5-18 Sect. 2. And cautions him against being entangled by the World. Army, that thou mayeft marfhal and lead on others. And, to purfue the Metaphor, 2 Tim. II. 4. remember, that no one, who goes out to War, entangles himself with fecular Affairs, but relinquishes every other Calling and Employment, that he may pleafe him under whom he is enlifted, and be ready to receive and execute his Commands. Accordingly, keep thyfelf as much as poffible difengaged from Worldly Business, and from every Thing, which might tend to take off thy Thoughts from thy great Work, and render thee less. 5 active in thy facred Warfare. And thou also knoweft, that if any one wrestles, or contends in any other of thofe Games, for ftrive lawfully. which Greece is fo celebrated, if he do gain an Advantage over his Antagonist, he is not crowned, unless he wrestle, or perform any other athletick Exercife, according to the Law of the refpective Contention. So let us take Care to learn the Rules which Chrift has laid down, to direct us in our Attempts, 6 and act according to them. And be not 7 impatient, though the expected and pro- taker of the Fruits. Confider the Things which I fay, as Matters (f) Muft first labour.] It was entirely to the Apostle's Purpofe, to remind Timothy that the Labour of the Hufbandman muft precede the Harveft; but whether he was to receive thefe Fruits firft, was not the Point in Queftion. We muft therefore acquiefce in this Tranfpofition, and the like is neceffary in feveral other Places. See Heb. viii. 4. in the Original. See Vol. ii. p. 314. Note (f). Reflections on the Duty of Minifters to maintain the Gospel. L IMPROVEMENT. 519 ET us all be exhorted to be strong in the Grace that is in Chap. II. 1. Christ Jefus, and, in humble Dependence upon it, let us go forth chearfully to our Work and Warfare as Chriftians. This is a Strength fo great, and communicated with fo rich a Freedom, that the Christian Minifter, under his peculiar Difficulties, will find it adequate to them all. Let fuch particularly apply to themselves the Exhortations and Confolations, which are here given, or fuggefted. Let them ftrenuously retain the Form of found Words, which Ch. I. 13.. the infpired Apostles have delivered, with Faith and Love which is in Chrift Jefus. To this Orthodoxy of Principle, which a due Regard to this great and only Standard will teach them, let them add Orthodoxy of Temper. And as they defire, that Chrift may keep what Ver. 14. they profefs to have depofited with him, let them faithfully keep what he has lodged in their Hands. And may the Holy Spirit dwell in them, to make them faithful in all, and direct them in their Efforts, to defend the Gospel, to spread its Influence on the Hearts of Men, and tranfmit it from one Generation to another; lodging it with faith- Ch. II. 2. ful Men, who may teach others, when their Teachers and Fathers in Chrift fhall reft from their Labours. Such a Succeffion may GOD continue in his Churches; and may he profper the Work of thofe who are employed in humble and faithful Attempts to promote fo good a Cause, by forming, for this important Charge, those who, like Timothy, have early known the Scripture, and felt its Power on their Hearts. Let fuch as are fetting out in this holy Warfare, remember the Caution which the Apoftle gives. May they not unneceffarily encumber themfelves with fecular Cares, which would render them Ver. 4. lefs fit to please the great General, under whofe Banner they are enlifted. Let them firive lawfully, if they hope for the Crown, and cultivating the Ground with Diligence, let them wait with Patience, if they defire at length to reap that bleffed Harvest. Nor let that general Apoftacy from the Power of Religion, which is the Shame of the prefent Day, deter them; but rather let it whet their pious Zeal, to own, with more ftrenuous Attachment, the Caufe of Chrift, and of his faithful Servants. And when they have done all, may they ever retain an humble Senfe of their Dependence on the divine Mercy: and the Lord grant to us all, Minifters and People, that we may find it in that great Day! 3 SECT. Timothy is exhorted to remember Chrift: SECT. III. Paul farther animates Timothy to Fidelity, by laying open the Motives and Hopes, which fupported him under the Difficulties he bore in the Defence of the Gofpel; interfperfing feveral Addreffes, relating to that Purity, Prudence and Meekness, with which he fhould endeavour to conduct himself in the Ministry. 2 Tim. II. 8,---18. 