A Practical and Polemical Commentary Upon 2 Timothy 3-4, Part 2 · Subpart 17
VERS. 19. Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the houshold of Onesiphorus.
WE are now come to the fourth and last part of this Chapter, which consists of particular Salutations, he concludeth this Epistle with them according to his custome, where we have,
1. The persons whom Paul would have Saluted in his Name. These are Prisca and Aquila, with the house of Onesiphorus, V. 19.
2. Here is a Prolepsis or prevention of a Quere, if Timothy should aske what is become of Erastus and Trophimus, why Eraestus abideth at Corinth and Trophimus is sick at Miletum, V. 20.
3. Here is the Apostles inference, since some are absent and others are sicke, therefore Timothy must be carefull to come before Winter to him. Verse 21.
4. He names those that salute Timothy. First Particularly, viz. Pudens, Linus, Claudia. Secondly, Generally, Not onelyonly they, but all the brethren at Rome.
5. He concludeth with Prayer.
1. For Timothy in particular, Verse 22. The Lord Iesus Christ be with thy Spirit.
2. For the Church in General Grace be with you.
3. This he sealeth with that usual concluding Particle, Amen.
Salute Prisca and Aquilae.
1. Here is a dutie enjoyned, Salute.
2. The Persons to be saluted, Prisca and Aquilae.
Salute.] This is done many wayes. Sometimes by Letters, sometimes by Gestures, sometimes by Words. Those that wee meet we salute with good words, as God be with you, Ruth. 2.4. or, God blesse you, Genesis 43.29.
2. Those that are absent we salute by Letters, wishing them all happinesse from the Fountains of Happinesse. So that the Apostle oft saluteth the Churches with Grace and Peace be to them, Colossians, 1, 2. Iude 2.
Observations.
1. Salutatious are lawful. The Apostle would never have enjoined them if there had been any thing of sin or folly in them; as the foolish Quakers imagine. That they are not sinful I prove.
1. In that Christ himself in whom was no sin, commanded them, Matth. 10.12, 13. When you come into an house (be they good or bad that dwell in it) yet Salute it. So Luke 10.5. Into whatsoever house ye come, Salute it. Which serves to take off that Cavil, that Saints may salute Saints, but they may not salute profane men. Whereas our Saviour commands his disciples to salute even such as be wicked and unworthy against whom they must shake off the dust of their feet. Yea, Christ would have us not onelyonly to salute our Friends anst Brethren, but our foes also, that we may excel Publicans, Matth. 5.47.
2. We have the Example of Christ using them; he oft used this Salutation, Peace be to you, Luke 24.36. John 20.19.
3. The Angels have used them; an Angel salutes Gedeon, Iudg. 6.12. and the blessed Virgin, Luke 1.28.
3. The Saints have used them; the Apostle in the beginning and ending of his Epistles, salutes the Churches, Rom. 16. Colos. 4.10. &c. Moses made obeisance to Iethro and kissed him and asked him of his welfare, Exod. 18.7. and this they used not onelyonly to Saints, but even to wicked men. Iacob salutes Pharaoh, Gen. 47.7. David sends greeting even to a profane Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.5.
5. Not onelyonly Saints but even Heathens by the light of nature used them.Credebant hoe grande nefas & morte piandum. Si juvents vetulo non assurrexerat. Juven. Sat. 13. They had their foreign and their Ave, God save you and God speed you.
And there is great Reason for them, for they do not onelyonly express, but they help to increase that mutual Officium salutandi est amicitia Symbolum. Musculus. Mos salutandi non solùm vetussimus est, sed & utilissimus ad conciliandam & confirmandam charitatem. Lavater.love which ought to be amongst Christians; and as they are fruits of faith and love so they are very pleasing to God and to our Brethren, and are Testimonies of our love aud respect to them, and the omission of them argueth either that there is some grudge in our hearts against our Brother, or that our love is but cold and little towards him. By our amiable, affable walking, we may win men, when by a soure surly self-conceited carriage, we bring a reproach upon Religion and discourage men.
