of them openly, triumphing over

them in it.

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or of the newmoon, or of the sabbath-days;

17 Which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ.

18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind;

19 And not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

21 (Touch not, taste not, handle not,

22 Which all are to perish with the using,) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

CHAPTER III.

IF ye then be risen with Christ,

seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.

16. That is, mingle not ceremonial observances with the faith of the gospel, which alone satisfies for sin.

Ver. 18. Some preachers pretended that angels ought to be worshipped, as an intermediate race between God and man. The apostle declares, in words too plain to be misunderstood, that Christ is the sole mediator between us and our Father. Ver. 21. This is what the Judaizing teachers said; but these commands, says the apostle, were themselves originally given only for a temporary purpose, and they refer to things which are themselves perishable.Ver. 23. These observances have an appearance of piety. because they seem to indicate a neglect of the body; but they originate in pride and ostentation, and are, therefore, unworthy of imitation.

Ver. 1. The apostle follows the came course in this epistle as in that to the Ephesians. After expounding the mystery of salvation, he presses upon his readers the necessity of its application to the duties of holiness 592

7 In the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your month.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

20 Children, obey your parents in all things for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord.

21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not

utterance, to speak the mystery Christ, for which 1 am also u bonds:

4 That I may make it manifes] as I ought to speak.

5 Walk in wisdom toward th that are without, redeeming t time.

6 Let your speech be alway w grace, seasoned with salt, that may know how ye ought to answe every man.

7 All my state shall Tychie declare unto you, who is a belov brother, and a faithful minister an fellow-servant in the Lord:

8 Whom I have sent unto y for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of ver:[ they shall make known unto you things which are done here.

10 Aristarchus my fellow-prisone saluteth you, and Marcus, sister) son to Barnabas; (touching whom ye received commandments: if h come unto you, receive him ;)

11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcisio These only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand per fect and complete in all the will of God.

13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be rea also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou falfil it.

18 The saiutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

Written from Rome to the
Colossians by Tychicus and

Onesimus.

Ver. 3. The co-operation of a people with their minister, by means of prayer for his advancement and perseverance in the work to which he is appointed, is a duty that ought never to be forgotten in Christian churches. Wherever piety prevails, there it will be prac tised; where faith and righteousness languish, there it will be neglected. Ver. 9. See Epistle to Philemon.-Ver. 11. Jesus was not an uncommon name among the Jews; but it was applied without allusion to its meaning, as most of our Christian names are in the present day.

CHAPTER I.

PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timo

theus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your

sake.

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God;

10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

CHAPTER II.

FOR yourselves, brethren, know

our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain :

2 But even after that we had suf fered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Ver. 5. In word only: that is, numerous miracles were wrought among them; the Holy Spirit endowed them with power to subdue their natural sinfulness, and Christ, by his continual working with his ministers, produced effects which could never have followed the mere coming of the gospel in words. Ver. 9. The Thessalonian converts had been most of them Gentiles and idolaters.

Ver. 2. See Acts, xvi. 17. - Ver. 3. The simplicity and boldness of the apostle in his teaching, were singularly contrasted with the con

5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness:

6 Nor of men sought we glory. neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblameably, we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted, and charged every one of you, (as a father doth his children,)

12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews;

15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men;

16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

17 But we, brethren, being taken

CHAPTER III.

WHEREFORE, when we could

no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone,

8 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith;

3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed there

unto.

4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

6 But now, when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see as, as we also to see you:

7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

CHAPTER IV.

sence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.

18 Wherefore we would have come unto you (even 1 Paul) once and again; but Satan hindered us.

19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20 For ye are our glory and joy.

He

duct of the false preachers. sought to please God, not men; and it was his glory, as a true servant of his Saviour, that those to whom he imparted knowledge, received it as the word of God, not of men. Ver. 9. Acts, xx. 34; 1 Cor. iv. 12; 2 Cor. xi. 9; xii. 13.- Ver. 18. The power of Satan will only be utterly destroyed, when the kingdom of righteousness is fully come. He may, therefore, hinder and retard, though not effectually stop.

seech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

Ver. 1. Acts, xvii. 15.-Ver. 12. It is worthy of observation that the apostle especially insists on the exercise, not only of brotherly, but of universal charity; and that he speaks of it as intimately connected with the establishment of the heart in holiness.