2 TIM. II. 8. O animate thee, O Timothy, to all REmember that Jefus Chrift of the Seed of Gofpel: 2 Tim. II. 8. the Chriftian and Minifterial Life, Re- Dead, according to my member Jefus Chrift, the promifed Meffiah, of the Seed of David, the great Apostle and High Priest of our Profeffion; who, after having spent, and laid down his Life in the Profecution of his great Work, was raifed from the Dead (a), and at length exalted to the Right Hand of GOD, there to receive the Reward of all his Labours and Sufferings, according to the Tenor of my Gospel, which, as thou well knoweft, I every where preach and atteft. In the Service of which (b), I fuffer Evil, [even] to Bonds; the chief Magiftrates of my Country fentencing me to Confinement, after the many Infults, which have been offered me by the Dregs of the People, as if I were a Malefactor, worthy of fome heavy Punishment: but 9 my 9 Wherein I fuffer Trou ble as an Evil-doer, even unto Bonds; but the Word of God is not bound. (a) Remember Chrift who was raifed from the Dead.] Our Tranflators render it, remember that he was raifed: as if he had faid, adhere to this, as the great Foundation of the Gofpel. But though this be undoubtedly true, the Apostle's Thought feems rather more lively, Remember Him, who was, thus raised from the Dead, and that will be inftead of a thoufand Arguments, to bear thee through all thy Difficulties. (b) In the Service of which.] Dr. Whitby has fhewn, in his Note on this Claufe, that a fometimes fignifies in which Caufe, or for the Sake of which. Thofe that fuffer with Chrift, fhall reign with him. to Therefore I endure all Things for the Elects Sakes, that they may alfo obtain the Salvation which is in Chrift Jefus, with eternal Glory. II It is a faithful Saying. we shall also live with him: 521 my great Comfort is, that the Word of GOD Sect. 3. is not bound. I rejoice, that many of my Brethren are at Liberty to preach it pub- 2 Tim. II. 9. lickly, and am thankful for every Opportunity of bearing my Teftimony to fo good a Cause, in such a private Manner, as my prefent Circumftances may admit ; well knowing, that God can bless even these limited Attempts, to what Degree he shall, in his infinite Wisdom, fee fit. (Compare Phil. i. 12.) On this Account, I chear- 10 fully endure all these Things, and whatever elfe Providence may appoint, for the Sake of the Elect; that the gracious Purposes of GOD for their Happiness may be effected, and they may obtain that compleat Salvation, which [is] in Chrift Jefus, and which shall be attended with eternal, as well as illuftrious and exalted Glory. [It is] a faithful Word (c), which I have II For if we be dead with him, often infifted upon, and it fhall undoubtedly be verified; that, if we have the Refolution to die with him, even with that bleffed Saviour, according to the Obligation of our baptifmal Vow, we shall alfo live with him, in that everlasting Happiness, which he hath prepared for all his People. If we patiently endure our Part in his Afflictions, we shall alfo fhare his Triumph, and reign with him in his celeftial Kingdom. But on the other Hand, if we are intimidated with these transitory Evils, fo as to defert his Caufe, and deny [him] before Men, he will 12 If we fuffer, we shall alfo reign with him: If we deny him, he also will deny us: aljo, (c) It is a faithful Word.] Some refer this to the concluding Claufe of the former Verfe; but it seems much more reafonable to connect it with what follows, as generally speaking, this Phrafe is introductory to the weighty Sentence it is intended to confirm. See I Tim. i. 15. iv. 8, 9. Though Tit. iii. 8. feems an Exception. Dr. Tillotson thinks this was a celebrated Saying among Chriftians, which was either derived by Tradition from Chrift, or fome of the Apostles, and it had fo powerful a Tendency to keep them fteady to their Religion, that it is no Wonder it was in frequent Ufe. Till. Vol. ii. p. 175, 176. VOL. V. Uuu (d) If 12 522 Sect. 3. Timothy is exborted to be faithful and prudent in his Work, alf, as he hath exprefly threatened, deny us in the great Day, before his Father. 2 Tim. II. and his holy Angels. If we are un 13. 14 15 13 If we believe not, yet faithful (d), and falfe to our Engagements, he abideth faithful; he can- Remind [them] of thefe Things, as thou A 14 Of thefe Things put them in Remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they may ftrive not about Words to no Profit, but to the fubverting of the Hearers. any of 15 Study to fhew thyself approved unto God, a Work the (d) If we are unfaithful] So I think a aseμ fhould be rendered, as it ftands oppofed to ros; and fo the Words will farther imply, that whatever we lose by our Unfaithfulness, in whatever Degree it appears, it is no Argument of any Unfaithfulness in him; as his Promifes are made to faithful Servants, and fair Warning is given to Perfons of a different Character. (e) Testify as before the Lord, and as in his Prefence.] There is a moft awful SoLemnity in this Charge, which plainly fhews the great Folly and Mifchief of ftriving about little Controverfies; and I pray God, to affect the Heart of his Minifters with a deeper Senfe of this, before the Interefts of vital Religion among us be utterly undone by our fevere Contentions; or as the excellent Archbishop Leighton expreffes it in his lively Manner, "What we profefs to hold fo facred, be itfelf torn in Pieces, while we are ftruggling about its Fringes." 6 |