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force) much argument concerning the lawfulness of theatrical amusements. Let it be sufficient to remark, that the controversy would be short indeed, if the question were to be tried by this criterion of love to the Supreme Being. If there were any thing of that sensibility for the honour of God, and of that zeal in his service, which we show in behalf of our earthly friends, or of our political connexions, should we seek our pleasure in that place which the debauchee, inflamed with wine, or bent on the gratification of other licentious appetites, finds most congenial to his state and temper of mind? In that place, from the neighbourhood of which (how justly termed a school of morals might hence alone be inferred) decorum, and modesty, and regu. larity retire, while riot and lewdness are invited to the spot, and invariably select it for their chosen residence! where the sacred name of God is often profaned! where sentiments are often heard with delight, and motions and gestures often applauded, which would not be tolerated in private company! ...... where, when moral principles are inculcated, they are not such as a Christian ought to cherish in his boson, but such as it must be his daily endeavour to extirpate: not those which Scripture warrants, but those which it condemns as false and spurious; being founded in pride and ambition, and the overvaluation of human favour! where, surely, if a Christian should trust himself at all, it would be requisite for him to prepare himself with a double portion of watchfulness and seriousness of mind, instead of selecting it as the place in which he may throw off his guard, and unbend without danger!" (Practical Christ. ch. iv. § 5.)

What is here said of theatrical amusements may apply to most other fashionable diversions, the leading object of which is, to divert the mind from every thing serious and devout; and which, consequently, is utterly inconsistent with the love of God our Saviour. It is not strange, therefore, that such should be denounced by our

apostle as enemies to the truth, and repro bates concerning the faith: but it is an awful and alarming circumstance that men of this character should be found among the professed teachers of Christianity; and it is much to be lamented that, among professing females, there should be any silly enough to be led captive by them.

As a striking contrast to the preceding characters, we may here contemplate those of Paul and his son Timothy; the latter having not only "fully known," but copie the virtues of the former. Hence we may see the utility of Scripture biography, and other Christian memoirs, because, "Herein we see how grace operates in men like ourselves; having the same passions, frailties, and imperfections with ourselves; and placed in similar circumstances of duty, labour, difficulty, trial, and temptation.” Timothy faithfully followed the same course of doctrine, manner of life, and virtues of his venerable father in Christ, St. Paul; and, in so doing, became exposed to the same trials and persecutions as he had suf fered. He also derived his knowledge from the same source-the sacred Scriptures, in which he had been initiated in his infancy

had subsequently made them the chief subject of his study and attention and they had made him "wise unto salvation."

Here the apostle lays down two important propositions, which demand our par ticular attention. 1. All Scripture is given by inspiration; and, 2. Is profitable for instruction, &c.

1. When we read "all Scripture" is given by inspiration, we must recollect that but little of the New Testament was yet written, and still less got into circulation: consequently, when a child, Timothy could have known nothing of it: yet, when brought into circulation, none but a Jew would place it in authority inferior to the Old.

2. The Holy Scriptures are here commended as able to make us wise unto salvation, and more particularly as profitable for doctrine, reproof, &c. that is, furnish

NOTES.

CHAP. IV. Ver. 1. The ick and the dead-i, e. those who are alive, as we As those in their graves. See 1 Cor. xv. 51, &c.

Ver. 2. In season, out of season—i, e, embrace every possible opportunity; "whether seasonable of unseasonable to thyseli." So Macku.

CHAP. IV.

[by his friends.

Paul forsaken] exhort with all long-suffering and doc- having loved this present world, and is trine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching

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departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve

EXPOSITION.

ing every thing necessary to "complete the mau of God," or the perfect Christian -so far as perfection is attainable in the present life. From this we may infer the folly and wickedness of keeping back the Scriptures from the common people-all of

whom equally need them with ourselves: on the other hand, it is a distinguishing mark of a true Minister of Christ, that he studies them himself, and recommends them to his hearers.

NOTES.

Fulfil.”

Ver. 3. Teachers, having itching ears.—Mackn. transposes the words thus:-"Having itching ears, they [that is, the people] will heap to themselves teachers" calculated to tickle them with new and curious matter; namely, fables and allegories, such as those of the Rabbies and Pagan philosophers. Ver. 5. Make full proof-Margin, Doddr." Accomplish "thy ministry. Ver.6. I am now ready to be offered.-So Doddridge; but Macknight renders it, I am already poured out;" and others, I am poured upon," alluding to pouring wine,' &c. upon the head of the victim, before it was sacriticed. The sense of both is the same as our version.

