ing that they do gender ſtrifes h.
b It is a Precept or Caution of the ſame nature with thoſe, r Tim, 1, 4. and 4. 7. and ver, 16. of this Chapter, The repetition of this Precept of the Apoſile four times in theſe two ſhort Epiſtles, lets us know how important a thing he judged it, '1 hat Minifters of the Goſpel ſhould not ſpend their times in their Diſcourſes to their Congregations, in things that tend nothing to the building up of their Hearers in Faith or Holineſs, being either old Wives Fables, like the Stories in the Popiſh L-gends, or the Apochryphal Stories of Bell and the Dragon, Tobit and his Dog, and the Swallows dunging in bis Eye, Gc, or fifting out Genealogies, or vain and impertinent Diſcourſes, or idle fruitleſs Queſtions, which tend not to edifyirg, but to fatisfie curioſity, and increaſe Strife and Ungodlinefs, which kind of Preaching the Apoſtle alſo had defamed, 1 Tim. 6. 4. as the iſſue of Pride, and Ignorance, and Dotage ; and here he calls ſuch Queſtions unlearned in the ſame Senſe, becauſe inipertinent to the end of Preaching. The Vanity of Humane Nature, and their non-ſubje&ion to the Will of God appeareth much in this, that notwithſtanding the unreaſonableneſs of ſuch Preaching; and the dire&t oppoſition of it to the ſo often repeated Precepts of the A- poſtle, and to Titus, chap. 3. y. and Paul's propoſing of his own Example to the contrary, I Cor. 2. 1, 2, 3,4, yet for many years, in the times of Popery, the People were fed with little beſides theſe husks, and too many yet,cith-r on of Pride,to ſhew their Parts and Reading, Or ignorance of the Myſteries of Godlineſfs, and the true end of Preaching, or dorage about unprofitable Speculations and Ni- cities, can find little better Food than theſe Husks for poor Peoples Souls,
24 And * the ſervant of the Lord 5 muſt not * Tit. 4.5: ſtrive k; but be gentle unto all men /, * apt to teach, * Tit. 1.9: || patient m7. j Or, for-
i He that js the Servant of the Lord in the Work of he Miniſtry, **®5 k muſt not ydzez1, fight or ſirive; he muſt neither be a ſtriker nor a brauler, neither fight with his hands nor his tongue, 1 But ſhew himſelf to all courteous, of a ſoft temper, meek and gentle.
m See the Notes on 1 Tim, 3. 2. :
25 In * meckneſs inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe *Gal.s. +; themſelves #3 if * God peradventure will give* Att 8: them repentance, to the acknowledging of the ?*
truth o.
2 Without Paſhon, better informing ſuch as have ſuck'd in an Error, npt reviling them, but gently inftrufing thern, and labour- ing to convince them of their miſtake z for all thoſe who for a time may oppoſe the Truth, are not ſuch as never repent, nor do it out of malice or hatred they may do it out of ignorance and weakneſs. o And God may give them. a power, and an heart to repent, and to acknowledge that truth which they at preſent oppoſe; and al- though this muſt be God's Work, yet he doth it by Miniftersas his means and inſtruments, who are to uſe probable means in order to it 3 ſuch are not railing and reviling, but meek Inftru&ions, and 4 kind and gentle behaviour to them. A foul-mouthed Minifter is ſeldom an Inftrument to cleanſe anothers heart.
26 And that they may - recover themſelves Þ Out fGr.awate of the ſnare of the devil q, who are ÞÞ taken captive by + Gr.ratz# him yr at his will s. | alle,
þ The Greek Word eyavinluny, properly ſignificth to awate our of 4 drunken ſleep, A State of Sin is a kind of Drunkenneſs, in which Men have loſt the uſe of their reaſon. q By the Snare of th? D.= vil he means his Temptations, which like Snares are covertly ſer to catch Souls. r «G@ygnuver ſignifies Perſons taken captive in War ; in ſuch a miſerable < aptivity are Sinners. -s & 7 ##&ws HAnuz, which we tranſlate, according 10 bx will, may be as well craniiated ig kis will, and ſo the Will of God may be meant, and the whole re- ferred to the firſt ſentence, thus, may recover themſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil to the will of Go4, that is to imbrace, and do the Will of God ; and this is the Senſe ſome make of it,but it ſeems more proper to refer it to the Participle, being taken captive, for that is next it, and (vo it ſignifieth the miſerable ſtate of tinners, who are Captives at the Devil's Command, and Will, that if he ſairh ts _ Go, they go, it he ſaith Come, they come, it he faith, do this, rh:y
0 it,
CHAP. IIL The Apoſtates of the laſt times fore-told and deſcribed, 1=————=;; Their folly illuſtrated, 6———9g, He propounds his own Example for Dodrine and Sufferings ; which all the Godly are to expe, 191i 4; The Perfeftion, Divinity, «nd manif:14 Uſefuln js of the Scrip- tures, I5 17.
His know alſo, that in the * laft days a perillous times ſhall come 56. a We meet with this term laſt days, 1 Tim. 4. 1. and there ſaid, that the Scripture by that term underftands all the time from Chriſt's. Aſcenſion to the end of the World, We meet with the term, Ger. ,
* [ude 13.
Fools,
t VOL. Ii
49. I. ja. 2. 2. Micah 4.1. As 2.17, Heb, 1, 2, Far. 5.. 2. [5X] 2 Per;
at
4,25
hy - adn 0
Chap. IIT. I. TIMOTHY.
1:t approved of God, or good Men, as to their Sentiments about our
2 Þ-t. 3. 3. of thoſe days ſome are latter than other, but it appears by .&s 2. 17. Zeb. 1. 2. that that whole period of time is to cal- ied, © in the Greek it is difficult times, that is times when it will be Jificult for Chriftians to keep their Lives or Eftates, or any hay- py tation in the World with a good Conſcience, by re#:on of the -.2n£v of ill men that ſhould live in thoſe times, and make them ſo ditcult,
2 For men ſhall be lovers of their own ſelves c, co- vetous d, boalters e, proud f, blaſphemers g, diſobedi- eat to parentsh, unthankful 7, unholy k&.
c That is, the generality of Men fhall be perſons that will nei- ther love God, nor Mien, in compariſon with themſewes ; Charity, which ſeeketh not her own, ſhall wax cold ; Men ſhall be wholly for themſelves. d Lovers of Silyer immoderately, ſo as they will e& it any way, and when they have it, will be as ſordidly tenaci- ous of it. e Vaunting of themſelves, vain-glorious, boaſting of what they have not. f Lifted up in an Opinion of themſclves, z Speaking Evil of GOD and Men, h>Stubborn and Rebellious againſt thoſe that bare them. # Unthankful both to GOD and Men, tor Kindanefies received from either. k Prophane and im- Put &,
3 Witheut natural affection /, truce-breakers mz