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of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, 13 long-suffering: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against any; even 14 as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all 15 these put on love, which is the bond of perfection: And the peace of God shall rule in your hearts, to which also ye have been called in one body: and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your 17 heart unto the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto God and the Father through him.

18 * Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands (as 19 is fit) in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be 20 not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in 21 all things; for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers,

provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discou22 raged. Servants, obey in all things your masters accord

ing to the flesh; not with eye service, as men-pleasers, 23 but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever

ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men: 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of

* Eph. v. 22, &c.

V. 13. Forbearing one another-If any thing is now wrong; and forgiving one another-What is past.

V. 14. The love of God contains the whole of Christian perfection, and connects all the parts of it together.

V. 15. And then the peace of God shall rule in your hearts-Shall sway every temper, affection, thought, as the reward (so the Greek word implies) of your preceding love and obedience.

V. 16. Let the word of Christ-So the apostle calls the whole Scripture, and thereby asserts the divinity of his Master, dwell-Not make a short stay or an occasional visit, but take up its stated residence, richly-In the largest measure, and with the greatest efficacy, so as to fill and govern the whole soul.

V. 17. In the name-In the power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto God-The Holy Ghost, and the Father through him-Christ.

V. 18. Wives, submit-Or be subject to. It is properly a military term, alluding to that entire submission that soldiers pay to their general.

V. 19. Be not bitter (Which may be without any appearance of anger) either in word or spirit.

V. 21. Lest they be discouraged-Which may occasion their turning either desperate or stupid.

V. 22. Eye service-Being more diligent under their eye than at other times, singleness of heart-A simple intention of doing right, without looking any farther, fearing God-That is, acting from this principle.

V. 23. Heartily-Cheerfully, diligently. Men-pleasers are soon dejected and made angry; the single hearted are never displeased or disappointed, because they have another aim, which the good or evil treatment of those they serve cannot disappoint.

25 the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doth wrong, shall receive for the wrong he hath IV. done; and there is no respect of persons. 1. Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equitable, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

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Continue in prayer, and watch therein with thanksgiv3 ing Withal, praying likewise for us, that God would open to us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of 4 Christ; for which I am also in bonds: That I may make 5 it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward 6 them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every one.

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All my concerns will Tychicus declare to you, a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the 8 Lord: Whom I have sent to you for this very thing, that 9 he might know your state and comfort your hearts, With

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Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you: they will make known to you all things that are done here.

Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas; (touching whom ye have received directions; if he come to you, receive him.) 11 And Jesus, called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these are the only fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, 12 who have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand per

CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. Just-According to your contract; equitable-Even beyond the letter of your contract.

V. 3. That God would open to us a door of utterance-That is, Give us utterance, that we may open our mouth boldly, Eph. vi. 19, and give us an opportutunity of speaking, so that none may be able to hinder.

V. 6. Let your speech be always with grace-Seasoned with the grace of God, as flesh is with salt.

V. 10. Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner-Such was Epaphras likewise for a time, Philemon, ver. 23. Ye have received directions-Namely, by Tychicus, bringing this letter. The ancients adapted their language to the time of reading the letter; not (as we do) to the time when it was written. It is not improbable, they might have scrupled to receive him, without this fresh direction, after he had left St. Paul and departed from the work.

V. 11. These-Three, Aristarchus, Marcus, and Justus, of all the circumci sion, that is, of all my Jewish fellow-labourers, are the only fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God-That is, in preaching the gospel, who have been a comfort to me-What then can we expect? That all our fellow-workers should be a comfort to us?

V. 12. Perfect-Endued with every Christian grace, filled-As no longer being babes, but grown up to the measure of the stature of Christ, being fuli of his light, grace, wisdom, holiness.

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13 fect and filled with all the will of God. For I bear him witness, that he hath a great zeal for you, and for them 14 in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis. Luke, the 15 beloved physician, and Demas, salute you. Salute the 16 brethren at Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church in his house. And when this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Lao17. diceans, and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, Take heed that thou fulfil 18 the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord. The salutation of Paul by my own hand. Be mindful of my bonds. Grace be with you.