Ver. 1. The Thessalonian Christians, it is to be remembered, were chiefly converted Gentiles, and the vices, to which allusion is made in this chapter, had their natural birth

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter; because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you, and testified.

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit.

9 But as touching brotherly love, ve need not that I write unto you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all

Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

in the licentious manners which idolatry fostered and justified.Ver. 13. It is supposed that the apostle refers, in this passage, to some undue exhibition of sorrow for the death of friends, which had lately taken place among the Thessalonians. Your lamentations, says he, would have been consistent had you still remained ignorant of a future world; but now that you know, and believe in, the resurrection from the dead, your violent grief is a contradiction of the hope which it is the very purpose of the gospel to establish. Supposing that a particular case was alluded to, this passage affords a very striking proof that friends will know each other in a future state, it being the object of the apostle to shew, that at whatever period persons die, they

14 For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so thei also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archange!, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

CHAPTER V.

BUT of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that

I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

7 For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night.

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet the hope of salvation:

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

shall all be assembled at the second coming of Christ, which would not form a topic of consolation were it not implied therein that a general recognition will also then occur.

Ver. 9. That is, let us be always on the watch, always proceeding

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward ali men.

15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Chris: Jesus concerning you.

19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things: hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

27 1 charge you by the Lord, that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

The first epistle unto the Thessalonians was written from Athens.

with the work of salvation, but let us labour in faith and hope, for God hath appointed us to obtain salvation; and it is only by a wilful neglect of the means of grace that we can perish.

CHAPTER I.

PAUL, and Silvanus, aud Timo

theus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grow

Ver. 1. The object of the apostle's reasoning in this chapter is to shew, that those whose faith is proved by

eth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth:

4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure;

5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

patient suffering, may look forward with confidence to an everlasting recompense for all their toils, while

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8 In flaming fire taking ven geance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the

their persecutors, triumphing in power, may as surely expect to suffer the fiercest vengeance of God.

presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, (because our testimony among you was believed,) in that day.

11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER II.

NOW we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter ast from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above ail that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

6 And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time.

7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way:

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

-Ver. 10. The power and mercy of God will alike be manifested in the glorified bodies of his people.

Ver. 2. The apostle here alludes to the mistaken meaning which had been given to parts of the preceding epistle.- Ver. 3. The chief circumstance to which St Paul here refers, as preceding and indicating the approach of the day of judgment, is an increase in the fury of Satan, indicated by the corruption of truth, and the daring assumption of power in the principal minister of his will, who, with his master, will be allowed to exercise his influence till iniquity shall be revealed in its full enormity, and the anger of God appear justified in its final destruction.

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this canse God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie;

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanetification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth:

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace,

17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

CHAPTER III.

FINALLY, brethren, pray for us,

word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you;

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

3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

5 And the Lord direct your hearts. into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord

Ver. 1. That the apostle had the profoundest affection for the Thessalonians, and great assurance of their faith, is here proved by an additional mark of his confidence. When we value the prayers of another, we bear our best testimony to his piety and goodness: we imply that he is in communion with God; that he is at peace with God; that he is actively engaged in his service; and that his faith is of that living kind to which the Lord has promised the fulfilment of petitions, according to the rule of infinite mercy and benevolence. - Ver. 6. 1 Cor. v.

Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of

us.

7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among

you;

8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you :

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

10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should be eat.

11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disor derly, working not at all, but are busy bodies.

12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietuess they work, and eat their own bread.

13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing.

14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all m ans. The Lord be with you all.

17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The second epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens.

913. Ver. 9. St Paul never forgets to insist upon his right to support from those for whom he ministered in the gospel. He knew that the teachers of religion might claim this support on the common principle that the labourer is worthy of his hire, and that the law of God confirms this principle. He knew, moreover, that circumstances would probably occur in which he might not be able any longer to supply his nece-sities by the labour of his own hands, and that times might arrive in which the ministers of the church, becoming less mighty in zeal and spirit than in those primitive days, would require all the helps to which they were entitled in order to keep them abstracted from the pressure of any other necessity besides that of attending to their ministerial duties.