Ver. 7. I have fought a good fight, &c.-Macknight, "I have combated the good combat; I have finished the race; I have preserved the faith." Dr. Adam Clarke cites, from Euripides, a case

in which a wife died to redeem the life of her husband when his parents had refused, and he reproaches them in these expressive words: "Thou wouldst have fought a good fight, hadst thou died for thy son."

Ver. 8. A crown of righteousness-i. e. a reward of righteousness. See 1 Cor. ix. 25, and Note.

Ver. 11. Take Mark-i, e. John Mark: see Acts xii. 25. Paul and Mark had evidently now been reconciled. See Acts xv. 39.

Ver. 13. The cloke-Mackn. " Bag ;" and others, Portmanteau. The word is variously used. Ver. 15. Be thou ware-i. e. "aware."-Withstood our words.--Marg. preaching." Ver. 17. Fully known.-Mackn. Fully (and boldly) declared." The word literally signifies, "might be carried with a full sail."

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(D) Ver. 1-22. Paul, ready to receive the crown of martyrdom, entreats a visit from Timothy.-Timothy being fully qualified as an Evangelist, by the grace of God and a long acquaintance with the holy Scriptures, is solemnly charged to a zealous and faithful exercise of his ministerial talents: Show thyself 66 a man of God, thoroughly furnished unto every good work." And St. Paul the more strongly urges this, from the consideration that he foresaw the time was coming, in which many would not bear to hear the truth. As to himself, the great apostle saw his end approaching, and was prepared to offer up his life as a sacrifice in the cause of God, that he might receive the crown of martyrdom. "I am now ready to be offered (says he); and the time of my departure is at hand." Here, according to the learned Mr. Blackwall, “is an allusion to that universal custom [both among Jews and Gentiles] of pouring wine or oil on the head of the victim, immediately before it was slain: the apostle's emphatical word signifies, "Wine is just now pouring on my head; I am just going to be sacrificed to Pagan rage and superstition."

The apostle proceeds (ver. 7)-"I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith." These terms are evidently agonistic-that is, they allude to the Olympic games; the former alluding to the boxing or wrestling combats, and the latter to the races. He had completed both his battle was fought -his race was run; he had also kept the sacred deposit of the faith intrusted to him,

and he was going to receive his crowncrown of righteousness and glory, reserved for him against the second coming of his Lord, his Saviour, and his Judge. And he rejoiced to know, that the crown va not for him only. It was not the reward of a few only (though indeed compara tively few), but of all those who looked and longed for the second coming of their Lord to all who should love his ap pearing, and hail him as their almighty Saviour.

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The latter part of the chapter contains a variety of miscellaneous information and remarks. In the first place, the apostle re quests Timothy to come and visit hims soon as possible; apparently anticipating, that if he delayed he might be too late to see him; for the time of his departure was at hand.

Of Demas, Paul complains, he "bath forsaken me, having loved the present world." From the cautious manner in which Paul speaks of this man in Coloss iv. 14, it has been inferred that he considered him as a doubtful character, but this is not certain; nor is there any proof that Demas apostatized from Christianity: perhaps his secular interests might in duce him to go to Thessalonica, or fear might deter him from staying with the apostle.

The cloak, the books, and the parch ments, have occasioned a great variety of conjectures. The first article was proba bly to guard against the cold and rain. From the mention of books and parchments, Bishop Bull derives a useful argument in favour of ministerial studies,

NOTES.

Ver. 19. Salute Prisca - or "Priscilla," Acts xviii, 2.--The houshold of Onesiphorus--From Onesiphorus himself not being here mentioned, it may be reasonably supposed that he was with St. Pau. at Rome.

Ver, 20. Trophimus-See Acts xxi, 29.

Ver. 21. Claudia-Dr. Henry, in his Eccles. Hist. supposes this to be the Lady celebrated in twe of Martial's Epigrams; but Macknight thinks this nconsistent with her age. Tradition states, that she first brought the gospel into Britain.

CHAP. IV.

EXPOSITION-Chap. IV. Continued.

though it is utterly useless to guess at the contents of either the books or parch

ments.

Alexander is so common a name, that there is no certainty that this Alexander was either of those who had been before mentioned, though what is said of him sagrees with 1 Tim. i. 20. Both evidently opposed Paul's preaching but the most painful fact here mentioned is, that upon Paul's first hearing, he was deserted, like his divine Master" All forsook him and fled." Even this, however, was overruled for good, as he was so strengthened and supported, that he was enabled to preach the gospel before his Gentile adversaries with good effect, and was, for the present, delivered from the mouth of the lion-by whom many think Nero was intended; but this is by no means certain. It is generally agreed, however, that soon after the date of this Epistle, Paul fell a martyr to the rage of that execrable tyrant, who, as is well known, after setting fire to the imperial city, laid the fault upon the Christians.

