either in this Epistle, or in the Acts, that St. Paul ever was at Colosse; and therefore after all it is a point which must be left in some degree. doubtful.

III. NOR can we ascertain by whom the church at Colosse was founded: for it is possible that St. Paul might have gone thither, after some other apostle or teacher had founded a church there. Some have concluded, from the two following passages in this Epistle, that the Colossians were first converted by Epaphras: "As ye also learned of Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ (b)."-" Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (c)." These passages do not appear to prove that Epaphras originally converted the Colossians to the Gospel, although they shew that he had been an active minister among them; and indeed the expression, "Epaphras, who is one of you," places Epaphras and the other Colossians upon the same footing, and is scarcely consistent with the idea, that Epaphras was the person through whom the inhabitants of Colosse had embraced Christianity. Upon the whole, I am

I am inclined to think that St. Paul founded the church at Colosse, and my opinion rests principally upon those terms, both of affection and of authority, in which this Epistle is written. Dr. Lardner, after quoting and arguing upon several passages of this kind, says, "From all these considerations, it appears to me very probable that the Church at Colosse had been planted by the apostle Paul, and that the Christians there were his friends, disciples, and converts (d)."

IV. THIS Epistle greatly resembles that to the Ephesians, both in sentiment and expression. After saluting the Colossian Christians in his own name, and that of Timothy, St. Paul assures them, that since he had heard of their faith in Christ Jesus, and of their love to all Christians, he had not ceased to return thanks to God for them, and to pray that they might increase in spiritual knowledge, and abound in every good work; he describes the dignity of Christ, and declares the universality of the Gospel dispensation, which was a mystery formerly hidden, but now made manifest; and he mentions his own appointment, through the grace of God, to be the Apostle of the Gentiles; he expresses a tender concern for the Colossians and other Christians of Phrygia,

(d) Vol. 6. p. 464.

and

and cautions them against being seduced from the simplicity of the Gospel, by the subtlety of Pagan philosophers, or the superstition of Judaizing Christians (e); he directs them to set their affections on things above, and forbids every species of licentiousness; he exhorts to a variety of Christian virtues, to meekness, veracity, humility, charity, and devotion; he enforces the duties of wives, husbands, children, fathers, servants (f), and masters; he inculcates the duty of prayer, and of prudent behaviour towards unbelievers; and after adding the salutations of several persons then at Rome, and desiring that this Epistle might be read in the church of their neighbours the Laodiceans, he concludes with a salutation from himself, written as usual (g), with his own hand (h).

PART II.

CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH.

OF THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE

THESSALONIANS.

I. The Occasion of this Epistle being written, and its. Date.-I. Substance of this Epistle.

I. IT is recorded in the Acts, as we have seen, that St. Paul, in his first journey upon the continent of Europe, preached the Gospel at Thessalonica, at that time the capital of Macedonia, with considerable success; but that after a short stay he was driven thence by the malice and violence of the unbelieving Jows. From Thessalonica Paul went to Beroa, and thence to Athens, at both which places he remained but a short time. From Athens he sent Timothy to Thessalonica, to confirm the new converts in their faith, and to enquire into their conduct. Timothy, upon his return, found St. Paul at Corinth. Thence, probably in the year 52,

Paul

Paul wrote this Epistle to the Thessalonians; and it is to be supposed that the subjects of which it treats, were suggested by the account which he received from Timothy. It is now generally believed that this was written the first of all St. Paul's Epistles, but it is not known by whom it was sent to Thessalonica. The church there consisted chiefly of Gentile converts (a).

II. ST. PAUL, after saluting the Thessalonian, Christians in the name of himself, Silas and Timothy, assures them that he constantly returned thanks to God on their account, and mentioned them in his prayers; he acknowledges the readiness and sincerity with which they embraced the Gospel, and the great reputation which they had acquired by turning from idols to serve the living God (b); he reminds them of the bold and disinterested manner in which he had preached among them; comforts them under the persecutions which they, like other Christians, had experienced from their unbelieving countrymen, and informs them of two ineffectual attempts which he had made to visit them again (c); and that, being thus disappointed, he had sent Timothy to confirm their faith, and enquire into their conduct; he tells them that Timothy's account of (c) C. 2.

(a) C. I. v. 9.

(b) C. I.