(1) It is not to be supposed that it waa made only by the Apostle Paul, for it was made by the other apostles; and ages before their day it we.~ manifested, with more or less clearness, under the Old Testament dispeusation. (2) Bnt the Apostle Paul was one of those specially entrusted with the Word, and specially with "the revelation of the mystery hid for ages"(Rom. xvi. 25). 2. The Word of God, and the whole rm:u:r nnd fulness of the Church, are to be regarrud aa the unfolding of the ancient promise of eternal life. 3. The Word is mn,de mrmifest by preaching. (Rom. x. 17.) Preaching is an institute peculiar to Christianity, which it formed for itself as its chosen mode of utterance. Christianity is not a philosophy or a thaumaturgy. It is propagated, not by priestij, but by preachers. There are no priests in Christianity bn t the one High Priest of our profession, who, if he were on earth, would not be a priest (Heb. viii. 4). 4. The preaching is done in virtue of a Di'IIVll.e call or commission. " Wherewith I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour." All the ministries of the New Testament, high and low, are committed as trusts to the Church. Therefore a minister ought to have a true call from on high before accepting the responsibilities of office. The apostle was very emphatic in announcing his call to the apostleship, not as in any way due to his own will or wish, but to Divine command. It was the command of " God his Saviour ; " not the Son, but the Father-the usual phrase of the apnstle bei11g "according to the will of God" (2 Tim. i. 1). V. TBE APOSTOLIC SALUTATION. "To Titus, my true son nfter the comn,on faith." 1. The person. thus addressed. (1) Titus was a pure Gentile. It is interesting to remem- ber that the deare3t friends and companions pf the apostle's life were Gentiles, and not Jews-such as Luke, Titus, and Timothy, who was half-Gentile. Was this leaning caused in an.v degree by the distrusts and enmities with which be was pursued through life by bis Jewish countrymen? (2) Titus was, like Timothy, one of the apostle's oonverts This fact would endear him to the apostle's heart. He was a genuine son of the apostle in virtue of the faith common to all Christians; implying that (11) there is but one faith (Eph. iv. 5); (b) one Object of faith, Jesus Christ; (c) one end of faith, eternal life. (3) Tit.us was evidently one of the apostle's most trusty disciples, thongh he was less e. companion than Timothy, and less allied to him on the terms of e.n affectionate i11timacy. Titus was firm, strong, and capable, with adaptability in the way of .dministration and of repressing moral d1sorders among distracted or disturbed communities. 2. The greeting. "Grace and peace from God the Father e.nd the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour." (1) The blessings sought for Titus. "Grace and peace." (a) Grace is the full and eternal fountain of the goodness of God, opened to the wants of men in the blessed gospel; (b) peace is the blessing of the saints, to which they a.re called in one .body, and the safeguard or heart and mind through him who is their Peace (Phil. iv. 7). (2) The source or these blessings, alike Goel the Father e.nd God the Son, e.s being equally the Author and Giver of e.ll spiritual blessin~s. The whole structure of the Epistle iR based on the doctrine of the Deity of Cbrist.-T. C.
Ver. 6.-Titus's commission in Crete. Its object was principally to supply the deficiencies in the Church organization of the bland. I. 'l'HE SCENE OF TITus's LABOURS-CRETE. 1. Its situation and history. It lies almost equidistant from Europe, Asia, and Africa; a large and populous island of the Mediterraneai;i; the Caphtor of the Old Testament, e.nd now known as Candia. It was a place of ancient civilization, noted for its hundred cities, e.nd became a Homan posses- sion a.bout seventy years before Christ. 2. The foundation of the Cretan Church. This probably occurred immediately after Pentecost, for it is said that men of Crete were present on that occasion (Acts ii. 11), a,ul we know that the island abonnded with Jews of wealth and influence. The false teachers in Crete were Judaists. Thero e.w several reasons for believing that the Church must have been a considerable time in existence. Time must be allowed ror the development of hereRy. 'l'ime must likewise be allowed for the growth of character and reputation, so that Titus, guided by the Church, might have no difficulty in selecting the right class of oflice-bearer11. 'l'he fact, likewise, that the bishops were to "have believing children" affords a strong pre- sumption that the Church must have been in existence at least twenty or thirty year~. 3. Ies existence without orga11ization. 'l'he Church in Crete seems to have bad 'no regular parties, the orilinances w,-re probably in confusion, and though the power of J.. 8 THE EPISTLE TO TITUS. toa, I, 1-18,