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5. This fecond epiftle to Timothie affords not any argument against the fuppofition, that the epiftle to the Hebrews was writ by St. Paul in the year 63. about the time of his being releafed from his confinement at Rome.

Le Clerc, in his French edition of the New Teftament, in his notes upon Hebr. xiii. 23. fays: "Nothing (b) of that kind happened to Timothie during the life of St. Paul. If it had, he would not have failed "to take notice of it in his fecond epistle to him, writ a very short time "before his death. And he would have thence taken occasion to say "fomething to Timothie, by way of commendation, and encouragement, "or otherwife. If then Timothie was not imprisoned, during Paul's "life; the mention of these his bonds, and his releafe, proves this "epistle to the Hebrews not to have been written, till after Paul's death." Le Clerc fpeaks also to the like purpose in his (i) Ecclefiaftical Hiftorie. And fome before Le Clerc must have been affected with this difficulty. As may be concluded from Beza's notes upon Hebr. xiii. 23.

To which I anfwer, first, that the original word, rendered by us, fet at liberty, may fignify (4) fend abroad on an errand. But upon that I do not now infift, and therefore fay, Secondly, the epiftle to the Hebrews is now generally fuppofed to have been writ by Paul in the year 63. foon after his release from his imprisonment at Rome. And we know, from the epiftles to the Philippians, the Coloffians, and Philemon, that Timothie was with Paul at that time, when his imprisonment was near the period. It is not at all improbable, that Timothie might be imprisoned, and foon fet at liberty again: as divers of Paul's fellow-laborers were. But it is unreasonable to expect, that any notice should be taken of these things, in either of the epiftles to Timsthie: one of which was writ before Paul's firft imprisonment, as it is called: and the other foon after the begining of it.

6. There can be no ground from this epiftle to conclude a fecond imprisonment of Paul at Rome. For it was writ in the time of his imprifonment in that city, when he had been fent thither from Judea by Feftus.

7. There may be many other things faid upon a fuppofition, that this epiftle was writ in a fecond imprisonment of Paul at Rome, in the year 67. or thereabout. All which must now fall to the ground.

It is often faid, that errour is endless. And it is certain, that one errour is productive of another. This in particular is fo. It has occafioned forced and wrong interpretations of divers texts of this epiftle, and

many

(b) Il n'étoit rien arrivé de femblable à Timothée, pendant la vie de S. Paul, qui lui écrivit fa 2 epitre tres peu de tems avant que de mourir, et qui n'auroit pas manqué d'en parler en quelque occafion. &c. Notes fur Hebr.

xiii. 23.

(i) Mentio fit Timothei in vincula conjecti et dimiffi. cap xiii. 23. Quod non contigerat ante pofteriorem ad Timotheum, ubi nulla ejus rei, uti nec priore, vel minima mentio. Quam tamen Paulus non prætermififfet, fi quid fimile contigiffet, cum ad laudem Timothei, at conflantiam in co augendam, multum faceret. Itaque in vincula, poft confcriptas demum ad eum epiftolas, aut etiam poft mortem Pauli, conjectus fuerit. H. E. A. D. 69. p. 459. (k) Vid. Mill. Probgom, num. 68. 69.

many falfe and groundless fuppofitions, fo contrarie to the truth of historie. I fhall take notice of but one more, befide thofe, which have been already mentioned. Tillemont in his hiftorie of St. Paul's affairs, in the year 65. fome while after he had been fet at liberty from his captivity at Rome, fays: "It (/) was, perhaps, at this time, that he fuffered at Antioch in "Pifidia, at Iconium, and Lyftra, the afflictions, which he mentions in "general, in his fecond epistle to Timothie. ch. iii. 11." Which to me appears very abfurd, and I had almoft faid, ridiculous.

I fhall now mention one observation more, of a different kind. 8. We have no reafon upon the whole to regret St. Paul's imprisonment at Rome.

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When we read the opinion of that great companie, which had heard Paul's pleading at Cefarea. Acts xxvi. 31. This man doth nothing worthie of death, or of bonds: and what Agrippa faid to Feftus, in the next verse, This man might have been fet at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cefar: we may be difpofed to wish, that appeal had not been made, thinking, that in that cafe he might now have been fet at liberty. But if we confider things maturely, we fhall perceive it to have been neceffarie. It was indeed prudently made, being the only probable means of his escape from the continued perfecutions of the enraged Jews.

But befide that, there are very many advantages attending it. Which ought to reconcile us to it, and induce us to acknowledge the overruling Providence of God in it. Without that appeal Paul would not have been mentioned to Agrippa.. Nor fhould we have had that excellent apologie for himself, and his doctrine, which he made before Agrippa, and Feftus. We fhould not have had the fine hiftorie of the Apoftle's voyage to Rome, in which are fo many affe&ing incidents. And though he came to Rome as a prifoner, he had there a great deal of liberty. Nor was the word of God bound. As he was able to fay in this epiftle, writ foon after his fettlement at Rome. 2 Tim. ii 9. And in his epiftle to the Philippians, i. 12... 14. writ afterwards, are thefe remarkable words: But I would, ye bould understand, brethren, that the things which have happened unto me, have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places. And many of the brethren, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to fpeak the word without fear. Says St. Luke: Two whole years Paul dwelt in his own hired houfe, and received all that came in unto him. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things, which concern the Lord Fejus Chrift, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Acts xxviii. 30. 31.

