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can devise to use for the delusion of those miserable clients of his; which perish, because they embraced not that truth of God which was offered unto them, that they might be saved.

II. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion. And, for this wilful refusal of God's truth, it shall be just with him, to give them over unto strong delusions.

II. 13 Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Because, however others may be miscarried with these powerful deceits, yet for you, we are persuaded that God hath, from before the beginning of the world, chosen you to salvation; which ye shall happily attain unto, through the sanctification of the Holy Ghost, and your firm faith in the truth of God revealed unto you.

II. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. And hold fast all that wholesome doctrine of the Gospel, which I have delivered unto you, either in my sermons or in my epistles,

III. 1 That the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

That the word of the Lord may be universally preached and willingly received; and be glorified in the effectual power thereof, in other places, as it is with you:

III. 2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

And that we may be delivered from absurd and perverse men; both those false hypocrites which closely underwork the Gospel, and those public opposers of the truth which persecute us for the professing of it: which that they do, it is no marvel; for all men have not faith, to know and yield to the truth; that is a singular gift of God, which he hath bestowed only on some; it is no marvel if others hate and persecute it.

III. 6 And not after the tradition which he received of us. And not after that holy counsel and charge, which he received of us.

III. 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

Not because we had not just liberty and power, to require maintenance from you, in lieu of our labours; but that we might thus make ourselves examples of painfulness, unto you, for your imitation.

III. 14 Note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

Set a mark on such an one; and do both give up his name to me, and censure him with a just ejection out of your company, that he may with shame be won to reformation,

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TIMOTHY.

I. 2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith.

Unto Timothy, my own dear son, whom I have spiritually begotten to the faith."

I. 4, 5 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Neither give heed to idle Jewish fables; nor to those infinite pedigrees and genealogies which they stand upon, in drawing down the line of their descent from Abraham or from David, in a pretence of claiming kindred of Christ, according to the flesh; which breed many frivolous questions and contentions, rather than tend to the edification of the Church, in the faith of Christ, which should be the end and drift of all our labours: for that, which the commandment of God, both in the Law and in the Gospel, drives at, is charity; even that Christian charity, which floweth from a sincere heart and a good conscience and an unfeigned faith in that Christ, which hath loved us and shed abroad his love in our hearts:

I. 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

From which graces some, having roved and taken a wrong aim, have shot away their shafts, and have turned aside unto vain jangling;

I. 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

Taking upon them to be teachers of the Law, while, in the mean time, they understand neither the principles nor conclusions of their own doctrine.

I. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Not, that I take exceptions against the Law itself: no; the Law is good and to excellent purpose, if a man make such use of it as he ought; not seeking to be justified by it, but to be directed by it, in his obedience, and to be brought by it to Christ, which is the end of the law;

1. 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, &c.

Knowing this, that the Law is not made for the coercion, restraint, punishment of the righteous and upright in their conversation; but of lawless and disobedient men, of godless and lewd persons, &c.

I. 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

But I obtained mercy from God; who graciously held me capable thereof, because that which I did, I did not maliciously or spitefully, but out of ignorance and unbelief.

I. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Howbeit, for this I obtained mercy, that Christ Jesus might make me a pattern and example, in whom he might shew forth his wonderful patience and longsuffering; for the comfort and encouragement of all them, who, notwithstanding the conscience of their many infirmities, should hereafter believe in him to life everlasting.

I. 18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, that knowing thyself to be of more than ordinary note, and one whom many prophecies have foretold of, as a worthy and eminent instrument of God's glory, and the good of his Church, that thou stir up thyself, according to those predictions of thee, to approve thyself a good soldier in this spiritual warfare of Christ;

I. 19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck :

Holding the pure and true doctrine of the Gospel, and a good conscience in all thy actions, which some having disregarded and put away, have been miserably shipwrecked in their judgment concerning matters of faith :

I. 20 Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have, by a dreadful sentence of excommunication, given over to the power of Satan, that they may be hereupon drawn to repent of their heresy and blasphemy against God,

II. 1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

I exhort therefore, brethren, that, first of all, when ye meet together in your public assemblies, ye join together in all kind of prayers and holy devotions: both those, whereby we sue to prevent and avoid evils that may befal us; and those, wherein we sue for all blessings that we want; and those, wherein we entreat for the good of all others; and those, wherein we give thanks, for our own good, and the good of the whole Church;

II. 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

But, especially, let your prayers and thanksgivings be for Kings, and for all that are in authority over you, that, through God's blessing upon their government, we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, &c.

