the end of the year 64, or in the beginning of 65.—I think it was written from Nicopolis. See Pref. to Titus, sect. 1.

To the late date of this first epistle, there are three plausible objections which must not be overlooked.

Object. 1. It is thought, that if the first epistle to Timothy was written after the apostle's release, he could not, with any propriety, have said to Timothy, chap. iv. 12. Let no man despise thy youth. But it is replied, That Servius Tullius, in classing the Roman people, as Aulus Gellius relates, lib. x. c. 28. divided their age into three periods. Childhood, he limited to the age of seventeen: Youth, from that to forty-six: and old age, from forty-six to the end of life. Now, supposing Timothy to have been 18 years old, A. D. 50. when he became Paul's assistant, he would be no more than 32. A. D. 64. two years after the apostle's release, when it is supposed this epistle was written. Wherefore, being then in the period of life, which, by the Greeks as well as the Romans, was considered as youth, the apostle, with propriety, might say to him, Let no man despise thy youth.

Object. 2. When the apostle touched at Miletus, in his voyage to Jerusalem, with the collections, the church at Ephesus had a number of elders, that is, of bishops and deacons, who came to him at Miletus, Acts xx. 17. It is therefore asked, What occasion was there, in an epistle written after the apostle's release, to give Timothy directions concerning the ordination of bishops and deacons, in a church where there were so many elders already? The answer is, The elders who came to the apostle at Miletus, in the year 58, may have been too few for the church at Ephesus, in her increased state, in the year 65. Besides false teachers had then entered, to oppose whom, more bishops and deacons might be needed, than were necessary in the year Not to mention, that some of the first elders having died, others were wanted to supply their places.

58.

Object. 3. Because the apostle wrote to Timothy, that he hoped to come to him soon, 1 Tim. iii. 14. it is argued, that the letter, in which this is said, must have been written before the apostle said to the Ephesian elders, Acts xx. 25. I know that all ye, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall sec my face no more, But if, by this, the first epistle to Timothy is proved to have been written before the apostle's interview with the elders at Miletus, his epistles to the Philippians, to the Hebrews, and to Philemon, in which he promised to visit them,

must likewise have been written before the interview: in regard his declaration respected the Philippians, the Hebrews, and Philemon, as well as the Ephesians: For they certainly were persons, among whom the apostle had gone preaching the kingdom of God. Yet no commentator ever thought the epistles above mentioned, were written to them before the apostle's interview with the Ephesian elders. On the contrary, it is universally acknowledged, that these epistles were written four years after the interview; namely, during the apostle's first imprisonment at Rome. Wherefore, when he told the Ephesian elders, that they and his other converts, among whom he had gone preaching the kingdom of God, should see his face no more, as it was no point either of faith or practice, which he spake, he may well be supposed to have declared nothing but his own opinion resulting from his fears. He had lately escaped the rage of the Jews, who laid wait for him in Cenchrea to kill him, Acts xx. 3. This, with their fury, on former occasions, filled him with such anxiety, that in writing to the Romans from Corinth, he requested them to strive together with him in their prayers, that he might be delivered from the unbelieving in Judea, Rom. xv. 30, 31.-Farther, that in his speech to the Ephesian elders, the apostle only declared his own persuasion, dictated by his fears, and not any suggestion of the Spirit, I think plain from what he had said immediately before; ver. 22. Behold I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things which shall befal me there; 23. Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me. Wherefore, although his fears were happily disappointed, and he actually visited the Ephesians after his release, his character as an inspired apostle, is not hurt in the least; if in saying, he knew they should see his face no more, he declared, as I have said, his own persuasion only, and no dictate of the Holy Ghost.

SECTION III.

Of the Occasion of writing the first Epistle to Timothy.

After Paul was released from his bonds in Rome, and Timothy had returned to him from Philippi, whither he had sent him, Phil. ii. 19. it is reasonable to suppose, that they went together into Judea to visit the Hebrews, according to the apostle's promise, Heb. xiii. 23. taking Crete in their way. And having exhorted and comforted the brethren in Judea, who were greatly distressed by the tumults which brought on the war with the Romans, they departed to visit the Colossian and Ephesian

churches; the latter of which merited the apostle's particular attention, on account of the pains he had been at in planting it, as well as on account of the number and quality of its members. See these things more fully narrated, Pref. to Titus, sect. 1.

On his arrival at Ephesus, finding the false teachers busy in spreading their errors, he no doubt rebuked them sharply, and charged them to teach the true doctrine of the gospel. And because the neighbouring churches of Asia, by reason of their frequent intercourse with the Ephesian brethren, might be either greatly profited, or greatly hurt, according as truth or error prevailed in Ephesus, the apostle, when going from that city into Macedonia, judged it necessary, that Timothy should remain there, for the purpose of restraining the false teachers, by publicly confuting their errors, and condemning their evil practices.

