0 We have had both of theſe Words before ; the firft ſignifieth ftubborn, unruly Men ; the ſecond, idle, fooliſb, vain talkers ; The Apoſtle ſaith, That in that Age there were many of theſe, p and ſuch who were deceivers of other Men's Souls,or had their own Souls deceived; q Eſpecially (he faith) the Fews, who mixt the Law with the Goſpel ; preſſed the necet{ary obſervance of their Ceremo- nies, and taught thatall the 'Fews ſhould be ſaved : Of theſe there were many in Crete, they at this time being ſcattered abroad over the face of the whole Earth.
+: Cor.2, 4 To Þ Titus mine own ſon aft 12, 13. & faith m, Grace, mercy and peace, from God the Fa-!
7.14-& 8. ther, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour #. gp m From hence we learn that Titus was converted to Chriftiani- Gal, 2, 3+ ty by Paul, Timothy was ſo called, 1 Tim. 1, 2, #2 The Salutation is the ſame with that to Timothy, x Tim, 1, 2. 2 Tim. 1,2. and in moſt of the Epiſiles, with ſmall variation. See the Notes there, and in the beginning of moſt of the Epiſtles,
5 For this cauſe left I thee in Crete o, that thou
ſhouldſt ſet in order the things that are || wanting p, 1, 7 and | ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed Ats1 4 thee q. b2, 0 In Candia(as it is now called) ſee the Argument to this Epiftle, p Set to rights things which T left undone, being haſtened 'away to. other places. q In this 1/land we are told there were an Hundred Cities, in how many of them the __ had taken place, we are | not told, Paul left Titus in this place, for this end, to regulate the
|
Churches, and conſtitute Officers for the Holy Miniftry, toexecute the Otfice of an Evangeliſt ; doing what the Apoſtle ſhould have done there, could he have ſtayed,
6 If any be blameleſs r, the husband of one wife /, having faithful children ft, not accuſed of riot «, or un- Tuly w.
7 The Apoſtle now dire&s what kind of Perſons ſhould be made Elders or Officers in the Church, It is an Ellipttck Speech, where! muſt be ſomething underſtood to perfett the Senſe. Do nat make. every one an E1der, but if any be &y4yxanT@-, ſee the Notes on I Tim, 3, 10. ſuch a one, as though poſſibly he may be clamonred on by il] Men, yet cannot be juſtly charged with, or :accuſed of any notorious crime. / One that doth not take the ſinful liberty, taken by the Jews and Heathens, (but contrary to the rule of Cihrift) to have at the ſame time more than one Wife. - See the Notes on 1 Tim. 3. 2. # Having allo a Religious Family, Children that are Believers,or at leaſt honeſt in a Moral Senſe, (fo then Mi- nifters in thoſe Days might marry.) u The Gr. is under an accuſa- 30% of &ownia, : We Tranſlate it by a general Word Kor, and un- doubtedly,our Engliſh Words, Sors and Sorti neſs, comes from this Word. The Word fignifieth any kind of Luxury, Drunkenneſs, Whoredom, Prodigality, w Unruly; Sons of Beltal, ungoverned,
_ Uiforderly Perſons, like Souldiers that will not keep their Ranks, or rather, like Catcle untamed, that will not indure any Yoke, 043,
er the common
j ought not t, + for filthy lucre ſake «.
1x Whoſe mouths muſt be ſtopped y, -# who ſub- _. vert .whole houſes s, teaching things which they 7 271m-2-
+ 1lim.6, Co
_ 7 The Word is active ; ſuch Miniſters ought to be placed in Ci ties, as ſhall be able and fit to ſtop ſuch Perſons Mouths, by ſound Dottrine and Arguments fit to convince them ; or thou oughteſt to ftop their Mouths by ſilencing them, (though I do not ſee how this was pratticable in a Pagen Country, otherwiſe than by perſuading Chriſtians not to hear them.) s Who as to the foundation of Faith and its building, overturn whole Families of Chriſtians, r Infuſing falſe Dodtrine into them ; « and all for filthy gain,and all gain is ſo, that is got by deceiving and ruining of Peoples Souls, as to their Faith and Salvation.
12 Oneof themſelves,ever a prophet of their own w, ſaid, The Cretians are always lyars x, evil beaſts y,
w Epimenides, a Greek Poet, thus ſpake of the People of this Country, whom he calls a Prophet, becauſe he was a Poer,and wrote ſomething about ſuch Divine Oracles as they had, x The Cretians were famous for Jying and flalſhood, ſoas it became a Proverb, y He calted them evil Braff, either for their cruelty or treachery. + A laſie, idle People, that had much more inclination to eat and drink, than they had to work in any honeſt labour. From all this the Apo- ftle would infer, That Titus had the more need be watchful in his place, and faithful in the diſcharge of his Othce, being amongtt ſuch a People.
13 This witneſs is true a: Wherefore rebuke
= fharply », that they may be ſound in the aith c.
4 This Teſtimony of Epimenides is true, what I have found by -experience ; and thoſe of them that in profeſſion have embraced the - | Chriſtian Faith, may bave ſome tinure of their Nations vices : if thou meeteſt with any ſuch, b reprove,or convince them a7] owns, curtizgly, that is, ſharply, ſeverely ; the Metaphor poſſibly is fetch ed from Chirurgeons, who cut out dead fleſh to the quick, c that they may be ſound in the Do&trine of the Goſpel, or.in their Minds, nor infefted with any vice. | : | I4 + Not giving heed to Jewifh fables 4, and + iTim:. + commandments of men e, that turn from the 4 truth f. +C01.2.22
d By his calling them Fewiſh Fables, (not old Wives Fables, as in the Epiftle to 7;morby) he kts us know that he refle&s upon thoſe
4
1
Jews
Chap. II.
Tews that ſeemed te be Profelyted, but yet had a TinQure of thei! Tewiſh Education, and ſpent their Diſcourſe about ſuch fabulous Traditions as the Jews had, e and the Traditions and Conſtitutions of the Scribes and Phariſees, f abhorring the Goſpel, and the Bottrine of Truth in it. :
15 * Unto the pure all things are pure g, but
;-- 40, * unto them that are defiled and unbelieving b is no- Ron. 14. thing pure, but even their mind #and conſcience 1s de-