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(St. Paul. art. 47. Mem. Ec. T.i.

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(m) Simul autem et præpara mihi hofpitium. Non puto tam divitem fuiffe Apoftolum, et tantis farcinis onuftum, ut præparato egeret hofpitio et non una contentus cellula, breves corporis fui fpatio ædes ampliffimas exiftimaret. Si autem hoc non difpenfatorie, fed vere quis exiftimet imperatum, Apoftolo magis quam Paulo hofpitium præparandum eft. Venturus ad novam civitatem, prædicaturus crucifixum, et inaudita dogmata delaturus, fciebat

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cious room, where Paul could receive a good deal of companie, and difplay his apoftolical gifts to advantage. So he beforehand wrote to Philemon, to prepare him a lodging. ver. 22. Not that he should want many things for his own accommodation. But he wifhed-to have a dwelling in a frequented part of the city of Coloffe, and large enough to admit conveniently all who were defirous to be informed concerning his doctrine.

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Paul had a great defire to go to Rome, and teftify there the gospel of Chrift. He thought, it is likely, that he should there have a good opportunity to propose it to Jews and Gentils, of inquifitive tempers, and diftinguished characters. Rom. i. 9. 10. ... Without ceasing making mention of you always in my prayers: making request, (if by any means now at length I might have a profperous journey by the will of God) to come unto you. And ver. 14. 16. "I am debtor both to Greeks and Barbarians, to the wife and unwife. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome alfo. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Chrift. For it is the power of God unto falvation,. to the few firft, and also to the Greek. See likewife ch. xv. 28.... 32. Well, Paul's defire was fulfilled. He was brought to Rome and although not in the way, and in the circumstances, which himself would have chofen: yet I suppose, that in the end he had good reason to be well fatisfied. Indeed, I think, that the time of his abode at Rome, must have been, upon the whole, as comfortable, and honourable, and useful, as any period of the like duration, fince his converfion to the faith of Chrift. He was bound, and was guarded by a foldier. But it needs not to be fuppofed, that the chain was always upon his hand. And notwithstanding the disgraceful circumstance of his bonds, and the disadvantage of his outward appearance in fome refpects fuch were the dignity and importance of his behaviour, fuch the fuperiority of his difcourfe above that of all other men, and fuch the works, which God enabled him to perform, as could not but fecure him the regard of all ferious and difcerning men. And (n) fucceffe in his work would alleviate all his fufferings. For which reafon we alfo ought to rejoice in them, and on account of the teftimonie thereby given to the truth and innocence of the Chriftian doctrine.

In the introduction to the first part of this work, where our concern was with facts occafionally mentioned in the books of the New Teftament, I faid: Here is withall an account of proceedings and fentences of

Courts

ad fe plurimos concurfuros: et neceffe erat, primum, ut domus in celebri effet urbis loco, ad quam facile conveniretur. Deinde ut ab omni importunitate vacua, ut ampla, quae plurimos caperet audientium: ne proxima fpectaculorum locis, ne turpi vicinia deteftabilis poftremo, ut in plano potius fita effet, quam in cœnaculo. Quam ob cauffam eum exiftimo etiam Romæ in conducto manfiffe biennio. Nec parva, ut reor, erat manfio, ad quam Judæorum turbæ quotidie confluebant. Hieron. in Philem. ver. 22. T. 4. p. 453.

(n) Simul autem admirandum de magnanimitate Apoftoli, et in Chriftum mente ferventis. Tenetur in carcere, vinculis ftringitur, fqualore corporis, carorum feparatione, pœnalibus tenebris coarctatur: et non fentit injuriam, aon dolore cruciatur, nihil novit aliud, nifi de Chrifti evangelio cogitare Hieron. in Philem. Tom. 4. p. 450. m.

Courts of Judicature, in cities of the first rank, and most general refort: and of fore difcourfes made before perfons, next under the Roman Emperour, of the bighest rank and distinction: Referring to the hiftorie in Acts xxiii. xxiv. xxv. xxvi. But now I fhould choose to fay: And of fome difcourfes made before perfons of the highest rank and diftinction, not excepting the Roman Emperour himself. For from what has been juft now argued, it appears to be very probable, that Paul, when brought to Rome, pleaded once, if not twice, before Nero. And though thofe pleadings may have been very fhort: yet from thence, and from the treatment, which Paul had presently afterwards in the Imperial City, arifeth a very forcible argument for the innocence of the Chriftian doctrine, and it's teachers.

