34

Reflections on St. Paul's behaviour on the views of death.

SECT.

iv. 6.

IMPROVEMENT.

vi. BEHOLD this blessed man, this prisoner, this martyr of Christ, appearing in his chains, and in the near views of a violent Chap. death, more truly majestic and happy, than Cesar on his imperial throne! Blessed man indeed; who could look upon the pouring forth of his blood, as the libation of a sacrifice of thanksgiving, on which he could call for the congratulations of his friends, rather 7 than their condolence; who could loosen from these mortal shores, and set sail for eternity with a shout! O may we all be excited by his example to fight the good fight, to finish our course, to keep 8 the faith, in the view of that crown of righteousness, which is not reserved only for Paul, or for ministers and Christians of the first rank, who have been eminent for the most distinguished services, but for all who love Christ's appearance, and whose hearts are thoroughly reconciled to his government !

Chap.

5 May we therefore be watchful in all things. May we endure every affliction which God shall lay in our way, and fill up with proper services every station in which we are fixed. Let the mi1 nisters of Christ attend to this solemn charge, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge both the quick and the dead, at his appearance and in his kingdom. They are as much concerned in this judgment as Timothy or Paul; their own eternal state is in question, and none can have greater reason than themselves to 2 be impressed with it. Let as many therefore as are called to it by Divine Providence and grace, preach the word with zeal and fervency, as well as fidelity; let them be instant in season, and out of season, with a resolution tempered with gentleness, and supported 3 by firm faith in him, who entrusts them with the message. And let the petulancy of men, which indisposes them to endure sound doctrine, yet makes them need it so much the more, be considered by them as an engagement to greater zeal, rather than an excuse for remissness.

That they may be animated to it, and furnished for it, thoroughiii. 16,17. ly furnished for every good work incumbent upon them, as men of God, a becoming reverence is to be maintained for the divinely inspired scriptures, apparently profitable for doctrine and reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness. Let us all esteem 15 it our great happiness, if from children we have been acquainted with them; let us study them diligently, and take faithful care to deliver them down to those that arise after us, as the oracles of that eternal wisdom by which we and they may be made wise to salvation.

SECT.

Paul urges Timothy, to come to him, and bring Mark with him. 35

SECT. VII.

The Apostle concludes with requesting Timothy to come to him, giving him an account of the manner in which he had, in his late appearance before the heathen magistrate at Rome, been deserted by men, but supported by Christ; and adding some particular salutations and directions. 2 Tim. IV. 9, to the end.

loved this present

2 TIMOTHY IV. 9.

SECT.

I MIGHT add much more on this occasion,
but the hope I have of seeing thee ere long, vii.
makes me the easier in omitting it.
I cannot
but be very desirous of such an interview. En-2 Tim.

IV. 9.

deavour therefore by all means to come to me 10

For I

10 For Demas hath here at Rome as quickly as possible. forsaken me, having need the assistance and company of such a faithworld, and is departed ful friend, as I have met with very unworthy unto Thessalonica; treatment from some who ought to have acted Crescens to Galatia, in a very different manner. And I must parti

Titus unto Dalmatia.

with me. Take Mark, and bring him with ble to me for the minis

thee; for he is profita

try.

cularly inform thee that Demas hath forsaken
mea, having loved the present world, and fol-
lowed another way, as his secular views invited
him. In pursuit of these, he is gone to Thessa-
lonica, as Crescens is to Galatia, and Titus, for

whom thou knowest I have a very high regard,

11 Only Luke is is gone to Dalmatia. Luke alone, whose faith-11 ful friendship I have long experienced, is still with me. I desire thou wouldst take the first opportunity of engaging the company of Mark, [and] bring him along with thee, for he is useful to the advancement of my ministry among the Gentiles, having often attended both Barnabas 12 And Tychicus and me in our progress amongst them, Thou 12 have I sent to Ephe- wilt perceive, by what I have just been saying, what reason I have to wish for the society of an approved Christian friend and brother, at a time when I am left thus destitute: yet preferring the edification of the church of Christ to any personal consideration of my own, I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus, where I some years ago left thee,

a Demas hath forsaken me.] I think we can neither be certain, that Demas was ever a good man, from Paul's speaking of him, as one whom in the judgment of charity he hoped to be so, nor can we certainly infer from his dishonourable conduct on this occasion, that he totally apostatized VOL. X.

E

from Christianity, and much less that he
never returned to a sense of it any more.
John Mark had once acted a part very like
this, yet was evidently restored to the esteem
of our apostle. Compare Acts xv.38, with
the next verse of this chapter.

b Bring

36

vii.

Paul was deserted by all in his first apology:

SECT. thee, to take care of the flourishing church which I planted there, and with some of whose 2 Tim. members I have had so long and intimate an acIV. 13. quaintance. When thou comest hither, as I

14

13 The cloke that

Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee and the books, but especially the parch

hope thou quickly wilt, I desire thou wouldst I left at Troas with
remember to bring with thee that cloak
which I left at the house of our friend Carpus, in
Troas when I passed through it the last time,
And bring also the books which I have left there,
but especially the parchments.

When I speak of these parts, I cannot for-
bear telling thee, that Alexander the braziere
has brought many evils and mischiefs upon me.
And I doubt not but the Lord, who exercises a
guardian care over me as his faithful servant,
will sooner or later reward him according to his
works. May it be an instructive and merciful
discipline, to reform rather than to destroy him.

15 Against whom, in the mean time, be thou also
particularly upon thy guard, or thou mayest re-
ceive much detriment from him; for he hath
not only done me a great deal of personal in-
jury, but hath greatly withstood our words, and
taken every measure in his power to prevent
the progress and advancement of the gospel,
which is indeed wounding me in the most ten-
der and sensible part.

ments.