Objection, Christ forbiddeth his Disciples to salute any man by the way, Luke 10.4.
Answer, 1. If you stick to the Letter of the Text, you must not salute Saints, for the words are general. Salute no man; nor must you take shoes or purses with you when you travel.
2. 'Tis an Hyperbolical speech, and such as the Hebrewes use when they would have a man doe any thing speedily, and without delay, as 2 Kings 4.29.Fuit personale aut speciale praeceptum▪ non generale. Later.
3. 'Twas a Temporary command which Christ gave to the seventy at that time onelyonly, he doth not simply and absolutely forbid them (for then Christ should contradict himself, Luke 10.4.) but comparatively, viz. so for as they might hinder them in the speedy dispatch of their weighty affairs they must omit them,Christ blamed the Pharisees Affectation, not their Affection; he tax't their Ambition, not their Gratulation. Matthew 23.7. Adamson 2 Peter 1.2. else when they came to remain at a place Christ bids them then salute, Luke 10.5]
Object. We know not the man nor what he is going about.
Answ. Nor doth he know thee nor what thou goest about; and yet thou lookest to be saluted, why then wilt not thou salute thy Brother?
Object. Mordecai is commended for not bowing the knee nor shewing any respect to Haman.
Answ. The Answer is easie.
1. The Persian Princes exacted more then Civil reverence, they had a kind of divine honour given them; now Mordecai seeing more honour was required then was fit for a man, bowed not.
2. He knew that Haman was an Amalekite and one of that race which was exposed to the hatred and revenge of Israel, See more fully Mr. Iacksons Annot. on H…st. 3.2.they must have no Peace with Amalek for ever. It is true, if we meet an obstinate Heretick or one that we know is a blasphemer and a broacher of false doctrine, we must shun him and not bid him God speed, Rom. 16.17. 2 Iohn 10. (.i.) we must not be familiar with him,Simus ab illis tam seperati, quam illi sunt ab Ecclesia profugi. Cyprian. V. Euseb. l. 4. c. 14. A particulari ad Vniversale non valet argumentum. so as to give the least approbation to his wicked opinions. We may salute our own private enemies, but not the profest enemies of God. Polycarp meeting Marcion the Heretick refused to salute him, Marcion askt him whether he knew him, I (saith he) I know thee to be the Devils first born; yet this doth not follow that therefore we may salute no man; for till we know them to be such open offenders: we may salute them, (Matth. 10.13.) for there is a common salutation and civil respect which is due from every man to every man. Piety is no enemy to curtesie, Religion doth not abolish but rectify civil behaviour. It doth not make men rude and clownish, inhumane and hoggish, but teacheth men to give honour to whom honour is due, and to salute heartily not hollowly, knowing that an hand full of love is better then an arm full of flattery. The wisdom that is from above is gentle,See more A… tersol on Philemon 23▪ p. 472. and Clapham against the Quakers Sect. 12. p. 66. peaceable and full of good fruits, (Iames 3.13.) teaching us to practice the things which are of good report and tend to love (Phil. 4.8.) and to make conscience of small duties as well as great ones. Good conscience and good manners go together, Acts 23.5.
2. Observation.
2. Good men forget not their absent friends. The Proverb is, Out of sight and out of mind, it is not so with Paul, though himself were in Prison and far distant from many of the Saints, yet was he present in Spirit with them, and shews that he hath not forgotten them, by sending Salutations of health and happiness to them.
Prisca and Aquila.
