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First Epistle of Paul to Timothy Analytically Expounded - David Dickson · Friedrich Nietzsche Audiobooks

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Speaker 1: The contents of the first Epistle of pol To Timothy
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Speaker 1: analytically expounded. This is a LIBRIVANX recording or librivanx recordings
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Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. The First Epistle of Pole
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Speaker 1: to Timothy analytically expounded by David Dixon. The contents The Apostle,
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Speaker 1: departing from Ephesus into Macedonia, did not think it sufficient
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Speaker 1: to commit the Church of Ephesus, now publicly founded, to
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Speaker 1: the care of ordinary pastors, but desired the evangelist Timothy
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Speaker 1: that he would tarry there a while to establish the
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Speaker 1: church in all things that appertained to doctrine and discipline,
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Speaker 1: which work being accomplished, the Apostle intended to call him
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Speaker 1: back and employ him for the confirming of other churches,
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Speaker 1: as appears in the end of the epistle and other places.
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Speaker 1: But because Timothy was young as yet and might not
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Speaker 1: seem sufficiently furnished with authority for the restraining of unruly men,
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Speaker 1: which possibly might make insurrection against him in this epistle,
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Speaker 1: he doth not only admonish him cause concerning his office,
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Speaker 1: as one that he knew very well instructed already about
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Speaker 1: all the churches and their governors are informed, touching the
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Speaker 1: authority of Timothy and their duties. The special parts of
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Speaker 1: the epistle are six according to the number of the chapters.
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Speaker 1: In the first chapter, he lays down the manner of
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Speaker 1: his preaching the law and the Gospel duly and with prophet.
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Speaker 1: In the second chapter, he sets down how pastors and hearers,
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Speaker 1: men and women ought to behave themselves in their public
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Speaker 1: prayers and ecclesiastical meetings. In the third chapter, he treats
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Speaker 1: of the right institution of pastors and deacons, and concerning
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Speaker 1: the heads of doctrine, whereof they were to take special care.
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Speaker 1: In the fourth chapter, he speaks of avoiding the apostasy
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Speaker 1: that was coming, and touching the diligence which ought to
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Speaker 1: be used by a faithful pastor to that end. In
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Speaker 1: the fifth chapter, he treats of private admonitions to be
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Speaker 1: performed by the elders, and how they ought to carry
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Speaker 1: themselves towards widows and other elders. In the sixth chapter,
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Speaker 1: he delivers precepts to Timothy, wherein he is instructed what
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Speaker 1: he ought to teach concerning Christian duty, as well of
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Speaker 1: private persons as of ministers. End of the contents. Chapter
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Speaker 1: one of the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy analytically
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Speaker 1: expounded by David Dixon. This librivanx recording is in the
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Speaker 1: public domain. Beside the inscription, which is contained in the
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Speaker 1: first two verses, there are three parts of the chapter.
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Speaker 1: In the first, he enjoins Timothy to observe the right
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Speaker 1: method and course of teaching, and to suppress the perverse
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Speaker 1: teachers of the law to verse twelve. In the second,
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Speaker 1: he asserts his apostleship that with authority it might be
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Speaker 1: a vouched by Timothy as he had commanded to verse eighteen.
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Speaker 1: In the third, he encourages Timothy to carry himself stoutly
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Speaker 1: in the discharge of his ministry. Verse one Paul an
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Speaker 1: apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God, our
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Speaker 1: Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope. The
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Speaker 1: inscription of the epistle, wherein one that he might win
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Speaker 1: the authority to this epistle, Paul of films, there in
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Speaker 1: writing of it he fulfilled his apostolical imbassage for Christ. Two,
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Speaker 1: he confirms his apostleship by a special command from God.
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Speaker 1: The Father, whom he calls the Savior, because he is
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Speaker 1: the author of our salvation, who had called him to
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Speaker 1: the office of an apostle and used him in the
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Speaker 1: execution of his office about the present matter he was
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Speaker 1: in hand with. Three, he confirms his apostleship from the
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Speaker 1: command of our Lord, Jesus Christ, whom he calls our hope,
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Speaker 1: because the author, the meritorious cause, the object, and the
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Speaker 1: finisher of our hope. Use. Two And to Timothy, my
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Speaker 1: own son in the faith, grace, mercy and peace from God,
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Speaker 1: our Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord. Timothy, to whom
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Speaker 1: this epistle is written, is called the son of the Apostle,
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Speaker 1: not simply but in the faith, because he was his disciple,
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Speaker 1: and as the son represents the Father in faith and manners,
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Speaker 1: so Timothy resembled Paul in doctrine and an holy conversation.
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Speaker 1: In his salutation, he wishes to Timothy one grace i e.
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Speaker 1: The renovation of the image of God from the fountain
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Speaker 1: of God's free good will, to mercy i e. Free
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Speaker 1: remission of sins, because he knew that the holy young man,
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Speaker 1: affected with the sense of his sins, with many tears,
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Speaker 1: did daily prostrate himself before God. Three peace i e.
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Speaker 1: Quietness of conscience and joy from the apprehension of divine favour,
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Speaker 1: and finally, a complete felicity in the life to come,
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Speaker 1: which is comprehended under peace. Verse three. As I besought
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Speaker 1: THEE to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia,
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Speaker 1: that thou mightst charge some that they teach no other doctrine.
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Speaker 1: The first part of the chapter follows touching the right
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Speaker 1: manner of teaching, wherein after he had confirmed to Timothy
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Speaker 1: not an ordinary episcopacy in the Church of Ephesus, but
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Speaker 1: a special, temporary and extraordinary commission, he repeats the commands
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Speaker 1: given him about restraining certain perverse zealots of the law
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Speaker 1: and admonishing them that they teach no doctrine diverse from
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Speaker 1: that which is apostolical in prescribing, of which the Apostle
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Speaker 1: chooses to use words of beseeching and entreating, rather than
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Speaker 1: to speak imperiously, that he might supply the state of Timothy,
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Speaker 1: who could scarcely be loosed from the most sweet society
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Speaker 1: of Paul, not for a time, even by the entreaties
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Speaker 1: of the apostle. Verse four neither give heed to fables
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Speaker 1: and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying,
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Speaker 1: which is in faith. So do. For example, he commands
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Speaker 1: that fables and Jewish genealogies be avoided, i e. Newly
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Speaker 1: devised opinions or traditions, beside the holy scriptures, and curious
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Speaker 1: speculations about unnecessary things. So are very many tellmudical and coabolytical.
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Speaker 1: Such also are to be found amongst these schoolmen endless.
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Speaker 1: The reasons of his admonition are six. Reason one, because
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Speaker 1: those vain speculations are idle and endless, whereof there is
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Speaker 1: no use, which rather reason two, because they beget curious
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Speaker 1: and contentious questions. Nor do they promote the knowledge of piety,
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Speaker 1: which lead unto God. For edification proceeds not from probable
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Speaker 1: and dubious questions, but by the solid believing of the
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Speaker 1: Word of God. Verse five. Now, the end of the
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Speaker 1: commandment is charity out of a pure heart and a
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Speaker 1: good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. Reason three because those
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Speaker 1: teachers that are wholly exercised in discussing of small matters
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Speaker 1: which may be fetched from the law, though they seem
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Speaker 1: to be carried with a zeal to the Law of Moses.
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Speaker 1: Yet they refer not the law to its true end
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Speaker 1: or to the proper scope of the whole scripture, which
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Speaker 1: is that men, by the law, being led to the
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Speaker 1: knowledge of sin and deserved misery, may seriously betake themselves
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Speaker 1: to Christ by faith unfeigned charity. This faith, he describes
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Speaker 1: from a threefold effect. One that true faith in the
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Speaker 1: propitiatory blood of Christ renders the conscience good or peaceable
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Speaker 1: and quiet. Two that the conscience, being now pacified, faith
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Speaker 1: will not suffer that the heart be any longer delighted
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Speaker 1: in evil, but rather endeavors after purity, and that it
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Speaker 1: may be poured from all evil affections. Three that true
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Speaker 1: faith is not idle in that which is good, but
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Speaker 1: stirs up a man diligently to labor in the obedience
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Speaker 1: of every precept by love to God and men Us six,
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Speaker 1: from which which some, having swerved, have turned aside unto
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Speaker 1: vain jangling. Reason four confirming the former, because it is
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Speaker 1: approved by the experience of some, that unless teachers abstain
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Speaker 1: from their vain curiosities and intend more earnestly the edification
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Speaker 1: of men in faith and charity, they cannot but be
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Speaker 1: drawn away from the simplicity of doctrine into vain babbling.
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Speaker 1: For where there is vanity, their verity is not Verse seven,
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Speaker 1: desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what
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Speaker 1: they say, nor whereof they affirm. Reason five. Because it
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Speaker 1: is also known by experience that those ambitious teachers, while
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Speaker 1: they affect a new kind of teaching and seek after
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Speaker 1: applause from their knowledge of the law, betrayed their ignorance
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Speaker 1: whilst they understood not the questions thereof, nor the argument
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Speaker 1: from which they dispute it. Therefore, avoiding idle speculations, Timothy
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Speaker 1: wants to take care that in the Apostolic doctrine or
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Speaker 1: the manner of teaching it, no innovation was made by
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Speaker 1: any one Verse eight. But we know that the law
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Speaker 1: is good if a man use it lawfully. Here he
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Speaker 1: answers an objection. Therefore, art thou against the divine law,
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Speaker 1: who so earnestly rebukest the teachers of it. The apostle
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Speaker 1: answers that he did not at all detract from the
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Speaker 1: law reproving those that abuse it, but rather commends and
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Speaker 1: teaches the right use of the law. Verse nine knowing
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Speaker 1: this that the law is not made for a righteous man,
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Speaker 1: but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly, and
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Speaker 1: for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers
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Speaker 1: and murderers of mothers, for manslayers verse ten, for hormongers,
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Speaker 1: for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men's stealers,
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Speaker 1: for liars, for pojurirous persons, and if there be any
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Speaker 1: other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine verse eleven,
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Speaker 1: according to the glorious Gospel of the Blessed God, which
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Speaker 1: was committed to my trust. He confirms the answer with
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Speaker 1: three reasons. The first is from the end of the
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Speaker 1: law or the legal covenant, so far as it is
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Speaker 1: opposed to the Gospel. The law is established, not that
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Speaker 1: the faithful, justified by faith in Christ should be justified
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Speaker 1: by the law, as the perverse teachers of the law
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Speaker 1: or intended, but that the unrighteous and unbelievers, as all
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Speaker 1: wicked and profane persons condemned by the law, might acknowledge
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Speaker 1: their unrighteousness and deserved condemnation, repent, and fly unto Christ. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: the apostle's doctrine detracts nothing from the law. According reason two,
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Speaker 1: all sins which are forbidden by the Law are also
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Speaker 1: prohibited by the sound doctrine of the glorious Gospel, and
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Speaker 1: all the duties which are commanded by the Law are
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Speaker 1: earnestly urged and taught in the Gospel, so much as
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Speaker 1: concerns the performance of our obedience unto God, the demonstration
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Speaker 1: of our thankfulness, and the proof of the sincerity of
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Speaker 1: faith in the fruits of holiness. Therefore, the doctrine of
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Speaker 1: the Gospel detracts nothing from the law committed. Reason three.
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Speaker 1: I am an apostle, to whom the Gospel of God
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Speaker 1: in himself most blessed, and the author of all blessings
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Speaker 1: towards us, is committed to no less urge this wholesome
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Speaker 1: doctrine of sanctification and all good works which in the
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Speaker 1: Law are commanded, than any zealot of the law, although
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Speaker 1: not to the same end. Therefore, the apostolical doctrine nothing
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Speaker 1: at all. The tracts from the law the second part
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Speaker 1: verse twelve. And I thank Jesus Christ, our Lord, who
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Speaker 1: hath enabled me, for he hath counted me faithful, putting
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Speaker 1: me in the ministry. The second part of the chapter follows,
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Speaker 1: which contains the vindication of the authority of his apostleship
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Speaker 1: against those that denied it, or, in consideration of his
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Speaker 1: four acted life, did lessen it, And that with thanksgiving
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Speaker 1: for the grace that was bestowed upon him, seven reasons
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Speaker 1: are laid down of his thanksgiving, all which prove that
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Speaker 1: his apostleship is in no wise to be disparaged. Reason one, Christ,
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Speaker 1: by the grace of his spirit, hath strengthened me an
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Speaker 1: infirm man, and heretofore a slave to sin, the devil
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Speaker 1: and the world, appointed an apostle by him, that as
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Speaker 1: a leader, I should, with an invincible courage, stand out
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Speaker 1: for the defense of the Gospel against all the insultations
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Speaker 1: of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Therefore, thanks
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Speaker 1: are to be given for my confirmation in the apostleship.
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Speaker 1: So little reason is there that anything should be detracted
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Speaker 1: accounted me faithful. Reason two Christ hath endued me, being
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Speaker 1: appointed an apostle with the gifts of his spirit, and
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Speaker 1: hath so far honored me that he made and accounted
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Speaker 1: me his faithful friend, who would commit to me the
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Speaker 1: Gospel to be dispensed to the souls of His elect Therefore,
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Speaker 1: my authority is not to be disparaged. Hath appointed Reason three, Christ,
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Speaker 1: the Lord Hath placed me in the ministry, i e.
