And an Accufation against him is not to be eafily admitted. pecially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine. 18 For the Scripture faith, Ox that treadeth out the Corn: and, The Labourer is worthy of his Reward. Thou shalt not muzzle the ceive not an Accufation, 19 Against an Elder rebut before two or three Witneffes. you 483 17. maintained by the Society; efpecially thofe Sect. 8. on which their Usefulness will fo much de- (c) Especially they who labour.] This feems to intimate, that there were fome, who, though they prefided in the Church, were not employed in preaching. Limborch indeed is of Opinion, that zonwila fignifies thofe, who did even fatigue themselves with their extraordinary Labours, which fome might not do, who yet in the general prefided well, fuppofing Preaching to be a Part of their Work. Limb. Theol. Lib. vii. Chap.. iv. § to. But it feems to me nruch more natural to follow the former Interpretation. Compare 1 Cor. xvi. 16.5 7. (d) The Workman, &c.] As the very Words of this Paffage only occur Lake x. it is the Opinion of the ingenious Mr. Seed, that St. Paul here quotes thefe Words of the Evangelift, as of equal Authority with thofe of Mofes. Deut. xxv. 4: Seed's' Ser. Vol. ii. pag. 292. P p p 2 (e) Those 19 484 Paul charges Timothy to do nothing by Partiality, 1 Tim. V. You will, I doubt not, ufe 20. your utmoft wyer psico LG is now s 20 Them that fin rebuke may fear, 21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jefus gels, that thou obferve thefe Chrift, and the elect AnThings, without preferring nothing by Partiality. nothing by Partiality. Endeavours to preferve the Purity of the before all, that others alfo Church; yet as Offences will certainly come, let me advise you to keep up a due Solemnity in Church Cenfures; and as for thofe that fin (e) in any fcandalous and remarkable Manner, rebuke them before all, that even the rest of the Congregation may fear, and stand upon their Guard against thofe Temptations, which have brought upon others fuch publick Admonition and Reproof. 21 I know how contrary thefe faithful Proceedings may fometimes be to Flesh and Blood, and therefore folemnly charge [thee] before the bleffed GOD, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the elect Angels (f), (who, having kept their Stations, when fo many of their Fellows were feduced. by Satan, are now confirmed in a State of immutable Felicity, and shall attend our common Lord to the awful Judgment of the great Day,) that thou keep thefe Things without any Prejudice against any Part of them; doing nothing by Partiality, in Favour of one Perfon more than another, according to the Inducement 22. of private Friendship or Affection. And as it is a Matter of fo great Importance to the Chriftian Church, what Perfons are admitted to minister in it, I muft alfo charge thee, that thou lay Hands fuddenly and rafb hallat one before another, doing Soury to ww sanied 22 Lay Hands fuddenly оп (e) Thofe that fin.] I fee no Reafon for understanding this of offending Elders; though, were it to be fo taken, it would by a ftrong Confequence be applicable to others. AHumour of feeking a ftricter Connection than is any Way neceffary, has led many Commentators into very limited, and fometimes into whimfical Interpretations. (f) The elect Angels. Mr. Tof. Mede interprets this of the feven Archangels chofen by God to the greateft Nearness to him, in the Court of Hea ven. to prove that is a Number of celeftial Spirits, in fuch Pofts of Diflinction, appeared to me fo precarious, that I rather chofe to explain the Words in a more general Manner, on Principles which I think much more stode delwythorit long But all his A and highest Honou certain. And to lay Hands fuddenly on no Man. 345 on no Man, neither be Par- ly on no Man (g), to fet him apart for that Sect. 8. 22. lifications have been fully examined and 1 Tim. V. in (g) Lay Hands fuddenly and rafhly.] That this is the Signification of raxews, Raphelius has fufficiently fhewn. Though fome have referred this to the laying on of Hands in the Abfolution of notorious Offenders, it feems fafer and more natural, to explain it of Ordination to the Ministry; in Reference to which this Rite is often alluded to in thefe Epiftles. It has been faid by one of the most rational and candid Patrons of Diocefan Epifcopacy, "What Need was there, that, after the Settlement of a Chriftian Church at Ephefus, Timothy fhould be fent to ordain Elders, if a Right of Ordination lay in Prefbyters, or in a Church, nominating to the paftoral Office? Efpecially, how fhould he, on this Suppofition, be directed to perform it himself, and not merely to advise and affift others in the Performance. Bishop of Winchester (Dr. Hoadly,) of Epifc. pag. 392." But I muft beg Leave to anfwer, that this does not appear to be the chief Reafon of Timothy's being fent to Ephefus, or rather being left there, when Paul went into Macedonia. (Chap. i. 3.) Various Circumftances of this Church might require, that a Perfon of Timothy's extraordinary Gifts and Character, fhould be left to fuperintend their Affairs; and it might reasonably be taken for granted, that, as he was there by the Apostle's fpecial Direction, fo much Regard would be paid to him, that he would be defired to prefide in their facred Solemnities, in the fame Manner as Paul had done when among them. But that no Elder could at any Time be ordained, without the Prefence and Concurrence of fuch an extraordinary Perfon, and that fuch an extraordinary Power and Influence fhould afterwards be transferred to others, not in like Manner qualified for the Management of it, are Things neither eafy to be proved, nor rafhly to be taken for granted, on a Question of fo great Moment. 