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4.D. 67. mortality to light, Death; and by his Life and Dothrough the gospel : ctrine, has freed them of all the Uncertainties they laboured under concerning the future State; and given them a full Affurance of an Eternal and Happy Life, upon their Repentance and fincere Obedience to his Commands.

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apottle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause I alfo fuffer these things nevertheless I am not a

:

fhamed, for I know
whom I have believ-
ed, and I am per

fwaded that he is a-
ble to keep that
which I have com-
mitted unto him a-
gainit that day.

13 Hold fast the
form of found words,
which thou haft heard
of me, in faith and
love which is in Chrift
Jefus.

11. Of this comfortable Doctrine am I a Preacher, and an Apostle; with full Commiffion to declare it to the Gentile World, and bring them into the Faith and Privileges of it.

12. For which it is that I am again become a Sufferer, by the Pride and Malice of the Jewish People. But not at all difcourag'd; God I fuffer for, who, I am certain, as well knowing it is the Truth of will maintain his own Caufe, and preferve that Life, I commit into his Hands, for a Glorious Recompence at the Great and Solemn Day of Chrift's Judgment.

13. Do you then join with me in this Refolution, by keeping fteddy to that Rule of Chriftianity I taught confifting in an entire Belief of Chrift's Doctrine, and an univerfal Love and Charity toward Mankind, efpecially toward Chriftians, without any Diftinction between Jewish and Gentile ones.

14 That good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the holy Ghost, which

14. Remember how much obliged you are by the Ministerial* Office you are intrufted with, to maintain and defend the true Principles of our Holy Religion; and how much you are enabled fo to do by the special Affiftance of the Holy Spirit conferred upon the Minifters of Christ.

dwelleth in us.

*

15. I con

Пæрaxαтæð, may refer either to his Office, or to the form of found Words in Verse 13.

15 This thou knoweft, that all they which are in Afia be turned away from me, of whom are Phygellus, and Hermogenes. 16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onefiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not afhamed of my chain.

15. I conclude, you cannot but A. D. 67, have heard how most of the Afian Chriftians forfook me in my Diftrefs here, particularly Phygellus and Hermogenes.

16. But Onefiphorus the Ephefian, and his Family, have always stood clofe to me, owned me in my worst Condition, and refreshed me with his Prefence and Relief.

17 But when he 17. Particularly, now at Rome, was in Rome, he fought when I was under fuch clofe Conme out very diligent- finement, that it was no eafy matly, and found me. ter to come at me, he made his Way to me by indefatigable Pains and Industry.

18 The Lord grant unto him that he may

find mercy of the Lord in that day; and in how many things he miniftred unto me Ephefus, thou thou

at

knoweft very well.

18. And you know how kind
and ferviceable he was to me while
I Preached at Ephesus:
For all
which, may God give him a pro-
portionable Recompence at the
Great Day of Chrift's Judgment.

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CHA P. II.

The CONTENTS.

Timothy fill encouraged by the Apostle's own Example of Faith, Hope, and Patience. The good Effects of a Chriftian's Sufferings, and the Danger of denying Chrift in Times of Perfecution. Warnings against the immoderate Zeal, the frivolous and violent Difputes of the Jewish Zealots, about their Traditions. The meek and gentle Dif pofitions of a good Chriftian Bishop, or Church Governour.

HOU therefore,

Tmy fon, before 1. Herefore, my dear Con

Wherefore,
vert, follow the Example

Chap. f.

in the grace that is in of fuch as adhere to me, making a Chrift Jefus. continual Improvement in the Ufe 16, 17, 18.

of

A.D. 67. of thofe Gifts and Graces that were given you, for the due Discharge of your Christian Ministry *.

Η χάρις.

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2. And, as you have received from me a compleat Scheme of the Chriftian Doctrine and Discipline, be sure to make choice of able and faithful Perfons for the Ministry, to deliver it down to others pure and unmix'd, as I gave it you, and had it my self fo clearly and fully confirmed.

3. Look upon your felf as a Soldier of Chrift; and approve your Valour by enduring all the Hardships of his Service,

4. Now, you know, the Roman Laws require every one that Lifts into the Army, to difengage himself of all his former Employments, and perfectly to attend the Service of his Prince, and the Commands of his General,

5. And, in the Olympick Games, no Combatant wins the Prize, unlefs he Fights or Runs agreeably to the ftated Rules of thofe Games.

