chap, i. 14. because thofe that will reign with Chrift, muft fuffer with Chrift, chap. ii. 2. Q. By what Examples? A. By the Example, of the Soldier, Husbandman, and of him that contendeth for a Maftery; neither of which receive Recompence except they first labour, chap. ii. 4, 5, 6. Q. What hindreth our Salvation in this Behalf? A. Contending about frivolous and vain Queftions. Q. How ? A. In that they engender Strife, ver. 14, 23. Q. Of what doth be propheJy? A. The perilous Times to come, chap. iii, 1. Q. How hall the Times to come be perilous? A. By reafon of wicked Men. A. Lovers of themselves, covetous, Boafters Proud, and, curfed Speakers, difobedient to Parents, without natural Affection, &c. ver. 2. to 5. Q. By what Means therefore doth he teach Gods Minifters to reprefs the Malice of fuch Men? A. By preaching the Word in Seafon and out of Season, by reproving, rebuking, and exhorting with all Long-fuffering and Doctrine. Q. What is the Word? it? A. It is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inftruction in Righteouinefs, that the Man of God may be perfec in all good Works, ver. 17. Q. What elfe doth this Epiftle contain? A. Obf. The Defign of this facred Epiftle, is again to ftir up Timothy to be zealous and diligent in his Office, &c. as in the former Epistle. The Names of Jannes and Jambres, two Egyptian Magicians, who withflood Mofes when he wrought the Miracles before Pharaoh, chap. iii. 8. are not mentioned by Mofes in his Hiftory: But as Grotius and Dr Hammond observe on that Text, they were mentioned in fome ancient Records of the Jers, extant, and known in the Apoftle's Time. It is to this Epiftle in particular, that we owe our greatest Bulwark against that Popish Ufurpation of a Power to forbid the reading of the Scriptures in the vulgar Tongue, under certain Limitations, as in chap. iii. 16, 17. It confults the Benefit of all Conditions, and prescribes Virtues proper for every Relation and Capacity of human Life: It invites to the Practice of these by their own Loveliness and Beauty, by the Satisfactions they bring to ourselves, and the Benefit they are of to others. If it be true that Timothy did not die till the Year 97, in the Reign of Nerva, and Proconfulfhip of Peregrinus, John being ftill in the Ifle of Pathmes, it can scarce be denied but that the Angel of Ephefus, whom John writes to in Rev. ii. 1. to 5. was Timothy, whom he highly commends; but reproaches him in particular for having loft his first Love. See Rev. ii. Laitly, In the 13th of the Hebrews, Paul calls Timothy Brother, as it A. Some Things particularly count of his firft Deliverance relating to the Apostle's own from Nero. Concern, but especially an Ac was cuftomary when he wrote to others, 2 Cor. i. 1. Col. i. 1. And he concludes this Epiftle with his Benediction to him, written from Rome when Paul was brought before Nero the fecond Time. The Epiftle of St PAUL the Apostle to TITU QW Here was Titus when Paul writ unto him? A. In Crete, where Paul had left him to order the Affairs of the Church. Q. To what End was he there? 4. To compleat the Work which Paul had begun; and he gives him the Character of a good Bifhop, recommending feveral Things to his Care and Practice. S. Q. How was he to be armed thereunto? A. With Boldnefs, as God's Embaffador, and by fhewing himself an Example of good Works, and Integrity of Life, when he taught both young and old. Q. What doth be teach the old? A. The Men to be fober, honeft, difcreet, found in Faith, Love and Patience; the Wo men I shall here make the following Obfervations on the three Epiftles to Timothy and Titus. 1ft, Titus being converted from Paganism, was by Paul appointed a Companion in his Work. Then it appears from Paul's ordaining Timothy Bishop of Ephefus, and Titus Bishop of Crete, as the Ancients teftify, that the Government of the Church by Bishops was an apoftolical Ordinance. See 1 Tim. i. 3, 10. v. 17, 19, 20, 21. And fo likewife Titus was commanded to fet in Order Affairs of the Churches, and to ordain Elders, Titus i. 5. See Dr Cave's Lives of Timothy and Titus, Bishop Stillingfleet's Cafes, edit. 2. p. 8. Bifhop Beveridge's Codex. Can. Ecclef. Prim. 1. 2. c. 11. and Bifhop Potter's Government of the ancient Church, c. 4. Where also obferve, that the Gift of Government was diftinct from that of an Evangelift, 1 Cor. xii. 28. Eph. iv. 11. 2dly, That to pray to Saints and Angels, to procure their Interceffion, is against the Apoftle's Doctrine; who has declared, that as there is but one God, fo there is but one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Chrift Jefus, 1 Tim. ii. 5. See the Catechifm of the Council of Trent, or ad Parochos, pars tertia, ad primum precæptum de invocatione fan&torum, Se&t. 14. 3dly, That the Doctrine of Purgatory, or Purgation by Torments, of fuch men to be holy, and not given to Wine, chap. ii. Q. What doth he teach the young? A. The Men to be fober-minded; the Women to be chafte, obedient to their Husbands, and no Gadders abroad. fuch who indeed depart this Life in the Faith of Chrift, but muft yet fuffer, as the Papifts teach, a temporal Punishment, and of praying for Deliverance of the Deceafed from the Torments thereof, or for Ease under them, are not countenanced by Paul's charitable Prayer for Onefiphorus, whom they fuppofe to be then dead, 2 Tim. i. 18. Because, if, It does not appear in Fact that Onefiphorus was then dead, But, zdly, Be it granted that he was dead, Paul's Prayer was not for his Deliverance from Torment in a State between Death and the Refurrection, which is the fuppofed Torment of the Popish Purgatory; but for Mercy in that Day, the fame Day he had mentioned before at ver. 12. the