him f to life everlaſting g. d*AMeQ?, The word we tranſlate howbeir, is as well to be tranſlated but, and ordinarily is ſo. For this cauſe, that is, for this end, God ſhewed me mercy. e That in me the firſt (ſo it is in the Greek, for it it is an AdjeQive) that is, as he ſaid before, the chiefeſt, or greateft Sinner,Chriſt might ſhew forth all long-ſuffering, bearing with me while I was in my rageagainft his Goſpel and Saints 3 and then changing my Heart to embrace hirf and to fove him. Or,That in me firſt,may reſpett the Deſign of our Saviour in ſending, Paul to convert the Gentiles: For ſuch a conſpicuousExample of hisClemensy and Grace towards ſo great a Sinner, whom he not only pardon'd, but preferred to the Dignity of an Apoftle,would be a ftrong Perſwative to them to receive the Go'pel with Faith and Obedience, For it follows, for 4 pattern, of God's Pa- tience and Free Grace to other Sinners, from whence they might learn, ' that if they alſo ſhall receive and believe in him;their paſt Sins necd not be to them any reaſon to diſpair of his Mercy. g There being a certain Connexion betwixt true believing in Chtift, and Eternal Lite, = 17 Now * unto the King h eternal s, immortal k, in- * Pſal, 1c: viſible 1, the * only wiſe God #1, be * honour and glory, : -—
for ever and ever », Amen. 15. 27
b The Apoſtle fallcth our of this Diſcourſe with a Doxology or Sen- 4 | Chro: tence, giving Glory to God, whom he calls the 27g, that is, the Mo- |, 7 derator and Governour of all things, # Eternal, without beginning of ts Days, or end of Life, þ Immortal, not ſubjeQ, as Creatures, to any Paſſion, or determination of Being, } Inviſible, not obvious to our Senſes, whom no mortal Eye ever ſaw, m Only wiſe, Primitively and originally, and eminently, from whom all Wiſdom is derived. » Be given all Praiſes, Homage and Acknowledgments, by which he can be made glorious for ever.
18 This charge I commit unto thee, ſon Timothy o, , c according to the prophefies which went before on thee p. , that thou by them mighteſt * war a good wartare 4. ;
o The term Son here applied to Timothy; whom he elſewhere calls his Brother, is not a term of natural Religion, but of Spiritual Relati- on,and of affeHtionate Friendſhip and Endearment. By the charge men- tioned, he brobably means that before mentioned, ver. 3. to charge the falſe Teachers to teach no otber Yodrine, nor give heed to Fables, &c, p Theſe Propheſies were either the Judgments of good Men before con- cerning him, or (which poſſibly is more probable) ſome Divine Reve- | lations, Paul, or ſome Believers had received concerning this young Man. q That thou having heard of them, or remembring them (though thou meeteſt with oppoſition as a Miniſter, and as a Chriſtian, yet) mighteſt not be diſcouraged, but Preach and hold the Faith againſt- all Oppoſers. So the Apoftle expoundeth- himſelf,
19 * Holding faith » and a good conſcience s, which « Chap, 3: ſome having put away t, concerning faith, have mad: g. ſhipwrack #;
7 By Faith here is meant the DoRrine of Faith, and the bolding of 7t
fignifies a Readineſs of the Mind's afſent unto it, without wavering or fluctuation, much leſs deſerting or denying it. $s By 4 good Conſcience is here to be underftood what the Scripture elſewhere, Aits 24. 16. calls a Conſcience void of offence both towards God and towards men,oppo- ſed to the Evil Conſcience, mentioned Heb. 10. 22. ſo as a good Cor- ſcience here ſignifies a pure Conſcience, which neceſſarily implieth an Holy Life ; for our AQions are preſently copied out into our Con- ſciences, and make either Blots or good Copies there. t Which ſome taking no care in, viz. tolive holily, ſo keeping a good Conſcience. u Have made Shipwrack concerning Faith, ſuttered loſs as to it, falling | from the Truths of the Goſpe]. Error ſeldom goes along, with an holy Life. The Truths of the Goſpel have ſuch an Influence upon Men's Converſation, that ordinarily Mens Holineſs is proportioned to their ſoundneſ in the Faith ; and uſually rhe love of ſome Luſt, is what be- trayeth Men into erroneous Judgments and Opinions.
20 Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander w ; whom [ have delivercd unto Satan x, that they may learn not to blaſpheme y.
w Of which Men who have made ſhipwrack of a Zood Conſcience and concerning Faith ZHymeneus and Alexander are two Perſons. Of Hymeneus we read,2 Tim. 2. 17, he athrmed the ReſurreCtion was pait, and overthrew the Faith of many. Of Alexander we read, 2 Tim. 4.14. he was a great Enemy to Paul; the ſame Perſon, as fome judge, men- tioned Atts 19. 33. thena Friend to Part, butafrerwards one who did him much harm, x We meet with the ſame phraſe 1 Cor. 5. 5. See the notes there. Some think by it is ſignified a peculiar Power granted the Apoſtles, God in thoſe primitive tines confirming regular Excom-
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munications, by letting Satan looſe upon perſons Excommunicated to torture them $ but we find nothing of this. in Scripture, I rather
think the ſenſe is no more than whom / excommnicared and caſt out of
the Church, making them of the world again,Cas the world is oppoſed to the Church, and Kingdom of Chritt) which tor the greater terror the Apoſtle exprefſeth by this Notion of being delivered to Satan who Is called the Go of this world, &c, y Not that 1 might ruine, and undo them, but that 1 might amend them in this exerciſe of diſcipline, tea- ching them to take heed of ſpreading damnable and perniciousErrours to the reproach of God, Or perhaps with their-perverſe opinions( which is very ordinary) they mingled reproachful ſpeeches concerning God,
CHAP: IL
A Commanl to pray for all men: But eſpecially for Rings and other M:nifirates: the Reaſon why, and manner how, I 8. How omen ſrould not be adorned © but with good works ; and recerve In- fRirution : out not Teach or Rule : For Man was firſt Created s and the Women firſt fell « their Hope, if fairkful, in Child-bearing, g---15+
1 F || Exhort therefore, that firſt of all, ſupplications 4, prayers b, interceſſions c, and giving of thanks be
made for all men d :