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Behold here a fourfold duty pressed upon Timothy;
1. Watchfulness: Watch thou in all things. As if he had said, "False teachers will beset you round on every side; therefore guard and watch every where."
2. Courage: Endure afflictions: he that fears the frowns of men, can never discharge his duty faithfully to God.
3. Fidelity: Do the work of an evangelist. which was an extraordinary, and therefore but a temporary, office, to assist the apostles in preaching and publishing the gospel from place to place; they watered what the apostles planted.
4. Sincerity: Make full proof of thy ministry: so fulfill all the parts of it, that none may charge thee with the neglect of any part of thy duty: let the world see that thou makest it thine own and only work to win souls.
Learn hence, 1. That the apostasy and looseness of the times we live in must oblige all persons, but especially the ministers of Christ, to watch: who should watch, if not the watchmen?
Learn hence, 2. That ministers, of all men, need courage: they must inure thmeselves to endure hardships and expect hard words, hard dealing, nick names, and all kind of reproaches; and these must be endured with patience, with courage, and with constance.
Learn, 3. That ministers must make full proof of their ministry; that is, must fully and faithfully discharge all the duties of their calling, not do their duties by halves; but accomplish all the parts of their ministry, strengthening the weak, comforting the afflicted, reducing the wandering, and adorning their doctrine by a pure and unblamable conversation. This is to fulfil our ministry.