CHAPTER 1.

PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord.

3 As I besought thee to abide

still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 Neither give heed to fables and

endless genealogies, which minister

5 Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

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

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

8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

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, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

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

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

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.

17 Now, unto the King eternal, Immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

18 This charge 1 commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

Ver. 4. The gospel was to many only attractive as it furnished them with means and occasions of dispute.

This is still the case with a large class of professed believers : they delight in minute controversies respecting points of doctrine, and in curious inquiries on matters which only give birth to unanswerable questions. The grand characteristics of the gospel are in the meantime lost sight of. The sun, which inspires the system with all its beauty and living nourishment, is forgotten, while they are poring through the microscope of their own vain understandings. Christ is examined as a mystery, instead of being loved and served as a living Redeemer; and the law of righteousness is criticised in the letter, instead of being fulfilled in the spirit. Ver. 8. Lawfully that is, according te its scope and purpose as a rule of conduct, not a means of justifying. Ver. 18. Prophecies: this refers either to the special call of Timothy to the ministry, to the gifts with which he was endowed on being set apart, or to the exhortations which he re

away, concerning faith have made shipwreck :

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

CHAPTER II.

EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men ;

2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all god

liness and honesty.

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

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

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

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

7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not,) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity

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

9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

ceived at the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Ver. 20. See 1 Cor. v. 5.

Ver. 1. The apostle now addresses Timothy respecting the duties which he was particularly to attend to in his congregation. Ver. 4. God, we hence learn, wills the salvation of all men, and the prayers of Christians is one of the means by which that universal good is to be secured.-Ver. 9. How utterly is this apostolic precept set at nought by the love of fashion in this age! Whatever the world does, the best intentioned are led to do by the

mere habit of imitation. Useless expense is thus incurred; the worst example is set the poor; the young acquire habits which insensibly injure their modesty of carriage; and the graces of a pure heart and well ordered mind are neglected for the more easily acquired attractions of gay dress, and an essentially meretricious demeanour. The fathers and mothers of daughters are guilty of a great offence against their children, when they allow them to sacrifice the simplicity of youth, as is so usually done, to the corrupt usages of the day; or when they indulge that capricious taste which in the end can only lead to the ruin of correct feeling, and, perhaps, to the loss of virtue itself. True elegance is always on the side of simplicity and perfect modesty, and these are ever fostered by true religion. Were the maxim of the apostle at all recollected, very different would be the appearance of many of our churches and chapels. Trade, it is sometimes said, would be the loser, were it not for fashion; and so it would, and no wise person would ever wish this spring of social activity to be injured at trade

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

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

13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

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

15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety.

CHAPTER III.

THIS is a true saying. If a man desire the office of a bishop, ne desireth a good work

2 A bishop then must be blame less, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but pa tient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

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

7 Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double tongned, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12 Let the deacons be the busbands of one wife, ruling their

gains nothing from the preposterous violations of propriety to which fashion tempts its votaries, and fully as many fabrics would be required to satisfy the fair and natural love of variety, were they worn with quiet simplicity, as there are during the prevalence of the most extravagant follies.

Ver. 1. The office of a bishop, in the days of the apostles, and for some short time after, presented only toil and peril, and almost the sole motives for which it could be sought, was an earnest desire to assist, by much exertion and many self-sacrifices, in the establishment of the gospel. But even in those early days care had to be taken, it seems, lest improper characters should obtrude themselves into the office, and for the sake either of gratifying a natural love of authority, or making some slight gain, venture to meet the danger to which the situation might expose them.Ver. 2. Polygamy and divorce were practices in general vogue when the apostle wrote, and as not all the Christians had forsaken their former licentious indulgences, a warning is now given, that no minister should be chosen, on any pretext whatever, from such imperfect converts to the purifying faith of the gospel.-Ver. 7. Which are without those, namely, who were not believers. Ver. 8. Acts, vi. 3.