6. You know too, the Hufbandman labours in Tilling, Sowing, or Planting his Ground a confiderable time t, before he can expect to reap the Crop.

7. Thus

Ver. 1. In the Grace that is in Chrift Jefus ἐν τῇ χάριτι τῆ xpisã 'Ino. It may be thus render'd; Be ftrong (in afferting and propagating) that Favour which is (fhown by God both to Jews and Gentiles) in Jefus Chrift. For this appears to have been conftantly in the Apostle's Eye.

+ Must be first Partaker κοπιῶντα δὲν πρῶτον must first Labour. If this be the Conftruction, as feveral Criticks take it to be, the Word pro is mifplaced by a Metathefis, pretty

common

7 Confider what 7. Thus it is with You, as a A. D. 67. I fay, and the Lord Chriftian Bishop; like a true Solgive thee understand- dier, you must be difengag'd of all ing in all things. the unneceffary Cares of Life and Bufinefs. As a Combatant, you must throw off every thing that may give the Adverfary any hold of you. As a Hufbandman, you muft labour in planting and promoting the Gospel, and wait patiently for your Reward. Confider this, and may God give you a juft Sense of every Branch of your Duty.

8 Remember that 8. And, for the greater EnJefus Chrift, of the couragement of your felf and others, feed of David, was remember your felf, and them, that raised from the dead, our Saviour Jefus Chrift himself, according to my go- the True Meffiah, Born of the Fafpel. mily of David, as the Scriptures foretold, was no Temporal Monarch, as the Jews vainly dream'd he was to be, but a Suffering Saviour; and, after thofe Sufferings, was raised from the Dead, and exalted to Heavenly Glory, according to the true GofpelDoctrine, as Preached and Demonstrated by Me.

9 Wherein I fuffer trouble as an evil-doer, even unto bonds but the word of God

9. This is the Great Truth, for which I am thus, as a Malefactor, Profecuted by the Jewish People, and am now again a Prisoner: But my Comfort is, that while I am confined, the Gospel-Doctrine is, by my means, spread far and wide, especially in this City ‡.

is not bound.

10 Therefore I en

dure all things for the elect's fake, that they may also obtain

the falvation which

is

10. This makes me undergo all my Sufferings with the utmoft Freedom and Chearfulness; that I may thereby become an Inftrument to bring other Chriftians, of what Nation

I See Phil. i. 12, 13, 14.

common in the New Teftament. See an Inftance of it in the Word ὁ πατριάρχης, Heb. vii. 4. or elle πρώτον may be taken Adjectively, and the Sense be thus: The labouring Husbandman is to have πρώτον τῶν καρπῶν, The firft and beft of the Fruits. But the former seems most Natural.

A.D. 67, is in Chrift Jefus, with eternal Glory.

encouraging them to

11 It is a faithful

faying, For if we be
dead with him, we
fhall also live with

bim:

12 If we fuffer, we
fhall alfo reign with
him :
if we deny

tion foever, to the Glory and Happiness promised by Jefus Chrift; by fuffer, after my Example.

11 & 12. For this is the comfortable and undoubted Truth of the Gospel-Religion. For, as we Figuratively Refemble the Death of Death of Sin, we fhall actually Christ, by being Baptized into the Rife with Him, to an Immortal and Happy Life. And, upon our Readiness to fuffer for his Religion, as he suffered for our Sins, we shall not fail of a Glorious Reward for it, along with Him. But, on the contrary, if we relinquifh his Profeffion, for fear of present Dangers, he will no longer own us for his Difciples, nor reward us as fuch.

him, he also will deny

us :

13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself.

13. And, whether we continue fteddy to his Religion, or no, 'tis certain God is ftill the fame, and cannot but perform the Promises he has made, and execute the Threats he has denounced.

14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they ftrive not about words, to no profit,

14. Inculcate this to all Chriftians, as the indifpenfible Condition of their Profeffion. And particularly charge the fewish Converts, in the Name of Chrift, to make it their great Concern, and not any longer to employ their Time in frivolous and eager Difputes about Traditions, that tend to nothing, but to pervert Men from the true Faith.

but to the fubverting

of the hearers.

15 & 16. En

* Ver. 11. It is a faithful faying; i. e. In thus fuffering, for my Endeavours to bring Men of all Nations into the Chriftian Faith and Privileges, I act faithfully, or agreeably to the Defign of the Gospel. See the Note on 1 Tim. 15.

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