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Christ Jefus, who be-
fore Pontius Pilate
witneffed a good con-
feffion,

14 That thou keep
this commandment
without fpot, unre-
bukeable, until the
appearing of our Lord
Jefus Chrift,

Chrift, who openly profeffed what A, D.65.
he was, before Pilate, and fealed
and confirmed the Truth of his
Religion, even by his Death; that
you difcharge your Office, agree-
ably to the Directions I have given
you, and fo approve your felf a
faithful Servant of our Great Ma-
fter, at the Great and Solemn Day
of his Appearance to Judgment.

15 & 16. A Day fixed, in God's due Time, who is the Bleffed, and only Supreme Lord and Governour over all Things. He that is Immortal in Himfelf, and has the fole Power of giving Life to others; dwelling in Glory Inacceffible, Invifible, and Unbearable by every Mortal Eye; to whom be eternally afcribed all Honour and PowAmen.

15 Which in his
times he fhall fhew,
who is the bleffed and
only Potentate, the
King of Kings, and
Lord of Lords:
16 Who only hath
immortality, dwelling
in the light which no
man can approach
unto, whom no man
hath feen, nor can
fee to whom be ho-
nour and power everlasting. Amen.

17 Charge them
that are rich in this
world, that they be
not high minded, nor
truft in uncertain

riches, but in the liv-
ing God, who giveth
us richly all things
to enjoy.

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er.

17. Upon this Confideration, warn
and diffwade all Rich Men from
proudly over-valuing themselves up-
on their prefent Tranfitory Enjoy-
ments, and placing their Happiness
in them.
Let God, the Eternal
Author of all true Felicity, be the
Supream Object of their Hope and
Confidence.

18 & 19. Convince them, that a free and chearful Distribution to the Needy, is the beft Improvement of their Wealth; and that a generous and charitable Courfe λιον. See of Actions, which is the fureft 2 Tim. ii. Foundation and Security of our 19. and the N 3 future

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* Θεμί

Note there.

*

A.D.65. good foundation a- future Happiness, will be their trueft gainst the time to Riches.

come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

20 O Timothy, keep that which is com

mitted to thy trust,, avoiding prophane and vain bablings, and oppofitions of fcience, Chap. i. 4. falily fo called:

21 Which fome profeffing, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

20 & 21. And thus, dear Timothy, be diligent in the Truft committed to you, with refpect to all Sorts of Men: Avoiding and defpifing the frivolous Difputes, and pretended Learning of Jewish Traditions and Genealogies; which fome of thofe zealous Converts are so earnest upon, that they have neglected the Subftantials of Chriftianity, and loft its true Principles. The Divine Favour and Love be with thee. Amen.

* Ver. 19. A good Foundation For The Word here is certainly not to be render'd Foundation, but either a [Writing of] Security, or rather a Treafure; the fame as a in Tobit iv. 9. where this Expreffion is used: The fame as K in Homer. Πολλά δ' αναφνειός πάτρα Κειμήλια κειται ;

Χαλκός τε, χρυσὸς δὲ
See on 2 Tim. ij. 19.

Iliad. Z. l. 46.

A PARA

A

PARAPHRASE

ΟΝ ΤΗΕ

Second Epiftle of St. PAUL

TO

TIMOTHY

See the Preface to the First Epiftle.

CHAP. I.

The CONTENTS.

The Title and Salutation. His great Affection to Timothy, with fresh Encouragements to the diligent and courageous Difcharge of his Office. Gentiles as well as Jews to be received into the Chriftian Covenant. The Apoftle Specially Commiffioned to Preach to the Former, for which "be is again Perfecuted and Imprisoned by the Malice of the Latter. He reminds Timothy, how the Afian Chriftians generally forfook him and his Caufe, during his Imprisonment, except Onefiphorus and his Family, whom he mentions, and prays for, with great Respect.

