Vol 16 - 1Ti_4:7. Exercise thyself unto Godliness.

1 Timothy 4:7. Exercise thyself unto Godliness.
THIS chapter is partly prophetical, partly doctrinal; —partly foretelling what would come to pass in the last days; partly intimating what work a man, who looks for another life, has. to do, while he sojourns on this side of heaven. In the prophetic part, ST. PAUL acquaints TIMOTHY with the strange degeneracy and corruption of religion, which would ensue in afterages;—how men, under a show of strictness, would prohibit what GOD had, like an indulgent Father, permitted to his creatures; under pretence of doing more than GOD has commanded, would set up the kingdom of the Devil; and, by crying out against eating flesh, and marriage, would discover to the world, that they are more in love with their idle fancies and inventions, than with the will of GOD, blessed for evermore.
Whoever they be at whom he aims, they are not men that, by way of mortification, and with a pious intent to subdue their lusts, voluntarily abstain from either; for such spiritual exercises many good men, and excellent servants of GOD, did always use. That DANIEL and his companions,—ST.MATTHEW, and ST.JAMES, abstained altogether from fish and flesh, and all things that had life, is asserted by JOSEPHUS, CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS, and ST. AUSTIN; and ecclesiastical history speaks of ALCIBIADES, OLYMPIAS, and divers others, who lived altogether upon herbs and fruits of the earth. Some did this, because they thought it more wholesome; and others, because they looked upon it as a means to promote seriousness and heavenly mindedness; which makes ST. CHRYSOSTOM commend those that could do so. But these Christians, who were thus temperate, neither condemned those that eat flesh, nor prescribed these rules as necessary to others; much less had they any abhorrency from flesh, or from marriage, as things unlawful. Those whom the Apostle reproves here, were men who both commanded such abstinence, and declared that eating flesh, and marrying, were sinful, and proceeded from the Devil.
In the doctrinal part, which begins at the sixth verse, he considers TIMOTHY as a Christian and a Bishop, and accordingly prescribes to him rules to be observed by him in that double capacity. The Church in those days was already infested by ravenous wolves, men whom the Devil sent into the world to appose the design of Christianity, and to keep deluded mortals in sin and error. These false prophets, taught by a more cunning master, invented various ways to undermine the new proselytes of Christianity. Sometimes they boasted of their learning and wisdom, and sought to render the wisdom of the Cross contemptible. Sometimes they made the world believe, that they knew great mysteries, of which the true Apostles were ignorant; and, particularly, the disciples of SIMON MAGUS would tell strange stories of the cause of good and evil, of the battle of angels, and of the creation of the world, which the Apostle (ver. 7) calls " profane and old wives' fables; " and therefore he does charge TIMOTHY to despise them, and to mind nobler things, such as tended to the advancement of God's glory, the Church's good, and his own joy in the day of our Loin JESUS, whereof spiritual Exercises, in the ways of Godliness, are chief: " Therefore," says he, L` exercise thyself rather unto Godliness."
Before I enter upon any particulars of this exercise, 1 must endeavor to convince my Reader, that this exhortation concerns all Christians, and not Ministers only. True, it is addressed to TIMOTHY, a `Clergyman,but not. as a. Bishop, but as a Christian; and the Apostle charges this duty upon him, not because he was an Evangelist, but because he had embraced the Christian faith, and had been baptized in the name of the LORD) JESUS. This is evident from hence, because what is here spoken to TIMOTHY, is, in other places of Scripture, enjoined on Christians in general. See Php_4:8; 2 Peter 1:5, S; 2 Peter 3:11; Colds. 3:1215, &c. Ephesians 6:14; Ephesians 6:18, &c. and it would be as good a plea, that contentedness, striving against sin, loving Go n, reading the Holy Scriptures, meekness, patience, and a lively hope, are not virtues belonging to laymen, because they are recommended to TIMOTHY in these two Epistles, as to fancy that this text imports no universal obligation.
