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ΟΝ ΤΗ Ε

Epistle of St. PAUL

то

TITUS.

The PREFACE.

HE Time of St. Paul's being in the Ifland of Crete, and leaving Titus as Bishop there, is placed, by fome, in the Year 55. viz. in his Travels mentioned Acts xx. But our more accurate Bishop Pearfon has shown good Reasons against that; and, much more probably, ftated it in the Interval between St. Paul's firft and fecond Confinement at Rome, viz. Anno Domini 63. dating this Epiftle the Year following; with which Account Dr. Mill differs but in one fingle Year.

$2. The Occafion on which it was Written is so perfectly the fame with those to Timothy, that the Substance and Style of it may well be, as it appears, of the fame Strain. A Church was indeed planted here, but wanted Watering, Cultivation, and due Order. The Natives of this Inland were an Idle, Falfe and Luxurious People, fay the

Ancient

Ancient Historians and Geographers, agreeable to St. Paul's Descriptions of them here, Chap. i. but might have made more tractable Chriftians, had not their ill Qualities and Difpofitions been fomented by the Jewish Zealots, abounding in that Place. Against whofe ignorant and malicious Prejudices the Apostle moft clearly levels all the Characters he gives of a good Bishop or Church-Governour; and the several Directions for the Conduct of People of both Sexes, in their respective Ages, Stations, and Degrees, conformably to the two foregoing Epiftles, and to the general Current of the other Epiftolary Writings relating to those Matters.

CHAP. I.

The CONTENTS.

The Title and Salutation. The Defign of St. Paul's leaving Titus Bishop in Crete, and of this Epistle to him; viz. To Ordain Church Minifters, and reduce that Church to a Regularity in Opinion and Practice; efpecially the Judaizing Part of them, that were more zealous about Jewish Traditions and Ceremonies than the Subftantial Matters of Christianity. The good Qualifications of a Church Governour. A bad Character of the Cretians, particularly the Jewish Inhabitants of that IЛland. Written PAUL, a fervant 1. God, and an A.D. 64. apoftle of Jefus Chrift, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness,

2 In hopes of eter-
nal life, which God,
that cannot lie, pro-

mised before the world
began ;

3 But hath in due
time manifefted his
word

PAUL, a Worshipper of the of Jefus Chrift, fpecially Commiffioned to Preach his Religion in its Truth and Purity, and Convert Men of all Nations to the true Faith of it.

True God, and an Apostle

2 & 3. A Religion that gives all true Believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, a full and fure Hope of enjoying that great Promife of Eternal Happiness, made by the God of Truth Himfelf, at firft to Adam in

the

word through preach- the Beginning of the World, and to A. D.64. ing, which is com- Abraham and the Patriarchs aftermitted unto me, ac- ward: Which, though loft and forcording to the comgotten by the far greater Part of the mandment of God our Gentile Nations, through their maSaviour: nifold Corruptions, and wilful Iniquities; yet is now again revived and declared to them All, under the Gospel Difpenfation (the proper Seafon made choice of by Divine Wisdom for that purpose): And I am appointed to publish it for the Salvation of all the World.

4 To Titus, mine own fon after the common faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jefus

Christ our Saviour.

5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldeft fet in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.

feveral Cities of that conftant Execution.

6 If any be blame lefs, the husband of one wife having faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly.

7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the fteward of God: not felf-willed, not foon angry, not given to wine, no striker, nor given to filthy lucre;

* Ver.

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4. I Paul fend this Epiftle to Titus, my dear Convert to Chriftianity; wishing him all Divine Favour and Happiness from God the Father, and Jefus Chrift our Saviour and Governour.

