D. A.67. the preaching might ing the Gospel-Doctrine to the Gen

be fully known, and tiles of these Parts, by delivering that all the Gentiles

me from the Sentence of the Cruel might hear : and I * Emperor for that time. was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

18 And the Lord 18. And, though I am now likeshall deliver met from ly to be unjustly Condemned, and every evil work, and suffer by him; yet, am I sure, God will preserve me unto will still preserve me from doing + his heavenly king, or saying any thing unbecoming my dom: glory for ever and Religion, or my Ministerial Office Amen.

and carry me through Death into the

Happiness of his Heavenly Kingdom: To whom therefore I ascribe all Honour and Glory for ever and ever. Amen. 19 Salute Prisca

19. My hearty Christian Love to and Aquila, and the Aquila and Priscilla, with Onesiphohoushold of Onefipho- rus and his Family,

ever.

rus.

20. If

20 Erastus abode

you

would know what is at Corinth : but Tro- become of Erastus, I can only tell phimus have I left at

you, I left him at Corinth in my Miletum sick. || See Pear.

laft Travels thither; and Trophifon, op. Poft.

mu: falling Sick at Miletus, in Crete, I was forced to leave him in that Inand.

2i Do thy diligence 21. Come to me before Winter, to come before win- if you can. Eubulus, Pudens, Liter. Eubulus greeteth nus, Claudia, and all the Christians

,
Linus, and Claudia,
and all the brethren.
22 The Lord Jesus

22. May the Lord Jesus Christ Chrilt be with thy be your Director and Guide. His spirit. Grace be with Love and Favourbe ever with

thee. Amen.

here falute you.

you. Amen.

* Nero, or else his Deputy Helius Cæfarianus.

+ And the Lord mall deliver me. Et liberabit me, inquit (non à Vinculis sed) ab omni opere Malo. Pearson op. Poft. pag. 25.

A PARA

$1. NO HE Time of St. Paul's being in the

Island of Crete, and leaving Titus as
Bishop there, is placed, by some, in the
Year 55. viz. in his Travels mentioned
Aets xx. But our more accurate Bishop

Pearson has shown good Reasons against that ; and, much more probably, stated it in the Interval between St. Paul's first and second Confinement at Rome, viz. Anno Domini 63. dating this Epistle the Year following ; with which Account Dr. Mill differs but in one single Year.

§ 2. The Occasion on which it was Written is so perfectly the same with those to Timothy, that the Substance and Style of it may well be, as it appears, of the same StrainA Church was indeed planted here, but wanted Watering, Cultivation, and due Order. The Natives of this Island were an Idle, False and Luxurious People, say the

Ancient

Ancient Historians and Geographers, agreeable to St.Paul's Descriptions of them here, Chap. i. but might have made more tractable Christians, had not their ill Qualities and Dispositions been fomented by the Jewish Zealots, abounding in that Place. Against whose ignorant and malicious Prejudices the Apostle most 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 Epistles, and to the general Current of the other Epistolary Writings relating to those Matters.

VERS

CHAP. I.

The CONTENTS. The Title and Salutation. The Design of St. Paul's leaving Titus Bishop in Crete, and of this Epistle to him; viz. To Ordain Church Ministers, 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 Substantial Matters of Christianity. The good Qualifications of a Church Governour. A bad Character of the Cretians, particularly the Jewish Inhabitants of that

Island. Written PA, a fervant 1. AUL, a Worshipper of the A.D. 64.

True God, and an Apostle apostle of Jesus Christ

, of Jesus Christ, specially Commisaccording to the faith fioned to Preach his Religion in its of God's elect, and Truth and Purity, and Convert the acknowledging of the truth, which is

Men of all Nations to the true Faith after godliness,

of it. 2 In hopes of eter- 2 & 3. A Religion that gives all nal life, which God, true Believers, whether Jews or that cannot lie, pro, Gentiles, a full and sure Hope of mised before the world

enjoying that great Promise of Eterbegan;

