A Practical and Polemical Commentary Upon 2 Timothy 3-4, Part 2 · Subpart 11
VERSE 13. The cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest bring with thee, and the Bookes, but especially, the Parchments.
HE cometh now in the second place to tell Timothie what he should bring with him from Troas, viz. his cloak which he left there, with his Book and Parchments. About this cloak there is much tugging amongst Interpreters.
1. Some would have the word to signifie a Book.
2. Others would have it to be a Coffer of Books; both these would make the Apostle guilty of a gross Tantology. q. d. Bring the Books, or the Coffer of Books and the Book and Parchments.
3. Others would have it to be a Senatorian garment which his Father left him. But what should a poore prisoner and Ecclesiastical person now ready to die do with such a Vestment? the word will not bear it, nor the person of the Apostle.
4. Others think it was some Sacerdotal Garment, as a Palle, a Coape, or Surplice, but this is an odd Popish crotchet.The word is foreign, penula, tis not foreign thecalignea, nor foreign indumentum Sacerdotis. What should a poore prisoner doe with such gawds? which sheweth the vanity of the Popish Painters who picture the Apostles in long Gownes,This variety of Opinions came from the mistaking and false Printing of the Original word, as you may see in Beza in locum, and Master Leighs Crit. 5. when their ordinary guise was Cloakes. But the word properly and genuinely signifieth a Cloake to defend one from the cold; the Apostle was like to spend the Winter in prison, and therefore he sendeth for such a Garment to keep him warm. So poore was the Apostle that he was fain to send for a garment which he left at such a distance,Penula idem quod Pallium ad frigus & pluviam arcendam. à Lap. for Troas was a City in lesser Asia far distant from Rome; to which place Paul went thrice,Pallium quo multum usi sunt (tan. quam simplici ac…facili) Christiani olim. Scultet. Acts 16.8. and 2 Cor. 2.12. and Acts 20.5, 6. in which last voyage he is said to have left his Cloake there, with Carpus his beloved Disciple and careful Host, whom Paul entrusted with his Books and cloaths.
Question, Why doth the Apostle send for so mean a Garment as a cloake?
Answer, The Apostle was of an ingenuous disposition and loved not to be craving or burdensome to any, but made his own hands minister to his necessities.
2. Winter was now approaching as appeareth, Verse 21. Besides he was accustomed to this Garment, it fitted him best, and therefore he desireth it may now be sent him.
And the Bookes.
These Bookes were no profane Bookes, but they are conceived to be the Bookes of the *Litera sacrae sunt liber sacerdotalis, Ambrose.Old Testament with interpreters on it, wherewith he might comfort himself and others. He had but a little time to live, yet he desires to improve every Inch of it in reading, study, Prayer and spreading the Gospel.
But specially the Parchments.
These were either Note-bookes of his own making and collecting which are highly prized by students as being the cream and Quintessence of their studies. Iulius Caesar being forced to swim for his life, held his Commentarys in one hand above water,Major fuit cura Caesari libellorum quàm purpurae. and swam to Land with the other. In these Parchments he had written many things for the help of his memory, and the good of the Church, and therefore he mentions these with a foreign but specially the Parchments.Per foreign intelliguntur schedae pelliceae in quibus Paulus quae dam seitu dignae ad juvandam memoriam annotaverat, umde de iis singulariter solicitus dicit, & maximè membranas. Gerhard in Locum.
Question, But what doth the Apostle mean to send for Bookes and Notes now he is dying?
Answer, To shew his love to learning and study, that he might quicken others to be industrious to the last.
2. There might be that in his Parchments which might be of great use to the Church of God after his departure. That they might not be lost or falsified, he sendeth for them that he might commit them to faithfull hands to be kept as a pledge of his Love to the Church when he was gone.
Observations.
1. Observation.
1. Wearing of Cloaks, or Long-Robes for Gardement or Ornament is lawfull. I observe this the rather because of the Quakers, who call the Ministers of Christ Antichristian, because they weare Cloakes and Gownes. If this were a true and full definition of an Antichristian Minister, then Saint Paul was one,Penula quasi pendula, a long hanging cloak saith Minshaw for he wore a Cloake, a long Cloak (it is vere probable) for it was a winter Garment. As for that place in Luke 20.46. which they urge against us, where our Saviour condemneth the Scribes and Pharisees for wearing long Robes: It maketh nothing against us; For first onr Saviour doth not there condemne long Robes, but the Vain-glorious desire to walke in such Robes out of Pride and Ostentation. Christ doth not Simply and Absolutely condemne the use of such Garments, but the abuse of them.