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Speaker 1: In the office of an apostle, that I might wholly
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Speaker 1: attend to the preaching of the Gospel, separated from the world,
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Speaker 1: to this business. Who is it, therefore, that dares detract
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Speaker 1: from my authority verse thirteen. Who was before a blasphema
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Speaker 1: and a persecutor and injurious But I obtained mercy because
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Speaker 1: I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Reason for, notwithstanding the
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Speaker 1: wickedness and the evil deserts of my former life, God
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Speaker 1: is not hindered from taking me into his service. Who
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Speaker 1: was in times past an enemy, who therefore will disparage
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Speaker 1: my authority upon the wickedness of my former conversation ignorantly
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Speaker 1: he prevents an objection some man might say, how could
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Speaker 1: so open an enemy of Christ obtained pardon? He answers
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Speaker 1: that his sin was out of ignorance, And so he
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Speaker 1: proves that it was not that unpardonable sin against the
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Speaker 1: Holy Ghost, or a malicious insurrection against Christ, which the
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Speaker 1: devilish enemies of the Gospel knowingly practice in opposition to
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Speaker 1: the Kingdom of Christ. But sin committed out of ignorance
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Speaker 1: while he was yet an unbeliever verse fourteen. And the
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Speaker 1: grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love,
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Speaker 1: which is in Christ Jesus. Reason five. God hath vouchsafed
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Speaker 1: me more than an ordinary measure of faith and love,
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Speaker 1: and Hath abundantly showed forth his grace in the bestowing
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Speaker 1: of his saving gifts. Therefore, there is no reason that
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Speaker 1: any one should detract from my apostolic authority from my
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Speaker 1: former conversation verse fifteen. This is a faithful saying and
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Speaker 1: worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
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Speaker 1: world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Reason six. Christ,
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Speaker 1: through his eminent mercy towards me, hath effected this, that,
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Speaker 1: being taught by experience, I should be drawn first as
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Speaker 1: the chief of sinners, in my own opinion, to subscribe
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Speaker 1: to that sentence of the Gospel concerning the person of Christ,
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Speaker 1: his office, coming, virtue, merit, and efficacy to save sinners,
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Speaker 1: so that I cannot but declare openly to the whole
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Speaker 1: world the truth and benefit of that sentence, for by
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Speaker 1: experience I speak, it is a faithful saying, et cetera. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: no disparagement ought to be offered to my authority, who
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Speaker 1: not only believe myself what is committed to me, but
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Speaker 1: I also preach what I have experience of. Thus sixteen,
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Speaker 1: howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me
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Speaker 1: first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering for
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Speaker 1: a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on Him
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Speaker 1: to life everlasting. Reason seven, the Lord hath set me
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Speaker 1: for an example of his long suffering mercy, goodness, and
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Speaker 1: admirable grace that sinners to the end of the world,
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Speaker 1: who should hear of my wonderful conversion and the bounty
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Speaker 1: of God towards me, may be abundantly confirmed in the
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Speaker 1: love of Christ and expect the like goodness towards themselves,
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Speaker 1: looking upon me as a type and exemplar of unspeakable mercy.
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Speaker 1: Therefore am I most fit to be made a preacher
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Speaker 1: of that grace. And far be it from anyone to
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Speaker 1: detract from my authority because of my former conversation while
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Speaker 1: I was an unbeliever Verse seventeen. Now unto the King
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Speaker 1: eternal immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory,
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Speaker 1: for ever and ever are men. The Apostle, now affected
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Speaker 1: with the greatness of the benefit, not satisfying himself in
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Speaker 1: the amplification of it, with a pathetic thanksgiving, he concludes
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Speaker 1: his speech with an illustrious celebration of Christ, concerning whom
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Speaker 1: he produces four epithets, which are so agreeable unto Christ
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Speaker 1: that they may also be ascribed to the Father and
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Speaker 1: to the Holy Ghost. One God or Christ, as God
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Speaker 1: is king of Ages i e. By a Hebraism, the
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Speaker 1: eternal king, that may be distinguished from mundane and mortal kings.
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Speaker 1: Two immortal, because God is without all alteration, change and corruption,
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Speaker 1: and always the same like himself. Three invisible, because He
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Speaker 1: cannot be comprehended by the eyes or any senses, because
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Speaker 1: their faculties are corporeal and circumscribe with narrow limits. For
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Speaker 1: He is only wise because He alone knows all things,
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Speaker 1: not by objects nor by laurismund rats us a nation,
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Speaker 1: but in and by and of Himself, as one in
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Speaker 1: whom are all things as in their first efficient and
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Speaker 1: their ultimate end. Hence the apostle ascribes honor to God
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Speaker 1: or a testification of His eminency glory, a salibrious fame
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Speaker 1: with praise which is eternally due unto God, adding our
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Speaker 1: men as a seal of his faith and willingness to
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Speaker 1: glorify God. The third part of the chapter verse eighteen.
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Speaker 1: This charge I commit unto thee son Timothy, according to
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Speaker 1: the prophecies which went before on THEE, that Thou, by
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Speaker 1: them mightst wore a good warfare. The third part contains
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Speaker 1: his exhortation to Timothy that he would behave himself courageously
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Speaker 1: in his ministry, viz. That he would war a good warfare,
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Speaker 1: or that he would prepare himself to fight against all
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Speaker 1: enemies and all impediments, and would use all diligence, that
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Speaker 1: the Church might receive no detriment by any one. According
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Speaker 1: the arguments of his exhortation are too argument one, because
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Speaker 1: certain things are foretold prophetically of pious men by a
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Speaker 1: kind of divine instinct, which afford great hope of famous
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Speaker 1: actions to be done by THEE, as appears out of
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Speaker 1: Acts sixteen US two, therefore wore a good warfare Verse nineteen,
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Speaker 1: holding fast faith and a good conscience, which some having
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Speaker 1: put away concerning faith have made shipwreck. He explains his
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Speaker 1: exhortation by showing the manner of warring to it, that
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Speaker 1: he would defend faithfully and profess sound doctrine and by
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Speaker 1: an holy life according to the truth preached by him,
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Speaker 1: that he would maintain the light and peace of a
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Speaker 1: good conscience, which would inwardly acquaint him with his duty
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Speaker 1: towards God and men if he would attend to it,
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Speaker 1: and would administer comfort to him if he suffered for
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Speaker 1: defending the truth, which being put away argument too, because
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Speaker 1: unless thou behave thyself with a good courage and observest
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Speaker 1: this law of war concerning the joining of a good
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Speaker 1: conscience with the profession of the faith, there is danger
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Speaker 1: upon the loss of a good conscience, that thou make
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Speaker 1: shipwreck of sound doctrine or the profession of the faith,
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Speaker 1: as some have done. Therefore wore a good warfare in
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Speaker 1: the meantime. He casts in no scruple here to Timothy
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Speaker 1: about the uncertainty of perseverance, but uses the best and
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Speaker 1: most effectual argument to persuade him to it, for it
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Speaker 1: makes nothing in hypothetical propositions that the parts of it
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Speaker 1: taken by themselves and categorically may be false or impossible,
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Speaker 1: it is sufficient to the truth of the rule annexed
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Speaker 1: that the connection of the parts is certain. Verse twenty,
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Speaker 1: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered
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Speaker 1: unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. The
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Speaker 1: apostle names two apostates, for example, Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom
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Speaker 1: he had not long before delivered unto Satan. I e excommunicated,
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Speaker 1: for they that are cast out from the face of
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Speaker 1: God shining in the Church, fall into the kingdom of Satan,
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Speaker 1: as to the condition of the outward man or the
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Speaker 1: enjoyment of church privileges. The end of this excommunication he
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Speaker 1: shows to be this, that being led to repentance, they
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Speaker 1: might return to a right knowledge and profession of the truth.
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Speaker 1: For the Apostle doth not declare anything concerning the total
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Speaker 1: loss of faith in Christ, but on the contrary, hopes
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Speaker 1: for their repentance and their possible salvation. Hereafter end of
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Speaker 1: chapter one, Chapter two of the First Epistle of Paul
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Speaker 1: to Timothy. Analytically expounded by David Dixon. This LIBRIVANX recording
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Speaker 1: is in the public domain. In this chapter he delivers
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Speaker 1: four precepts, wherein all the faithful are to be instructed
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Speaker 1: how they ought decently to behave themselves in their public assemblies,
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Speaker 1: both men and women. Us one I exhort therefore that
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Speaker 1: first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks
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Speaker 1: be made for all men. Precept one, that prayers in
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Speaker 1: the public assembly especially might not be neglected, but that
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Speaker 1: supplications ought to be made for the turning of evils away,
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Speaker 1: and prayers for the obtaining of good things, inter sessions
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Speaker 1: from other men, and thanksgiving for benefits received in public prayers,
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Speaker 1: which the whole church, the pastor going before, ought to conceive.
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Speaker 1: And that for all sorts of men be day of
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Speaker 1: what condition they will. Verse two, for kings and for
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Speaker 1: all that are in authority, that we may lead a
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Speaker 1: quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. He
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Speaker 1: expounds the special precept, and in particular commands them to
19:13
Speaker 1: pray for kings and all magistrates in great places, who,
19:16
Speaker 1: because they sit at the helm of the commonwealth, ought
19:19
Speaker 1: to be most dear to us, and upon that account
19:21
Speaker 1: ought they to be mentioned by us in the prayers
19:23
Speaker 1: of the Church. Peaceable. The reasons of the precept are nine.
19:28
Speaker 1: Reason one from the profitable end. Because the magistrates, being
19:31
Speaker 1: safe and managing their officers in peace, the faithful may
19:34
Speaker 1: lead a quiet and peaceable life in godliness or obedience
19:38
Speaker 1: to the first table, and honesty or obedience to the
19:41
Speaker 1: second table. Therefore we must pray for them Verse three,
19:45
Speaker 1: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God,
19:47
Speaker 1: our savior. Reason two. To pray for kings and all
19:51
Speaker 1: orders of men is good and acceptable unto God. Therefore
19:54
Speaker 1: ought we to pray for them. God is said to
19:56
Speaker 1: be our savior, because although Christ is our savior by
19:59
Speaker 1: special office, yet in the affecting and execution of his office,
20:02
Speaker 1: he doth not actually save us, but with the Father
20:05
Speaker 1: and the Holy Spirit. Thus four, who will have all
20:09
Speaker 1: men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge
20:11
Speaker 1: of the Truth? Reason three, confirming the former God will
20:15
Speaker 1: have all sorts of men. Therefore some amongst kings and magistrates,
20:18
Speaker 1: and all orders of men, to be saved and come
20:20
Speaker 1: to the faith of the Gospel. Therefore He wills that
20:23
Speaker 1: we pray for all sorts of men, and by name
20:26
Speaker 1: for kings and those in authority concerning whom we are
20:29
Speaker 1: obliged to hope well. Verse five. For there is one
20:32
Speaker 1: God and one mediator between God and men, the Man
20:35
Speaker 1: Christ Jesus. Reason four. Although men are distinguished several ways
20:40
Speaker 1: amongst themselves, and there are diverse orders, whereof many are
20:43
Speaker 1: strangers to the faith and many enemies, yet it is
20:46
Speaker 1: enough to engage our prayers for all, because God is
20:48
Speaker 1: one under whose power and dominion all are comprehended, and
20:52
Speaker 1: that God is the God of the Jews as well
20:54
Speaker 1: as the Gentiles, without exception of persons. Therefore, ought we
20:57
Speaker 1: to pray for all sorts of men and one mediator.
21:01
Speaker 1: Reason five. Whatever distances there are amongst men by which
21:05
Speaker 1: they may be distinguished from each other, it is enough, notwithstanding,
21:09
Speaker 1: to engage us to pray for all, because to all
21:11
Speaker 1: nations and all conditions of men, there is one mediator
21:14
Speaker 1: appointed betwixt God and men, by whom an access is
21:17
Speaker 1: open to all that come unto him. Therefore, ought we
21:19
Speaker 1: to pray for all the man. Reason six. We have
21:23
Speaker 1: reason to pray for all men inasmuch as that one
21:26
Speaker 1: mediator of all men is Man. By the incarnation of
21:29
Speaker 1: the world, by the common bond of human nature, he
21:31
Speaker 1: is united to all men viz. Jesus Christ, who intercedes
21:34
Speaker 1: for all are e for his sheep collected out of
21:37
Speaker 1: all sorts of men. Therefore we ought to pray for
21:39
Speaker 1: all for six, who gave himself a ransom for all
21:43
Speaker 1: to be testified in due time. Reason seven. Christ gave
21:47
Speaker 1: himself a full and sufficient price of redemption for men
21:50
Speaker 1: of all kinds. Therefore ought we to pray for all
21:52
Speaker 1: sorts of men a testimony. Reason eight. The gospel or
21:56
Speaker 1: testimony of Christ's redeeming all sorts of men, which God
21:59
Speaker 1: had designed in due time to reveal, is now made manifest. Therefore,
22:03
Speaker 1: in making prayers for all men, the testimony of this
22:06
Speaker 1: truth is to be produced in Christian churches. Verse seven.
