thou mayest learn it from them. And if he thus wrote to Timothy, who was filled with the Spirit, how much more to us! “Thoroughly furnished unto all good works”; not merely taking part in them, he means, but “thoroughly furnished.” Chap. iv. 1. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead.” He either means the wicked and the just, or the departed and those that are still living; for many will be left alive. In the former Epistle he raised his fears, saying, “I give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all things” (1 Tim. vi. 13.): but here he sets before him what is more dreadful, “Who shall judge the quick and the dead,” that is, Who shall call them to account “at His appearing and His kingdom.” When shah He judge? at His appearing with glory, and in His kingdom. Either he says this to show that He will not come in the way that He now has come, or, “I call to witness His coming, and His kingdom.” He calls Him to witness, showing that he had reminded Him of that appearing. Then teaching him how he ought to preach the word, he adds, Ver. 2. “Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” What means “in season, out of season”? That is, have not any limited season: let it always be thy season, not only in peace and security, and when sitting in the Church. Whether thou be in danger, in prison, in chains, or going to thy death, at that very time reprove. Withhold not rebuke, for reproof is then most seasonable, when thy rebuke will be most successful, when the reality is proved. “Exhort,” he says. After the manner of physicians, having shown the wound, he gives the incision, he applies the plaster. For if you omit either of these, the other becomes useless. If you rebuke without convicting, you will seem to be rash, and no one will tolerate it, but after the matter is proved, he will submit to rebuke: before, he will be headstrong. And if you convict and rebuke, but vehemently, and do not apply exhorta- tion,1425 all your labor will be lost. For conviction1426 is intolerable in itself if consolation be not mingled with it. As if incision, though salutary in itself, have not plenty of lenitives to assuage the pain, the patient cannot endure cutting and hacking, so it is in this matter. “With all longsuffering and doctrine.” For he that reproves is required to be longsuffering, that he may not believe hastily, and rebuke needs consolation, that it may be received as it ought. And why to “longsuffering” does he add “doctrine”? “Not as in anger, not as in hatred, not as insulting over him, not as having caught an enemy. Far be these things from thee.” But how? As loving as sympathizing with him, as more distressed than himself at his grief, 1425 Or, “comfort.” 1426 The word translated “reproof.” 883 2 Timothy 3:16,17