But Timothy being young, and the trust committed to him being weighty, the apostle, after his departure, wrote to him this excellent letter from Philippi, or rather from Nicopolis, Titus iii. 12. to direct him in the discharge of his duty; and, at the same time, to establish his authority with the Ephesians.Agreeably to this design, the commission given to Timothy, at parting, to oppose the false teachers, is mentioned, and the particular errors he was to condemn, together with the truths he was to inculcate, are specified in chap. i.-For the same purpose, in chap. ii, the apostle prescribed the manner in which the public worship of God was to be performed in the church at Ephesus.— And, because it was necessary that Timothy should be assisted by a sufficient number of well-qualified fellow-labourers in the ministry, the apostle, in chap. iii. explained the qualifications of the persons he was to ordain as bishops and deacons.-In chap. iv. he foretold the heresies which were to prevail in the church in after times, and the mischiefs which they would occasion, that the faithful might be sensible these things did not happen by accident, but were permitted of God, and would be directed to an happy issue. In chap. v. he instructed Timothy in the right method of admonishing the old and the young of both sexes. And mentioned the age and character of such widows, as were to be employed by the church in teaching the younger women the principles of religion.-Lastly, in chap. vi. he described the duties which Timothy was to inculcate on slaves; condemned strifes about words, and perverse disputings; spake strongly against the inordinate love of money; and required him to charge the rich to be rich in faith and good works.

With these directions and rules to Timothy, in his character of superintendant of the church at Ephesus, the apostle mixed many earnest charges to him, in his character as an evangelist, to shew himself a pattern of all the virtues which he recommended to others. And, considering the excellency of Timothy's disposition, and his great veneration for the apostle, it cannot be doubted, that he observed the directions and charges contained in this letter, with the most religious care. There is

even reason to think his labours at Ephesus were so blessed of God, that the false doctrines and corrupt practices of the judaizing teachers in that city, were for a while repressed. For at the time the epistle to the church of Ephesus was written, she seems to have maintained an excellent character, as appears from what is expressed in that letter, Rev. ii. 1.—7.

SECTION IV.

Of the Use which the Church, in every Age, is to make of St. Paul's Epistles to Timothy and Titus.

Though the errors of the judaízing teachers in Ephesus, which gave rise to the apostle's epistles to Timothy, have long ago disappeared, the epistles themselves are still of great use, as they serve to shew the impiety of the principles from which these errors proceeded. For the same principles are apt in every age to produce errors and vices, which, though different in name from those which prevailed in Ephesus in the apostle's days, are precisely of the same kind, and equally pernicious.These epistles are likewise of great use in the church, as they exhibit to Christian bishops and deacons, in every age, the most perfect idea of the duties of their function; teach the manner in which these duties should be performed; describe the qualifications necessary in those who aspire to such holy and honourable offices, and explain the ends for which these offices were originally instituted, and are still continued in the church.

The very same things, indeed, the apostle, about the same time, wrote to Titus in Crete; but more briefly, because he was an older and more experienced minister than Timothy. Nevertheless the repetition of these precepts and charges, is not without its use to the church still, as it maketh us more deeply sensible of their great importance: Not to mention, that in the epistle to Titus, there are things peculiar to itself, which enhance its value. In short, the epistles to Timothy and Titus taken

together, containing a full account of the qualifications and duties of the ministers of the gospel, may be considered as a complete body of divinely inspired ecclesiastical canons, to be observed by the Christian clergy of all communions, to the end of the world.

These epistles, therefore, ought to be read frequently, and with the greatest attention, by those in every age and country, who hold sacred offices, or who have it in view to obtain them; not only that they may regulate their conduct according to the directions contained in them, but that by meditating seriously on the solemn charges delivered to all the ministers of the gospel, in the persons of Timothy and Titus, their minds may be strongly impressed with a sense of the importance of their function, and of the obligation which lieth on them to be faithful in discharging every duty belonging to it.

It is of importance also to observe, that, in these epistles, there are some explications of the Christian doctrines, and some displays of St. Paul's views and expectations as an apostle of Christ, which merit our attention. For if he had been, like many of the Greek philosophers, an hypocrite, who held a double doctrine, one for the vulgar, and another for the learned; and if his secret views and expectations had been different from those which he publicly professed to the world, he would have given, without all doubt, some insinuation thereof, in letters written to such intimate friends. Yet, throughout the whole of these epistles, no discovery of that kind is made. The doctrine contained in them, is the same with that taught in the epistles designed for the inspection and direction of the church in general; and the views and hopes which he expresses, are the same with those which he uniformly taught mankind to entertain. What stronger proofs can we desire of the apostle's sincerity and faithfulness than these? See Pref. to 2 Tim. sec. 4.

SECTION V.

Shewing in what Manner the Church of the living God, is the Pillar and Support of the Truth, as mentioned 1 Tim. iii. 15.

In discoursing of this subject, it will be necessary to inquire, first, what the church of the living God is, which is the pillar and support of the truth.-Secondly, To consider what the truth is, of which the church of the living God is the support.-And, thirdly, To shew in what manner the church of the living God

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