22:10
Speaker 1: Whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apostle. I
22:13
Speaker 1: speak the truth in Christ, and lie not a teacher
22:16
Speaker 1: of the gentiles in faith and verity. Reason nine. The
22:20
Speaker 1: preaching of this testimony or gospel and the doctrine of
22:22
Speaker 1: the price of redemption paid for all sorts of men
22:25
Speaker 1: by Christ is in special manner committed unto me, that
22:28
Speaker 1: I might be also a teacher of the gentiles, to
22:30
Speaker 1: instruct them in the faith and all truth which leads
22:33
Speaker 1: to eternal life. Seeing therefore I know that many of
22:35
Speaker 1: the Gentiles are to be saved. And now I publicly
22:38
Speaker 1: teach you this prayers ought publicly to be made in
22:41
Speaker 1: all Christian churches for all sorts of men. In the meantime,
22:44
Speaker 1: because he knew that some amongst the Jews would take
22:46
Speaker 1: ill the mentioning of his apostleship and his embassage to
22:49
Speaker 1: the Gentiles, he confirms that expression of his being sent
22:52
Speaker 1: to the Gentiles with a graver severation, lest any one
22:55
Speaker 1: should doubt Verse eight. I will therefore that men pray everywhere,
23:00
Speaker 1: lifting up Holy hands without wrath, and doubting. Those things
23:03
Speaker 1: that follow belong to the circumstances of public worship. Therefore,
23:07
Speaker 1: the second precept follows, touching persons fit for conceiving public
23:10
Speaker 1: prayers in the church, also concerning the place and dispositions
23:14
Speaker 1: both of the soul and body, accommodated to that matter.
23:18
Speaker 1: As for the persons, he commands the men only not women,
23:21
Speaker 1: to speak in the church and to precede the people
23:23
Speaker 1: in their prayers in every place. As to the place,
23:27
Speaker 1: he shows, according to that prediction of Christ John four,
23:30
Speaker 1: that all difference of places which was in the old Testament,
23:33
Speaker 1: when they were thrice a year to meet at the
23:35
Speaker 1: Temple in Jerusalem, and their face was to be turned
23:37
Speaker 1: to the sanctuary, whether they were near or afar off
23:40
Speaker 1: from the temple is taken away, And that now liberty
23:43
Speaker 1: is granted, that Christians in every place may honestly and
23:46
Speaker 1: decently celebrate their assemblies. Lifting up as to the body,
23:51
Speaker 1: he requires that the gesture should be such as may
23:53
Speaker 1: testify reverence to the divine majesty, and may enkindle our devotion.
23:57
Speaker 1: Which kind of gesture is the lifting up of the hand,
24:00
Speaker 1: whether they be spread abroad or closed together. Purely as
24:05
Speaker 1: for the whole man, and chiefly the soul, he requires
24:08
Speaker 1: first integrity and innocency of life, which he means by
24:11
Speaker 1: purity of hands. Two that wrath be laid aside strifes
24:16
Speaker 1: and all evil affections, that they all be of one accord. Three,
24:20
Speaker 1: that they make no doubt whether God will hear or
24:22
Speaker 1: grunt those things which we who come to Him by
24:25
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, ask of him according to his revealed will
24:28
Speaker 1: verse nine. In like manner, also that women adorn themselves
24:32
Speaker 1: in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair,
24:36
Speaker 1: or gold, or poles, or costly array. Presept. Three That women,
24:41
Speaker 1: while they pray together with the assembly, and are present
24:43
Speaker 1: in other sacred performances, in their clothes and other habits,
24:46
Speaker 1: compose themselves to honesty and modesty, which will prove a
24:50
Speaker 1: greater ornament to them than if they should come into
24:52
Speaker 1: the public with broidered hair, or gold, or pulls or
24:55
Speaker 1: costly apparel, in which if there be superfluity, the adorning
24:58
Speaker 1: is unlawful and forbidden in this place. Verse ten. But
25:02
Speaker 1: which becometh women professing godliness with good works. He requires
25:06
Speaker 1: further to the adorning of women, both private and public,
25:09
Speaker 1: that they be eminent in good works. The reason whereof
25:12
Speaker 1: is given from their Christian profession, whereby in baptism they
25:15
Speaker 1: promise to renounce the vanity and pomp of the world.
25:18
Speaker 1: Verse eleven. Let the women learn in silence with all subjection.
25:22
Speaker 1: Precept four that women always in church assemblies undertake the
25:26
Speaker 1: part of learners of teachers, never, and that they learn
25:29
Speaker 1: with silence, and that in the acknowledgment of their infirmity
25:32
Speaker 1: and the natural subjection of their sex. Although in personal
25:35
Speaker 1: endowments some women may excel, many men verse twelve. But
25:39
Speaker 1: I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp
25:41
Speaker 1: authority over the man, but to be in silence. He
25:45
Speaker 1: explains the special precept, and according to his authority, forbids
25:48
Speaker 1: women to teach in public usurp authority. The reasons of
25:52
Speaker 1: this prohibition are three. The first reason is contained in
25:55
Speaker 1: the latter part of the prohibition, because should a woman
25:58
Speaker 1: teach publicly, the woman have authority over the man. She
26:02
Speaker 1: should be over and instruct the man who ought with
26:04
Speaker 1: silence to be in subjection to her own husband Verse thirteen.
26:08
Speaker 1: For Adam was first formed, then Eve. Reason two, confirming
26:12
Speaker 1: the former, the manly sex is more worthy than the
26:15
Speaker 1: female for the man Adam was first formed, and not
26:18
Speaker 1: for Eve the woman. But Eve was last formed for
26:20
Speaker 1: the man Adam. Therefore, a woman ought to be prohibited
26:22
Speaker 1: the office of teaching in the church Verse fourteen. And
26:26
Speaker 1: Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was
26:29
Speaker 1: in the transgression. Reason three. The first seducement and sin
26:33
Speaker 1: was not by the man or Adam, but by Eve, who,
26:36
Speaker 1: deceived by the devil, persuaded her husband to transgress the command. Therefore,
26:41
Speaker 1: is it appointed of God that afterward she should be
26:44
Speaker 1: in subjection to her husband, and not publicly teach the man.
26:48
Speaker 1: And these reasons are sufficient that the woman in the church,
26:51
Speaker 1: at least where the matter concerned souls should not have
26:54
Speaker 1: the pre eminence Verse fifteen. Notwithstanding, she shall be saved
26:58
Speaker 1: in child bearing if they can tinue in faith and
27:00
Speaker 1: charity and holiness with sobriety. He answers an objection and
27:05
Speaker 1: comforts the woman with this seclusion from the pastoral office
27:08
Speaker 1: in the church, against the entrance of sin into the
27:10
Speaker 1: world by her, against the subjection of her sex, and
27:14
Speaker 1: against other inconveniences which are consequent to her sex, so
27:17
Speaker 1: that her exclusion from the office of a teacher, nor
27:20
Speaker 1: the evils recited, should hinder the salvation of women, if
27:23
Speaker 1: so be they were induced with true faith and continued
27:26
Speaker 1: therein constantly maintaining charity, holiness, and modesty, and the other
27:30
Speaker 1: fruits of true faith, in their domestic calling, which for
27:32
Speaker 1: the most part and ordinarily is employed in bringing forth
27:35
Speaker 1: and educating children, under which office figuratively all other duties
27:39
Speaker 1: are contained which pertain to a family to which the
27:41
Speaker 1: woman is designed that she attend according to her office
27:44
Speaker 1: in domestical affairs, and the Apostle promiseth that true believing women,
27:49
Speaker 1: no less than believing men or faithful pastors of the church,
27:52
Speaker 1: should obtain eternal life in this their subjection, as certainly
27:56
Speaker 1: and easily as if they had been admitted to the
27:58
Speaker 1: ecclesiastical office of teaching, in which they cannot be saved
28:01
Speaker 1: unless they had such a faith which shows forth in
28:04
Speaker 1: its efficacy by love and good works. End of Chapter
28:08
Speaker 1: two Chapter three of the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy.
28:17
Speaker 1: Analytically expounded by David Dixon. This LibriVox recording is in
28:21
Speaker 1: the public domain. There are two parts of the chapter.
28:25
Speaker 1: In the first is treated of the election of ministers
28:27
Speaker 1: of the Church to verse fourteen. In the other concerning
28:30
Speaker 1: the principal articles of doctrine to be held in the church.
28:33
Speaker 1: To the end, our apostle divides ecclesiastical officers Romans twelve
28:38
Speaker 1: into prophecy and the office of a deacon and a
28:41
Speaker 1: prophecy comprehending pastors and teachers, who in this chapter are
28:44
Speaker 1: called bishops under the office of a deacon, comprehending as
28:47
Speaker 1: here both those elders who had an oversight of the
28:50
Speaker 1: manners and carriage of the church, and deacons properly so called,
28:53
Speaker 1: who were to look to the church goods and the poor.
28:57
Speaker 1: Verse one. This is a true saying. If a man
28:59
Speaker 1: desire the officers of a bishop, he desireth the good
29:01
Speaker 1: work in this verse that he might open the way
29:04
Speaker 1: for describing the properties of a bishop. He commends the
29:07
Speaker 1: pastoral office, premising a grave asseveration as the most honorable
29:11
Speaker 1: function and laborious employment, which whoever desires to that end,
29:15
Speaker 1: that by laboring in the Gospel, he may bring men
29:17
Speaker 1: to eternal salvation by the true worship of God is
29:20
Speaker 1: worthy of commendation. Thus two, a bishop then must be blameless,
29:24
Speaker 1: the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober of good behavior,
29:28
Speaker 1: given to hospitality, apt to teach. He describes the gifts
29:32
Speaker 1: and properties of a bishop i e. Of a pastor
29:34
Speaker 1: and teacher, partly affirmatively, partly negatively, prescribing, as it were,
29:39
Speaker 1: certain rules to be observed in the election of a
29:41
Speaker 1: bishop without rebuke. The properties of a bishop are in
29:45
Speaker 1: number sixteen. First, it behooves a bishop to be unblameable
29:49
Speaker 1: in his life i e. Free from scandals, that he
29:51
Speaker 1: may not justly be accused by men. Nor such a
29:54
Speaker 1: one that is altogether without sin, but such an one
29:57
Speaker 1: as is without scandal of one. Two property. It behooves
30:02
Speaker 1: him to be monoramon, the husband of one wife, which
30:06
Speaker 1: property is not laid down by way of precept, as
30:08
Speaker 1: if it was necessary for a pastor to be married,
30:11
Speaker 1: but by way of limitation, because if he purposed to marry,
30:14
Speaker 1: he ought to content himself with one wife so long
30:16
Speaker 1: as she lives, and to keep himself from polygamy, which
30:19
Speaker 1: was frequent in those times. Vigilant. Three, It behooves him
30:24
Speaker 1: to be vigilant in his office, to take care of
30:26
Speaker 1: those things which lie upon him, in respect to the
30:28
Speaker 1: edifying of the flock and the preservation of it from
30:30
Speaker 1: the snares of spiritual adversaries. Sober. Four It behoves him
30:35
Speaker 1: to be sober in food and apparel, and moderate in
30:38
Speaker 1: his affairs, to manage all things with right reason, undertaking
30:41
Speaker 1: nothing lightly or rashly, but gravely, weighing and considering all
30:45
Speaker 1: his words of good behavior. Five, it behooves him to
30:49
Speaker 1: be of good behavior, neither exposing himself to contempt by
30:52
Speaker 1: his rudeness, nor by his stoical severity. Given to hospitality. Six,
30:57
Speaker 1: it is required that he be given to hospital, and
31:00
Speaker 1: according to his revenues, he be ready to refresh the
31:02
Speaker 1: servants of God those that are in need, especially strangers
31:06
Speaker 1: and banished persons. Apt to teach. Seven. It is required
31:10
Speaker 1: that he be apt to teach I e. That he
31:12
Speaker 1: be not only skillful in divinity and well instructed in
31:15
Speaker 1: the doctrine of Christianity, but also such an one as
31:17
Speaker 1: is skillful to divide the word aright, and to accommodate
31:20
Speaker 1: himself to the capacity and edification of his auditors. Verse three.
31:25
Speaker 1: Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre,
31:28
Speaker 1: but patient, not a brawler, not covetous. Eight It is
31:32
Speaker 1: required that he be not given to wine, or such
31:34
Speaker 1: an one that uses to spend the day in sipping
31:37
Speaker 1: and bibbing of wine, no striker. Verse nine. That he
31:40
Speaker 1: be no striker or prone to strike, either his servants
31:43
Speaker 1: or any others, not greedy of filthy lucre. Ten that
31:47
Speaker 1: he mind not filthy gain, or such an one that
31:50
Speaker 1: minds his gain to the prejudice of his ministerial dignity.
31:53
Speaker 1: Patient eleven. That he be just and moderate in bargaining,
31:57
Speaker 1: and when it is convenient, ready to remit of his
31:59
Speaker 1: own right brawler Twelve, That he be free from strifes
32:03
Speaker 1: and contentions, both in woods and blows, covetous thirteen, That
32:08
Speaker 1: he be free from covetousness, not over much solicitous to
32:11
Speaker 1: increase his estate. Vers. Four. One that ruleth well his
32:15
Speaker 1: own house, having his children, in subjection with all gravity.
32:19
Speaker 1: Fourteen that he understand how to rule his own family,
32:21
Speaker 1: will I e his wife, children, servants if he have them.
32:25
Speaker 1: Verse five. For if a man know not how to
32:28
Speaker 1: rule his own house, how shall he take care of
32:30
Speaker 1: the Church of God? He gives thee reason of these
32:33
Speaker 1: requisite qualifications, because he that knows not how to govern
32:37
Speaker 1: his own house or a little family cannot govern or
32:40
Speaker 1: take care of the Church of God prudently. Verse six.