3 But hath in due nal Happiness, made by the God of time manifefted his Truth Himself, at first to Adam in

P

word through preach- the Beginning of the World, and to A. D.64.
ing, which is com- Abraham and the Patriarchs after-
mitted unto me, ac- ward : Which, though loft and for-
cording to the com-
mandment of God our Gentile Nations, through their ma-

gotten by the far greater Part of the
Saviour :

nifold Corruptions, and wilful Ini-
quities ; yet is now again reyived and declared to them
All, under the Gospel Dispensation (the proper Season 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 4. I Paul send this Epistle to
own son after the Titus, my dear Convert to Chri-
common faith, grace, ftianity ; 'wishing him all Divine
mercy; and peace Favour and Happiness from God
from God the Father, the Father, and Jesus Christ our
and the Lord Jesus Saviour and Governour.
Christ our Saviour.
5

For this cause 5. To remind you of the good
left I thee in Crete, End for which I Consecrated and
that * thou shouldest left you Bishop of the Church of
set in order the things Crete, viz. To perfect the Conver-
that are wanting, and fion I had there begun, to give
ordain elders in every such Rules of Doctrine and Disci-
city, as I had

ap-
pointed thee. pline as were wanting, and to Or-

dain other Church-Ministers in the
several Cities of that Ifand, to put them in due and
constant Execution.
6 If any be blame

6 & 7. Now a Bishop and Go-
less, the husband of vernour of a Christian Church, as a
one wife,

having Steward over God's Family, ought,
faithful children, not
accused of riot, or

in general, to be a Person of an un-
unruly.

exceptionable Character : And, in 7 For a bishop must particular, ought not to be one that be blameless, as the has been guilty, either of the Pofteward of God : not lygamy of the Heathens, or of Diself-willed, not foon vorcing his Wife for Humoursome angry, not given to Reasons, and Marrying others, acwine, no striker, nor cording to the Corrupt Usages of given to filthy lucre ; the Jews. He must be one that

has

* Ver. 5. That thou shouldest fet in order the things that are wanting. Or, öva ta asorta dopédon, To rectify Disorders,

1. D. 64. has Educated his family in the Christian Faith ; that no

body can accuse of the least Debauchery or Disorderly
Life ; not Stubborn and Passionate in his Words, or Vio-
lent in his Behaviour ; addicted neither to Drunkenness,
nor any Sordid Practices for Worldly Gains.

8 But a lover of 8. But, on the contrary, must
hospitality, a lover of be a Person Hospitable and Chari-
good men, sober, juft, table, Grave in his Carriage, Just
holy, temperate,

in his Dealings, devoted to the Ser-
vice of God, and temperate in his Pleasures.

9 Holding fast the 9. In fine, he must be fteddy to
faithful word, as he the true Christian Doctrine, by the
hath been taught, that Truth and Strength whereof, he
he may be able by
found doctrine both may be able to Comfort and Sup-
to exhort, and to con-

port the Orthodox, and to Confute
vince the gainsayers.

and Reprove the Erroneous and Ob

stinate.
10 For there are 10. Of which latter you have
many unruly and vain abundance in Crete, whose Bufi-
talkers and deceivers, nefs is to Talk and Dispute, and
especially they of the Seduce the Minds of Men ; but
circumcision :

especially the Jewish Zealots, and
such Christian Converts as they have Corrupted with
their Notions.
11 Whose mouths

u. These Men, however false
must be stopped, who and vain their Arguments be, must
subvert whole houses,

yet be Answered and Confuted ;
teaching things which for they gain upon whole Families
they ought not, for
filthy lucre's fake.

by their unreasonable Suggestions,

which they spread about, only for
present Profit and Applause.
12 One of them-

12 & 13. When the Poet Epi.
selves, even a prophet menides, a Native of their own,
of their own, said, described the Cretians, as a False,
The Cretians are al Mischievous, and Luxurious People,
way liars, evil beasts, he said what was as true of these
llow bellies *.
13 This Jewish Inhabitants, as it could be of

the

* Ver. 12. Slow Bellies, yasépes ápai, not Now, but swift, tager Bellies, like that of texa Sopíz, evil wild Beasts. So in Homer, xúves kegyes are swift Dogs.