As he doth not simply condemne the being called Father, but the ambitious seeking of that Title; so it is here. The Easterne people did use, and still doe use long Robes, and the Prophets had a kinde of Mantle or proper Garment distinguishing them from other men, and it was meet for the Teachers to be so cloathed, that in their habit there might appear more then vulgar gravity: but the Scribes abusing this to Pride and selfe prayse, placing Religion chiefly in the outward appearance wherewith they veiled their detestable impieties, upon this account it is that our Saviour condemneth them, and biddeth us beware of them.
Now see what Quakers Logick here is, because some abuse long Robes to pride and ostentation, Ergò, none must use them. By this Argument we must neither eat, nor drink, nor pray, nor Preach, &c. For all these are abused. But what doe I spend time in answering such foolish Saints?
2. Observation.
2. If the Apostle doe give Timothy an injunction to bring his Cloke, surely he would not forget to give him in Precept how he should behave himselfe in the Church of God. He that mentioneth so mean a thing as an old Cloake, would not be wanting to direct him in Doctrine and Discipline, in Substantials and Circumstantials. I mention this the rather, because there are some which give out that we have no platform of Discipline set forth to us in the New Testament. That is strange that matters of so small moment (comparatively) be so oft mentioned there, and matters of such great consequence should be neglected. It is therefore a meere fancy which the Amat Deus disciplinam, perversae autem & falsa innocentia est laxare habenas peccatis. Valdè pernitiosè filium sentiet patris lenitatem, ut justè posteà Dei sentiat severitatem; idque non solus, sed cum dissoluto patre suo.Libertines of our time have invented (as they have done many more) that they might have the more freedome to play their game at pleasure. That Christ hath laid down a perfect and a sufficient Rule for the Government of his visible Church under the New Testament, which all the Members of the Church ought to observe and submit to till the end of the World:Ob. fortè negligit malus filius monitae patris this is so clearly & satisfactorily proved by the London Ministers in their Ius Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiae (Cap. 4, 5.) that I cannot see what malice it selfe can justly except against it.Sol. Tu imple per…onam tuam, Deus deie & de illo exiget fuam. Aug. in Psalm 50.
This may fitly be applyed to Spirituall Fathers.3. Observation.
3. Good men love not to be burdensome to any. Paul might have begged or borrowed a Cloake, but he had rather send for his own. Good men are ingenuous men, and love not to be craving, Grace raiseth and enobles their Spirits, so that they count it a more blessed thing to give then to receive, Acts 20.35.
Seducers and false Teachers are alwayes craving, they are all for their bellies, Philippians 3.19. but Paul could never endure to be chargeable unto any, but kept two Callings (in these times of the Churches necessity) and made his own hands minister to his necessities, that so he might not be burdensome to the then poore and distressed Churches, but might be an Example of Industry and heavenly mindednesse to all. Acts 20.34.35. 2 Corinthians 12.13, 14. 1 Thes. 2.6.9. and 2.3.8.
4. Observation.
4. Good men are frugal men. As they are not sordid on the one hand, so they are not prodigal on the other, but they keep the golden mean. Paul contenteth himselfe with ordinary apparel, Bring my Cloake; It is not, Bring my Silkes, Satins, Plush, Velvets, Copes, Rochets, Palls, &c. and other furniture enough to load a Cart; but bring my Cloake and Bookes, this is all the Apostles House-holdry. If good men have food, (though it be but bread and water) and rayment, though it be never so course, yet they rest contented with it. Our happynesse doth not lie in the Pomp and pleasures of this World.
It is said of Iohn the Baptist that he was Tota Vox, All voyce: His Diet, his Dwelling, his Apparel, his doing and his suffering all preached mortification and selfe-denial: So this our Apostle was All Voyce. Though a great part of the World was his Diocess, yet he never affected nor once sought great things for himself. He was Vide paupertatem tanti Apostoli, qui rem tantillam tam longè relictam inter damna censuerit. Grotius.poore in Temporals, though rich in Spirituals, 2 Corinthians 6.10. Silver and Gold he had none, All his riches were a few Bookes and writings, and a few old Cloathes to keep him warme. 'Tis said of that laborious and judicious Calvin, O supellectilem Apostolicam! Penulam non purpuram, & Libellos non cabellos quaerit. Espencaeus.that all the goods which he left behind him (his Library being sold very dear) came scarce to three hundreth Florens which is about ninety pound of our money. It becometh not Gods People who are strangers and Pilgrimes here to seeke great things for themselves, Ieremiah. 45.5. How unlike then is Pope Paul and his successours to Saint Paul here, and Saint Peter who cryed Silver and Gold, I have none, Acts 3.6. when Pope Iohn the two and twentieth had two hundred and fifty Tunnes of Gold found in his Treasury. What Palaces, Revenewes, Attendance, charge of costly Rayments have these men of sinne had,Si transeuntes videas, Dominos esse castrorum, non Patres Monasteriorum, Provinciarum Principes, non animorum Rectores. Bern. ad Guliel. Abbatem. which plainly sheweth that they are the Devils Vicars, and not Christs.