32:43
Speaker 1: Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he
32:46
Speaker 1: fall into the condemnation of the devil. Fifteen. He requires
32:50
Speaker 1: that he be not a novice or a new sprig
32:52
Speaker 1: of the church. I he newly converted to the true religion,
32:55
Speaker 1: not sufficiently instructed in the mysteries of Godliness, or confirmed
32:59
Speaker 1: by experience, not sufficiently subdued and humbled by the exercises
33:02
Speaker 1: of Christianity. The reason whereof is given, lest being suddenly
33:06
Speaker 1: elevated to the top of ecclesiastical dignity and puffed up,
33:09
Speaker 1: he fall into the fold and condemnation of the devil, who,
33:12
Speaker 1: by reason of pride, abode not in his station, and
33:15
Speaker 1: therefore was rejected of God. For seven Moreover, he must
33:20
Speaker 1: have a good report of them which are without, lest
33:22
Speaker 1: he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Sixteen.
33:26
Speaker 1: The last qualification is that he have a good report
33:28
Speaker 1: from them that are without, or those that are strangers
33:31
Speaker 1: from the church, i e. That he be of good
33:33
Speaker 1: repute amongst all whose conversation his very enemies cannot justly blame.
33:37
Speaker 1: The reason whereof is given, lest he fall into ignominy
33:40
Speaker 1: and reproach and the snare of the devil, who may
33:43
Speaker 1: not only upon that occasion load his person and office
33:45
Speaker 1: with calumnies and reproaches, but render him impudent, regardless of
33:49
Speaker 1: his credit, and at length dissolute in his conversation Verse eight. Likewise,
33:55
Speaker 1: must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given
33:58
Speaker 1: to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre. As to
34:01
Speaker 1: what is required in the election of elders and public treasurers.
34:04
Speaker 1: Nine virtues are requisite in them. One that they be
34:07
Speaker 1: grave i accomplished with honest manners. Two that they be
34:11
Speaker 1: not liars, double tongued, or fraudulent. Three that they be
34:15
Speaker 1: not given to wine. Four that they love not filthy lucre,
34:18
Speaker 1: which may any whit detract from their reputation amongst good
34:21
Speaker 1: men Verse nine, holding the mystery of the faith in
34:24
Speaker 1: a pure conscience. Five That they be rightly instructed in
34:27
Speaker 1: the faith or doctrine of the Gospel revealed from Heaven,
34:30
Speaker 1: and that they maintain this in a firm profession, together
34:33
Speaker 1: with holiness of life, which may be a witness of
34:35
Speaker 1: the purity of their conscience and the sincerity of their faith.
34:39
Speaker 1: Verse ten. And let these also first be proved. Then
34:43
Speaker 1: let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
34:46
Speaker 1: Six That not only the pastors and candidates to higher officers,
34:50
Speaker 1: but also that the deacons be proved before they are
34:53
Speaker 1: admitted to their function, i e. Lest they be obtruded
34:56
Speaker 1: upon the church rashly and without their choice. But that
34:59
Speaker 1: they alone be tes chosen whose former life commends them,
35:02
Speaker 1: so that after trial their fitness appears, and such as
35:05
Speaker 1: cannot justly be blamed. Verse eleven. Even so must their
35:09
Speaker 1: wives be grave, not slanderers, sober faithful in all things,
35:14
Speaker 1: because the dissolute conversations of wives and children turns to
35:17
Speaker 1: the reproach of men. He requires seven that the wives,
35:20
Speaker 1: both of pastors and deacons, be grave, endued with honest behavior,
35:24
Speaker 1: not slanderers, or such as detract from the credit of
35:26
Speaker 1: their neighbors. Studious of sobriety, as also in all affairs
35:30
Speaker 1: faithful Verse twelve. Let the deacons be the husbands of
35:34
Speaker 1: one wife, ruling their children and their own houses will.
35:37
Speaker 1: Eight He requires that deacons be the husbands of one wife,
35:40
Speaker 1: are free from the sin of polygamy. Nine he requires
35:44
Speaker 1: that they understand how to govern their own family will,
35:47
Speaker 1: and to keep their household within the bounds of holy discipline.
35:50
Speaker 1: Verse thirteen. For they that have used the office of
35:53
Speaker 1: a deacon will purchased to themselves a good degree and
35:56
Speaker 1: great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
35:59
Speaker 1: Lest any man should despise the deaconship as a mean office,
36:02
Speaker 1: he teaches that they who have will discharged this office
36:05
Speaker 1: are worthy of honor while they manage it and lay
36:07
Speaker 1: a foundation to a higher degree in the church, and Finally,
36:11
Speaker 1: they gain a large opportunity for the confirming their boldness
36:14
Speaker 1: towards God by faith in Christ, which the faithful administration
36:17
Speaker 1: of their deaconship, as a testimony of the sincerity of
36:20
Speaker 1: their faith, ought to confirm. Second part verse fourteen. These
36:25
Speaker 1: things right I unto THEE, hoping to come unto THEE
36:28
Speaker 1: shortly verse fifteen. But if I tarry long, that thou
36:31
Speaker 1: mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the
36:34
Speaker 1: House of God, which is the Church of the Living God,
36:36
Speaker 1: the pillar and ground of the Truth. The other part
36:39
Speaker 1: of the chapter contains the principal articles of doctrine that
36:42
Speaker 1: are to be maintained in the Church. The first article
36:45
Speaker 1: comprehends the doctrine touching the end of this epistle, and
36:48
Speaker 1: especially of the precedent precepts, which is this, that the
36:51
Speaker 1: rule of governing the church entreated off by the Apostle
36:54
Speaker 1: be always laid before their eyes, which when he came,
36:57
Speaker 1: he would explain and confirm as need required, and by
37:00
Speaker 1: which rule, if he came not the sooner, Timothy might
37:02
Speaker 1: direct the governors of the church how they ought to
37:04
Speaker 1: behave themselves in the House of God, or in governing
37:07
Speaker 1: the Church, the Church of God. Article two contains the
37:11
Speaker 1: doctrine touching the excellency of the Church. One that it
37:15
Speaker 1: is the House of God, wherein He dwells and feeds
37:17
Speaker 1: his family, and wherein he is worshiped. Two that it
37:20
Speaker 1: is the Church of the Living God, or a company
37:23
Speaker 1: called out of the world by the Living God, besides
37:25
Speaker 1: whom all the gods which heathens worship are dead idols.
37:29
Speaker 1: Three That as the Church is called out of the world, forgotten, nourished,
37:33
Speaker 1: and preserved by God by the Truth, that it should
37:35
Speaker 1: be the Church of the Living God. So the truth
37:38
Speaker 1: is sustained as with a pillar and certain buttress, by
37:41
Speaker 1: the Church, because the Church preserves the truth as it
37:44
Speaker 1: were in a treasury. In the Church, only divine truth
37:47
Speaker 1: is held forth to the world, and there hath its
37:49
Speaker 1: seat and abiding and the church alone. It is that
37:52
Speaker 1: by whom ministers takes care that this truth be everywhere preached,
37:55
Speaker 1: proclaimed and communicated, and defends it against all adversaries, and
37:59
Speaker 1: that with weapons properly appertaining to the truth US sixteen
38:04
Speaker 1: and without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness. God
38:08
Speaker 1: was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit scene
38:11
Speaker 1: of angels preached unto the gentiles believed on in the
38:13
Speaker 1: world received up into glory. Article three contains the great
38:18
Speaker 1: Mystery of Godliness and the pillar and ground of all
38:21
Speaker 1: evangelical truths, or the first foundations of the Gospel, whereupon
38:25
Speaker 1: all other saving doctrines lean. Which foundations. The pastors of
38:28
Speaker 1: the Church, by all means ought to defend. The fundamental
38:31
Speaker 1: doctrines which are comprehended in this article, and which are
38:34
Speaker 1: necessary to be acknowledged with an unanimous consent of all
38:37
Speaker 1: true Christians are seven one. The sum of the Gospel
38:40
Speaker 1: is the mystery of Godliness, and that indeed is great.
38:43
Speaker 1: The Gospel is called a mystery because it is hid
38:45
Speaker 1: from natural reason, nor can ever be understood by anyone
38:48
Speaker 1: without divine manifestation and supernatural revelation, so that in this
38:52
Speaker 1: mystery we must not confide in our own reason, but
38:55
Speaker 1: in the Word of God, and that we may understand
38:58
Speaker 1: the Word of God, we must beg illumination the spirit.
39:00
Speaker 1: It is called the mystery of Godliness because it hath
39:03
Speaker 1: for its end Christian piety, which consists in faith and
39:06
Speaker 1: obedience to the commands of Christ, or in faith which
39:09
Speaker 1: worketh by love great. It is called great because it
39:12
Speaker 1: treats of God Christ, the great work of redemption, of
39:15
Speaker 1: the glory of righteousness and divine grace, and our salvation,
39:18
Speaker 1: which of all things are the greatest God. The second
39:22
Speaker 1: fundamental doctrine is this, in the person of Christ, God
39:25
Speaker 1: was manifested in the flesh God viz. The only begotten
39:29
Speaker 1: son of God, and consequently truly and eternally God manifest viz.
39:33
Speaker 1: To the whole world, visibly and openly shone forth in
39:37
Speaker 1: the flesh viz. In the human nature, even mortal and
39:40
Speaker 1: frail but free from sin. He showed forth himself, the
39:43
Speaker 1: true immanual and God with us. And here the two
39:46
Speaker 1: natures are pointed out, the divine which did assume, and
39:49
Speaker 1: the human which was assumed. And the whole debasement of
39:52
Speaker 1: Christ in the flesh is herein contained justified doctrine three.
39:58
Speaker 1: In the person of Christ, God was manifested in the flesh,
40:00
Speaker 1: justified by the spirit i e. Christ, by his divine power,
40:04
Speaker 1: which showed itself forth in his doctrine and life, also
40:07
Speaker 1: in his miracles, especially in his glorious resurrection from the dead,
40:11
Speaker 1: was not only just and true, but also abundantly declared
40:14
Speaker 1: the only begotten Son of God and the supreme Prophet
40:17
Speaker 1: of the Church, and King and priest eternal, and acquitted
40:20
Speaker 1: from all the calumnies and reproaches of the Jews and
40:22
Speaker 1: all his enemies of angels. Doctrine four, God manifested in
40:27
Speaker 1: the flesh was seen of angels. I e acknowledged of
40:30
Speaker 1: the angels, and by the clearer manifestation of His majesty,
40:33
Speaker 1: and also of the divine will Christ, God Incarnate, was
40:37
Speaker 1: more apparently seen. And therefore the angels are made use
40:40
Speaker 1: of by God as fit witnesses of the conception, birth, suffering,
40:44
Speaker 1: and resurrection of Christ. Who hitherto admire this mystery, amazed
40:48
Speaker 1: with the excellency of the matter, desire further to look
40:50
Speaker 1: into it, stooping down to behold the things which are
40:52
Speaker 1: revealed to the Church by the Spirit one Peter one,
40:55
Speaker 1: verse twelve, Aphesians three, verse ten. For touching the manner
40:59
Speaker 1: of our redemption, it was thought meet to conceal it
41:01
Speaker 1: from the angels for a time, that the goodness of
41:03
Speaker 1: God might be the more admired preached. Doctrine five. God
41:08
Speaker 1: manifest in the flesh and preached to the gentiles as
41:10
Speaker 1: a great mystery. For it is a wonderful thing that
41:13
Speaker 1: the gentiles, who as yet wandered in the blindness of
41:15
Speaker 1: their minds, should have the revelation of the Son of God,
41:18
Speaker 1: which doctrine was at first concealed from the apostles themselves,
41:21
Speaker 1: as also from the angels of Heaven believed on Doctrine six.
41:26
Speaker 1: It is no small part of this mystery that the
41:28
Speaker 1: efficacy of the Gospel should be such in the world,
41:31
Speaker 1: which lies in evil, and is contrary under God by
41:33
Speaker 1: the labor of mean men, and no ways garnished with
41:36
Speaker 1: human splendor, when all passages were stopped and locked up,
41:40
Speaker 1: the faith of Christ, conquering all difficulties, should be entertained
41:43
Speaker 1: and gain the victory after an incredible manner, so that
41:46
Speaker 1: the name of Christ is believed in and acknowledged in
41:48
Speaker 1: the world, which waysoever the preaching of the Gospel spreads
41:51
Speaker 1: itself received up Doctrine seven. The mystery is great and
41:56
Speaker 1: worthy of admiration that Christ, who, in the infirmity of
41:58
Speaker 1: the flesh, in the most abject condition of a servant,
42:01
Speaker 1: lay hid so many years in the world, and at
42:03
Speaker 1: length crucified, seeming to end his life most miserably yet
42:07
Speaker 1: notwithstanding should be received up into glory. From whence, sending
42:10
Speaker 1: the Holy Ghost and giving gifts unto men. To this
42:13
Speaker 1: very day he manifests the glory of his deity, showing
42:17
Speaker 1: what power he hath in heaven and earth, that all
42:19
Speaker 1: things are put under his feet. These are the doctrines
42:22
Speaker 1: which he wills the churches to hold fast from. Whence
42:25
Speaker 1: all the rest derive their original and establishment. End of
42:29
Speaker 1: chapter three. Chapter four of the First Epistle of Pole
42:38
Speaker 1: to Timothy. Analytically expounded by David Dixon. This LibriVox recording
42:43
Speaker 1: is in the public domain. He proceeds to the instruction
42:47
Speaker 1: of Timothy how he ought to carry himself in the
42:49
Speaker 1: House of God. There are two parts of the chapter.
