose death, by the well known cruelty of Nero, who then ruled, they could not but daily expect the sad tidings. Tychicus, therefore, relieves the minds of the Colossians, by relating to them that this eminent Apostle not only lived and was well, but even preached the Gospel freely in his bonds.

2. They needed consolation in respect of their own infirmity: For it is too much the case to shrink from a profession of the Gospel through impending danger. For the devil and the flesh, impatient of the cross, are wont to suggest to the minds of men, that it is folly to embrace that doctrine which kings endeavour to extirpate by punishment, which the wise men of the world endeavour to subvert by various schemes. The Apostle, therefore, in order to meet this evil, and confirm them in the faith against persecutors and against seducers, sent Tychicus to establish them, and exhort them that they should not be moved by these afflictions, but be ready after his example to suffer any thing for the Gospel. See 1 Thess. iii. 2. Hence we may learn,

1. To acknowledge the inbred evil of our nature, which causes us all to be dejected in mind as often as we perceive the cross and affliction to threaten the profession of the Gospel for we are as that stony ground, which receives the word with joy, but when tribulation ariseth for the word's sake is forthwith offended, Matt. xiii. 20. Therefore, it behoves us to withstand this evil, to lift up our hearts, and to confirm them by spiritual comforts.

For this our light

affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17.

2. A minister of the word ought not only to shew himself a pattern of constancy and fortitude in suffering, but also to animate and strengthen others by building up, consoling, and preparing them by all means to endure the cross with joy. Thus, in time past, Tertullian, Cyprian, and other pious pastors, for this end armed the Christians to submit to martyrdom by their writings: so in the days of Mary, our ministers of the Gospel consoled the hearts of their people by letters and exhortations. They, therefore, are wholly unmindful of their duty, who despise their brethren groaning and labouring under any cross whatever, whose hearts they ought to comfort and strengthThus much for the causes of the mission.

en.

A beloved brother, and faithful minister, and fellow-servant in the Lord.] Ye have heard the causes of the mission: Now let us come to the commendation of the person sent, whom the Apostle, not only in this place, but also in Ephes. vi. 21, honours with the same remarkable commendations. As to the present encomium, it consists of three members: which we shall notice the more briefly, because we have spoken in the seventh verse of the first Chapter concerning them.

1. He calls Tychicus a beloved brother.] All Christians were wont mutually to call one another by this name, according to the saying of Christ, Matt. xxiii. 8, One is your Master, and all ye are brethren. But yet it is to be supposed that Paul did it in this place, not only because of the common custom, but because of his singular love towards this man deservedly most beloved. Hence learn,

1. That brotherly love among all Christians ought to be strong, but especially among ministers of the word. I command you that ye love one another, said our Lord. John xv. 17. Hence says Tertullian, De patient. Love is the chiefest bond of faith, and the treasure of the Christian name.

2. They who bear hatred or envy towards their brethren, especially towards fellow ministers, possess nothing of the candour of Paul, nothing of Christian charity for

that saying of the Apostle, 1 Thess. iv. 9, agrees in all the truly pious, Concerning brotherly love ye have no need that I write unto you, &c.

2. He is called a faithful minister.] A double eulogy is contained in these two words: he is extolled from his honourable office, because a minister; and from the faithful execution of the same, because faithful in the ministry.

A Minister] namely, of Christ: for he speaks not of any abject ministry, but of the ministry of the Gospel. He is therefore named a minister for the sake of honour. Hence learn,

1. That they are not to be reckoned among Christians who despise men, otherwise not at all to be despised, on the sole ground that they have undertaken the office of a minister. For if to be a Christian, is a glorious thing; then to be among Christians the leader of a faithful people, the interpreter of the Divine will, a preacher of heavenly things, is by far the most glorious. Hence Paul, in 1 Tim. v. 17, assigned a double honour to the ministers of the word, let them be especially counted worthy of double honour who labour in the word and doctrine.

