Paul's Salutation ; the Dignity of bis Apoſtleſhip, 1==== 4, For what end be left Titus in Crete ;, and what fnaif ations and Gifts are required in & good Paſtor, 5 He exhorts bim 10 ftop 1he Mouths of Seducers g who according to one of their own Poets, were ſuch as needed ſharp reproofs,” 1 1=——13, That they may keep tht
Faith pure from F:wiſh Fables, and Humane Inſtitutions ; The Cha- |
rafter of thoſe Seducers, 14 16,
P Aul a ſervant of God a, andan apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt b, according to the faith of God's elect c, + Tim.z, 49d the acknowledgment of the truth * which 1s after i6,&6. 3, £odlineſs d. = - 4 That is, in the Work of the Miniſtry, 5 Who glory in this as my greateſt Honour and Dignity, That I was one immediately ſent by Jeius Chrift to Preach the Goſpel. c xamt ms according to what the Elect, or choſen of God from the beginning of the World, have believed, ſoasit is no new Doctrine which I bring, or elle x&7; here ſhould be Tranſlated for denoting the fin] cauſe,as fome- jadge it fignifieth, 2 Tim, 1. 1. and ia verſe g. of this Chapter, then the Senſe is, That he was ſent to be an Inſtrument to beget Faith in ſach as God had choſen unto Life, A#s 26, 18, for thoſe onely 0r- dained to eternal Life believ2, Ats 12, 48, and Paul was ſent to be an helper of their Faith. Some think the Apoftle by this Phraſe only diſtinguiſheth himſelf from the Miniſters of the Law, 4 To which Faith Men are brought by the knowledge of the truth, and it work- eth by the Owning, Profeſſion, and Acknowledgment of the Truth ; not all Propoſitions of Truth, but that which is produQtive of a godly Life, lying in the true Worſhip of God, and an univerſal Obedience to the Divine Wall. | : jor, for. 2 || In hope of eternal life e, which God * that can-
* Numb. not lie, promiſed f * before the world began g. 23-19. * e Which Faithalſo producing the acknowledgment, profeſſion +: Tim.1.and obedience to the truth, according to Godlineſs, produceth in the Soul an hope,or certain expettation of Eternal Salvation or Hap- pineſs. f Nor doth this hope grow up as a ruſh without mire, or a ag without water, but is bottomed in God's Declaration of his Will to that purpoſe, and it is impoſſible that the God of Truth ſhould lye, or ſpeak what he never intended to effet. *Emmy palace might as well here have been Tranſlated purpoſed, and mutt be ſo interpreted, if we interpret the next words before the beginning bf time z unleſs we ſay it was promiſed to the head of the EleQ, Chriſt, on their behalf, g before the beginning of Time, or rather, many epes fince, as Rom. 16. 25, Thus Eternal Life was promiſed, though more obſcurely, Gen. 15, 1. & 17. 7. & 22. 18. : 3 But hath in due time hþ manifeſted his word
through preaching ji, Þ which is committed unto me k, according to the commandment of God our
Saviour },
h In proper time (faith the Greek,) in ſuch time-as God had eter-, nally purpoſed, andas ſeemed good to the Divine Wiſdom, #7 He hath by ſetting up theOrdinance of Preaching orPubliſhing theGol-! pel by Men, ſent by him, manifeſted this Promiſe of Eternal Life, which lay much obſcured under the Vail of Temporal Promiſes un- der the Old Teſtament, k Which office of Preaching or which Word was committed to me, by the will of God, or immediate command of God, as to which, ſee Affs 26, 18. |
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TITUS.
MN.
Chap. I.
But why muſt none he put into the Miniftry that have ſuch Chil- lren ? The Fathers may be good Men, though the Children be bad. $01, 1. Becauſe the honour and repute of the Church is more to be regarded, than the intereſt of any private Perſon, 2. Becauſe it is an ill ſign that the Parents of ſuch Children, have not ruled their own Houles well, keeping their Children in all ſubjettion and Sravity under Authority, and are therefore very unfit to rule the greater Society of a Church. 7 For a biſhop muſt be blameleſs x, as the ſteward of God y, not ſelf-willed z, not ſoon angry a, F not 4rev.1s.g given to wine b, no ſtriker c, * not given to filthy *1Per.s.2,
lucre d.
x One that hath an over-ſight of the Church of God, ought to be one whom none can truly tax with any ſcaudalous fin. y As a chief Servant in God's Houſe, intruſted to diſpence his diyfteries, 1 Cor, 4. 2, one that ſhould ſet an Example to the under Servants in the Heuſe of God. 7 Not avSzdy, one that pleaſeth himſelf, proud, ſtubborn pertinacious, confident, ©c. having an high opinion 0 his own Perſon, Parts, Judgment or Humour 3 (for all this the Word ſignifies) 4 8&4a0y, not too quick, and ſubjett to paſnon, how then ſhall he in meekneſs inſtruF rhoſe that are without ? b See che Notes on 1 Tim. 3. 3. where the ſame Word is uſed. c d See the Notes on 1 Tim. 3. 3. where both theſe qualifications are men- tioned, and opened. Y 8 But a lover of hoſpitality e, a lover of || good men jo, ,, f, ſoberg, juſt b, holy i, temperate &. things,
e A Lover of Strangers. See the Notes on 1 Tim. 3.2. f One that hath a kindneſs for good Men, or who loves all good things.
g See the Notes en 1 Tim. 3.2. b Juft inhis Dealings betwixt Man and Man, giving to all their due. 2 One that reverenceth
if
1 and worſhippeth God, and is Heavenly and Spiritual in his Conver-
ation, & One that reſtraineth all his evil Inclinations and Propen- fions, that hath brought his Senfitive Appetite under the dominion and Government of his Reaſon.
9 Holding faſt + the faithful word, { as he hath + ;Tim,:: been taught J, that he may be able by ſound do- 19. &s. z, arine, both to exhort m, and to convince the gainſay- 2 Tim. 1,
ers-# CESS | __- ; x ED i Chap. 2. I, 3 No airy uncertain Man, that is of that Opinion which his com- | Or, in
pany is of, or his Age favours, but holding ſteady the word of Faith, as he hath learned it from me, and the reit of the Apoſtles, m His Work is to perſuade others ,to the Faith, and # by ſound argu- ments to convince thoſe that ſpeak contrary to it ; and if he him- ſelf be ignorant of, or uncertain, as to that, how can he ever dif- charge this employment ? F 10 For + there are many unruly, and vain tal- $ xThs.7; kerso, and deceivers p, eſpecially they of the circum- 6, ciſton q.