42:51
Speaker 1: In the first, he forewarns him about apostasy from the
42:54
Speaker 1: true faith, which would fall out in the church in
42:56
Speaker 1: the last times, to verse six. In the latter part,
42:59
Speaker 1: he sets down the duties of a good pastor and
43:01
Speaker 1: governor of the church, whereby they might preserve themselves and
43:04
Speaker 1: their people free from that defection and apostasy. Verse one.
43:08
Speaker 1: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times
43:11
Speaker 1: some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
43:14
Speaker 1: spirits and doctrines of devils. As to what concerns the
43:18
Speaker 1: prophecy of the future apostasy from the faith or sound
43:20
Speaker 1: doctrine of the Gospel, he premises four things, whereof the
43:24
Speaker 1: first is concerning the certainty of the defection, because the
43:27
Speaker 1: Holy Ghost, not obscurely or darkly, but expressly forewarned them
43:31
Speaker 1: of this apostasy, and foretold them of the times immediately
43:34
Speaker 1: following wherein the defection from the faith should begin and
43:37
Speaker 1: should prevail in the visible Church. The second contains three
43:40
Speaker 1: causes of their defection. Cause one deceiving spirits i he devils,
43:45
Speaker 1: authors of all kinds of errors and impostures. Cause two
43:48
Speaker 1: false teachers who taught and propagated by the inspiration of
43:51
Speaker 1: the Devil, false doctrines or doctrines of devils invented by
43:54
Speaker 1: him in the church. Cause three attention hearkening to and
43:58
Speaker 1: miserable men giving credit to those teachers and devils, those
44:02
Speaker 1: two speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with
44:06
Speaker 1: an hot iron. In the third place, he describes those
44:09
Speaker 1: diabolical teachers or instruments of the Devil by whom the
44:13
Speaker 1: devils bring in those false doctrines into the Church from
44:16
Speaker 1: two properties. One, there shall be hypocrites counterfeiting themselves lovers
44:20
Speaker 1: of the truth in all things. Even then, when they
44:23
Speaker 1: obtrude their false opinions upon the Church, they shall dissemble
44:26
Speaker 1: holiness and sanctity, while they cry up their fictions as
44:29
Speaker 1: the worship of God. Two, they shall have consciences seared
44:32
Speaker 1: with an hot iron, because they shall speak and do
44:35
Speaker 1: many things against the dictative conscience. Nor shall they be
44:38
Speaker 1: affected with any sorrow after they have offended God and
44:41
Speaker 1: destroyed the souls of men by their sacrileges. Heenous wickednesses
44:45
Speaker 1: and false doctrines. Verse three, forbidding to marry and commanding
44:49
Speaker 1: to abstain from meats which God hath created, to be
44:51
Speaker 1: received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
44:55
Speaker 1: In the fourth place, he propounds two examples of these
44:58
Speaker 1: diabolical doctrines in things indifferent by which doctrines, as by
45:02
Speaker 1: certain marks, we may know those diabolical teachers with their
45:05
Speaker 1: apostate followers. The first is forbidding to marry, which error
45:08
Speaker 1: it matters not what authors it hath, besides the devil
45:11
Speaker 1: it hath. The Pontifician's patronage with whom it hath of
45:15
Speaker 1: a long time been favored, and still is, from the
45:18
Speaker 1: time that all their clergy was enjoined singleness of life.
45:21
Speaker 1: Another doctrine of devils is about the choice of meats
45:24
Speaker 1: and abstaining from some as impure, which error amongst the
45:27
Speaker 1: Romanists is urged, observed, defended with more religion than the
45:31
Speaker 1: most exercises of piety and justice prescribed by God, which
45:35
Speaker 1: God he proves by six reasons. The latter branch of
45:38
Speaker 1: this doctrine touching the forbidding of certain meats for religion's sake,
45:42
Speaker 1: to be false and diabolical. First, from the end of
45:45
Speaker 1: the creation, because God had created all kinds of meat
45:49
Speaker 1: to that end that we should partake of them and
45:51
Speaker 1: feed upon them. Therefore, it is a diabolical doctrine which
45:54
Speaker 1: gives precepts about the avoiding certain meats when God affords
45:57
Speaker 1: them and their uses seasonable and convenient thanksgiving. Reason two,
46:02
Speaker 1: God will have all kinds of meats acknowledged for favors
46:04
Speaker 1: and therefore received with thanksgiving. Therefore, the doctrine of avoiding
46:08
Speaker 1: and refusing certain meats when God affords them is diabolical
46:12
Speaker 1: of them, which believe. Reason three, the use of the creatures,
46:15
Speaker 1: whensoever it is convenient, is allowed of God to believers
46:18
Speaker 1: or to those who have the knowledge of the Gospel. Therefore,
46:21
Speaker 1: to prohibit any meats to Christians to which they have
46:24
Speaker 1: right granted and may be convenient to nature is the
46:28
Speaker 1: doctrine of devils. Verse four. For every creature is good
46:31
Speaker 1: and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving.
46:35
Speaker 1: Reason four. Generally touching upon the forbidding of marriage and meats,
46:39
Speaker 1: whatsoever God hath created is good in its lawful use
46:42
Speaker 1: as meet, marriage, and the rest of the creatures. For
46:46
Speaker 1: God looked upon what he had created, and behold it
46:48
Speaker 1: was very good. Therefore, the doctrine that prohibits the natural,
46:52
Speaker 1: lawful use of the creatures of God is diabolical nor anything.
46:56
Speaker 1: Reason five. None of the creatures or ordinances of God
46:59
Speaker 1: are to be a redgie rejected if they be used
47:01
Speaker 1: lawfully and with thanksgiving. Therefore, the doctrine that rejects marriage
47:04
Speaker 1: or meets when the use of them may be lawful
47:06
Speaker 1: and convenient, is the doctrine of devils. Verse five, for
47:10
Speaker 1: it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.
47:13
Speaker 1: Reason six, confirming the former. Every creature of God, as meet, marriage,
47:17
Speaker 1: et cetera, is sanctified to us for a lawful use,
47:20
Speaker 1: joined with a good conscience by the Word of God
47:22
Speaker 1: and prayer. For by the word of God will the
47:24
Speaker 1: divine ordinance. We understand a liberty and right restored to
47:28
Speaker 1: us by Christ, and by prayer. We acknowledge the gift
47:30
Speaker 1: of God and desire his blessing. Therefore, the doctrine which
47:33
Speaker 1: commands us to abstain from the creatures and makes them impure,
47:37
Speaker 1: when God hath sanctified and prepared them for a holy
47:39
Speaker 1: use and vouchsafed them to us, is diabolical. The second
47:44
Speaker 1: part for six, if thou put the brethren in remembrance
47:48
Speaker 1: of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of
47:50
Speaker 1: Christ Jesus, nourished up in the words of faith and
47:52
Speaker 1: of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. The second part
47:56
Speaker 1: of the chapter follows, containing the duties of Timothy in
47:59
Speaker 1: the execution of his present embassage. The exhortations are four
48:03
Speaker 1: mind exhortation one that he proposed to thee brethren, the
48:08
Speaker 1: admonitions hitherto expounded and remember them of them there are
48:11
Speaker 1: two reasons of the exhortation. A good reason one, if
48:16
Speaker 1: they do these things, thou shalt show thyself a famous
48:19
Speaker 1: minister of Christ, and careful that all things be managed
48:22
Speaker 1: in the house of God according to His will, nourished up.
48:26
Speaker 1: Reason two, thou shalt demonstrate thyself nourished up in sound doctrine,
48:30
Speaker 1: as it were, with wholesome food, which thou hast detained
48:33
Speaker 1: from my teaching, from whom thou hast never been absent.
48:37
Speaker 1: Thus seven, but refuse old wives fables and exercise thyself
48:41
Speaker 1: rather unto godliness. Exhortation two that rejecting human traditions and
48:45
Speaker 1: the inventions of men devised to support their traditions, as
48:48
Speaker 1: it were profane fables with which old women and children
48:51
Speaker 1: are taken, rather than wise men, he exercise himself in
48:55
Speaker 1: solid virtues which are prescribed of God, to the promoting
48:58
Speaker 1: of piety and the worship of God, and that he
49:00
Speaker 1: take care that others exercise themselves therein verse eight, for
49:05
Speaker 1: bodily exercise profitedce little, but godliness is profitable unto all things,
49:09
Speaker 1: having the promise of the life that now is and
49:11
Speaker 1: that which is to come. The reasons of this exhortation
49:15
Speaker 1: are four. One because those bodily exercises in watchings and
49:19
Speaker 1: abstinence from meats, and such like voluntary kinds of afflicting
49:23
Speaker 1: themselves which are prescribed in the precepts of men, are
49:26
Speaker 1: profitable to little i e. They do not recompense the
49:29
Speaker 1: labor with their advantage, but are altogether unprofitable. For the
49:33
Speaker 1: due use of such exercises, when God calls us extraordinarily
49:36
Speaker 1: to them, are profitable helps, but commanded by men as superstitious,
49:39
Speaker 1: they are disadvantageous godliness. Reason two. Christian piety, which is
49:44
Speaker 1: exacted by divine precepts, is profitable to all things, whether
49:48
Speaker 1: to ourselves or others, whether we regard the present or
49:50
Speaker 1: the world to come, because it hath the divine promise
49:53
Speaker 1: of happiness in this and that life, which is eternal
49:56
Speaker 1: verse nine. This is a faithful saying and worthy of
49:58
Speaker 1: all acceptation. Reason three, confirming both the exhortation and the precedent.
50:03
Speaker 1: Reason because this doctrine, touching the rejecting the inventions of
50:06
Speaker 1: men and following the exercises of true godliness, is a
50:09
Speaker 1: true saying which will deceive no man, and indeed a
50:13
Speaker 1: saving doctrine. And therefore such as all men ought to
50:16
Speaker 1: embrace and defend Verse ten. For therefore we both labor
50:20
Speaker 1: and suffer reproach because we trust in the Living God,
50:23
Speaker 1: who is the savior of all men, especially of those
50:25
Speaker 1: that believe. Reason four, confirming the former reasons, because we
50:29
Speaker 1: suffer afflictions and straits, labors and reproach enough from unjust
50:33
Speaker 1: persecutors for rejecting the inventions of men and defending of
50:36
Speaker 1: true Godliness, which consists in the exercises of faith and obedience,
50:40
Speaker 1: and those afflictions we bear valiantly from the hope of
50:43
Speaker 1: the promises which are made to us that walk in
50:45
Speaker 1: this way of Godliness, therefore, rejecting the inventions of men
50:48
Speaker 1: follow after Godliness living. He amplifies this reason and confirms
50:53
Speaker 1: it from two properties in God in whom we trust.
50:56
Speaker 1: The first is God is the living God, not only
50:59
Speaker 1: subjectively or as to the subject actuous, but also effectually
51:03
Speaker 1: or in respect of us, He that gives life, whoso
51:06
Speaker 1: performs his promises, that we know him to be the
51:08
Speaker 1: author of truth and life. Secondly, God is the savior
51:12
Speaker 1: of all men, as it is said Psalm thirty six,
51:14
Speaker 1: thou preservest man and beast by his general goodness, nourishing
51:18
Speaker 1: and supporting all men, making his son to rise upon
51:20
Speaker 1: the just and unjust, but chiefly and upon a more
51:24
Speaker 1: special ground, the savior of believers, who, relying upon his
51:27
Speaker 1: promises concerning the happiness of the life to come, renounce
51:31
Speaker 1: and reject human inventions and opinions, even in the dangers
51:34
Speaker 1: of persecution, and follow after the exercises of godliness. Verse eleven.
51:39
Speaker 1: These things command and teach. He repeats and amplifies. This exhortation.
51:44
Speaker 1: He entreats Timothy, according to his authority, that he commends
51:47
Speaker 1: this doctrine to his brethren to be taught and urged,
51:50
Speaker 1: and that he himself also diligently press it. Verse twelve.
51:54
Speaker 1: Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an
51:57
Speaker 1: example of believers in word, in conversation, in charity, and spirit,
52:01
Speaker 1: in faith, in purity. Exhortation three. That he endeavored to
52:05
Speaker 1: maintain his authority, and to this end, lest any one
52:08
Speaker 1: should have just cause of despising his youth. He commands
52:11
Speaker 1: him to show himself a pattern and, as it were,
52:14
Speaker 1: a speaking rule in life and doctrine, in word and deed,
52:18
Speaker 1: in whom love to God and his neighbor, spiritual affection,
52:20
Speaker 1: fidelity in his office, chastity or purity from defilements with
52:24
Speaker 1: which they who are given to calnel pleasures used to
52:26
Speaker 1: pollute themselves, may shine forth. Verse thirteen, till I come
52:30
Speaker 1: give attendance to reading. To exhortation to doctrine exhortation four
52:35
Speaker 1: that he diligently apply himself to his office of teaching,
52:38
Speaker 1: partly by diligent reading the scripture, partly in frequent exercising
52:41
Speaker 1: himself in preaching, especially so long as he may abide
52:45
Speaker 1: in one place, and by name, so long as he
52:47
Speaker 1: should continue at Ephesus, for such an occasion could not
52:50
Speaker 1: easily be expected after the Apostles, coming by reason of
52:53
Speaker 1: his travels with the apostle. Verse fourteen. Neglect not the
52:58
Speaker 1: gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy,
53:00
Speaker 1: with the laying on the hands of the presbytery. The
53:04
Speaker 1: reasons of this exhortations, so often repeated and pressed, are five.
