like, without complaining of the duration of old, or fucceffion of new troubles, fince both hapned to S. Paul, who was the pattern whom the Holy Ghoft fer before Timothy his eyes, for his imitation.

2. S. Pauls ufual practice at his farewel taking of ChurchOfficers, was, to repeat the whole courfe of his anteacted Miniftery, labours, and fufferings among them: Thus Aus 20.31. 2 Cor. 11.23, &c.

fidered and

We will not bulic our pen, or our Readers patience, with The ancient tranfcribing any more conjectures in proof of the modern opi- opinion connion, about the date of the Epiftle in queftion; the uncertainty maintained. and unwarrantableness of them, altogether appears wideft,when objected to the light fhining forth of Scripture, upon the ancient opinion; a dazling beam whereof is 2 Tini. 4.6. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at First by S. band. The elegancy of the word rendred offered (though Paul. commonly obferved) I may not overpafs. It is a Metaphor borrowed from the actual pouring forth of Drink-offerings: Martyrdom is it feems a kinde of bowl wherein the precious blood of the Saints is offered up, as the most acceptable Drinkoffering unto God; He who receives their tears into his bottle, receives their blood into his bowels (if I may fo fpeak.) But we cannot purfue the Metaphor, for our bufinefs is with the Apoftles fcope; which is, the declaration of the imminency and inftantaneoufnels of a mortal peril hanging over his head; fet off (to affure us he fpake upon good grounds) by a double phrafe, 1. Hoppy Crider, or, I am ready to be offered; or to offer up my felf, for the verb is frequently conftrued actively: Martyrdom is, and ought to be a Chriftians freewil offering of himself up to God; and although a Martyr ought not to run into the fire prefumptuously, he ought to be led into it wilTingly: But accept we the verb (offered in which form we pleafe; it is of the prefent tenfe, and notes as well the readiness of S. Pauls Perfecutors, to try his faith and patience; as his refolvednefs to act them: This the fecond phrafe, and laft clause of the verfe fully confirms; Kai nases Tsues resume, or, the time of my departure is at hand. Were there any ambiguity in the former, this latter claufe clears the Apostles feope to intend, a nigh approach of a fudden diffolution.

But Dr. Hammond queftions the tranflarion, and will have Objection by the original rendred: And the time of my departure bath been Dr. Hammond at hand

But

in loc.

Sol.

But, 1. This is against the Authority of the moft, and moft noted Interpreters of the New Teftament: the vulgar renders it, tempus refolutionis mea inftat. Beza, tempus præftitutum mea dimiffionis inftat. Tremellius, from the Syriack, tempus quo diffolvar appropinquat. Caftalio, difceffufq; mei tempus inftat. Pifcator, tempus migrationis inftat.

2. The Doctors tranflation cannot be reconciled to the foregoing claufe, where the Apoftle exprefly faith in the prefent tence, He is poured, or pouring himself forth.

3. Though the verb is be the past tense, yet facred Grammarians know nothing is more ufual, then fuch Enallages and Hebraisms in Scripture. Those who can compare, may judge by the following inftances of the fame verb, Luke 24.4. Aus 14.1. Acts 10. 17. of one neer of kin to it, in conftruction and compofition, 2 Theff.2.2. and of both of their fimple and pri mitive yerb, John 1. 26.

Befides, to proceed with S. Pauls teftimony to the pofteriority of the date of this Epiftle, he doth in this very Chapter diftinguifn betwixt his paft, and prefent condition at Rome, 2 Tim. 4. 16, 17. At my first anfwer, no with me, but all men forfook me I pray God it be not laid to their charge: Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon. Wherein who cannot but obferve, that he fpeaks of a very great, danger, and his deliverance from it, he had been in the mouth of the Lyon; afterwards he was fet at liberty, to preach unto the Gentiles; but now he was ready to be offered: And that his being in the Lyons mouth, and following deliverance, can no way be fo tolerably interpreted, as of the intervenient time betwixt his firft and fecond imprisonment, and his confeffed pains and labours among the Gentiles, while at liberty. To be fure, his deliverance out of the Lyons mouth, or preaching to the Gentiles; and his being a fecond time within the jaws of the Lyon, or ready to be offered, cannot be verified, either of one time, or of one condition.

