king the field of faith, wherewith ye shall be SERM. able to quench all the firie darts of the wicked XIII. one. And take the helmet of falvation, and the fword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Nevertheless it appears from the original *words, that the Apoftle alludes not here to the life of a foldier, engaged in wars: but rather to the games, at that time very famous among the Greeks, and in fome parts of Afia, which had learned the Greek cuftoms and, indeed, almost all over the Roman Empire. In which games there were contentions in the way of racing, on foot and in chariots, and in the way of combat. And the present

text is rather to be explained by that in the ninth chapter of the first to the Corinthians, than by that before cited from the epiftle to the Ephefians. The paffage is to this purpofe: Know ye not, that they which run in a 1 Cor ix. race, run all, but one receiveth the prize. So 24. 26. run, that ye may obtain. And every man that Striveth for the masterie, is temperate in all things. Now they do it, to obtain a corrup tible crown: but we, an incorruptible. I therefore fo run, not as uncertainly: fo fight I not

* Αγωνίζει τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς πίςεως

1

T

Where

SERM. I, not as one that beateth the air.
XIII. the Apostle alludes to two of the exercises
of those games, running, and boxing.

2 Tim.

iv. 7.

Such is the figurative expreffion in the text. And perhaps the allufion might be made more manifeft, and the ambiguity in fome measure avoided, if the original were rendred: Exercise the good exercife of faith. The word, here rendred fight, is the fame with that which is rendred friving for the mafterie in the paffage juft quoted from the first to the Corinthians. Everyone that friveth for the mafterie, or every one that ftriveth in the games, is temperate in all things. And we have the fame expreffion again in another place, where St. Paul says: I have fought a good fight: or, I have ex‡ ercised a good exercise. He had himself done what he here exhorts Timothie to do.

It is not unusual with the Apostle, to compare, and very elegantly, the Chriftian course, that is, the life of private Christians, or of those who are in fome office in the church,

† Πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἀγωνιζόμενος.

* Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι.

church, to a warfare, and to a contention in SERM. the public and celebrated games, then in ufe XIII. among the people most renowned for politeneffe in which games fome of the most diftinguished citizens of thofe places entered themselves. And thefe two allufions are joyned together by him in a text, in part quoted already. Thou therefore endure hard- 2 Tim. ii. neffe, as a good foldier of Jefus Chrift. No man that wars, entangles himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him, who has chofen him to be a foldier. And || if a man frive for the mafterie, he is not crowned, unless he ftrive lawfully.

The general defign of the exhortation is: "Exercise the good exercise of faith, so as "to obtain the prize of eternal life, to which “thou art called in the gofpel: and for ob"taining which, thou haft engaged to exert thy-felf, by that good profeffion, which

"thou haft already made in the presence of many witneffes, or spectators."

In farther difcourfing on these words I fhall obferve this method.

Η Εὰν δὲ καὶ ἀθλῇ τις, ἐτεφανῖται, ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως οἶθε

3.5.

λήση

SERM.

XII.

I. I fhall fhew what is meant by exercifing the exercise of faith.

II. Why it is called a good fight or exercife.

III. And then conclude with a practical application.

I. I would confider, what is meant by exercifing the exercife of faith.

Some have hereby understood contending for the truth of the gofpel, maintaining, and propagating it in the world. But that, I

think, is but one part of the exercise, or contention, here fpoken of. For Timothie appears to me to be here as much, or rather more exhorted as a Chriftian, than as an Evangelift.

By the fight of faith I fuppofe to be intended the fight of the gospel: or that fight, and exercife, which the gofpel requires: or which Jefus Chrift teaches and recommends in the gospel.

And by the fight, or exercife of faith, would understand the practise of all virtue, a course of holy obedience to the dictates of reafon, and the commands of God. The

con

connexion affures us of this. St. Paul had SERM. argued against the selfish designs of fome, XIII. and fhewn the evil of covetoufneffe. Whereupon he adds: But thou, o man of God, flee Ver. 11. thefe things: and follow after righteousneffe, godlineffe, faith, love, patience, meekneffe. Fight the good fight of faith. Or, exercise the good exercife of the gofpel. Which is alfo agreeable to another exhortation in Tim. ii. the fecond epistle to this fame person.

This exhortation is fitly addreffed to private Chriftians, as well as to a Minifter of the gofpel: whilft at the fame time different stations and circumftances will infer, in fome refpects, different duties and obligations.

"The fight of faith, as * one expref"feth it, includes an open profeffion, and " ftrenuous defending the doctrine of faith, "and making it good by a life fuitable to "the rule of faith."

This open profeffion, and zealous defense of truth, accompanied with a fuitable practise of virtue, may be fitly compared to the exercifes in the Olympic games, because of the dif ficulty of the performance. There is a necefT 2 fity,

Pool's Annotations.

2

21. 22.