no man appeared with me, but all forsook me may it not 17 be laid to their charge! But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the preaching might be fully known, even that all nations might hear: and I was 18 delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom; to whom be the glory for 19 ever and ever. Amen. Salute Priscilla, and Aquila, 20 and the family of Onesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinth but Trophimus I have left at Miletus sick. Do 21 thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus saluteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the 22 brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you.

:

V. 17. The preaching-The gospel which we preach.

V. 18. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work-Which is far more than delivering me from death; yea, and over and above; preserve mé unto his heavenly kingdom-Far better than that of Nero's.

V. 20. When I came on, Erastus abode at Corinth-Being chamberlain of the city, Rom. xvi. 23; but Trophimus I have left sick-Not having power (as neither had any of the apostles) to work miracles when he pleased, but only when God pleased.

VOL. II.

NOTES

ON

ST. PAUL'S EPISTLE TO TITUS.

TITUS was converted from Heathenism by St. Paul, Gal. ii. 3; and, as it seems, very early, since the apostle accounted him as his brother, at his first going into Macedonia. And he managed and settled the churches there, when St. Paul thought not good to go thither himself. He had now left him at Crete, to regulate the churches; to assist him wherein, he wrote this Epistle, as is generally believed, after the first, and before the second, to Timothy, The tenor and style are much alike in this and in those, and they cast much light on each other; and are worthy the serious attention of all Christian ministers and churches in all ages,

5. Press Obedience to Magistrates, and Gentleness to all

Men,

C. iii.

1, 2

Enforcing it by the same Motive,

3-7

6. Good Works are to be done, foolish Questions avoided, Heretics to be shunned,

8-11

III. An Invitation of Titus to Nicopolis, with some Admoni

tions,

12-14

IV. The Conclusion,

15

Titus.

CHAP. I. 1. PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect of God, and the knowledge of the truth which is after godliness, 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, pro3 mised before the world began; And he hath in his own times manifested his word, through the preaching wherewith I am entrusted, according to the commandment of 4 God our Saviour: To Titus, my own son after the common faith, grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

5

For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest set in order the things which are wanting, and ordain 6 elders in every city, as I appointed thee: If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having believing chil7 dren, not accused of luxury, or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not passionate, not given to wine, not a striker, 8 not desirous of filthy gain: But hospitable, a lover of

CHAP. I. Ver. 1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus ChristTitles suitable to the person of Paul, and the office he was assigning to Titus, according to the faith-The propagating of which is the proper business of an apostle. A servant of God-According to the faith of the elect. An apostle of Jesus Christ-According to the knowledge of the truth. We serve God, according to the measure of our faith: we fulfil our public office, according to the measure of our knowledge. The truth that is after godliness-Which in every point runs parallel with and supports, the vital, spiritual, worship of God: and indeed has no other end or scope. These two verses contain the sum of Christianity, which Titus was always to have in his eye, of the elect of God -Of all real Christians.

V. 2: In hope of eternal life-The grand motive and encouragement of every apostle and every servant of God: which God promised before the world began -To Christ, our Head.

V. 3. And he hath in his own times-At sundry times: and his own times are fittest for his own work. What creature dares ask, why no sooner? manifested his word-Containing that promise, and the whole truth which is after godliness: through the preaching wherewith I am entrusted, according to the commandment of God our Saviour-Aud who dares exercise this office, on any less authority?

V. 4. My own son-Begot in the same image of God, and repaying a paternal with a filial affection. The common faith-Common to me and all my spiritual children.

V. 5. The things which are wanting-Which I had not time to settle myself; ordain elders-Appoint the most faithful, zealous men to watch over the rest. Their character follows ver. 6-9. These were the elders or bishops that Paul approved of: men that had living faith, a pure conscience, a blameless life.

V. 6. The husband of one wife-Surely the Holy Ghost by repeating this so often, designed to leave the Romanists without excuse.

V. 7. As the steward of God-To whom he entrusts immortal souls: Not self-willed-Literally, pleasing himself; but all men for their good to edification: not passionate-But mild, yielding, tender.

9 good men, prudent, just, holy, temperate, Holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be mighty by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince 10 the gainsayers. For there are many and unruly vain

talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who overturn whole families, teaching things which they ought not, for the 12 sake of filthy gain. One of themselves, a prophet of their own, hath said, The Cretans are always liars, evil 13 wild beasts, lazy gluttons. This witness is true; there

fore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the 14 faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and command15 ments of men, that turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their understanding and con16 science are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and void of judgment as to every good work.