This Prisca in other places is called Priscilla (which is a diminutive of Prisca) Acts 18.2. she was wife to Aquila, they were both Jewes very tender and hospitable to Paul, they ventured their lives for him (probably in rescuing him out of some tumults as Acts 19.22.) besides such was their zeal for Christ that they assisted Paul (in their own Sphear) in spreading the Gospel, and instructed Apollos in the way of God more perfectly. This makes the Apostle so oft to salute them, and to mention their names with some additional Encomiums, Rom. 16.3. 1 Cor. 16.19. And to take them with him as his bosom companions when he sailed into Syria, Acts 18.18. Though they were Tent-makers by profession, yet having so good an houshold guest as Saint Paul (for he sojourned with them at Corinth and probably at Rome and Ephesus, Acts 18.2, 3.18, 19. they profited very much in the Christian Religion.
3. Observation.
3. It is a singular mercy to enjoy good company. By their Prayers, counsel and good example they will exceedingly quicken us in the way of the Lord. Aquila and Priscilla by familiarity with Paul come at last to instruct an eloquent Apollos and shew him somewhat that he had not seen before, Acts 18.26. They had a Family so well ordered and taught that the Apostle calls it a Church, Rom. 16.5. 1 Cor. 16.19. and Paul honours them with the Title of his Coadjutors and Helpers (in their places) in the work of the Lord; and for such as the whole Church was bound to bless God for them in making them the Instruments of his preservation, Rom. 16.4. Thus we see to what a heigth of Piety, Knowledge, Fame and Excellency inferiour persons may come by being acquainted with some Holy and Zealous Paul.
Quest. But why is the wife set before her husband both here, and Rom. 16.3.
Id factum propter egregium studium Evangelii promovendi quod fuit in Prisca. Chrysostom.Answ. The Reason is uncertain, but it is conceived to be this, because the wife excelled the husband in Piety and Zeal.
2. Lyranus gives this Reason, viz. because she was first converted, and the order of Grace is to be preferred before the order of nature.
3. Others say it was because she was better knowen to Believers. But there is no great matter in this placing of their names, for in other places the husband is named before the wife, as Acts 18.2, 26. 1 Cor. 16.19.
And the Houshold of Onesiphorus.
Onesiphorus (.i.) utilitatem afferens.This Onesiphorus was a good man and answered to his good name. He was very loving and constant to Paul even in his bonds at Rome. 2 Tim. 1.16, 17, 18. As the Apostle before Chap. 1.16. praied for the house of Onesiphorus, so here he salutes them. By house here is meant (by a Metonimy of the subject very frequent in Scripture) the people in the house, as wife, children, servants; which may serve as an answer to that Cavill of the sottish illiterate Quakers who revile us for calling the place where the Church meets, The Church; when this Metonimy is so frequent in Scripture, The house for the people in the house, and the Church for the people that meet in the Church. The Apostle useth the very word Church in this very sense, 1 Cor. 14.28, 35. It is a shame for a woman to speak in the Church.
4. Observation.
4. Good Governours bring a blessing on their Families. Onesiphorus is not onelyonly praied for himself and saluted singly, but all his houshold also. When Zacheus was converted he was not onelyonly blest himself, but Salvation came to his house also, Luke 19.8. When Lydia and the Iaylor were converted themselves, their Families were brought into Covenant with them, Acts 16.14, 15, 33, 34. Rahab the harlot by believing preserved her family alive; Yea, Lot was a blessing to all Sodom, the Angel could not destroy it till he was gone out, Gen. 19. The Reasons are these:
1. The Covenant of Grace is made to the godly and their seed, Gen. 17.7. So bountiful a Master do we serve that he will not only shew mercy to the godly themselves, but also to thousands of Generations of them that love him, and keep his Commandements, Psalm 112.2.
2. God loves such as resemble him in the beauty of Holynesse; now love is of a diffusive Nature, it extendeth it self not onelyonly to the party beloved, but to all about him; If we love a man, we will love his Children, Servant, Beast, yea his dog for his Masters sake. If this be in the drop what is in the Ocean? If this be in the Creature whose love is imperfect, finite, mixt, what is in the Creator who is love it selfe? 1 Iohn 4.8.