486 Sec. 8. a Tim. V. 23. 24 Different Characters will require different Treatment. in a moderate Quantity; and out of Regard for and to thy frequent Infirmities, which other wife thine often Infirmities. otherwife may grow upon thee, fo as to render thee incapable of that publick Service, for which thou art fo well qualified (b). In judging of Characters, and paffing Sentence, according to the Advice given above, you will find it neceffary in different Cafes to ufe different Precautions. The Sins of Jome Men are manifeft, leading on to pals Judgment on them without any Difficulty; whereas fome follow after, and are fo artfully difguifed, that it will require great Diligence and ftrict Examination to detect them. 25 So alfo the good Works [of fome] are manifeft to all, and spread a Kind of Glory around thofe that perform them, which renders them lovely and venerable in all Eyes: And thofe which are otherwife, tho' for a while. concealed under the thickeft Veils, that Humility can fpread over them, cannot long be entirely bid. They will appear on accurate Obfervation; and as they will at the laft Day be laid open to their publick Honour, they will in the mean Time recommend fuch filent and referved Chriftians, to the Efteem and Refpect of thofe, who are intimately converfant with them; and may even prove the Means of advancing them to fome important Trufts, which they are not the lefs fit for, be (b) Ufe a little Wine, &c.] One cannot forbear reflecting here, how very temperate Timothy must have been, to need an Advice of this Kind; which amounts to no more, than mingling a little Wine with his Water. And what is faid of his many Infirmities, compared with the Apostle's Exhortation to him, to be inftant in preaching the Word, may certainly teach us, that every Weaknefs of Conftitution is not to be acquiefced in, as an Excufe for not going on with the Miniftry; though to be fure, great Allowances are to be made for bodily Infirmities, and Life itself may often depend upon seasonable Interruptions of publick Labour. Sir Nort. Knatchbull, obferving, that the Connection is fo broken between the 22 and 24 Verfes, by the Infertion of this Advice in this Place, conjectures, that Paul might write it in the Margin by Way of Poftcript, and that it was introduced into the Text by the Miftake of fome early Tranfcriber. (i) Par Servants should pay their Mafters all due Refpect. Let as many Servants as are under the Yoke, count their own Mafters worthy of all Honour; that the Name of God and his Doctrine be not blafphemed. 2 And they that have believing Mafters, let them not defpife them, because they are Brethren: but rather do them Service, because they are faithful and beloved, Partakers of the Benefit. 487 cause they have fo low an Opinion of their Sect. 8. own Merit. I. I shall only here add a Word or two 1 Tim. VI. concerning Servants, whom, inferior as their Station in Life is, I would not have you overlook; fince their Souls are equally valuable before GOD with those of their Superiors, and much of the Credit of Chriftianity is concerned in their Conduct and Behaviour. Let therefore as many Servants, as are under the Yoke of Bondage, .account their own Masters worthy of all that civil Honour and Refpect, which fuits the Station in which they refpectively are; not taking. Occafion, from their own religious Knowledge and Privileges, to defpife and rebel against them; that the Name and Doctrine of GOD, which they profefs, may not be blafphemed by their Infolence and Pride. And as for thofe Servants, who are fo happy 2: as to have believing Masters, let them not prefume that Account to defpife [them], because they are Brethren, and, with Refpect to facred Privileges, equal, in Chrift their common Lord; but let them rather ferve [them] with fo much the greater Care, Tenderness, and Refpect, because they are faithful and beloved, [and] Partakers with them. of the great and glorious Benefit (i), which upon the (i) Partakers with them of the Benefit.] Some would render o Ins Everyεcias ailinau-. Barouros, &c. because they who partake of the Benefit, that is, the Benefit of their Service, are faithful and beloved. But this feems to take it for granted, that what the Apostle exhorted to was already actually done; that is, that fuch faithful Services were rendered. Others, as Mr. Cradock has obferved, (Apoft. Hift. p. 221.) would tranflate it, who will be careful to recompenfe the well-doing of their Servants; but I think pytona fignifies a Benefit freely conferred, and therefore is hardly fit to express. even the chearful and exact Obedience of Slaves. If this Claufe be referred to the Servants, and the whole be rendered, but rather let them who partake of the Benefit, that is, who have a Share in the fame bleffed Hope with their Masters, do Service to them, because they are faithful and beloved, the Senfe will be fo far the fame, that SUEYEgia will fignify that great and glorious Benefit, which, by Virtue of our Chriftian Profeffion, Superiors and Inferiors equally fhare; and ftrongly fuggefts, what a Band of Union the Participation of it fhould in all Reafon prove. But this fuppofes a Transposition which feemed unneceffary; fo that this is on the whole one of the many, |