5. Observation.
5. Whilest we live in this World we must have a moderate care of our health. When winter approacheth Paul sendeth for his winter Garment to keep him warm.
The body is the souls Organe and Instrument by which it acteth, and therefore it must be kept (what in us lieth) in tune for the service of the soul. He that forbiddeth us to kill our selves commandeth us inclusively to preserve our lives by all good and lawfull meanes,Fateor insitam esse in nobis Corporis nostri Charitatem, fateor nos hujus gerere tutelam, non nego indulgendum illi, serviendum nego. Hujus nos nimius amor timoribus inquietat, sollicitudinibus onerat, contumeliis objicit; Honestum ei vile est cui corpus nimium, &c. est Charum. Seneca Epist. 14.2 6. to 6.6. Ubi Plura. such as necessary Cloathing, wholesome Diet, and convenient Lodgeing: and therefore those Quakers, that attempt to fast fourtie dayes as our Saviour did, and thereby starve and famish themselves, (as some of them have done) are no better then self-murderers.
Caution.
OnelyOnly, we must beware of excessive carking and caring for the body, remembering it is but the outside and the carkasse, the soul is the man, that is the Jewel which calleth for our special care, Deuteronomy, 4.9. Iohn 6.27.
6. Observation.
6. Good men are humble men. They disdain not to stoop to the meanest services, for the good of others. If Timothy were a Diocesan Bishop (as some Bishop-Would-bee would fain have it) surely he was a very humble one, since here he disdaineth not to bring Pauls old cloake with his Bookes and his Parchments after him; Pride can stoop to nothing but Humility maketh a man become all things to all men (so far as he can with a good Conscience) that he may win some.
Bring the Books with thee, Paul was now old, in prison, and ready to dye, yet he calleth for Books.
7. Observation.
7. The Ministers of Christ must be studious men. They must be much in Reading, Writing and collecting even in their old Age and to their dying day.
Though a man have made a good proficiency in Learning, and have extraordinary gifts of the Spirit; so had Paul who was taught the mysteries of salvation more immediately by God himselfe, and was wrapt up into the third Heaven, and had been an Apostle so long, yet still he calls for Bookes and Note-Bookes. His dead Counsellours were his O dulce otium honestumque ac omni penè negotio pulchrius, secum tantùm & cum libellis loqui. Pliny Epist. Lib. 1.best Companions. And if the Apostle who had such extraordinary gifts used Bookes and Notes: 'tis no dishonour to the best man in the World now to use them, especially since we are commanded to give our selves to Reading, 1 Timothy 4.13. and we amongst the rest must more especially search into the Scriptures, Iohn 5.39.
Away then with that Pride and folly of the Anabaptists and Enthusiasts who cry down Books and reading, boasting that they have attained to such extraordinary gifts of the Spirit that they can Preach (Prate they should say, Non-sense and blasphemy) without Books.
To these I briefly answer, (for I love not to spend much time about these Bruits.)
1. Let us see those extraordinary gifts you speake off. I must professe seriously, I could never yet finde ordinary gifts, in these extraordinary Braggadoco's. I have divers of their Letters by me, wherein there is neither good matter, good Language, good Sense, nor true English.
2. Admit these men had these extraordinary gifts which they so boast off; yet are they better then Paul, Timothy or Daniel (9.2.) for all these used Bookes? Who knoweth not that the Spirit of God worketh by means, and as he that will be rich must work for it, so he that will be rich in knowledge must reade and study for it? Solon a wise Heathen, when he was old, yet gloried that he still learned something; and shall we that are Christians come short of Heathens?
Let these young men then that thinke themselves so full that they need no more, remember old Paul who still was learning and studying the Scriptures even to his dying day.
The Word of God is a great deepe, and we know but in part, being clogged with our corrupt Nature, and the mists of the flesh that hinder us from seeing the wonderous things which are in Gods Law.
Especially the Parchments. 8. Observation.
8. We should extract semething out of that we reade and treasure it up for our owne use and the good of the Church. Our memories are weake, and since the fall they are woefully crazed, and become very deceitful to us, and therefore we had need to use all good means to help them; if Paul used Parchments for such a use (as the learned conceive he did) it is then no disparagement to the best to doe it.