Furthermore, least Timothy, or any other, fhould fuppofe that S. Paul cryed out as a fresh water Souldier, upon the firft brunt of danger, and was more feared then hurt, he affures them, he had gone through fo much, that as to a Captain fufferer, nothing remained but the Triumph, 2 Tim. 4. 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,

benceforth

henceforth there is laid up for me, a crown of righteousness, &c. : All this fpeaks the vesity and validity of the ancient affignation of the date of this Epiftle, and fo doth.

Sound inference out of the Ads of the Apostles; We fhall de-a. By S. Lukè. duce it most fairly, by bringing the two computations Antient and Modern in view, and face to face. The Modern accompt faith; this fecond Epiftle to Timothy was written the first year of St. Pauls first arrival, and imprisonment at Rome. The An tient computation, faith it was written in the year, when the Apoftle dyed at Rome, and fome little time before his Martyrdome: Now let both of them hear what St Luke faith. He tells us, he continues his Hiftory till the end of the fecond year after St. Pauls first arrival at Rome, but doth not observe any hardship endured by the Apoftle within that time; which bare omiffion, confidering how exact this facred Chronologer is throughout his Hiftory of the Acts of the Apostles, to describe St. Pauls Perfecutions, and dangers at other places (as his ext pulfion at Antioch in Pifidia, Act. 13. The Jews attempt to ftone bim at Iconium, A&t. 14.5. Their ftoning bim at Lyftra,A&, 14 19. His being scourged at Thyatyra, A&. 16. 23. His many dangers at Jerufalem by the Grecifts, Act. 9. 29. Act. 21. 27. to 35. His hazards by the other Jews, Act, 23, 12. and his shipwrack in bis voyage to Rome Act. 27) gives us caufe to believe, that if the Apoftle had fuffered any perfecution at Rome in the first year after his arrival, St. Luke would not have omitted it.

Do any fay the Evangelift left the mention of the Apostles, Obječ. Roman fufferings to be recorded by his own Pen.

Sol

The contrary is proved. Firft, by the nature of an Hiftory which is either to defcribe particularly all material paffages without relation, or turning over the Reader to other writings, sta or to express what it refers, and whither.

Secondly, By the forementioned fufferings of the Apoftle at Antioch, &c. which as they are recorded by St. Luke, fo alfo are they commemorated by St. Paul, 2 Cor. 11. 25. &c, 2 Tim, 3.11.

2

Thirdly By St. Lukes fomewhat thereunto, for he not only omits the mention of Perfecutions; but contrariwife obferves many extraordinary. favours, and kindneffes beftowed upon the Apoftle at Rome. Thus Act. 28.16. When we came to Rome, the Centurion delivered the Prifpners unto the Captain of the guard, but Paul was Juffered to dwell by himself, with a Souldier ibat kept him. And ver. 3D3 And 4 ty vs A

Pint

"

Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired houfe, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdome of God, and teaching thofe things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him. What can? if this be not writ as it were of fet purpose to non-plufs the groundless conceipt of St. Pauls treating 2 Tim 4 of troubles which befel him in the first year after his arrival at Rome, efpecially fince S. Luke did not write this part of the Hiftory as an ear, but as an eye witnefs; for he prefaceth the whole relation with, When we came to Rome, Acts 28.16. and tells us, he was S. Pauls individual companion throughout the voyage, Alts 27.4,5. verf.7. ver.29. verf.37. Alis 28.7. ver. 10, F1,12,13,14,15.