14 Alexander the

copper-smith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works.

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

16 At my first answer no manstood with me, but all men for

16 In my first apology before the prefect of the
city, no man of all the Christians here at Rome,
appeared with me, for my countenance and sup- sook
port, but all, either through treachery or cow-
ardice, forsook mef.
May it not be charged

If

b Bring with thee that cloak.]
Φελονη here signifies cloak, or manile, it is,
as Grotius justly observes, a proof of Paul's
poverty, that he had occasion to send so
far for such a garment, which probably
was not quite a new one. But some un.
derstand by it, either a parchment-roll or
something like a portmanteau,, the contents
of which might be more important than the
thing itself.

to

But Christ strengthened and delivered him.

37

God that it may not be to their account, as an instance of unfaithfulness SECT.

aid to their charge.

17 Notwithstanding,

to our common Master! Yet I was not left

vn.

the Lord stood with entirely destitute, but can say it with great plea- 2 Tim. me, and strengthened sure, that the Lord Jesus Christ stood by me, and IV. 17. me; that by me the preaching might be

the strengthened me with that inward fortitude of ly known, and that all soul which no human support could have inthe Gentiles might hear: spired; that by me the preaching [of his gospel] and I was delivered out might be carried on with confidence, and [that]

of the mouth of the lion.

all the nations might hear; for I made my defence in a manner that will, I doubt not, be taken notice of, and reported abroad, much to the advantage of that sacred cause, which is dearer to me than my life. And though this plain and faithful testimony did indeed expose me to great danger, yet I was for the present rescued, like Daniel, out of the mouth of the lion; so that fierce as he was, God did not suffer him to devour me, when he seemed to have me at his mercy. And I am confident, that the 18 And the Lord Lord, whose power and faithfulness are always every evil work, and the same, will rescue me from what I fear much will preserve me unto more than any thing this body can suffer, even his heavenly kingdom; from every evil work; will strengthen me against to the most pressing and violent temptations, so that I shall do nothing unbecoming my Christian

shall deliver me from

ed through the world; (Rom. i. 8.) He salutes a vast number of illustrious persons by name, and mentions many of them as his particular friends, (xvi. 3-15); and we may assure ourselves, that, during the two years he spent there in his hired house; when access was granted to all that desired it, the number, and probably the zeal of Christian converts would be greatly increased; as indeed he expresly assures the Philippians that it was, and that some of Cesar's palace was added to them. (Phil. 1.19-14; iv. 22.) We are ready to say, How then was it possible he should be thus forsaken? But there is a material circumstance, seldom taken notice of in this connection, which accounts in a great measure for what might otherwise appear so strange. Clement, the companion of Paul, informs us, that he suffered martyrdom under the governors, (as Bishop Pearson and L'Enfant explain μαρλύρησας έπι των ηγεμένων ;) that is, as they understand it, when Nero was gone into Greece, and had left the government of the city to Tigellinus and Sabinus, prefects of the prætorian guard, and that monster Helius. If this be allowed, it fixes the death of Paul to A. D. 66, or 67. But the cruel persecution, which Nero had raised against

the Christians at Rome, in which they
were worried in the skins of wild beasts,
and burnt alive for a kind of public illu-
mination,) was, according to Tacitus, at
least two years before this. It is possible,
therefore, that many of the excellent per-
sons mentioned above might have suffered
death for their religion, or according to
our Lord's advice, (Mat. x. 23,) have re-
tired to a distance from Roine. The Asia-
tic Christians, who came with Paul, as it
seems, to rally the broken remains of this
once celebrated church, acted a mean part
in deserting Paul, as the other Christians
of the place did. But it is less surprising
upon the supposition above, than it would
otherwise would have appeared; and it
might be among the first-fruits of that sad
apostacy which Vitringa (as was elsewhere
observed,) supposes to have begun in the
time of Nero, and continued to that of
Trajan. See note a, on 2 Tim. iii. 1.

So

g Carried on with confidence.]
the original πληροφορηθη, here signifies.
Calvin truly observes, that it was a glori-
ous testimony to the honour of Christiani-
ty, that the apostle could thus courage.
ously maintain it when all his friends for-
sook him, and his enemies were so fiercely
raging against him.

18

38

He desires Timothy to salute his friends.

SECT. tian faith, or ministerial office, and thus will pre- to whom be glory for

VIL.

2 Tim.

serve and conduct [me] to his heavenly kingdom

with peace and triumph; to him therefore [be]

IV. 18. glory for ever and ever. Amen.

ever and ever. Amen.

19 Salute Prisca and

19 I must conclude with desiring thee to salute Aquila, and the house. Priscilla and Aquilah, those dear friends, with hold of Onesiphorus, whom I have had so agreeable an acquaintance and intercourse these many years; and also the family of good Onesiphorus. In my last journey through Asia and Greece I had the affliction to part with some of our common friends, whose conversation and company would have been very

20 Erastus abode at Corinth; but Trophi

mus have I left at Miletum sick.

20 desirable, had Providence permitted it. Erastus in particular abode at Corinth and Trophimus, I left sick at Miletus : * nor did the Lord, who hath made me an instrument of miraculous healing to so many strangers, permit me at that 21 time to be so to him. Endeavour therefore 21 Do thy diligence as I am deprived of these agreeable friends, and to come before winter, Eubulus greeteth thee, surrounded with so many dangers and enemies and Pudens, and Linus, which threaten my life, to come to me before and Claudia, and all winter. Several Christians here at Rome the brethren. desire I would send their commendations to thee; and in particular Eubulus salutes thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and indeed 22 all the brethren in general. My heart is as at all times full of the tenderest affection for thee; which