II. 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

And, thus general would God have your prayers and intercessions to be, because he hath excluded no sorts or conditions of men from the capacity of heaven, or from the means of salvation; so as it is not for us to reject or condemn any, as irrecoverably cast away by him, and uncapable of our prayers, since he hath revealed his will to be thus large and gracious.

II. 5 For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

For as there is but one God, and mankind is but as one corrupted mass; so there is but one Mediator betwixt God and mankind, even that Man and God, Jesus Christ, who, having taken the nature of man upon him, for the working of this reconciliation, hath therein made no difference of Jews or Gentiles, of great or mean, but calleth all indifferently;

II. 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due

time.

And gave himself accordingly, to be a ransom for all; so as the world should, in due time, see and know what an open way is made by him for their salvation; a ransom sufficient for the redemption of all mankind, and perfectly effectual to all that be

lieve.

II. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle. Of which wonderful and merciful redemption I am, through the grace of God, ordained a preacher, and an apostle.

II. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

By virtue of this my Apostolical charge and function, I do therefore ordain and will, that men do not confine their devotion to any one place; but that, as occasion offers itself, they pray every where; looking not so much to these outward circumstances, as to the inward devotion of the heart, that they pray in holiness, in charity, in faith.

II. 9 Not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. Not in a fashion, that may argue either wantonness, or curious niceness, or pride.

II. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

For I suffer not a woman, though she be endued with gifts fit for the instruction of others, to teach publicly in the congregation: nor yet at home to take upon her, to govern and rule her husband; but, in a modest silence, to receive his instruction and commands.

II. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

For Adam had the priority in his very creation: he was first formed; and then Eve was formed of the substance taken from him,

II. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

And Adam, as he was the first in creation, so he was not the first in transgression; neither was Adam deceived immediately by the serpent, but the woman.

II. 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. But, though the woman hath, by her yieldance to the suggestion of the serpent, brought upon man and herself so great sin and misery, and though I allow her not to take upon her public offices; yet there is employment for her at home, wherein she may so demean herself, as may be pleasing unto God: and, in that very punishment which God inflicted upon her, he hath given her just cause and means of comfort; for God shall make those her painful conceptions, and the care and anxiety which she undergoes in the education and nurture of her charge, good means to bring her to salvation: but the main condition and help to that her future glory, is the continuance (of that sex, as well as the other) in faith, charity, and holiness with sobriety.

III. 1 If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

If a man desire the office of public teaching and governing the Church, he desireth a work, that is both holy, and excellent, and difficult.

III. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife. A Bishop, then, must be a man of an inoffensive life: one that is not tainted with the common blemish of polygamy; that is, of having more wives at once than one, or, after an unjust repudiation of one wife, marrying another.

III. 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Not a novice in the faith, or in age; lest, being puffed up with the conceit of his early advancement above others, he fall, through pride, into that condemnation into which the Devil is, for that same cause, plunged; or give advantage, by this means, to the tempter and accuser of mankind, to work his damnation.

III. 7 Lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Lest he fall into the reproach of the heathen; and, going on in lewd and debauched courses, be entangled in the bands of wickedness, the snares of the Devil.

III. 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Holding and maintaining the true doctrine of Christian religion, in a sanctified heart and a pure conscience.

III. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. See verse 2.

III. 13 Purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Do justly obtain the favour and honour, to be preferred to the higher offices in the Church; and do, by this means, receive an increase of courage and holy boldness, in the profession of the Gospel of Christ.

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