Page images
PDF
EPUB

lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Of this sort of dangerous hypocrites are they, which, under fair pretences, insinuate themselves into men's houses, and seduce poor silly women; which are the more apt to be misled, for that they are formerly vicious, being light housewives, and those that are given up to lewd and wanton courses; Which indeed are fit disciples for such teachers, as those which are curiously enquiring still into every novelty of doctrine, and never care to attain unto sound knowledge of God's saving truth.

III. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

Now, as of old, Jannes and Jambres, which were Pharaoh's sorcerers, resisted Moses and contested with him, in the message that he brought from God; so do these false teachers, at this day, resist us, in delivering the truth of the Gospel; being men of corrupt minds, desperately erring in the main points of religion, and framing their belief according to their own fancies and affections.

III. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

But they shall not prevail, to the seducing of any more for God shall lay them open, and display the foolishness of their doctrine, and shame them, as he did those sorcerers; who were so restrained by the hand of God, that they could not so much as make lice, in emulation of Moses,

III. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

The godly are afflicted and persecuted; but wicked men and seducers are at full ease, and grow on, from one degree of sin to another; deceiving others, and being themselves deceived by Satan.

III. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

All Holy Scripture is given by inspiration from God, not being dictated or penned by any human device; and is fully available, as for matter of doctrine and for confutation of errors, so also in respect of manners, both for correction of misdemeanours, and for instruction and direction of our holy and righteous carriage.

III. 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. That a Divine or teacher of God's people may be made complete; throughly furnished by it unto all the services of his profession.

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

Be earnest and diligent in preaching for there will arise false teachers, who shall so bewitch the minds of men with their plausible fancies, as that they will not endure sound doctrine, but shall multiply to themselves great variety of pleasing teachers; having itching ears, that affect altogether novelty and choice of doctrines, and curious speculations.

IV. 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

For I am now ready to be offered up, as a sweet sacrifice to God, in my martyrdom, for his name.

IV. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

My life is a warfare; and, behold, I have fought a good fight, having striven for the Gospel zealously and effectually my life is a race; and I have run my course, even to the very goal, constantly and happily: I have maintained and defended the truth of Christ's Gospel inviolably:

IV. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous

ness.

And now, from henceforth, I comfort myself with the expectation and assurance of that crown or garland of immortality and glory, which, upon the gracious promise of the righteous God, is laid up for me.

IV. 10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica.

For Demas hath given over to attend me in my affliction, any longer; rather choosing to take his own ease, and to provide for his own safety and profit, than to minister to me in my bonds. IV. 11 For he is profitable to me for the ministry.

For he may be of great use to assist me here in my ministry, which I labour in, though a prisoner, continually.

IV. 16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. At my first answer before Nero's tribunal, I was forsaken of all, which formerly professed favour to me; out of a weak fear of danger and persecution: whose infirmity I so far pity, that I do earnestly pray to God, that this timorous shrinking of theirs may not be laid to their charge.

IV. 17 And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And I was delivered from the tyranny of that cruel Nero.

IV. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom.

And the Lord shall deliver me still and ever, from every evil work, that might blemish this my holy profession; from all cowardly fears, and sinful revolts, and whatsoever else may be offensive to God and his Church.

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TITUS.

I. 1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, ac cording to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness.

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, sent and employed by him, to preach that Gospel of his, whereby true faith is wrought in his elect, and whereby they are led to the acknowledgment of the saving truth of Christian religion.

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

For this cause, when we were both together in Crete, I left thee there behind me, that thou mightest rectify and make up that which I might not stay to take full order for; and that, by thine Episcopal authority, thou mightest ordain presbyters in every city of that populous island.

I. 6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having &c.

See 1 Tim. iii. 2.

I. 11 Teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

Teaching to mix Judaism with Christianity, for their own private advantage.

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

One of their own poets, even Epimenides, prophesied truly of them, when he said of them, though upon another occasion, The Cretians are great liars, cruel oppressors, dull, and epicurean gluttons.

I. 15 This witness is true.

This testimony, though spoken of him to another purpose, is very true of these Judaizing Cretians.