AUL an Apoftle 1 & 2. PAUL an Apoftle of Je- Written

P of Jefus Chrift by
the Will of God, ac-
cording to the promise
of life, which is in
Christ Jefus.
2 To

A&ts ix.

fus Chrift, especially Com- A. D.67. miffioned by the exprefs* Revelation of God, to declare the Gofpel Privileges and Promises of Eternal Life, both to Gentiles and Jews; writeth N 4

this

A. D. 67.

2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved fon : grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and Chrift Jefus our Lord.

3 I thank God, whom I ferve from my fore-fathers with pure confcience, that without ceafing I have in my prayers night

this Epistle to Timothy, my dear Convert to Christianity; wifhing Him all Divine Favours and Bleffings from God the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift.

3. Expreffing my hearty Thanks to God, whofe Religion I have zealously adhered to, as I received it from my fore-fathers (doing nothing against the plain and known Dictates of my Confcience, though I acknowledge it to have been mislead by ungoverned Prejudices and Paffions) that I have fuch happy Occafions to remember you in the conftant Returns of my Devotion to Him.

remembrance of thee

and day':

4 Greatly defiring to fee thee being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy.

5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt firft in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am perfwaded that in thee alfo.

4. The Tears you shed at our last Parting, make me very defirous to fee you again, that the Pleasure of another Meeting may recompence for the Affectionate Concern we were then under.

5. Be fatisfied, in the mean time, that I have a true and thankful Senfe of your Steddinefs and Sincerity in the Chriftian Faith; not doubting but thofe Principles will continue as firm in you, as were thofe of your Grandmother and Mother before you.

6 Wherefore I put 6. To which End, I now write thee in remembrance that thou ftir up the tations I formerly gave you, toward again to you, to renew the Exhorgift of God which is a diligent and vigorous Difcharge of in thee, by the put- your Office, and the due Improveting on of my hands. ment of the Gifts and Graces, which, along with it, were conferred on you, by the Impofition † 1 Tim. iv. of mine and other † Hands at your Ordination. 7 For God hath 7. And you have no reason to not given us the fpirit be difcouraged from the most violent of fear, but of pow- Oppofitions you meet withal: For

34,

er,

the

er, of love, and of a the Spiritual Powers and Endow- A. D.67. found mind. ments God beftows on the Gospel Minifters, are fufficient to fet us above all Slavish Fear and Cowardife, and to fix us in an immoveable Love to Him and his True Religion, and in a prudent and difcreet Exercife of our Ministry.

8 Be not thou therefore afhamed of the teftimony of our Lord, nor of me his prifoner, but be thou partaker of the afflitions of the gofpel according to the power of God;"

9 Who hath faved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus, before the world began.

8. Go on, therefore, chearfully, in a Religion fo well attested; own and adhere to Me, though now a Prifoner for Preaching it, especially to the Gentiles. Suffer along with me, for this good Caufe, agreeably to the great + Abilities God has given you, as a Gospel Minister, to fupport you under it.

9 Who may juftly expect we fhould be ready to fuffer for Him, that has bestowed Eternal Happinefs upon us, by calling us into the Gracious Covenant of the Gospel. A Mercy that neither the Gentiles could merit, by any Performances of theirs, nor the Jews lay the least Claim to, by the nicest Obfervance of the Ceremonial Law; but is the pure Effect of Divine Bounty and Compaffion, originally intended towards All Mankind, by, and for the fake of Jefus Chrift.

10 But is now 10. It was not, indeed, heretomade manifeft by the fore exprefly revealed to the Genappearing of our Sa tile Nations, but referved to the viour Jefus Chrift, Appearance of Chrift and his Rewho hath abolished ligion; who, now, by Dying for death, and hath brought life and im- our Sins, has refcued all true Believers from the final Power of Death;

mor

Ver. 8. According to the power of God. I think these Words ought to be connected to iuaysalw. Be partaker of the aflition, or fuffer thou, τῷ ἐυαγ[ελίῳ κατὰ δύναμιν Θεο For the Gofpel that is attended with the power of God, Rom. i. 16. See the like Phrafe in Rom. i. 4. The Note there.

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Ver. 9. Before the World began, wpis xpóvar sariar. Before any Ages or Difpenfations.

Η σωφρο

νισμό.

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