¶ Paule exhorteth Citus to ordayne Prestes or Byshop∣pes injeuery Lytie, and declareth what maner of men they ought to be that are chosen to that offyce, and chargeth Ti¦tus to rebuke suche as withstande the Gospell.
CAPI. I.
PAule the seruaunt of God, & Apostle of Iesu [unspec A] Christ accordig to the fayth of goddes electe, and accor∣dynge to the knowledge of the trueth, whyche is after godlynes in the hope of eternall lyfe, which God‡ (that cannot lye) promysed before the worlde begāne: but hath opened his worde at the tyme apoynted thorow preachynge, which is cōmitted vnto me, according to the cōmaundemēt of God our sauiour. To Ti¦tus his natural sōne after the cōmen fayth. Grace mercy & peace from god the father & from the Lord Iesu Christ our sauiour.
For this cause lefte I the in Creta, that [unspec B] thou shuldest refourme the thinges that are unperfect, & shuldest ordaine elders in euery citie, as I had appoynted the. If any be bla melesse, the husbande of one wyfe, hauynge faythful chyldren, whiche are not sclaūdred of ryote, neither are disobedient. For a by∣shop must be blamelesse, as the stewarde of God: not stubborne, not angrye not gyuen to much wyne, no fyghter, not gyuen to fyl∣thy lucre: but a keper of hospitalite, one that loueth goodnes {fleur-de-lys} (prudent) sobre, righteous godly, temperate, & such as eleueth vnto the true worde of doctryne, that he may be able also to exhorte by wholsome learnynge, & to improue them that say agaynst it.
For ther are many vnruly and talkers of vanite, and disceyuers of myndes, specially [unspec C] they that are of circūcision, whose mouthes must be stopped which peruert whole hou¦ses, teachyng thinges which they ought not because of fylthy lucre. One of them selues (euen a prophete of their owne) sayde: The Cretyans are alwayes lyers, euyll beastes, flowe belyes. This witnes is true: wherfore rebuke thou them sharply, that they may be sounde in the fayth, not takyng hede to Ie∣wes fables and commaundementes of men that turne away the trueth. Unto the pure are al thynges pure: but vnto them that are [unspec D] defyled and vnbeleuyng, is nothynge pure: but euen the mynde and conscyence of them is defiled. They cōfesse that they know god: but with the dedes they denie him, se••ng they are abhominable & disobedient, & vnapt vn¦to euery good worke.