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tions of fcience falfely fo κενοφωνίας, και called :

21 Which fome profeffing, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

αντιθεσεις

της ψευδώνυμα γνώσεως

21 Ἡν τινες επαγίελλο μενοι, περι την πισιν ησυχη σαν. 'H χαρις μετα σ8. Αμην.

gelifts, and were foretold in the writings of Mofes and the prophets thefe infpired writings were without doubt a principal part of the depofite committed to Timothy, to be kept by him and delivered to faithful men able to teach others. Farther, as the apostle in his fermons and converfations had explained to Timothy many paffages both of the ancient fcriptures and of his own writings, thefe interpretations were to be kept by him and followed, in all his discourses and exhortations to the Ephefians and others.-This injunction to Timothy, is an injunction to the minifters of the gofpel in every age, to keep the writings of Mofes and the prophets, and of the evangelifts and apostles uncorrupted, as containing the whole of the gospel doctrine : and implies that nothing is to be added to them nor taken from them, by any human authority whatever. Councils, therefore, whether general or particular, have no power to eftablish any new article of faith. The only thing fuch affemblies, however numerous or refpectable, can do, is to exprefs their opinion that fuch and fuch articles of faith are contained in the fcriptures. And if they should happen to err, the infpired writings being preferved pure and entire, the errors of councils, as well as of individuals, are to be corrected by these infallible standards.

2.

Avoiding prophane vain babblings. The word xownag, fignifies, the emptiness of words: the noify empty talking of the falfe teachers. The Vulgate verfion has here vocum novitates, the novelties of words, the copy from which that verfion was made, reading, perhaps, xavowas; as fome MSS. do at prefent.

3. And

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and oppofitions of knowledge3 falfely so named :

21 Which fome profeffing, have erred with respect to the faith. Grace be with thee. ' Amen. (Ephef. vi. 24. note 2.)

founded on wrong interpretations of the Jewish scriptures, which they dignify with the appellation of knowledge; but it is falfely fo named.

21 Which knowledge of the fcriptures, fome teachers professing to have attained, 1 Tim. i. 6, 7. have erred with respect to the true Chriftian faith. But, May the grace of God be with thee to preferve thee from error. Amen.

3. And oppofitions of knowledge. In the enumeration of the different kinds of infpiration, beftowed on the first preachers of the gofpel, I Cor. xii. 8. we find the word of knowledge mentioned; by which is meant, that kind of infpiration which gave to the apoftles and fuperior Chriftian prophets, the knowledge of the true meaning of the Jewish fcriptures. This infpiration the falfe teachers pretending to poffefs, dignified their mifinterpretations of the ancient feriptures, with the name of knowledge, that is infpired knowledge: for fo the word knowledge fignifies, 1 Cor. xiv. 6.- And, as by thefe interpretations, they endeavoured to establish the efficacy of the Levitical atonements, together with the perpetual and univerfal obligation of the rites of the law of Mofes, the apostle very properly termed thefe interpretations, oppofitions of knowledge, because they were framed to establish doctrines contrary to and fubverfive of the gofpel-Withal, to destroy their credit, he affirmed that the knowledge, from which they proceeded, was falfely called, infpired knowledge. The Judaizers, who gave thefe interpretations, were not infpired with the knowledge of the true meaning of the fcriptures, but falfely pretended to that gift.

Ver. 21: Grace be with thee. This epifle being chiefly defigned for Timothy's own ufe, no falutations were fent to any of the brethren at Ephefus.

A NEW

A NEW

LITERAL TRANSLATION

OF

ST. PAUL'S SECOND EPISTLE

ΤΟ

Τ Ι Μ Ο Τ Η Υ.

PREFACE.

SECT. I. Of the Time when the fecond Epifle to Timothy was

F

written.

ROM various particulars, in the second epistle to Timothy, it appears that it was written while the apostle was in confinement at Rome. But whether that confinement was the one mentioned by Luke in his hiftory of the Acts, or an after imprisonment, learned men are not agreed. Eftius, Hammond, Lightfoot, and Lardner, think it was the confinement_mentioned by Luke, for the two following reafons.