O Sirs, consider, whether these excuses will be accepted in the last day! If holiness be a Minister's duty only, what makes you repent on your deathbeds, that you have not minded it more What makes you send for us to clothe you with the garments of righteousness, when your souls are going to another world What made the Apostles write so many Epistles to their hearers And what made them fill their Epistles with so many pathetical exhortations Nay, what do you come to church for Is it only to hear us talk Is it only to divert yourselves' Is it only to pass away the time Is it not to learn your work Is it not to know the task which Got. requires at yor hands Is it not to be acquainted with the will of God, that you may do it And if so, you bear witness against yourselves; you condemn yourselves; you acknowledge that this Exercise is your duty as much as ours. There is never a sinner of you all, that shall dare to plead, in the great day, that ye were not persons concerned in this work, or that it was beyond your sphere. GOD will bear witness, and the Angels will bear witness, and the Ministers of the Gospel will bear witness, and your own conscience will bear witness, nay, the Devils themselves will bear witness, that you were told, assured, and convinced, that it was to you that the message of grace and pardon was sent, as well as to us, and that you lay under the same obligation to holiness that we do.
Who of you desires not to be saved has any of you a mind to be damned Dares any of you refuse the everlasting mercy of Gov Do not you all declare, that you would fain inherit the kingdom which fades not away, But show us one Scripture, one place in the Bible, one tittle in the word of GOD, that favors your plea, or allows you a different way to eternal happiness, than is appointed to the Preachers of the Gospel. And if GOD be resolved that all who enter into his joy shall improve their talents, and walk in the same way, all these pretences must vanish into smoke, and can be nothing else but snares of the Devil, to catch your souls, and to deprive them of that blessing which would make them equal to Angels, and, what is more, partakers of the divine nature.
So then, what the Apostle says here to TIMOTHY, he says unto all, " Exercise thyself unto Godliness." And I must entreat you to look upon this exhortation, as spoken to every one of you in particular; and to reflect on the importance of it, with as much seriousness as if ST. PAUL did at this time, from the mansions of glory, by a new commission from almighty GOD, call every one by your names, " You THOMAS, JOHN, DANIEL, PETER, ANNE, ELIZABETH, MARY, Exercise thyself unto Godliness." Fancy that you see the glorious Apostle standing in the clouds of heaven, and bespeaking you from the mouth of Him, who is resolved that not every one who says to him, LORD, LORD, but those who do his will, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Fancy you hear him cry in your ears, " O mortal men, whom GOD so loved, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life;—whom the SON of GOD is willing to deliver from sin and slavery, and the bondage of the Devil;—for whom he suffered agonies, wounds, torments, shame, reproaches, and an ignominious death, to purchase endless glory for you;—every wound of JESUS calls for this Exercise; every tear he shed is to melt you into a holy willingness to it; his love challenges it; the pains he took for you require it; you cannot own him for your Redeemer without it; he cannot save you from your sins without it; if his love be not worth this Exercise, it is worth nothing. O deluded sinners, will you slight this mercy Will you trample on the blood of CHRIST, undervalue his agonies, or fancy that they deserve no such Exercise O let not this love be your ruin,; let not this mercy be your damnation; let not this condescension be a witness against you! You know not what you refuse, when you refuse this Exercise. As. you love yourselves; as you tender your eternal welfare; as you would not be counted haters of GOD, despisers of his love, and apostates from all. sense of gratitude; as you look for favor in the last day;, as you, hope to see the face of GOD in glory; as you desire to find mercy of the LAMB, that takes away the sins of the world;—by all that is holy and serious, by the tears of GOD'S Ministers, and, what is dearer to you, your own interest; and by all the promises and threatenings of the Gospel; I entreat you, Exercise yourselves unto Godliness." Could you but look` into heaven, and behold the vast armies of blessed souls in the celestial choir, there you would find none but such as did formerly, when on earth, apply themselves to this spiritual Exercise. That is the place of recompense he that was a stranger to these Exercises on earth can expect no reward in those regions.' There Godliness appears in its beauty and glory:—as you expect the white robe, the royal garb, which the saints of that place do wear; as you hope for ABRAHAM'S bosom, where now the once Godly LAZARUS lies; O delay not, neglect not, to " exercise yourselves unto Godliness:" and what these Exercises are, is the next thing I am to treat of.