I. 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

These Jewish babblers talk of differences of meats, as if some were still impure by virtue of the Levitical Law; but these men are deceived: for now, since the abrogation of those ceremonial observations, certainly there is no impurity to be conceived to remain in the creature itself; but what impurity there is, is in the receiver of them if the man be pure, all meats are pure to him; but, if the man be sinful and unclean, in vain doth he think to make choice of his meat, for all that he can touch or taste, is made unclean to him, by his inward and moral pollution, since thereby his very soul is made odiously unclean to God.

:

II. 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned.

TITUS:

Let that which thou teachest, O Titus, be sound doctrine; such as, if it come to scanning, cannot be justly censured.

II. 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared

to all men,

For the great bounty and mercy of God, which offereth, and, if they were not wanting to him and themselves in not believing, bringeth salvation to mankind, hath been manifestly shewed and well approved unto all men, in the incarnation of the Son of God;

II. 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness, &c.

By virtue whereof, that holy Gospel of his, whereby this salvation is published to the world, teacheth us to avoid ungodliness, &c.

II. 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Having an eye to that blessed recompence of reward, which we stedfastly hope for; even that unspeakable glory, which we shall be possessed fully of, at the appearance of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

III. 5 According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

According to his great mercy he hath saved us, by the means of those holy ordinances which he hath appointed; and namely, as one of them, by the holy Sacrament of Baptism, which is the laver of our spiritual regeneration, yet not by any virtue of the outward sign, but by the inward renovation, which is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost;

III. 6 Which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our

Saviour.

Which Holy Ghost he hath abundantly endued us withal, in the miraculous and saving graces thereof, by and through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who sends that glorious Comforter of his Church.

III. 9 But avoid foolish questions, &c. See 1 Tim. i. 4. and 1 Tim. vi. 5.

III. 10, 11 A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

If any man teach or hold erroneously concerning the main points of Christian religion, do thou give him some serious admonitions, to reclaim him, if it may be ; but if once or twice admonishing prevail not, reject him; Knowing that such a one is utterly incorrigible, and sinneth wilfully, in not yielding to the truth; and is therefore condemned in his own conscience, while, after so palpable a conviction, he will yet hold out to maintain a known

error.

III. 13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, &c.

Zenas, who, having been a professor of the Mosaical Law, is now

so much the fitter for the preaching of the Gospel, and Apollos, who is mighty in the Scriptures, are coming towards me: let them be aided by you, in the charge of their journey hitherward.

III. 14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses.

And stir up those, that profess themselves to be our disciples and well-willers, that they be ready and forward to do all works of charity and beneficence.

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO PHILEMON.

I. 1 And fellowlabourer.

Our fellow labourer in the Gospel, Bishop or Pastor of the Church at Colosse.

I. 2 And to our beloved Apphia.

And to his faithful consort, our beloved sister Apphia.

I. 6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual, by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

My prayers are always for thee, that thy faith may ever shew itself to be sound and lively, by those good works which it shall produce; and that those charitable actions of thine may give effectual demonstration of the holy graces, that are in thee by the gift and inoperation of Jesus Christ.

I. 10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

I beseech thee in the behalf of Onesimus, who is now my convert; as whom, in my imprisonment, I have won to the faith of Christ:

I. 11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:

Who, in times past, while he was thy servant, and an unbeliever, was belike, contrary to his name, utterly unprofitable; but now, upon his conversion, will make good that which his name imports, and prove profitable both to thee and me:

I. 12 Receive him, that is, mine own bowels.

Receive him therefore lovingly, whom I esteem as dear to me, as my own bowels.

I. 13 Bonds of the gospel.

In this durance and imprisonment, which I endure for the Gospel. I. 16 Both in the flesh, and in the Lord.

How much more dear to thee; both in worldly or civil respects, and in spiritual!

I. 17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

If thou count me worthy to be a partner of thy love and dearest respects, and wouldst shew favour to me if I were present with thee, do the same to him, whom I now hold as my other self.

« PreviousContinue »