A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 186. Of Timothies being set at liberty.

ABout this news the delivery of Timothy, five questions are moved:

• 1. Who this Timothy was.
• 2. Where he was bound, or otherwayes restrained.
• 3. How he was set at liberty.
• 4. At what time this might be.
• 5. Why this Apostle called him brother•…•…

• ...

  To the first, Questionlesse he was that man to whom Saint Paul directed two* 1.1 Epistles: even he whose mother was a Iewesse, and his father a Greek, whom Paul suffered to be circumcised to prevent offence that the Jews might otherwise have ta∣ken. Him, while he was a young man, Paul took to go forth with him, Act. 16. 1, 3. It is said of this Timothy, that he ministred to Paul, Act. 19. 24. that is, he accompanied Paul, Act. 20. 4. and went, and returned, and abode where Paul would have him. He is styled Pauls work-fellow, Rom. 16. 21. Frequent mention is made in Pauls Epistles of sending Timotheus hither and thither upon messages to the Churches, as, 1 Cor. 4. 17. Phil. 2. 19. 1 Thess. 3. 2. Yea Saint Paul joyns the names of Timothy with his own, in sundry Epistles that he wrote to the Churches, as, 2 Cor. 1. 1. Phil. 1. 1. Col. 1. 1. 1 Thess. 1. 1. Philem. v. 1. and he left him at Ephesus, where was a great Church, there to water what he himself had planted, and to order the affairs of that Church, 1 Tim. 1. 3.

  All these shew, that he was a Minister of the Gospel: of very special note, and of singular use to the Church of God: so as his liberty must needs be good news to Gods Church.

• 2. To the second, we cannot finde either in the Book of the Acts, or in any* 1.2 of the Epistles where this should be; but sure it is that he was some way or other restrained: otherwise the Apostle would not have said, that he was* 1.3 set at liberty. b 1.4 The Greek word used by the Apostle is a compound. b 1.5 The simple Verb signifieth to lose or unlose, Mark 1. 7. This Compound signi∣fieth to lose from a thing. It is used of putting away a mans wise (Matth. 1. 15. & 5. 31.) Of dismissing a company (Matth. 14. 15.) Of releasing a prisoner (Matth. 27. 15.) Of the souls departure from the body (Luke 2. 29.) Of forgiving a debt (Luke 6. 37.) Of loosing from an infirmity (Luk. 13. 12.) All these shew, that the Verb here used doth signifie some restraint from which Timothy was now freed. While he was restrained, he could not, as a freeman, do the work of his Ministry, nor go hither or thither, for the Church∣es service. Therefore upon this liberty and freedom the Apostle implieth, that he would come to them.
• 3. To the third, How he was set at liberty: there are many wayes whereby it* 1.6 might be effected: For,
  • 1. He might be restrained upon some accusation about civil affairs; but upon examination of the case be found not guilty: as Paul, concerning whom they said, This man doth nothing worthy of death, Act. 26. 31.
  • 2. He might be restrained for something about the Christian Profession; but when the case came to be heard, the Judge finding it to be a question therea∣bouts, might say as Gallio did, I will be no Iudge of such matters, Act. 18. 15. and so set him free.
  • 3. There might be some prudent man among his Judges, such an one as Gamaliel was, and he a means of his liberty, Act. 5. 40. Or God might stir up some faithfull friend for him, such an one as Ebedmelech was to Ieremiah, Jer. 38. 8, &c. Many other wayes might be for effecting his liberty: so as though the particular be not set down in Scripture, we may and ought to believe the gene∣ral, that he was set at liberty.
• 4. To the fourth, When he was delivered: This Question is the rather moved,* 1.7 because many are of opinion that the restraint and liberty here intended was after Pauls death, yea and after the Acts of the Apostles were written. But this would make too much against the Divine Authority of this Epistle, which maketh mention hereof. It hath been proved that this Epistle was penned by Paul: so as this must be in the time of Pauls life, and before Paul himself was imprisoned at Reme. It was while Timothy was in the strength of his age, and might do most service to the Church of God.
• 5. To the fifth, Why Paul call'd Timothy brother: This Question is moved, be∣cause* 1.8 Paul called Timothy son, 1 Tim. 1, 2, 18. 2 Tim. 1. 2. thereupon they do infer, That either Paul was not the Author of this Epistle: or that this was not that Timo∣thy to whom Paul sent his Epistles. But this is a very slender Objection, for in these Epistles he wrote to him as one that had a kinde of charge over him, and partly in

• regard of their age (Paul being an old man, and Timothy a young man) partly in re∣gard that Paul had been a means of Timothies regeneration, he cals him son. But at other times and in other Epistles he joyns Timothy with himself in sending his Epistles to the Churches, and calleth him brother, as 2 Cor. 1. 1. Phil. 1. 1. Col. 1. 1. 1 Thes. 1. 1. & 3. 2. He stiles him brother for honour sake: and to make the Church to have him in higher account: yea and to testifie the humility of his own minde, how he esteem∣ed all Ministers of the Church, young or old, brothers, equal to himself in regard of the general function of a Minister.

By this instance of Timothies being set at liberty, it is evident, That Ministers may be restrained of their liberty, and restored again to their liberty, See v. 19. §. 159.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Who this Timothy was.
• * 1.2

  2. Where Ti∣mothy was re∣strained.
• * 1.3

  ^a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• b 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.6

  3. How Timo∣thy was set at liberty.
• * 1.7

  4. When was Timothy set free.
• * 1.8

  5. Why this Apostle called Timothy bro∣ther.