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ANNOTATIONS UPON THE Second Epistle of PAUL the Apostle, to TIMOTHY. (Book 2 Timothy)
CHAP. I.
THere is the same Argument generally of this Epistle with the former.* 1.1
Vers. 3. Whom I serve from my forefathers] or Progenitors: so Calvin. Some say Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob;* 1.2 others his naturall parents.
With pure conscience] That is, a conscience purified from the guilt of sinne by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. 2. A conscience purified from self-ends and re∣spects. Sincerely and without hypocrisie.
Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day] We cannot think that Timothy was never out of his thought; but the meani••g is, when he did call upon God from day to day, he still remembred him. 1 Thess. 5.17.
Vers. 6. Stir up the gift of God which is in thee] That is, as man preserves the fire by blowing,* 1.3 so by our diligence we must kindle and revive the gifts and graces of God bestowed on us. Therefore some thinke it is a metaphor taken from a sparke kept in ashes, which by gentle blowing is stirred up till it take a flame; so Calvin, Barlow, and others. But it is better (saith Gerhard) to refer it to the Type of the Priests of the old Testament, by whose daily and continuall ministery the fire com¦ming from Heaven was maintained: so Timothy is commanded to stir up and pre¦serve the gifts of the Holy Ghost received, and cause them to flame and burn in him. 1 Thess. 5.19. 1 Tim 4.14. Not those gifts common to all the faithfull, faith, hope, and charity, but the particular gifts of the Spirit, as the gift of teaching in the Schools, the gift of exhorting in the Church, and perswading men the faith of Christ; the gift of Tongues. In calling it a gift he signifies an extraordinary grace of that time; but in willing him to stir it up, and not to neglect it,* 1.4 he sheweth that it was in him to procure it at Gods hands, by reading teaching, and praying, and the like means.
By putting on of my hands] The ceremony of laying on of hands hath been used of parents in blessing of their children Gen. 48.14. in Sacrifice Levit. 1.4. in healing of diseases, Acts 28.8. in conferring the excellent gift of the holy Ghost,* 1.5 Acts 8.17. and in making of Ministers; to which time these words have reference, 1 Tim. 4.14.
Vers. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling] In calling he is