First, It is evident from 2 Tim. iv. 11. that when Paul wrote this letter, Luke was with him. Wherefore as Luke hath spoken of no imprisonment of Paul at Rome, but the one with which his hiftory of the Acts concludes, the learned men above mentioned infer, that that must be the imprisonment, during which the apostle wrote his fecond epiftle to Timothy.-But the anfwer is, Luke did not propofe in the Acts to give a history of

the

the life of any of the apoftles, but an account of the first preaching and propagation of the gospel. Wherefore, having related how the gospel was published, first in Judea by the apostles Peter, James, and John; and by the evangelifts Stephen, Philip, and Barnabas; and after that, in many heathen countries, by Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and others; and by Paul in his own hired house during his two years confinement at Rome; he ended his history at that period, as having finished his defign. It is evident therefore, that although Luke hath written nothing farther concerning Paul, it is no proof that Paul's ministry and life ended then, or that Luke was ignorant of his after tranfactions; any more than his filence concerning Peter after the council of Jerufalem, is a proof that his ministry and life ended then: Or than his filence concerning many particulars mentioned in Paul's epiftles, is a proof that these things did not happen; or if they happened that they were not known to Luke.

Secondly, It is faid, that if this epiftle was written during an after imprisonment of Paul in Rome, Timothy must have been fo old, that the apostle could not, with propriety, have exhorted him to flee youthful lufts, 2 Tim. ii. 22.-But, befides what is to be faid in the note on that verse, it should be confidered, that in the year 66, when the apoftle is supposed to have been a prisoner at Rome the fecond time, Timothy may have been only 34 years of age; which both by the Greeks and Romans was confidered as youth. See Pref. to 1 Tim. Sect. 2. Object. 1.

These are the arguments on which the writers above mentioned have founded their opinion, that Paul wrote his fecond epiftle to Timothy during his confinement at Rome, of which Luke hath given an account in his hiftory of the Acts.

Other learned men hold, that the apoftle wrote this epiftle during a second imprisonment at Rome; and support their opinion by the following arguments.

1. At the time the apoftle wrote this epistle, he was clofely imprisoned as one guilty of a capital crime, 2 Tim. ii. 9. I fuffer evil, pexgi deoμav, unto bonds, as` a malefactor. The heathen ma◄ gistrates and priests confidering Paul as an atheist, because he denied the gods of the empire; very probably also supposing him to be one of the Chriftians who, they said had fet fire to the VOL. IV. T city;

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city; they confined him in close prifon, with his hands and feet in fetters, as a malefactor.-His fituation was very different during his first confinement. For then, Acts xxviii. 30. He dwelt two whole years in his own hired houfe, and received all that came in unto him; 31. preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jefus with all confidence, no man forbidding him. This mild treatment, probably was owing to the favourable account which Feftus gave of him to the Emperor, Acts xxv. 25. xxvi. 31. and to what Julius the centurion, who brought him to Rome faid of him, when he delivered him to the officer appointed to receive the prisoners from the provinces. The centurion's esteem of Paul is mentioned, A&s xxvii. 42, 43•

2. The Roman Governors of Judea, by whom Paul was tried for his life, declared, at his trials, that no crime was alleged against him, but only his holding opinions, which his accufers faid were contrary to their religion, Acs xxv. 18, 19. They likewife declared, that he had been guilty of no crime against the State, Afts xxvi. 31. Herefy, therefore being the only charge laid to the apostle's charge, and that circumftance being made known, by the governor of Judea, to his judges at Rome they must have had a favourable opinion of his cause. This appears likewife from what the apostle himself wrote to the Philippians, chap. i. 12. I wish you to know, brethren, that the things, which have befallen me, have turned out rather to the advancement of the gospel. 13. For my bonds on account of Chrift are become manifeft in the whole palace, and in all other places. His being sent a prisoner to Rome, and his defending himself before his judges, either in person, or by writings presented to them, had made the cause of his bonds well known in the palace and in all other places, to be not any crime, but his having preached falvation to the Gentiles through Chrift, without requiring them to obey the law of Moses. He therefore was fully perfuaded by the Lord, that even he himself fhould foon come to them, Philip. ii. 24. and abide fome time with them, Phil. i. 25. and sent them the salutation of Cæfar's household, Philip. iv. 22. by whofe good offices he hoped to be fet at liberty. But, when he wrote his fecond epistle to Timothy, his judges, confidering the things laid to his charge as crimes against the State, were fo enraged against him, that

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