3. In respect of the near Union that is between Master and Servants, Parents and children. They all make as it were but one body, so that if it goe well with the Head, it must needs be the better for the Members. As the Dew that falleth on the mountains runs down to the Valleyes, and the precions Ointment that was poured upon the head of Aaron, ran down to the skirts of his clothing, Psalm 133. So the blessing which God powers on Governours, extendeth it selfe to such as are under them.
4. They will endeavour the conversion of such as belong to them. It is promised as a blessing to such as live under the good mans shadow that they shall return, (Hosea 14.7.) and grow up fruitfully as the corn in a well tilled field, and flourish in the wayes of God like the most generous Vine, to the great joy and contentment of themselves and others.
5. As an evil man is a publike evil,Vir malut comm…ne malum, fundi nostri calamitas. the Family, the City, the Nation, the World, yea even his beasts fare the worse for him. The wicked Egyptians bring a curse on their cattle, Exodus 9.3. when Achan had sinned, his sons and Daughters, his Oxen, Asses, sheep and all he had perished and fell with him, Joshua 7.24, 25.
But it is good being a good mans Childe, servant, yea beast, Exodus 9.4. But the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Aegypt, there shall nothing die of all that is the children of Israel's. God blesseth their very cattle for their sake; and if the creatures could speak, they would desire to be servants to those that are servants to God.
Let all Superiours then labour for grace,Bonum est sui diffufivum. that they may be a means to diffuse it to those about them, for true grace is communicative, Paul that was converted himselfe, desireth that others were like himselfe, Acts 26.29.
When the woman of Samaria had found Christ, she bringeth her neighbours to him, Iohn 4.28. when Andrew had found Christ, he bringeth Peter with him, and Philip bringeth Nathaniel, Iohn 1.41, 45. They are like a sweet perfume, or like Carbuncles and stones of fire which sweeten and enlighten all that are about them, Ezekiel 28.16. The prosperity and welfare of the Church lieth much in the well-ordering of Families, they are the Nurseries and Seminaries of the Church, and therefore Governours of Families should walk before God in their own houses, (as well as in Gods house) with upright hearts, Psalm 101.2. 2 Samuel 6.20. he returned to blesse his houshold (i.) to pray and praise God with them, See Psalm 30. the Title, and Acts 10.1.2. Iob 1.5. To this end therefore must be the morning and the evening sacrifice there, Numbers 28.4.
Our Prayers are our sacrifices.Orationem …ugem, jugis postulat necessitat. Drexel. See the Excellency of Family duties, Master Philip Godwin Domestick dueties Page 57, &c. Cobber on Prayer, lib. 1. Cap. 4. Page 88. Fenners Catech. page 76. This blesseth all, as the Arke when it came to the house of Obed Edom, brought a blessing with it; so where duties be set up in their power; they are a means to blesse our labour, rest, and children.
2. The Word must be Read there Deut. 6.6, 7. it must dwell in us not onelyonly sufficiently, but Abundantly, Col. 3.16.
3. Thou must Catechise and teach thy children the way of the Lord betimes, Proverbs 22.6. and if David and Bathsheba a King and a Queen taught Solomon when young (Proverbs 4.21.4. and 31.1.) who shall think himself too good for this duety?
See Mr. Philip Goodwin. Domest. Duties. p. 272, &c.4. There must be singing of Psalmes in our houses, it is not onelyonly our Duty, but our Glory thus to glorifie God.
5. Let none be idle in thy family, but see that every one have some imployment wherein to serve God, for of idleness comes no goodness as I have shewed before on v. 7.
6. Be well advised whom you receive into your Family. If a man be to plant an Orchard, he will get the chiefest grafts, else as one scabbed sheepe infecteth the Flocke, so one disordered person may disorder a whole Family.
7. There must be a Grave yet amiable carriage towards inferiours, remembring that we also have a master in Heaven. Many Masters are so high and lordly, so pettish and perverse that no servant can please them, no service content them.