CHAP. II. 1. But speak thou the things which be2 come wholesome doctrine, That the aged men be vigilant, serious, prudent, sound in faith, love, patience: 3 That the aged women, in like manner, be in behaviour

as becometh holiness, not slanderers, not given to much 4 wine, teachers of that which is good: That they instruct

V. 9. As he hath been taught-Perhaps it might be more literally rendered, According to the teaching, or doctrine, of the apostles, alluding to Acts ii. 42. V. 10. They of the circumcision-The Jewish converts.

V. 11. Stopped-The word properly means, to put a bit into the mouth of an anruly horse.

V. 12. A prophet-So all poets were anciently called. But besides, Diogenes Laerties says, that Epimenides the Cretan poet, foretold many things. Evil wild beasts-Fierce and savage.

V. 14. Commandments of men-The Jewish or other teachers, whoever they were that turned from the truth.

V. 15. To the pure-Those whose hearts are purified by faith, (this we allow,) all things are pure—All kinds of meat; the Mosaic distinction between clean and unclean meats being now taken away; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure-The apostle joins defiled and unbelieving, to intimate, that nothing can be clean without a true faith. For both the understanding and conscience, those leading powers of the soul, are polluted; consequently so is the man and all he does.

CHAP. II. Ver. 1. Wholesome-Restoring and preserving spiritual health. V. 2. Vigilant-As veteran soldiers, not easily to be surprised: Patience A virtue particularly needful for, and becoming them. Serious-Not drolling, or diverting, on the brink of eternity.

V. 3. In behaviour-The particulars whereof follow; as becometh holinessLiterally, observing a holy decorum: not slanderers-Or evil speakers; not given to much wine-If they use a little for their often infirmities. Teachers -Age and experience call them so to be: let them teach good only.

V. 4. That they instruct the young women-These Timothy was to instruc

the young women to be wise, to love their husbands, to 5 love their children; Discreet, chaste, keepers at home,

good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of 6 God be not blasphemed. The young men likewise ex7 hort to be discreet, In all things shewing thyself a pattern

of good works, in doctrine, uncorruptness, seriousness, 8 Wholesome speech, that cannot be reproved; that he who is on the contrary part may be ashamed, having no 9 evil thing to say of us. Exhort servants to be subject to their own masters, to please them in every thing, not 10 answering again, Not stealing, but shewing all good fidelity, that they may in all things adorn the gospel of God our Saviour.

11 For the saving grace of God hath appeared to all men, 12 Instructing us, that, having renounced ungodliness and all

worldly desires, we should live soberly, and righteously, 13 and godly, in the present world. Looking for the blessed

himself, Titus, by the elder women: to love their husbands, their childrenWith a tender, temperate, holy, wise affection. O how hard a lesson!

V. 5. Discreet Particularly in the love of their children: Chaste-Particularly in the love of their husbands: keepers at home-Whenever they are not called out, by works of necessity, piety, and mercy: Good-Well tempered, sweet, soft, obliging: obedient to their husbands-Whose will, in all things lawful, is a rule to the wife: that the word of God be not blasphemed Or evil spoken of: particularly by unbelieving husbands; who lay all the blame on the religion of their wives.

V. 6. To be discreet-A virtue rarely found in youth.

V.7. Shewing thyself a pattern-Titus himself was then young; in the doctrine which thou teachest in public: (as to matter, uncorruptness; as to the manner of delivering it, seriousness-Weightiness, solemnity.)

V. 8. Wholesome speech-In private conversation.

V. 9. Please them in all things-Wherein it can be done without sin: Not answering again-Though blamed unjustly-This honest servants are most apt to do: not stealing-Not taking or giving any thing, without their master's leave this fair-spoken servants are apt to do.

V. 10. Shewing all good fidelity-Soft, obliging faithfulness: that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour-More than St. Paul says of kings. How he raises the lowness of his subject! So may they, the lowness of their condition.

V. 11. The saving grace of God-So it is in its nature, tendency, and design, hath appeared to all men-High and low.

V. 12. Instructing us-All who do not reject it, that having renounced ungodliness Whatever is contrary to the fear and love of God, and worldly desires-Which are opposite to sobriety and righteousness, we should live soberly-In all purity and holiness. Sobriety, in the Scripture sense, is rather the whole temper of a man, than a single virtue in him. It comprehends all that is opposite to the drowsiness of sin, the folly of ignorance, the unholiness of disorderly passions. Sobriety is no less than all the powers of the soul, being consistently, and constantly awake, duly governed by heavenly prudence, and entirely conformable to holy affections, and righteously-Doing to all as we would they should do to us, and godly-As those who are consecrated to God, both in heart and life.

Y. 13. Looking With eager desire for that glorious appearing-Which we