53:08
Speaker 1: One because that holy office of an evangelist, whereunto he
53:11
Speaker 1: was called, is the gift of God's grace, and therefore
53:14
Speaker 1: not to be neglected. Given reason two because this office
53:18
Speaker 1: of preaching is committed to THEE by a special prophetical
53:20
Speaker 1: revelation which God put into the prophets, that Timothy should
53:23
Speaker 1: be taken into the ministry of the Gospel. Therefore thou
53:26
Speaker 1: orderest not to manage it negligently laying on of hands.
53:30
Speaker 1: Reason three, because thou art also called by the Church
53:33
Speaker 1: to this office by the laying on of the hands
53:35
Speaker 1: of the presbytery, that is, the college of presbyters, amongst
53:38
Speaker 1: whom for the time Paul himself was president, who, in
53:41
Speaker 1: the name of the presbytery, and together with other presbyters,
53:44
Speaker 1: laid his hands upon him, as it appears by comparing
53:46
Speaker 1: to Timothy one verse six, by which imposition of hands
53:49
Speaker 1: they intimated that the man was consecrated and dedicated unto God. Therefore,
53:54
Speaker 1: the execution of thy office, so solemnly committed unto THEE,
53:57
Speaker 1: is not to be neglected by THEE. Verse fifteen, Meditate
54:00
Speaker 1: upon these things, give thyself wholly to them, that thy
54:03
Speaker 1: profiting may appear to all. Reason four, this ministry is
54:07
Speaker 1: to be heeded, so as that thy profiting in doctrine,
54:11
Speaker 1: and also in life, or in all the parts of
54:13
Speaker 1: thy ministry, may evidently appear unto all. Therefore it is
54:17
Speaker 1: thy duty serious THEE to attend to thy ministry with
54:19
Speaker 1: mature deliberation and meditation. For sixteen, take heed unto thyself
54:24
Speaker 1: and unto the doctrine, continue in them. For in doing
54:27
Speaker 1: this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear THEE.
54:31
Speaker 1: Reason five, because so as an instrumental cause, thou shalt
54:35
Speaker 1: bring those that hear THEE to eternal salvation. Therefore it
54:38
Speaker 1: behooves THEE constantly to attend to Thy life and doctrine
54:41
Speaker 1: in this thy ministry. End of chapter four. Chapter five
54:51
Speaker 1: of the First Epistle of Pole to Timothy analytically expounded
54:55
Speaker 1: by David Dixon. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
55:00
Speaker 1: In this chapter he instructs Timothy how he ought to
55:02
Speaker 1: carry himself in private admonitions towards all, and how towards
55:06
Speaker 1: widows and distribute the alms of the church, and how
55:08
Speaker 1: towards presbyters. The parts of the chapter are three. In
55:11
Speaker 1: the first, private admonitions are handled to verse three. The
55:15
Speaker 1: second part concerns widows to verse seventeen. The third concerns
55:18
Speaker 1: presbyters to the end verse one. Rebuke not an elderbout
55:22
Speaker 1: entreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren.
55:25
Speaker 1: As touching the first part of the precept concerning private admonitions,
55:28
Speaker 1: there are four branches of it. One concerning the elder sort,
55:31
Speaker 1: whom he would have gently dealt with all with a
55:34
Speaker 1: modest exhortation rather than a severe reprehension, that honor may
55:38
Speaker 1: be given to their age, according to the fifth precept,
55:42
Speaker 1: two that the younger sort be admonished with expression of
55:45
Speaker 1: brotherly love, us two the elder women as mothers, the
55:49
Speaker 1: younger as sisters, with all purity. Three that the elder
55:53
Speaker 1: women be admonished with due respect to their age, that
55:56
Speaker 1: the admonition may be more acceptable. Four that the younger
56:00
Speaker 1: women be admonished as sisters. But he adds, with all
56:02
Speaker 1: purity or expressions of chastity left by occasion of their
56:05
Speaker 1: private discourse. Whilst admonishing the devil ensnare them in their
56:09
Speaker 1: chastity or credit, whether Timothy admonishing or the woman that
56:12
Speaker 1: is admonished. The second part, verse three honor widows that
56:16
Speaker 1: are widows. Indeed, the second part of the chapter follows,
56:19
Speaker 1: wherein he gives seven precepts concerning earlier morcenary widows who
56:24
Speaker 1: were to be kept by the public charges of the church.
56:27
Speaker 1: Precept one, that He honor widows, indeed, i e. That
56:32
Speaker 1: He take care they be provided for by the public
56:34
Speaker 1: charges of the Church, and so he should preserve their
56:37
Speaker 1: reputation lest being reduced to poverty they become contemptible. Verse four.
56:41
Speaker 1: But if any widow have children or nephews, let them
56:44
Speaker 1: learn first to show piety at home and to requite
56:46
Speaker 1: their parents, for that is good and acceptable before God.
56:50
Speaker 1: Precept two, that He should not burden the church in
56:53
Speaker 1: providing for those widows who might be provided for by
56:55
Speaker 1: their children or nephews. Might take care that the children
56:58
Speaker 1: and nephews before formed the duty of piety first towards
57:02
Speaker 1: their own families, their mothers and grandmothers. There are two
57:06
Speaker 1: reasons of the precept. Reason one, because so they should
57:09
Speaker 1: requite their parents, who had trained up their children with
57:11
Speaker 1: this hope that their children, if need were, might and
57:15
Speaker 1: the pelar yenn, after the manner of storks, nourish and
57:19
Speaker 1: cherish their aged and weak parents destitute of sustenance. For
57:24
Speaker 1: that reason two, because this duty performed towards parents is
57:28
Speaker 1: acceptable to God and enjoined by him. Verse five Now
57:31
Speaker 1: she that is a widow, indeed and desolate, trusteth in God,
57:34
Speaker 1: and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. Precept three,
57:40
Speaker 1: that he observe in the choice of widows, that she
57:42
Speaker 1: which has chosen be not without the qualifications of a
57:44
Speaker 1: true widow or a Christian widow, to be provided for
57:47
Speaker 1: by the Church. He here sets down four qualifications. One
57:51
Speaker 1: it is required that she be alone, i e. Destitute
57:54
Speaker 1: of children and nephews and all human supply. Two that
57:58
Speaker 1: she be faithful, trusting in God, getting her living by
58:00
Speaker 1: evil courses, but relying upon God. Three that she be
58:04
Speaker 1: daily given to the exercises of piety. For six, but
58:08
Speaker 1: she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth
58:11
Speaker 1: Four that she be not of the number of wanton
58:14
Speaker 1: widows who indulge themselves in idleness and pleasures, not regarding
58:17
Speaker 1: the exercises of godliness. Dead. The reason of this qualification
58:22
Speaker 1: is given because those unprofitable women am as it were
58:25
Speaker 1: dead while they live, both in respect to God, whom
58:28
Speaker 1: they do not serve, and in respect to human society,
58:31
Speaker 1: whom they no ways endeavor to benefit by their work.
58:34
Speaker 1: For seven, And these things give in charge that they
58:37
Speaker 1: may be blameless. He shuts up the precept of urging
58:40
Speaker 1: any further qualifications of widows, indeed taking a reason from
58:44
Speaker 1: the end that all widows, whoever they are, learn to
58:46
Speaker 1: live unblameably. Verse eight. But if any provide not for
58:50
Speaker 1: his own and especially for those of his own house,
58:52
Speaker 1: he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.
58:55
Speaker 1: Precept four of censuring those who refuse to provide for
58:58
Speaker 1: widows their mothers or mothers, as is prescribed in the
59:01
Speaker 1: second precept of this chapter, viz. That they should be
59:04
Speaker 1: excommunicated by the Church and account at deserters of the
59:07
Speaker 1: Christian doctrine for heathens or infidels, till they repent, which
59:10
Speaker 1: is the consequence of excommunication. Verse nine. Let not a
59:14
Speaker 1: widower be taken into the number and a three score
59:17
Speaker 1: years old, having been the wife of one man. Precept
59:20
Speaker 1: five of observing three other qualifications requisite in the admission
59:24
Speaker 1: of widows to the common table, that they may be
59:27
Speaker 1: sustained by the public charges. One that she be a
59:29
Speaker 1: widow sixty years old at the least, at which age
59:32
Speaker 1: the desires of the flesh begin to abate and are
59:34
Speaker 1: unable by the labor of their hands to get their living.
59:38
Speaker 1: Two that she hath been the wife of one husband,
59:40
Speaker 1: or hath not violated the laws of marriage. Whereupon it
59:43
Speaker 1: may be hoped she is a chaste and continent woman.
59:46
Speaker 1: Verse ten well reported. Are for good works. If she
59:49
Speaker 1: have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if
59:52
Speaker 1: she have washed the saint's feet, if she have relieved
59:55
Speaker 1: the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
59:59
Speaker 1: Three that she have a testimonial of her piety declared
1:00:02
Speaker 1: in her deeds and works, especially in these five, which
1:00:05
Speaker 1: may demonstrate her meet to serve the poor when they
1:00:07
Speaker 1: are sick viz. One if she bring up her children honestly.
1:00:11
Speaker 1: Two if she hath been given to hospitality. Three if
1:00:14
Speaker 1: she have submitted to the lowest officers of charity, or
1:00:17
Speaker 1: was ready to submit, even to wash the saint's feet
1:00:19
Speaker 1: if need required. For if she have succored those that
1:00:23
Speaker 1: were afflicted. Finally, if she hath exercised herself in all
1:00:26
Speaker 1: sorts of good works verse eleven. But the younger widows refuse,
1:00:30
Speaker 1: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ,
1:00:33
Speaker 1: they will marry. Precept six that they admit not into
1:00:37
Speaker 1: the College of Widows those that are younger widows when
1:00:40
Speaker 1: they have et cetera. He gives two reasons. Reason one,
1:00:43
Speaker 1: because there is danger lest being pampered with the Church's bread.
1:00:46
Speaker 1: They begin to wax wanton against Christ, as some younger
1:00:49
Speaker 1: widows have done already, and despairing of marriage in the Church,
1:00:53
Speaker 1: they think of falling away from the faith of Christ,
1:00:55
Speaker 1: and afterwards openly revolt that they may marry some infidel
1:00:58
Speaker 1: out of the church verse twelve, having damnation because they
1:01:02
Speaker 1: have cast off their first faith. He seems to point
1:01:05
Speaker 1: at some widows of this sort, whose condition he shows
1:01:07
Speaker 1: to be damnable and miserable upon this, that they have
1:01:10
Speaker 1: rejected the profession of their faith, which they first made
1:01:13
Speaker 1: in baptism verse thirteen. And with all they learn to
1:01:17
Speaker 1: be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not
1:01:19
Speaker 1: only idle, but talkers also, and busy bodies, speaking things
1:01:23
Speaker 1: which they ought not reason too. Because the younger widows,
1:01:27
Speaker 1: as it seems to be evident upon experience, will become
1:01:29
Speaker 1: idle wanderers, triflers, busy bodies, prattlers, wandering from house to house,
1:01:34
Speaker 1: curiously inquisitive into other bodies, matters and speaking things which
1:01:38
Speaker 1: they ought not Verse fourteen. I will therefore that the
1:01:41
Speaker 1: younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none
1:01:45
Speaker 1: occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully Precepts seven, or
1:01:49
Speaker 1: concession that the younger widows marry in the Lord rather
1:01:52
Speaker 1: than be burdensome to the church, and that they look
1:01:54
Speaker 1: after household affairs as it becomes wives none. He adds
1:01:58
Speaker 1: two reasons of the precept, One lest by their unconstancy
1:02:02
Speaker 1: and other offenses, they give occasion to the adversaries or
1:02:04
Speaker 1: infidels to speak evil of the professors of the Gospel
1:02:08
Speaker 1: Verse fifteen, for some are already turned aside after Satan.
1:02:12
Speaker 1: Two because it is found by experience that some younger
1:02:15
Speaker 1: widows have declined the true religion and have betaken themselves
1:02:18
Speaker 1: to the tents of Satan, out of the territories of
1:02:20
Speaker 1: the Church. Verse sixteen. If any man or woman that
1:02:24
Speaker 1: believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not
1:02:28
Speaker 1: the Church be charged that it may relieve them that
1:02:30
Speaker 1: our widows. Indeed, he inculcates the second precept whereof verse
1:02:34
Speaker 1: four of succoring widows by their children or nephews, adding
1:02:37
Speaker 1: two reasons, one that the church be not burdened with
1:02:40
Speaker 1: unnecessary charges, two lest there should not be sufficient to
1:02:44
Speaker 1: maintain those that are widows. Indeed, from whence it appears
1:02:47
Speaker 1: that if there were no poor and honest widows in
1:02:50
Speaker 1: the church of sixty years old, there was no necessity
1:02:52
Speaker 1: to make provision for any and by consequence, the ministry
1:02:55
Speaker 1: of women in the deaconship was not needful, unless by
1:02:58
Speaker 1: accident they be maintained by the public charge, that they
1:03:01
Speaker 1: be not altogether unprofitable. The third part of the chapter
1:03:05
Speaker 1: for seventeen, Let the elders that rule well be counted
1:03:08
Speaker 1: worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the
1:03:11
Speaker 1: word and doctrine. The third part of the chapter concerning presbyters,
1:03:15
Speaker 1: contains five precepts. Precept one that an honorable stipend be
1:03:19
Speaker 1: afforded to the presbyters who will discharge their duty in
1:03:22
Speaker 1: feeding the church. And it is said, let them be
1:03:25
Speaker 1: accounted worthy, because if perhaps in some poorer churches the
1:03:28
Speaker 1: maintenance be not sufficient, or if it shall seem good
1:03:31
Speaker 1: to some elders, upon reasons known to themselves, to serve
1:03:34
Speaker 1: the church freely, in such a case, it is fitting
1:03:36
Speaker 1: that they be accounted at leastwise worthy of double honor
1:03:39
Speaker 1: or a liberal stipend, whether they exacted or not. Especially,
1:03:43
Speaker 1: he makes two orders of these elders. One that labor
1:03:46
Speaker 1: in the word and doctrine, such are pastors and doctors.