V. 14. Luke, the physician-Such he had been at least, if he was not then. V. 15. Nymphas-Probably an eminent Christian at Laodicea.

V. 16. The epistle from Laodicea-Not, to Laodicea. Perhaps some letter had been written to St. Paul from thence.

V. 17. And say to Archippus-One of the pastors of that church, take heed It is the duty of the flock to try them that say they are apostles, to reject the false, and to warn, as well as to receive the real; the ministry-Not a lordship, but a service, a laborious and painful work; an obligation to do and suffer all things; to be the least and the servant of all; in the Lord-Christ; by whom and for whose sake, we receive the various gifts of the Holy Spirit.

NOTES

ON

ST. PAUL'S FIRST EPISTLE TO THE
THESSALONIANS.

THIS is the first of all the epistles which St Paul wrote. Thessalonica was one of the chief cities of Macedonia. Hither St. Paul went after the persecution at Philippi. But he had not preached here long, before the unbe lieving Jews raised a tumult against him, and Silvanus, and Timotheus. On this the brethren sent them away to Berea. Thence St. Paul went by sea to Athens, and sent for Silvanus and Timotheus, to come speedily to him. But being in fear lest the Thessalonian converts should be moved from their steadfastness, after a short time he sends Timotheus to them to know the state of their church. Timotheus returning found the apostle at Corinth; from whence he sent them this Epistle, about a year after he had been at Thessalonica.

THE PARTS OF IT ARE THESE,

I. The Inscription,

11. He celebrates the Grace of God towards them,

mentions the Sincerity of himself and his Fellow-labourers;
and,

C. i. 1 2-10

C. ii. 1-12

the Teachableness of the Thessalonians,

13-16

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J. Thessalonians.

CHAP. I. 1. PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We give thanks to God always for you all, (making 3 mention of you in our prayers, Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of our God and Father,) Knowing, beloved brethren, your 5 election of God. For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also with power, and with the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance; as ye know what manner of 6 men we were among you for your sake. And ye became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word 7 in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Ghost. So that ye became examples to all that believed in Macedonia 8 and Achaia. For from you the word of the Lord sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith toward God went abroad in every place also, so that we 9 need not speak any thing. For they themselves declare

CHAP. I. Ver. 1. Paul-In this epistle St. Paul neither uses the title of an apostle, nor any other, as writing to pious and simple hearted men, with the utmost familiarity. There is a peculiar sweetness in this epistle, unmixed with any sharpness or reproof: those evils which the apostles afterward reproved, having not yet crept into the church.

V. 3. Remembering in the sight of God-That is, praising him for it. Your work of faith-Your active, ever-working faith: and labour of love-Love continually labouring for the bodies or souls of men. They who do not thus labour, do not love. Faith works, love labours, hope patiently suffers all things.

V. 4. Knowing your election (which is through faith) by these plain proofs. V. 5. With power-Piercing the very heart with a sense of sin, and deeply convincing you of your want of a Saviour, from guilt, misery, and eternal ruin, with the Holy Ghost-Bearing an outward testimony by miracles, to the truth of what we preached, and you felt: also by his descent through laying on of hands, with much assurance-Literally, with full assurance, and much of it: the Spirit bearing witness by shedding the love of God abroad in your hearts, which is the highest testimony that can be given. And these signs, if not the miraculous gifts, always attend the preaching of the gospel, unless it be in vain: neither are the extraordinary operations of the Holy Ghost, ever wholly withheld, where the gospel is preached with power, and men are alive to God; for your sake-Seeking your advantage, not our own.

V. 6. Though in much affliction, yet with much joy.

V. 8. For from you the word sounded forth-(Thessalonica being a city of great commerce) being echoed, as it were, from you. And your conversation being divulged far beyond Macedonia and Achaia; so that we need not speak any thing-Concerning it.

V. 9. For they themselves-The people wherever we come.

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