5. To remind you of the good End for which I Confecrated and left you Bishop of the Church of Crete, viz. To perfect the Converfion I had there begun, to give fuch Rules of Doctrine and Difcipline as were wanting, and to Ordain other Church-Minifters in the Ifland, to put them in due and

6 & 7. Now a Bishop and Governour of a Chriftian Church, as a Steward over God's Family, ought, in general, to be a Person of an unexceptionable Character: And, in particular, ought not to be one that has been guilty, either of the Polygamy of the Heathens, or of Divorcing his Wife for Humourfome Reasons, and Marrying others, according to the Corrupt Ufages of the Jews. He must be one that

has

5. That thou fhouldeft fet in order the things that are wanting. Or, a và λsizorra dioptávon, To rectify Disorders.

A. D. 64. has Educated his Family in the Chriftian Faith; that no body can accufe of the leaft Debauchery or Disorderly Life; not Stubborn and Paffionate in his Words, or Violent in his Behaviour; addicted neither to Drunkenness, nor any Sordid Practices for Worldly Gains.

1

8 But a lover of

hofpitality, a lover of
good men, fober, juft,
holy, temperate,
vice of God, and
9 Holding faft the
faithful word, as he
hath been taught, that
he may be able by
found doctrine both
to exhort, and to con-
vince the gainfayers.

10 For there are
many unruly and vain
talkers and deceivers,
especially they of the
circumcifion :

8. But, on the contrary, must be a Perfon Hofpitable and Charitable, Grave in his Carriage, Juft in his Dealings, devoted to the Sertemperate in his Pleasures.

9. In fine, he must be fteddy to the true Chriftian Doctrine, by the Truth and Strength whereof, he may be able to Comfort and Support the Orthodox, and to Confute and Reprove the Erroneous and Obftinate.

10. Of which latter you have abundance in Crete, whofe Bufinefs is to Talk and Difpute, and Seduce the Minds of Men; but especially the Jewish Zealots, and fuch Chriftian Converts as they have Corrupted with their Notions.

II Whose mouths must be stopped, who fubvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's fake.

prefent Profit and

12 One of themfelves, even a prophet of their own, faid, The Cretians are al way liars, evil beasts, 13 This

flow bellies *.

11. These Men, however falfe and vain their Arguments be, must yet be Anfwered and Confuted; for they gain upon whole Families by their unreasonable Suggestions, which they spread about, only for Applause.

12 & 13. When the Poet Epimenides, a Native of their own, described the Cretians, as a Falfe, he faid what was as true of these Mischievous, and Luxurious People, Jewish Inhabitants, as it could be of

the

* Ver. 12. Slow Bellies, yasipas apyai, not flow, but fwift, ager Bellies, like that of naxa Inpix, evil wild Beasts. So in Homer, xúss agyol are fwift Dogs.

*

13 This witness is true wherefore rebuke them fharply, that they may be found in the faith; them again to true

14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and confcience is defiled.

the Original Natives of the Place: A. D.64. And therefore you must keep them under a ftrict Cenfure and Discipline; especially fuch of either of them as are Chriftian Converts, to reduce Chriftian Principles.

14. For they are now addicted to hardly any thing but the Study of Jewish Fables and Traditions ; that tend to nothing but to corrupt the Christian Faith.

15. Their Jewish Teachers perfwade them to put the Stress of Religion upon nice Diftinctions of Meats and Drinks, Clean and Unclean Things: Whereas, alas! a Gentile Convert, that lives up to the Faith and Precepts of Christianity, is Clean and Pure in the Sight of God, let him Eat or Touch what he will; while They, by their obftinate Infidelity and Immoralities, can perform no acceptable Service to God; and their niceft Ceremonies fignify just nothing †.

16 They profefs 16. They boaft themselves to be that they know God; the only People in Covenant with but in works they de- God, and acquainted with True ny him, being abomi- Religion: But their Practices are a nable, and disobediContradiction to all fuch Pretences, ent, and unto every and their stubborn Difobedience to good work reprobate ‡. the plainest Laws of God, has, now, rendered them odious to him, whofe Church and People they once were.

* Ver. 13. Rebuke them sharply, ropas, Cut them, as it were, to the Quick.

+ Ver 15. And Unbelieving. 'Axísos, Unfaithful, Treacherous, though they were pretended Believers.

Ver. 16. Unto every good work reprobate. Прòç är Hoyer aɣator adoximo, Stupid and Injudicious as to every good Work. See Note on Rom. i, 28.

CHAP.

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