great Day of Judgment; but Mercy in Purgatory, if it do them any Good, as Papifts pretend, must be before that Day. The Epistle of St PAUL the Apostle to PHILEM O N. Q. From whence was this E- Mafter, Paul winneth to Chrift, pifile written ? A. From Rome. and fends him back again. Q. By what Intreaty ? A. That Philemon would receive him as if Paul himself were prefent, ver. 17. Q Obf. This Philemon is reported by Hammond, on the Title to this Epiftle, to have been a confiderable Perfon at Colofs. He had probably been converted by Paul, as may be conjectur'd from ver. 19. who makes this Request to Philemon, to receive, forgive, and to entertain once more his Servant Onefimus, who, being now become a Chriftian, was expected to prove. himself more faithful and diligent than before; for having run away from his Mafter, and, in his Ramble, travelled as far as Rome, where he embraced the Faith of Chrift at the preaching of Paul, then a Prisoner for the fame in that City; (which is the Meaning of the 10th Verfe, Whom I have begotten in my Bonds) Paul, being well acquainted with Philemon, and Onefimus's Crime of Elopement from his Master's Service, with a fure Confidence of the Servant's Refolution of Amendment and Recompence, his Mafter, by his future Diligence and Fidelity, writes this Epiftle, and fends him therewith. And thus we may fee what Opportunities the Apostle eme braced to do Good to all Men; for how careful was Paul, first to convert this Vagabond Servant, and then undertake to reftore Jim to his Mafter's Fa Q. For what Reafon? A. Becaufe he was now not only his Servant, but his Brother in the Lord, in that he pro Favour. feffed the Gofpel, and was willing to repay all Things whereby he had injur'd him. And from hence we may obferve, that it is the Duty of Masters to forgive, and to be reconciled to an injurious Servant, on his Submiflion and Reformation. The Epistle of S: PAUL the Apostle to the HEBREW S. Q. WHY is this called the E-vites was external after the Orpistle to the Hebrews? A. Because it was written to the Jews, fo called from Heber, one of Abraham's Progenitors. Q. Who writ this Epifile? A. St Paul, it is probably received. Q. On what Grounds? A. All the Greek Copies give it him; the Phrafe in many Places is none but his, the Conclufion his mentioning Timothy, and laftly, St Peter writing to the Jews, tells us, 2 Pet. iii. 15. that St Paul writ to them, which muft needs be this Epiftle; fo that at this Time Timothy acted as his Secretary. der of Aaron; the Priesthood of Chrift is fpiritual, and after the Order of Melchifedeck. Q. What is it to be a Prieft after the Order of Melchifedeck? A. To be a Prieft, a Prophet, and a King, not for a Month, a Year, or an Age, but for ever, chap. vii, 3 and 23. Q. Why are all thofe three Titles attributed ? A. Because he fanctifies us from Sin, teaching us by Widom, and governing us by his Power. Q. How do they differ as touching the Temple? A. The Temple of the Levites was built with Hands, and to endure but for a Time: The Temple of Chrift is built by the Holy Ghoft in Eternity, ch. 8. Q. How do they differ in their Sacrifices? A. The Levites did offer the Blood of Goats and Bulls; but Chrift, his own precious Blood. Q. How in their Ceremonies? A. The Ceremonies of the Levites were corporal, as the at attiring of the Body, and other Q. What is Faith? A. The Ground of Things which are hoped for, and the Evidence of Things which are not feen, chap. xi. I. Q. How do the Temples of Moles and Christ agree?. A. The Temple of Mofes had three Separations, as the Holieft of all, whereunto the High Prieft only enter'd, and that but once a Year; the Tabernacle of the Congregation, where the Levites remained; and the open Court, where the People had Refort: So in the Temple of Chrift, there is the Spirit, the Soul, and the Body. 1 Q. What Difference is between the Soul and the Spirit? A. By Spirit is underflood Regeneration thro' Faith in Chrift; and by Soul is understood Man in his firft Corruption, living according to the Rules of Reafon, without the Knowledge of God's Word or Faith: And this is to be obferved, that the Soul lives eternally. Q. Being once grafted into Faith, what is it to fall away from it? A. Sin against the Holy Ghoft, which is unpardonable, chap. vi. 4. and x. 16. Q. How may we fall from Faith? A. Obf. By the Hebrews are probably meant the Jewish People, who had embraced the Faith of Chrift, and lived in or near their own Country Judea. The Author of this Epiftle was Paul, tho' feveral Perfons are named, and was written by Timothy his Companion in Italy, as the moft ancient Fathers declare. He doth not indeed begin with his Name, as in other Epiftles, Paul an Apostle of Jefus Chrift, as it is fuppofed for this Reason, because he was made an Apoftle, not fo much of the Circumçifed, i. e. of the Jews, as of the Gentiles. See Acts xxii. 21. Rom. xi. 13. and xv. 30, 31. Heb. xiii. 18, to the End, Phil. ver. 1. 2 Thef. iii. 1. on his Manner of Writing, &c. The Apostle labours to keep them fteady in their Chriftian Profeffion, fetting forth the Excellency of Chrift's Priefthood, and this Change of the Priesthood, from Aaron to the Order of Melchifedeck, (i. e. both King and Prieft) argues a Change alfo of the Law, and the Sacrifice of Chrift offered on the Crofs, more effectual by far than all the Oblations and Sacrifices appointed by the Law of Mofes; which were as Types, Figures, and Shadows, to fignify Chrift the Sin-offering which Jefus made with his own Blood: from which I fhall confider this one Thing, as it is a Matter of great Importance. In the Papifts Sacrifice of the Mafs, or Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, they |