Vera. 17-21.-Parting word,. L WARNING TO THE RIOB. "Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not high-minded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." The apostle's fear of worldliness in the Church still possesses him. He does not no'!I' regard those who wish to be rich, but those who are rich. He at once reminds , i,e:n of the relative value of their riches, as extending only to this present world. He .;·;;.r.;s them against the danger of being high-minded, i.e. lifted up above others under a ,;l'nse of their importance on account of their riches. He warns them also against the Kindred danger, which separates, not so much from men as from God, viz. their setting their hope on their riches, "Jesua looked round about, and saith unto hie disciples, ciow hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" And the i.isciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again, and said unto them, "Children, how hard is it for them i::.t truat in riches to enter into the kingdom of God 1" The difficulty of the rich is that they are tempted to set their hope on their richel. One reason for their not doing so, is that their hope s}-.Q•:ld not be set on an un~ertainty such as riches i.11. The true Object of our hope is God, who is of a liberal disposition. He giveth us not merely the necessaries of life, but he giveth us richly all thing,. In his disposition we have a better guarantee for our not wanting, than in clutching to any riches. He giveth us things to enjoy, not to draw us away from our fellow-men, not to draw us away from himself, but to enjoy as hi■ gifts, through which he would tell Ill! of the kindness of his heart. IL Tm; RIGHT coURsE FOB TREK. " That they do good, that they be rich In good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate." They were to seek to promote the happiness of others. As they were rich, they had it in their power, above others, to do beautiful actions. They were to be free in making distribution of what they had. They were to be ready to admit others to share with them. In a word, they were to counteract worldly habits of mind by cultivating habits of benevolence. There is the duty of giving the Lord the firstfruita of our substance, a proportion of our income; there is here inculcated the cultivation of the disposition toward others that ie to go along with that. IIL A.DVANTAGB OF THE BIGHT COURSE. "Laying up in store tor themeelyea a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed." What they took from their plenty and gave for others they were not to lose, but were to han it as a treasure laid up for them. "Their estates will not die with them, but they will have joy and comfort of them in the other world, and have cause to bless God for them to all eternity" (Beveridge). The treasure is thought of as a good foundation, by resting on which they would lay hold on the life which was life indeed. The time is coming when this world will be taken away from beneath our feet. What have we sent before us into the next world, so as to keep us from sinking in the new coudition of things, to bear us up so that we shall not earn, but receive, from Chriat's band and through Christ's merit, the life indeed? The answer here is-what we have denied ourselves, what we have unselfishly B&Crificed for others. IV. ColllCLU[JINO EARNEST ADDRESS TO TWOTBY. 1. What he was to k#p. "0 Timothy, guard that which is committed unto thee." 'l'he deposit is the cloctrine delivered te Timothy to preach, as opposed to what follows. "We have an exclamation alike of foreknowledge and of fondneBB. For he foresaw future errors, which he mourned over beforehaad. What does he mean by guarding the deposit? GuKd 1*, •Y• ae, OD. CIIL ff. 1-21.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 141
BODOnnt of thieves, on account of enemies who while men sleep may sow tare■ amidst the good ■eed. What is the deposit? It is that which was entruated to thee, not found by thee; which thou hast received, not invented; a matter, not of genius, but of teaching; not of private usurpation, but of public tradition; a matter brought to thee, not put forth by thee; in which thou oughtest to be, not an enlarger, but a guardian; not an originator, but a disciple; not leading, but following. Keep, saith he, the deposit; preserve intact and inviolate the talent of the catholic faith. What has been entrusted to thee, let the same remain with thee; let that same be handed down by thee. Gold thou hast received, gold return. I should be sorry thou i;.houldst substitute ought else. I should be sorry that for gold thou shouldst substitute lead, impudently, or brass, fraudulently. I do not want the mere appearance of gold, but its actual reality. Not that there is to be no progress in religion, in Christ's Church. Let there be so by all means, and the greatest progress ; but, then, let it be real progress, not a change of faith. Let the intelligence of the whole Church and its individual members increase exceedingly, provided it be only on its own head, the doctrine being still the same.• 2. Wliat he was lo avoid. "Turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so called; which some professing have erred concerning the faith." The errors are called profane babblings, similarly to the characterization of them in eh. i. 6 and iv. 7. They are also called oppositions of a falsely named gnolris, i.e. to the true gnosis in the gospel. There were some defections on account of Gnostic tendencies even in the apostle's day; and it was very much the design of this letter to wam his pupil against them. V. BENEDIOTION. "Grace be with you." It seems better to regard the benewction for Timothy alone. He has been so busy in laying down ecclesiastical rules for the direction of Timothy as superintendent, that he has no space left for pel'IIOnal IUll"ences but cloaea abru11tly with the briefest form of benedM:&ioL-B. F. HOMILETICAL INDEX TO
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF
ST. PAUL TO TIMOTH.Y. OHAPTER L TBBJIB P.AGa