1:03:50
Speaker 1: Another of those that rule well, i e. That endeavor
1:03:52
Speaker 1: to govern the church in life and manners, but labor
1:03:55
Speaker 1: not in the word end doctrine. Such are elders, which
1:03:57
Speaker 1: are called rulers. One Corinthians twelve, verse two, vy eight
1:04:00
Speaker 1: Romans twelve, verse eight. He would have both these kinds
1:04:04
Speaker 1: of elders rightly managing their officers, accounted worthy of double honour,
1:04:07
Speaker 1: but especially those that labour in the word and doctrine,
1:04:10
Speaker 1: because they are wholly set apart to the word and prayer.
1:04:13
Speaker 1: Therefore it is fitting that they should be liberally maintained.
1:04:16
Speaker 1: He calls the stipend given them by the name of
1:04:18
Speaker 1: honour because of such moment as their work, that it
1:04:21
Speaker 1: cannot be valued at any rate, and because the stipend
1:04:23
Speaker 1: which has allowed them is to be given not upon
1:04:26
Speaker 1: the account of wages, but an honorary or an honorable
1:04:29
Speaker 1: reward verse eighteen. For the scripture saith thou shalt not
1:04:33
Speaker 1: muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn, and the
1:04:35
Speaker 1: laborer is worthy of his reward. He lays down two
1:04:39
Speaker 1: reasons of the precept. One from Deuteronomy twenty five, verse four,
1:04:42
Speaker 1: where from the allegory of an ox treading out the
1:04:44
Speaker 1: corn with his feet, God commands that the pastors of
1:04:47
Speaker 1: the church should be maintained, reasoning from the greater to
1:04:50
Speaker 1: the less worthy. Two from Leviticus nine or Luke eighteen,
1:04:54
Speaker 1: verse seven, where from the precept of giving a due
1:04:57
Speaker 1: reward to the labor it is gathered from the less
1:05:00
Speaker 1: the greater honour is much more to be repaid to
1:05:02
Speaker 1: him who is not in hireling, but a father and
1:05:05
Speaker 1: a laborious pastor verse nineteen. Against an elder receive not
1:05:10
Speaker 1: an accusation but before two or three witnesses. Precept two
1:05:14
Speaker 1: that an accusation against an elder be not received or
1:05:16
Speaker 1: taken for true, unless upon the testimony of three witnesses,
1:05:20
Speaker 1: or at the least two worthy of credit, it be affilmed.
1:05:23
Speaker 1: And that which is here spoken to Timothy alone is
1:05:25
Speaker 1: spoken to all that sit in the presbytery, because otherwhere
1:05:28
Speaker 1: judgment is committed to the whole presbytery. YEA what is
1:05:31
Speaker 1: spoken here to Timothy is spoken to the whole presbytery
1:05:33
Speaker 1: at Ephesus, touching the administration of the whole discipline of
1:05:36
Speaker 1: the Church, Acts twenty verse twenty eight. Timothy the evangelist
1:05:40
Speaker 1: in the meantime might exercise extraordinary power, as he was
1:05:43
Speaker 1: an evangelist, and the apostles legate verse twenty them that
1:05:47
Speaker 1: sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear Precept
1:05:51
Speaker 1: three of avoiding scandals if the elders or any other
1:05:54
Speaker 1: in the church should offend openly, that they be publicly reproved.
1:05:58
Speaker 1: The reason is that the rest may be afraid being
1:06:00
Speaker 1: admonished by their example, and may take heed to themselves
1:06:04
Speaker 1: that they do not offend. Verse twenty one. I charge
1:06:07
Speaker 1: thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the
1:06:09
Speaker 1: elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one
1:06:12
Speaker 1: before the other, doing nothing by partiality. Precept four, in
1:06:18
Speaker 1: which by way of Epiphonemma, he most gravely charges Timothy
1:06:22
Speaker 1: and in him all ecclesiastical judges, that nothing be done
1:06:25
Speaker 1: in church affears or censures with partiality, or that nothing
1:06:28
Speaker 1: in these precepts be altered upon the accepting of any
1:06:30
Speaker 1: man's person Verse twenty two, lay hands suddenly on no man,
1:06:35
Speaker 1: neither be partakers of other men's sins. Keep thyself pure.
1:06:38
Speaker 1: Precept five that he do not rashly receive any one
1:06:42
Speaker 1: into the sacred Ministry without mature deliberation and examination proceeding.
1:06:46
Speaker 1: He do not lay hands, which was the sign of ordination,
1:06:49
Speaker 1: upon any one. He gives two reasons of it. Neither
1:06:53
Speaker 1: reason one, lest if he should ordain one unfitting in
1:06:56
Speaker 1: this very thing, he should communicate with him in his sins,
1:06:59
Speaker 1: and by consequence, in his punishments thyself. Reason too, because
1:07:03
Speaker 1: thou oughtest to keep thyself pure from defilements, and therefore
1:07:07
Speaker 1: from the ordaining of an unworthy man. If happily the
1:07:10
Speaker 1: rest of the Presbytery at any time shall determine to
1:07:12
Speaker 1: admit an unfit man to the Ministry, or one that
1:07:15
Speaker 1: is not approved, keep thyself pure. Neither consent thou, but
1:07:18
Speaker 1: labour by all means, so to preserve purity and holiness,
1:07:21
Speaker 1: that thou keep off from all affinity with sin, as
1:07:24
Speaker 1: much as in thee lies. He explains the parts of
1:07:27
Speaker 1: this precept in the two next following verses. The meaning
1:07:29
Speaker 1: of the latter part of being himself pure verse twenty three,
1:07:33
Speaker 1: and shows the meaning of the former part verse twenty four.
1:07:36
Speaker 1: Verse twenty three, drink no longer water, but use a
1:07:38
Speaker 1: little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities
1:07:42
Speaker 1: as to the latter part of the precept of keeping
1:07:44
Speaker 1: himself pure. Because the Apostle knew that Timothy, by reason
1:07:48
Speaker 1: of his earnest endeavors after purity and chastity, had been
1:07:51
Speaker 1: injurious to his own health. Therefore, by the way he
1:07:54
Speaker 1: adviseth him that he do not so understand the precept
1:07:57
Speaker 1: of keeping himself pure as to neglect his head health,
1:08:00
Speaker 1: and render himself unfit for the works of his calling.
1:08:03
Speaker 1: But use and holy prudence, and in subduing his body
1:08:06
Speaker 1: by drinking of water, to use a little wine, as
1:08:08
Speaker 1: it were physically, and for the necessity of health. Lest
1:08:11
Speaker 1: if he should proceed in not favoring his weak stomach
1:08:14
Speaker 1: at his body laboring under often infirmities, immediately the tabernacle
1:08:18
Speaker 1: of his body should fall to decay, and the church
1:08:21
Speaker 1: should be deprived of so profitable an instrument. Verse twenty four.
1:08:26
Speaker 1: Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment,
1:08:30
Speaker 1: and some men they follow after as to what concerns
1:08:33
Speaker 1: the meaning of the former part of the precept, lest
1:08:35
Speaker 1: he should partake of other men's sins. He shows that
1:08:37
Speaker 1: he spake of open sins, which may be known and avoided,
1:08:40
Speaker 1: not of private which fall not under observation, and that
1:08:43
Speaker 1: he beware lest he partake of other men's sins. And
1:08:46
Speaker 1: in laying hands rashly on no man, he shows in
1:08:49
Speaker 1: this that, using examination and trial, the open sins of
1:08:52
Speaker 1: any one that is unworthy may be known, as also
1:08:54
Speaker 1: the open votues of men meet to be admitted to
1:08:57
Speaker 1: the ministry of the Gospel. For the sins of some
1:09:00
Speaker 1: candidates of the ministry are so manifest that they prevent
1:09:03
Speaker 1: the examination and judgment of the Church, that they may
1:09:06
Speaker 1: easily be rejected, for before the judgment of the Church
1:09:09
Speaker 1: can determine about them, there is matter in readiness in
1:09:12
Speaker 1: their open sins for their condemnation or rejection from the
1:09:15
Speaker 1: ministry by the opinion of the Ecclesiastical Senate. And the
1:09:19
Speaker 1: sins of others, upon examination premised, and the judgment of
1:09:22
Speaker 1: the Church concerning them being given, are brought forth into
1:09:26
Speaker 1: the light verse twenty five. Likewise, also the good works
1:09:30
Speaker 1: of some are manifest beforehand, and they that are otherwise
1:09:33
Speaker 1: cannot be hid in like manner. The virtue of some
1:09:37
Speaker 1: that are candidates to the ministry, and their good works
1:09:40
Speaker 1: are so manifestly known that it is easy for the
1:09:43
Speaker 1: Church to judge them fit to be admitted. But the
1:09:45
Speaker 1: works of those that are otherwise, or upon examination had
1:09:48
Speaker 1: and inquisition made, are not manifest or so secret that
1:09:52
Speaker 1: they cannot be known of men. They are to be
1:09:54
Speaker 1: left to God, nor can they long be hid, but
1:09:57
Speaker 1: in their own time will be brought to light. That
1:10:00
Speaker 1: if the Church cannot prevent but those hypocrites are admitted
1:10:03
Speaker 1: to the ministry, yet care may be had where they
1:10:06
Speaker 1: are already made manifest, that they be dealt with according
1:10:10
Speaker 1: to the discipline of the Church. End of chapter five,
1:10:19
Speaker 1: Chapter six of the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy,
1:10:23
Speaker 1: analytically expounded by David Dixon. This LIBRIVANX recording is in
1:10:28
Speaker 1: the public domain. In this chapter he gives seven precepts
1:10:33
Speaker 1: to Timothy, whereby he may be instructed in the doctrine
1:10:35
Speaker 1: concerning the duties of private persons and the duties of ministers,
1:10:39
Speaker 1: and how he ought to behave himself towards the people
1:10:42
Speaker 1: and towards the elders. Verse one, Let as many servants
1:10:46
Speaker 1: as are under the yoke, count their own masters worthy
1:10:49
Speaker 1: of all honour, that the name of God and his
1:10:51
Speaker 1: doctrine be not blasphemed precept one concerning the instructing of
1:10:56
Speaker 1: Christian servants who are servants by condition and under the
1:10:59
Speaker 1: yoke of another. The precept is this, that they account
1:11:02
Speaker 1: their own masters, though infidels, worthy of all honor, whom
1:11:05
Speaker 1: they serve, as those that are placed by the providence
1:11:08
Speaker 1: of God in a degree above them, that the name
1:11:12
Speaker 1: of God. The reason of the precept is this, lest
1:11:15
Speaker 1: if they should do otherwise, the Gospel might be evil
1:11:17
Speaker 1: spoken of and reproached by infidels through the miscarriage of
1:11:21
Speaker 1: Christian servants. Verse two. And they that have believing masters,
1:11:26
Speaker 1: let them not despise them because they are brethren, but
1:11:28
Speaker 1: rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved
1:11:32
Speaker 1: partakers of the benefit these things, teach and exhort. But
1:11:36
Speaker 1: if their masters be believers. He retorts what servants were
1:11:39
Speaker 1: ready to object. And because being brethren in Christianity doth
1:11:43
Speaker 1: not take away diversity of conditions in civil policy, he
1:11:46
Speaker 1: forbids servants to despise their masters upon that account, because
1:11:50
Speaker 1: they are equal in Christ. And he commands that they
1:11:52
Speaker 1: serve them so much the more readily, because their masters
1:11:55
Speaker 1: were faithful and beloved of God, and for this cause,
1:11:59
Speaker 1: so much the more worthy to receive the fruit of
1:12:01
Speaker 1: their service. He enjoins Timothy himself to teach these things,
1:12:05
Speaker 1: and to exhort other pastors to teach the same. US three.
1:12:10
Speaker 1: If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words,
1:12:14
Speaker 1: even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to
1:12:16
Speaker 1: the doctrine which is according to godliness. Precept two of
1:12:21
Speaker 1: avoiding perverse teachers, are he to put them from or
1:12:24
Speaker 1: to eject them out of the ministry, or to excommunicate
1:12:27
Speaker 1: them from the church. Many such there were in those
1:12:29
Speaker 1: times who taught otherwise, who departed either from the apostolical
1:12:33
Speaker 1: verity in the matter of their word, or from apostolical
1:12:36
Speaker 1: simplicity in the manner of their teaching other things, or
1:12:39
Speaker 1: otherwise than the apostles, not resting satisfied in the simplicity
1:12:43
Speaker 1: of Christian piety, from whose carriages and manners the meritorious
1:12:47
Speaker 1: causes of the chastisement. He gives six reasons and consent
1:12:52
Speaker 1: not Reason one. They are obstinate, who submit not themselves
1:12:56
Speaker 1: to the wholesome words of Christ or to sound doctrine, which,
1:13:00
Speaker 1: in the matter and manner of teaching, is after godliness.