2. That they are foolishly modest and unworthy the ministry, whom the profane folly of others either causes to be ashamed or to repent of so honourable a vocation. Paul was otherwise animated, who thought that he honoured Tychicus by this title of a Minister, and commended him to the Colossians; and who professed concerning himself, I am not ashamed of the Gospel, &c. Rom. i. 16. And Gregory Nazianzen, Orat. 7, says, that it is more excellent to serve God in the sacerdotal office, than to bear the pre-eminence among earthly kings.

3. That they also even sin on the opposite side, who endeavour to transform this spiritual ministry into a temporal empire. This the Romanists do, who constitute their Pope, not a minister of the Gospel, but a temporal monarch of the whole world. Thus much of the office.

Faithful.] This adds much to the commendation of Tychicus. For inasmuch as the ministry itself is to be ho

noured, although in a wicked man; yet dishonesty or infidelity in the discharge of this ministry, is wont, not only to alienate our minds from the minister himself, but to cast a stain even upon the ministry also.

This fidelity, which is commended in Tychicus, consists in two things in that he always exercised his ministry both to promote the glory of God, and to advance the edification of the people of Christ.

Hence we are instructed,

1. They thrust themselves in vain into the ministry, who in discharging the same do not prove themselves faithful; nay, it is pernicious both to their own welfare and that of others neither shall they receive the prize destined to teachers, but that woe directed against those who preach not the gospel.

2. It behoves pious Christians to reverence their ministers, of whatever sort they are; but highly to love the faithful, and to bear them in their eye (as they say), yea (as the Galatians did Paul) to receive them as angels, or as Christ Jesus himself, Gal. iv. 14.

This is the last particuNow he calls him a fel

And fellow-servant in the Lord.] lar of the eulogium of this man. low-servant in the Lord, because both served the same Lord, namely Christ, by the preaching of the Gospel: they therefore could not lightly esteem Tychicus, among whom Paul was in honour, who acknowledged him for his fellow

servant.

Observations.

1. It is the common duty of all ministers, to honour their companions in the same ministry as much as they can, and to render them well-pleasing and acceptable to their people; not to excite hatred towards them.

2. It becomes those who are appointed to a more eminent station, not to despise inferior ministers, but to esteem and treat them as their fellow-servants. Thus Paul from his Apostolic eminence does not despise or depress Tychicus, much inferior to himself; but rather exalts him, and puts him as his equal, by calling him a fellow-servant. 3. The Roman pontiff is not the true successor either

of Paul or of Peter,* who not only would rule over all the Clergy and the whole Christian world, but even in a regal manner over kings and emperors themselves: so far is he from treating his fellow-ministers as fellow-servants. Thus far concerning Tychicus.

Vers. 9.

With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

The commendations of Tychicus being explained, the Apostle proceeds to his testimony also to Onesimus as equally to be honoured: For when, indeed, each was joined in the embassy, he thought each should also be joined in the commendation.

As to the person himself; This Onesimus (as most conjecture) was the same whom Paul had made a true Christian of a runaway slave. And hence it is that in the Epistle to Philemon, vers. 10, he glories that he had begotten him in his bonds. Whence Jerome, writing against the errors of John of Jerusalem, says, We read that Onesimus, renewed amidst the bonds of Paul, was taken from a slave to be a deacon.

Observations.

1. We should despise no one for his former misdeeds, after he shall have come to his right mind. This Onesimus was once contemptible, useless, and a runaway slave;

The Second Section of the Decrees concerning Prohibited Books in the Index Romanum of Benedict XIV. art. 11. p. xxxiv. contains a particular condemnation of persons who shall dare to maintain that St. Peter and St. Paul are to be united as heads of the Roman Church, without subjecting the latter to St. Peter; notwithstanding the testimonies of the Fathers, as Irenæus, Epiphanius, and Chrysostom, and of the historian Eusebius, to their being joint-founders of the Italian Church. The sensitive jealousy of the Apostate See upon this head is curious and significant.