The death of Paul is commonly placed in A.D. 65 or 66; and his being a Roman citizen, procured him the honour of decapitation instead of crucifixion. Milner cites from Chrysostom a tradition, that the immediate cause of his last imprisonment was, that his preaching had converted a cupbearer and concubine of the Emperor; though Bishop Pearson, and some other learned men, are of opinion that he was not put to death by Nero, but by one of his deputies, while he was himself gone to head the army in Greece. There is no doubt, however, of his martyrdom, which the Calendar places on the 29th of June. We shall close this Epistle, which was probably the last St. Paul wrote, with the following judicious reflections of Dr. Macknight upon this apostle's epistolary correspondence, and the evidence which it affords of the truth of Christianity—

"These strong asseverations of the truth of the things which Paul had all along preached; these earnest charges to Timothy, to preach the same things openly and plainly to the world; these high expressions of joy in the sufferings which he had endured for preaching them, and these confident expectations which he expressed, of receiving a full reward in the life to come for all his labours and sufferings, being the apostle's dying words to his intimate friend and companion of the ministry of the gospel, conveyed in a private letter, no person who is a judge of human nature and human actions, can read them without being impressed with the strongest couviction of the apostle's own thorough persuasion of the things which, from the time of his conversion, he constantly preached, without the least variation, And seeing the most important of these things were matters of fact, of which his own senses and experience had informed him: ...... I say, the apostle's own persuasion of these facts, is such a proof of their reality, and of the truth of the gospel history, as never will be shaken by all the sophistry of infidels united. This excellent writing, therefore, will be read by the disciples of Christ to the end of the world, with the highest satisfaction: and the impression which it must have on their minds, will often be

So Tacitus, after speaking of Nero's charging the Christians with setting fire to Rome, which he did himself (A.D. 64), says, "To suppress, if possible, this common rumour, Nero procured others to be accused, and punished with exquisite tortures a race of men detested for their evil practices, who were commonly known by the name of Christians. The author of that sect (or name) was Christus, who, in the reign of Tiberias, was punished with death as a criminal, by the Procurator Pontius Pilate. But this pestilent superstition, though checked for a while, broke out afresh, not only in Judea, where the evil first originated, but even in the city (of Rome), the common sink into which every thing filthy and abominable flows from all quarters of the world. At first, those only were apprehended who confessed themselves of that sect; afterwards, a vast multitude discovered by them, all of whom were condemned, not so much for the crime of burning the city, as for their enmity to mankind. Their executions were so contrived, as to expose them to derision and contempt. Some were covered over with the skins of wild beasts, that they might be torn to pieces by dogs; some were crucified; while others, having been daubed over with combustible materials, were set up as lights in the night-time, and thus burnt to death."- gospel may bring upon them,"

(Taciti Ann. 1. xv. c. 44.)

recollected by them with the greatest effect, for the confirmation of their faith in the gospel, and their consolation under all the evils which their adherence to the

The Epistle of PAUL to TITUS.

CHAP. I.

PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began ;

3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour:

4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed

thee:

6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly.

7 For a Bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Il Whose mouths must be stopped; who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

NOTES.

CHAP. I. Ver. 2. Promised before the world be gan.-Compare 2 Tim. i. 9.

Ver. 4. Titus, mine own son.-So he calls Timothy, 1 Tim. i. 2. Of the respect with which he elsewhere speaks of Titus, see 2 Cor. ii. 13; vii. 6, 13, 14, &c.

Ver. 5. Wanting-Marg. " left undone."

Ver. 7. A bishop must be blameless, &c.-Compare 1 Tim. iii. 2, 3.

Ver. 8. A lover of hospitality-Doddr. and Mackn. "hospitable". -A lover of good men-Marg. "of good things."

Ver. 9. As he hath been taught.-Margin, "in teaching."

Ver. 10. Of the circumcision-i. e. those Judaizing teachers who taught the necessity of circumcision to all men.

Ver. 11. Whose mouths must be stopped-"Neither

by persecution nor force (says Mackn.), but by clear and strong reasoning."

Ver. 12. A prophet of their own-that is, a poet; for their poets were supposed to be inspired by the Muses, if not by the gods. The verse here cited is from Epimenides, and is thus poetically rendered

"False Cretans, savage beasts, with bellies slow." Mackn. remarks, that the words prophet and poet were used as synonimous, both by the Greeks and Romans.

Ibid. Evil beasts-i. e. wild beasts-Slow bellies -lazy gluttons.

Ver. 13. Rebuke them sharply—Literally, “cuttingly."

Ver. 14. Jewish fables. —See 1 Tim. i. 4, and

Note.

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