1:13:03
Speaker 1: Verse four, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about
1:13:07
Speaker 1: questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings,
1:13:11
Speaker 1: evil surmisings. Reason two. Because they are proud, puffed up
1:13:15
Speaker 1: with a vain opinion of their own knowledge, whereas they
1:13:18
Speaker 1: know nothing solidly in the mystery of the Gospel, doting
1:13:22
Speaker 1: Reason three, they are of such a contentious disposition that
1:13:26
Speaker 1: they dote about foolish questions and strifes of words, whereof
1:13:30
Speaker 1: reason four, because by these cavillations they stir up envy, contention, railing,
1:13:35
Speaker 1: evil surmisings. Verse five, perverse disputings of men of corrupt
1:13:40
Speaker 1: minds and destitute of the truth. Supposing that gain is godliness,
1:13:45
Speaker 1: from such withdraw thyself Reason five, because by their perverse
1:13:50
Speaker 1: disputings they discover themselves to be of a perverse and
1:13:53
Speaker 1: corrupt mind, destitute of the truth, and more studious of
1:13:56
Speaker 1: gain than godliness. Yea to be such who make a
1:13:59
Speaker 1: gain of godliness whereupon he infers the censure of withdrawing
1:14:03
Speaker 1: from them, which is the consequence of excommunication verse six.
1:14:08
Speaker 1: But godliness with contentment is great gain. Precept three of
1:14:13
Speaker 1: following after godliness as the greatest gain and avoiding covetousness.
1:14:17
Speaker 1: The reasons of the precept are eight. Reason one, because
1:14:21
Speaker 1: godliness is such a gain sufficient to itself, rendering the
1:14:25
Speaker 1: mind contented in every condition, or it is a gain
1:14:28
Speaker 1: that carries along with it true sufficiency and contentment Verse seven.
1:14:32
Speaker 1: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is
1:14:35
Speaker 1: certain we can carry nothing out. Reason two. Because riches
1:14:39
Speaker 1: only have their use in this life, and not after death.
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Speaker 1: Therefore we ought not to hunt after riches verse eight.
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Speaker 1: And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.
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Speaker 1: Reason three because we may be without riches even in
1:14:52
Speaker 1: this life, and ought to be content with meat and clothing,
1:14:55
Speaker 1: whatever it is. Verse nine. But they that will be
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Speaker 1: rich fall into tw temptation and a snare, and into
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Speaker 1: many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction
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Speaker 1: and perdition. Reason four. Because they that most mind, getting
1:15:09
Speaker 1: of riches and resolvedly hunt after them, are near to
1:15:13
Speaker 1: the greatest sins, vexations of mind, and misery in this world,
1:15:17
Speaker 1: and eternal perdition hereafter. Verse ten. For the love of
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Speaker 1: money is the root of all evil, which while some
1:15:23
Speaker 1: coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced
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Speaker 1: themselves through with many sorrows. Reason five. Because the love
1:15:30
Speaker 1: of money is the root of all evil, as of ungodliness, lying, perjury, cruelty,
1:15:35
Speaker 1: and tyranny, et cetera, which some reason six from the
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Speaker 1: experience of some who, being covetous of money, fell away
1:15:43
Speaker 1: from the Christian religion and became most miserable Verse eleven.
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Speaker 1: But now a man of God flee these things and
1:15:50
Speaker 1: follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness Reason seven,
1:15:55
Speaker 1: with a special application, because this vice is unworthy. A
1:15:58
Speaker 1: minister who is a man of godess, separated to the
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Speaker 1: heavenly employments of God, who therefore ought to avoid covetousness
1:16:04
Speaker 1: and earthly desires follow reason eight. Because it becomes the
1:16:09
Speaker 1: man of God or minister of the Gospel, to be
1:16:11
Speaker 1: in love with the riches of virtue and to accumulate
1:16:14
Speaker 1: these one upon another, whereof he enumerates six verse twelve.
1:16:20
Speaker 1: Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life,
1:16:23
Speaker 1: whereunto thou art also called and has professed a good
1:16:26
Speaker 1: profession before many witnesses. Precept four, that all lawful means
1:16:31
Speaker 1: being used for the propagating of the Gospel and defending
1:16:34
Speaker 1: the truth of his doctrine, he should strive against all
1:16:36
Speaker 1: adversaries and impediments whatsoever good. The reasons of the exhortation
1:16:42
Speaker 1: or precept are four. Reason one because this fight is good, commendable,
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Speaker 1: and profitable life. Reason two, because so thou shalt lay
1:16:50
Speaker 1: hold on eternal life, whereuntwo Reason three, because thou art
1:16:55
Speaker 1: called to the defense of the Gospel, to the partaking
1:16:58
Speaker 1: of life or faith professed. Reason four, thou hast already
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Speaker 1: before many witnesses published a famous testimony of thy faith. Therefore,
1:17:07
Speaker 1: go on to fight that good fight of faith. Verse thirteen.
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Speaker 1: I give thee charge in the sight of God, who
1:17:13
Speaker 1: quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before ponscious
1:17:16
Speaker 1: pilot witnessed a good confession Verse fourteen, that thou keep
1:17:20
Speaker 1: this commandment without spot unrebukable, until the appearing of our
1:17:24
Speaker 1: Lord Jesus Christ. Precept five. With a most grave and
1:17:27
Speaker 1: vehement charge before God and Christ the Mediator. He exhorts
1:17:31
Speaker 1: Timothy and all pastors after him, and all others upon
1:17:34
Speaker 1: whom the care of the Church lies, whom he speaks
1:17:37
Speaker 1: to in his person, that they observe these commands, or
1:17:40
Speaker 1: that they so discharge the office committed to them, faithfully
1:17:43
Speaker 1: observing these rules touching the governing of the church, that
1:17:46
Speaker 1: they may be found unblameable and unreprovable in doctrine and manners.
1:17:51
Speaker 1: And because that which he exhorts to was difficult, he
1:17:54
Speaker 1: lays down six arguments of the precept, all which prove
1:17:57
Speaker 1: that all the former commands are to be observed with
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Speaker 1: the greatest fidelity. Quickeneth. Argument one, there is sufficient support
1:18:05
Speaker 1: in God that quicketh all things to uphold THEE under
1:18:08
Speaker 1: Thy infirmity, and to defend THEE against the dangers of
1:18:11
Speaker 1: Thine enemies. Therefore, nothing hinders but thou mayst faithfully observe
1:18:15
Speaker 1: all these commands. Before Argument two, Christ, in his example,
1:18:21
Speaker 1: hath gone before THEE, who faithfully opened his doctrine for
1:18:24
Speaker 1: the salvation of the Church, and at last asserted it
1:18:26
Speaker 1: before the tribunal of Pilate, sealing it with his voluntary death.
1:18:31
Speaker 1: Appearing Argument three, Christ shall come the judge of quick
1:18:36
Speaker 1: and dead, that he may give to every man according
1:18:38
Speaker 1: to his works. Therefore all the former commands are faithfully
1:18:41
Speaker 1: to be observed verse fifteen, which in his times he
1:18:45
Speaker 1: shall show who is thee blessed and only potentate, the
1:18:49
Speaker 1: king of kings and Lord of lords. He insists upon
1:18:53
Speaker 1: this argument, and lest any one should take the delaying
1:18:55
Speaker 1: of Christ's coming, ill he shows that he will come
1:18:58
Speaker 1: at the time appointed, at the most seasonable time blessed.
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Speaker 1: Argument four. Christ or God, the father, Son and Holy Spirit,
1:19:06
Speaker 1: whose ministry thou hast in hand, is alone in himself,
1:19:10
Speaker 1: blessed and powerful, who can bless his own and destroy
1:19:13
Speaker 1: his and their enemies, so that the friendships or enmities
1:19:16
Speaker 1: of all kings, compared with his favor or anger, are nothing,
1:19:20
Speaker 1: because all kings and emperors borrow their empires from him,
1:19:23
Speaker 1: depend upon, and are ruled by him, and stand or
1:19:26
Speaker 1: fall at his beck. Therefore, these his commands are to
1:19:29
Speaker 1: be observed Verse sixteen. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in
1:19:34
Speaker 1: the light which no man can approach, unto whom no
1:19:37
Speaker 1: man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honor
1:19:41
Speaker 1: and power everlasting. Our men only. Argument five, because eternal
1:19:47
Speaker 1: life is in the hand of Christ, who is one
1:19:49
Speaker 1: God with the Father and the Holy Ghost. Because He
1:19:52
Speaker 1: only is of himself immortal and alone hath immortality in
1:19:55
Speaker 1: his power, that he may communicate it to whom he will. Therefore,
1:19:59
Speaker 1: the former commands are to be observed whom no man
1:20:03
Speaker 1: hath seen. Argument six. Although the reasons of his commands
1:20:07
Speaker 1: should not be manifest to us, yet for our obedience
1:20:10
Speaker 1: and faith, it is sufficient to know that God in
1:20:13
Speaker 1: himself is a light which cannot be approached, and an
1:20:16
Speaker 1: hidden majesty, having his peculiar and proper essence, which our
1:20:19
Speaker 1: understanding cannot apprehend nor see with a beatifical vision. In
1:20:23
Speaker 1: this mortal life. Therefore, it becomes us to adore, observe,
1:20:27
Speaker 1: and extol the pleasure of His will, rather than curiously
1:20:30
Speaker 1: to search into it. To him be honor and power forever.
1:20:34
Speaker 1: Verse seventeen. Charge them that are rich in this world,
1:20:37
Speaker 1: that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches,
1:20:40
Speaker 1: but in the Living God, who giveth us richly all
1:20:43
Speaker 1: things to enjoy. Precept six of admonishing the rich, touching
1:20:48
Speaker 1: a twofold duty which belongs to them. The first is
1:20:51
Speaker 1: that as to the inward man, they be not puffed
1:20:54
Speaker 1: up because of their riches, despising the poor in comparison
1:20:57
Speaker 1: with themselves, nor trust in their riches, but in the
1:21:00
Speaker 1: living God. Of this duty he gives three reasons. One
1:21:04
Speaker 1: because riches are uncertain, Two because not riches about God
1:21:07
Speaker 1: is the author of life to them that trust in him.
1:21:10
Speaker 1: Three because God gives and takes away riches at his pleasure,
1:21:14
Speaker 1: as also all other things verse eighteen. That they do good,
1:21:19
Speaker 1: that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
1:21:21
Speaker 1: willing to communicate. Another duty of rich men is this
1:21:25
Speaker 1: that as to external works, they exercise liberality towards the poor,
1:21:29
Speaker 1: that also study to abound generally in good works, free
1:21:32
Speaker 1: to communicate the use of their possessions and goods unto
1:21:35
Speaker 1: others Verse nineteen, laying up in store for themselves a
1:21:39
Speaker 1: good foundation against the time to come, that they may
1:21:42
Speaker 1: lay hold on eternal life. The argument to this duty
1:21:46
Speaker 1: is the promise of a free reward, because by bestowing
1:21:49
Speaker 1: their uncertain riches, they shall lay up for themselves in
1:21:52
Speaker 1: heaven a more enduring and solid treasure, and walking in
1:21:55
Speaker 1: the way of good works, they shall lay hold upon
1:21:57
Speaker 1: eternal life. Vers twenty Oh, Timothy, keep that which is
1:22:02
Speaker 1: committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings and
1:22:05
Speaker 1: oppositions of science falsely so called Precept seven. And last,
1:22:11
Speaker 1: wherein he seriously commenced to Timothy the doctrine of the
1:22:14
Speaker 1: Gospel hitherto delivered, that he faithfully keepeth as that which
1:22:19
Speaker 1: is committed to his trust, and that he restrain the
1:22:21
Speaker 1: profane wranglings of sophisters about divine matters, upon three reasons.
1:22:26
Speaker 1: One because true doctrine is as precious as a treasure.
1:22:29
Speaker 1: Two because wrangling disputations are vain and unworthy the name
1:22:33
Speaker 1: of philosophy or science verse twenty one, which some professing
1:22:38
Speaker 1: have erred concerning the faith, grace be with thee amen.
1:22:43
Speaker 1: Three because it is found by experience that some professors
1:22:46
Speaker 1: of philosophical sciences, when they were weary of the truth
1:22:49
Speaker 1: and simplicity of the Gospel, boasting of their skill, erd
1:22:53
Speaker 1: from the scope of the Gospel. Yea even fell away
1:22:55
Speaker 1: from the faith. At length, with an apostolical vote, he
1:22:59
Speaker 1: concludes the epistle commending the grace of Christ to Timothy,
1:23:03
Speaker 1: without which no spiritual work can be undertaken or perfected.
1:23:06
Speaker 1: No temptation of the devil or the world can be overcome.
1:23:10
Speaker 1: End of chapter six, end of the first Epistle of
1:23:14
Speaker 1: Paul to Timothy. Analytically expounded by David Dixon