Every one perceives, that St. Paul's pleadings upon the occafions before referred to, in the prefence of the Jewish Council at Jerufalem, and before Felix, and Feftus, and Agrippa, at Cefarea, do us great honour. Particularly, in this laft mentioned apologie, the doctrine, which Paul preached, as received from heaven, was reported to thofe great perfonages, and the honourable companie attending them. He lays before them the hiftorie of his life, from his youth up, before he was a Chriftian, and afterwards. He plainly declares his doctrine, and the zeal, with which he had spread and propagated it every where, among Jews and Gentils, and his unwearied diligence in the caufe, in which he was engaged. And in the end all acknowledge, that he did nothing contrarie_to the peace of fociety and that he might have been fet at liberty. But having appealed to the Emperour, it was now requifite, that the cause fhould be referred to his tribunal, and be finally determined there.

Here therefore is another teftimonie to the innocence of Paul, and his doctrine. Feftus the Governour of Judea, certainly wrote a letter to the Emperour, giving an account of Paul. Of this all may be fatisfied, who obferve what is faid. Acts xxv. 24... 27. So Lyfias, the Tribune, and commanding officer at Jerufalem, when he fent Paul to Felix at Cefarea, wrote a letter, containing an account of the prisoner, and the proceedings against him hitherto. Ch. xxiii. 25... 30. In like manner now acted Feftus. Nor can it be imagined, that any Governour thould prefume to falfify, prevaricate, or difguife, in fuch a letter. It might be very refpectful to the Emperour, and favorable to the prifoner. But there could be nothing but truth. And there must have been all the truth, that was needful to give a juft notion of the caufe. And yet Paul is not condemned, but obtains an order for fuch a cuftodie, as leaves him at liberty to dwell by himself, in his own hired houfe, and to receive all who came to him, and to difcourfe to them of his doctrine. Here he was two years during which time he had no moleftation. And at length he was released. He was all that time in one place. And the place of his abode was well known. He might have been called for at any time. But there were no complaints made against him, or no fuch, as could induce thofe in power to change the order firft given.

When Paul lay bound in the castle of Antonia at Jerufalem, after he had been brought before the Jewish Council, and his life was in imminent danger; the night following, the Lord ftood by him, and faid: Be of good chear, Paul. For as thou haft teftified of me in Jerufalem, so must thou bear

T 2

witnesse

292

St. Paul's Epistles.

witneffe alfo at Rome. Acts xxiii. 11. Which word of our Lord was fully accomplished: as we are affured in the hiftorie, which St. Luke has given of the Apoftle's going to Rome, and dwelling in that city two whole years, and in the epiftles, writ by himself, during that period. Which by the divine goodneffe are still preserved to us.

According to the preceding argument, the fecond epistle to Timothie was fent away from Rome, about the fummer of the year 61. probably, in May, or June.

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The Epifle to the Philippians.

HERE fill remain three epiftles of St. Paul to be confidered by us, which are generally allowed to have been writ during the time of his imprifonment at Rome: the epiftles to the Philippians, the Coloffians, and Philemon. And I fhall fpeak of them in the order, in which they have been juft named.

Never

The epiftle to the Philippians was writ in the fecond year A.D. 62. of the Apoftle's imprifonment. Timothie, who had come to him from Ephesus, according to his defire, 2 Tim. iv. 9. 21. is joyned with the Apoftle in the infcription at the begining of the epiftle. It feems to have been writ not long before the end of his two years imprifonment. For he had fome hopes of a releafe. ch. i. 24. 25. theless to abide in the flesh, is more reedful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, and continue with you all, for your further ance, and joy of faith. Yea he exprefleth hopes of making the Philippians a vifit. ver. 26. That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jefus Chrift for me, by my coming to you again. And ch. ii. 19. But I trust in the Lord Jejus, to fend Timothie fhortly unto you... and ver. 23. 24. Him therefore I hope to fend presently, fo foon as I fhall fee, how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord, that I alfo myself shall come shortly. But though he had hopes of obtaining his liberty, he was not yet certain of it. As appears from thofe words juft cited, jo foon as I fall fee, how it will go with me and from what he fays ch. ii. 17. Yea, if I be offered upon facrifice and fervice of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. See alfo ch. i. ver. 20. In the mean time, he fends back to them Epaphroditus, who had come to Rome, with a kind prefent from the Chriftians at Philippi, and who had been dangeroufly fick, but was now recovered. And it is likely, that by him this epiftle was carried. So it follows in ver. 25... 30 of the fecond chapter. Yet I fuppofed it neceffarie, to fena to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, but your messenger, and he that miniftred to my wants....I have fent him therefore the more carefully that when ye jee him again, ye may rejoice. Of their kind regard to him he speaks again, ch. iv. 1o.... 19. In the end of the epiftle he fends falutations to the Philippians from the brethren that were with him, and from all the faints, chiefly thofe of Cefar's household. Who may be fuppofed to be the Apoftle's converts, and the perfons, who chiefly contributed to his being fet at liberty, and had already given him hopes of it,

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