They use their servants like dogs rather then Christians, such should remember the meekness of Iob 31.13. and how Superiours are called Fathers in Scripture because they should carry a fatherly affection towards their Inferiours, Exod. 20.12.
8. There must be Discipline. As in the Arke there was the Rod of Manna, Many prune their Plants, break their Horses, train their Hawkes, yea teach their dogs, yet never instruct their children.so in every well ordered Family there must be the Manna of Instruction, and the Rod of Correction. There must be no Toleration of sin, it must be put far from our Tabernacles, I…b 22.23. least it bring a curse upon all, Zach. 5.4, 5. Proverbs 12.7. God will protect no Families but such as glorifie him, Isay 4.5.
9. There must be Repetition and godly conferring on the Word in our particular Families. We Ministers must plant in publick, but unlesse you that are Governours water in private, we can expect but small increase. Hence the Lord commands us to whet the Word (as the mower doth his sithe) by going over it again and again, and often inculcating it to our children (Deuteronomy 6.7.) at our own houses by a parsonal and particular examination of them, and harrowing in of that good seed which hath been publickly sowen, that it be not lost.
I cannot therefore so well approve of that confused kinde of Repetition (which is used in many places) when immediately after the Evening Sermon, the Governours of Families with others get all into one house to Repetition. Though the duety suits well with my Principles and pactice, yet (with submission to better judgements and men of more experie…ce) I conceive the dutie is not rightly circumstantiated; for,
1. If the Minister be put upon this duty (as he is in most places) to pray and repeat both his Sermons and that immediately after his publick pains, though some may commend his zeal, yet I question his discretion. I hold it no point of wisedome for a man to tire out himselfe and his Auditours, and make the Ordinances nauseous, which rightly timed and performed would be very profitable and delightfull; for God in his Wisedom hath so ordered the variety of holy Duties on the Sabbath, that if we be wise to observe the due timing of them they be not tedious: But this kind of Repetition must needs be tiresome, both to Pastours and People.
2. Pastor and People (spending so much time as many doe in these publick Duties) are deprived of that time which should be spent in a private digesting and meditating of what they have heard. For I conceive (still with submission to better judgements) that the time immediately after the Evening Sermon, is most proper for private meditation, and applying what we have heard to our selves.
I should advise every Governour of a Family to goe home immedirtely from the publick Ordinances, and to set his Family in order, and set every one (according to his ability) some taske either in the Catechise, or to learn a Psalm, or a Chapter, and such as can write to review and digest their notes. Else whilest the master of the Family is at the Publick repetition the children and servants will be in disorder at home.
It is this private Meditation, self-examination and application of the word to our selves which is the duty of duties, and all the Repetitions in the world without this will doe us no good. One Sermon eaten and digested, and made our own will bring more solid joy then a thousand Repetitions, Ier. 15.16. This private retiring and refreshing on our wayes comparing our hearts with the Rule is the principal duty, and what ever be neglected this must not be neglected if we looke to be saved. If ever we would get sound wisedome, we must separate and sequester our selves from crouds, Proverbs 18.7. Other things must be done in their proper time. but this of all duties must not be left undone.
It is true, this publick repeating maketh a greater noise and shew in the World, but it runneth up into straw, into formality, censoriousnesse, spiritual Pride (as is experimentally seen in the most) for want of this secret, Soul-humbling, Soul-affecting work.
This is indeed hard worke, it is plowing, self-denying worke which our formal Ephraims like not, Hosea 10.11. It bringeth not that popular applause with it as the publicke meetings doe where their gifts may be more taken notice off.
The Devil can be content we should hear a thousand Sermons, yea, and repeate them too, when we have done, so he can but keep us from this private worke of making them our own by serious Meditation and Prayer, Repeating our Sermons in our lives (which is the best Repetition of Sermons) the Devil hath his desire, and I appeale to the Consciences of those who spend so much time in publicke and private Repetitions.