Belides, fuppofe S. Paul met with fome feverity within the first year of his coming to Rome; yet it being tempered with fo much lenity, it was not onely unbefeeming of Apoftolical magnanimity, to cry out fo piteoufly for a little pain: Ready to be offered, the time of my departure at hand: I have fought a good fight, &c. but contrary to the common rules of prudence and civility, to give reviling terms, Lyon, &c. behinde the back of an Emperor under whofe nofe (even by the teftimony of his fellow Traveller and Sufferer S. Luke) he was treated with fo much civility and refpect And might juftly have provoked a far better Prince then ever Nero was, to utmost rage and fe verity against him. In the mouth of these two molt competent witneffes, S. Paul, and S. Luke, the truth of the ancient 30 computation of the date of the Epiftle in queftion, might be 3. By Hiftory. confirmed, and concluded: But Civil Records witness the fame thing, S. Paul cane to Rome in the third year of Nero's Eufeb. Eccles. Reigns who till then, and fome while afterwards, was acWif.1.2.c.2.ex counted to be a tolerable Prince. Let the Reader note what tralat. Han- Eufebius faith, who is one of the Ancients, and of the ancient

meri.

opinion: He faith, It is like that the Apology of Paul for his Do❤ arine, might have been in the beginning fooner accepted, when Nero was fomewhat milder in affection and dealing; but after that he fell into fuch outragicus wilfulness, be was quick with others for the Apuffles fake.

in the year of S. Pauls arrival at Rome, bow obiervably notes,

Nero

Pomponia Græcina, who was accused of favouring fome new and foreign Set (which the Cardinal fufpects to have been Chriftianity) to no other bar then her husbands breft, who acquits her.

4. By the Fa- This faith Civil Records in this bufinefs.

thers.

But what faith the Church Antiquities? enough, even in

the

the judgement of Ethius, who diffents from them: He faith, Omnes pene inAlmost all Interpreters agree, that this Epistle was writ last of all terpretes &c. Eft, ad 2 Tim. S. Pauls writings, or when he was near his Martyrdom.46

vixi manum

est

in loc.

2

Lafly, we have the confent of the most famous Presbyters 5. Bý Presbyunto this truth: Calvin upon the words, For I am now ready ters. 1194 to be offered, faith, While I lived, I affifted thee, but the time is Quam diu come, when thou must be thy own Teacher and encourager. The tibi porrexi, Wight Diviues after they had vapoured hard about Timothies nunc tempus traveis, at last calmly fay, After all this (viz, their inftanced eft ut magifter texts for Timothies remove from Ephesus) towards the end of S. sibi fis atq; Pauls life, after his first answering before Nero; and when he bortator, Calv. Jaid, the time of his departure was at band, be fends for Timothy wight Divines to Rome. This the London Minifters tranfcribe, and avow, it fecend Paper. to be their opinion. But if it be true, then have both of Judit repas them abused their Readers, by citing feveral texts in proof of Timothies abfence from Ephefus; when yet notwithstanding they confefs, after all this, this fecond Epistle is fent unto him. Since we have proved (although they deny it) that he was then at Ephefus; our Corollary from the whole confirmation of this fecond Propofition, is, That twelve years after the Presbyterian Annals of the affignation of the date of the first Epistle, the fecond findes Timo World: ad an. thy at Ephefus, engaged upon his old works of Ordination and Chrifti, 66. Cenfures. And with it, although we could alledge feveral eminent Epifpocal Divines, as Archbishop Ufher, and others, who fubmit to the ancient affignation of the date of this fecond Epistle, we conclude our difcourfe upon this fecond Propofi tion.

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3. Propofition, The works impofed upon Timothy by the first 3. Prapoj. TiEpiftle, are of constant and perpetual use, fuch, without one of mothies works which, or Ordination of Minifters, a Church can neither be confti- at Ephefus are tuted, or propagated; and without the other, or Administration ofufc. of perpetual Difcipline, and exercise of the Cenfures, a Church cannot be prea Jerved, and kept free from corruptions and errors is wults and Words are needlefs to demonftrate this Propofition, it is Confirmed. fo evident in reafon. Who dares deny, that Officers form the Church, or give her, her external being? Or that Difcipline and Cenfures preferve her from falling into confufion and dif orders? This makes me admire, how it can fink into any mans judgement, which is not a meer bog of Ignorance, that Timothy at Ephefius, and Titus at Crete, fhould be of a temporary and difcontinued Office, when they were purpofely fettled at thofe places, for the difcharge of thofe works, The Lon

don

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