For, I suppose these persons Repeate in their *We should bring the Word publickely taught home to our children by repeating it to them, and requiring it of them. Philip Goodwins Family. Relig. p. 401.Families when they come home, (else I am sure they trangresse against the Rule, Deuteronomy 6.6, 7.) Whether they doe not omit this private dutie which I speake of, the wayes and walking of too many Professors sheweth it.
Question. Would you have the duty of repeating wholly omitted?
Answer. By no meanes, for it is a duety which God commandeth Parents to practice in their particular Families; But I would have it rightly Circumstantiated for Time and Place, and so performed as may be most for Gods Glory and the benefit of us and ours. Were I worthy to counsel Christians, I should advise them.
1. To retire in private (as before) having set their Families in Order, till the Evening repast.
2. After that, to call all the Family together, examining every one what they have learned that day, and putting an edge upon it by applying it to them.
Objection.
But some people cannot pray nor Repeat themselves.
Answer.
That is their sinne and negligence, especially if they be Governours of Families. Yet I should advise such persons to doe in this case as they do by their meat, if they cannot dresse it themselves, they will desire their neighbours to help them. So goe to thy Ministers house (if he be nigh thee) or else to thy Godly neighbour, joyne with him till thou canst do it thy selfe.
For still I say, it is most proper, profitable and convenient to have this duty performed in every particular Family where there is any number especially.
Now this keepeth Duties in their order; Here is time for private preparation, then for publicke duties, then for workes of necessity, then for private Meditation, and lastly, for Family duties.
Thus you have my judgement, I shall not confine any one to it, I give you in onelyonly what I finde Experimentallie most beneficial to my self and others: and if any can experimentally finde out a more profitable way to promote Godlynesse in its power, I can well permit every one to abound in his own sense, and to take his own way. My Record is on High that I have no designe against the persons, parts or performances of any, I rejoyce to see Gods work goe forward in any place; my onelyonly desire is, that the power of Religion may prosper in the Land, and the efficacy of it may appear in holy and mortified conversations.
5. Observation.
5. We must not despise any in whom we can see any thing of Christ. Be they poore Artificers and Tradesmen, and such as are contemptible in the Worlds eye, yet if they be precious in Christs eye they must be so in ours too; yea, be they weak women, yet if they be good women, we must honour them. So doth this great Apostle, here, he sendeth his salutations and best respects to Aquila a Tent-maker,En Pauli modestia qui se multo inferiores pro adjutoribus suis & symmistis agnoscit. Gualter in Rom. 16.3. and his wife Priscilla, and is not ashamed to own them as his coadjutors, Romans 16.3. The Church of Christ in this world for the most part consisteth of mean and obscure persons, as appeareth by those men and women whom the Apostle saluteth, Rom. 16.1. to 16. not many wise, not many noble, not many mighty, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weake to confound the mighty, *See Master Robert Bolton, and Master Francis Taylor on that Text.1 Cor. 1.26, 27.
Salute Aquila,
Salute Priscilla,
Salute Onesiphorus.
And why so? because of their Piety and Zeal for Gods glory. We had doubtlesse never heard of these persons, but for that.
6. Observation.
Hence Observe, Piety bringeth praise. It begetteth a good name, and maketh a man famous to posterity. Such honour God, and therefore he honoureth them, and setteth an Ecce of Admiration on them, Iohn 1.47. Behold an Israelite indeed. What hath made Iob, Nehemiah, David, and all the good Kings of Israel so famous to all Generations but their Piety? Wicked men by fine fare, fine cloaths, &c. may beg a little praise; but Piety commandeth Esteem even from those that cannot practice it themselves.
The intemperate man cannot but commend the Temperate, though he cannot imitate him; and the time-serving Polititian cannot but commend the sincere and constant man that sticks to his Principles, though himselfe like a Wethercock cannot but turn with every wind.