The apostolical history containing the acts, labours, travels, sermons, discourses, miracles, successes, and sufferings of the Holy Apostles from Christ's ascention to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus : a brief description whereof is here inserted : also, a narration of the particular times and occasions upon which the apostolical epistles were written, together with a brief analytical paraphrase of them : to which is added (for the better understanding of this history) a map of the Apostle Paul's travels ... / by Samuel Cradock.

SECT. VIII.

APollos being unwilling for the present (as we have heard, Sect. 7.) to go to Corinth, but chusing rather, as it seems, to go to Crete, (now call'd Candia), Paul thought good by him and Zenas, (a Doctor of the Law) to write an Epistle to Titus, whom he had left in that Island, further to propagate the Gospel, to ordain Elders in every City where the Gospel was propagated, and to finish what was lacking, and conducing to the good of that people, which the Apostle himself had not time to do. And understanding that many in that Island ambiti∣ously aspir'd to the Pastoral charge; and that several false Teachers, erroneous in judgment, and scandalous in life, had already crept in, to the great hurt of the Church; he writes this Epistle to Titus (which is of like argument with the First and Second to Timothy) to direct him how to carry himself in reference to that people, and the work he was to do there.

* 1.1In this Epistle there are three parts,

• 1. A Preface.
• 2. The Substance or matter of the Epistle.
• 3. The Conclusion.

1. THE Preface is contained in the four first Verses; wherein we may observe, 1. The Person writing this Epistle, who is described by his office, A Servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, for the propagating the Faith(a) 1.2 of Gods Elect, (namely, Faith in Christ), and the knowledg of the truth which tends to godliness, and this in hope of eternal life to be attained thereby, which the Righteous God promised long ago(b) 1.3, in the First Ages of the World, [viz. Gen. 3.15.], but now hath more clearly manifested by the preaching of the Word(c) 1.4, which was committed to him, among others, by the command of God, who gives us Salvation by Jesus Christ, [See 1 Tim. 1.1.]. 2. The Person written to, viz. Titus, descri∣bed by his spiritual relation to Paul, who converted him to the Faith, which is the common means of Salvation, both to Jews and Gentiles. 3. The Salutation it self, wherein are the Blessings prayed for in Titus's behalf; viz. Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God. From Ver. 1. to 5.

2. He comes then to the Body of the Epistle; wherein, 1. He tells Titus, for what end he left him in Crete, namely, to set in order the things that were wanting in those new planted Churches, to ordain Elders in every City, as he had appointed him, v. 5. 2. That he might not err in the choice of fit men, he tells him, how they should be qualified. The Qualifications of an Elder, which he sets down, may be reduced to three Heads:

• ...1. Oeconomical.
  • 1. That he be blameless.
  • 2. The Husband of one Wife, and not guilty of Polygamy.
  • 3. That his Children be brought up in the Faith, and in good order, and obedi∣ence.
  • 4. That he be a Lover of Hospitality, and be ready to receive and entertain Strangers, and the banished Servants of God. ver. 8.
• 2. Moral, set down
  • 1. Negatively.
    • 1. Not self-will'd.
    • 2. Not soon angry.
    • 3. Not given to Wine.
    • 4. No striker.
    • 5. Not given to filthy lucre, v. 7.
  • 2. Affirmatively.
    • 1. A lover of good men.
    • 2. Sober.
    • 3. Just.
    • 4. Holy.
    • 5. Temperate, v. 8.
• ...3. Ecclesiastical.
  • 1. That nothing be found in him unworthy of the Steward of God, who ought to be so much the more blameless, by how much his office is more holy.
  • 2. That he be studious to know the truth, and tenacious of the truth, when known, and that for a double end:
    • 1. That he may be able to feed the Flock with right knowledg, and vi∣gorously to exhort them to the perfor∣mance of their several duties.
    • 2. To convince gain-sayers, and to stop their mouths.

And he shews, that great care should be taken, that Persons so qualified should be chosen, and that both in respect of the false Teachers, that did at that time abound in their Island, as also in respect of the people of Crete themselves. The false Teachers he describes by their evil manners, declaring them to be unruly, vain-talkers, deceivers, especially those of the Circumcision, viz. the Jewish Doctors, who taught things they ought not; and subverted whole houses for fil∣thy lucre's sake. Ver. 10, 11.

As for the people of Crete; he shews, that one of their own Poets, viz. Epimenides (held by them for a Prophet) hath set forth the disposition of that Nation, viz. that they are lyars, given to idleness, serving their own in∣temperance; which Character he acknowledges to be too true, (namely, as to the generality of them), and thence inferrs, that the false Teachers that were among them, (and others also who were misled by them) must not be handled too mildly, but reproved, and rebuked sharply(d) 1.5, that they may submit themselves sound in the Faith, and to the Doctrine of the Gospel, and may not give heed to Jewish Fables, and the Commandments and Traditions of men, which turn many from the truth; of which sort he instances in one, viz. the distinction of meats, as clean and unclean; which he shews is against the liberty which Christ hath purchased, and allows to all that truly believe in him. For, unto

the pure all things are pure; that is, to true Believers, whose hearts are pu∣rified by Faith, all kinds of meats are lawful; but to the impure and unbe∣li••vers 'tis quite otherwise; nothing can be used purely by them, their minds and consciences being defiled with sin, and not purged from their guilt by Faith in Christ. And he further tells them, that though some of these false Teachers may seem to be religious, and profess to know God, yet in their works they plainly deny him: being abominable hypocrites, rebels against the truth of God, and un∣meet for the performance of any good work which he requires. From Ver. 5. to the end.

[Chap. 2] 3ly. He proceeds to direct Titus, touching the faithful discharge of his Mi∣nisterial office: injoining him,

1. More generally, That he speak the things that become sound Doctrine.

2. More particularly, he directs him how to accommodate himself to several sorts of persons.

1. To teach old men to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, charita∣ble and patient.

2. To teach ancient women to be in all their behaviour and deportment as be∣cometh persons that profess holiness; not false accusers, not given to drinking or tippling, but teachers of good things, and that they be exemplary to the younger wo∣men, and teach them their duties, viz. to be sober, to love their Husbands, to love their children; and to be discreet, chast, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own Husbands, that the Name of God be not blasphemed, nor the Christi∣an Religion be thought to infuse any thing into them contrary to moral vertue.

3. To teach young men to be sober-minded. And upon occasion of this dire∣ction, he gives Titus himself (who probably was now young as Timothy was) his lessons, exhorting him to be exemplary in his life and conversation, (in all things shewing himself a pattern of good works), and in his publick Doctrine or preaching, to shew incorruptness, gravity, sincerity; and in his private dis∣courses, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; to the shaming and silencing of opposers. Ver. 7, 8.

4. To teach Servants to be obedient to their own Masters, to please them w••ll in all lawful things, not answering again, nor murmuring or repining at their just commands, reproofs, or corrections; not purloining or stealing, but shewing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour by a consci∣entious discharge of their duties. Ver. 9.10.

And he adds a further reason, why all sorts of persons should labour to dis∣charge their respective duties faithfully, because the grace of God manifested in the Gospel, bringing and offering Salvation, hath now appeared to all sorts of persons, (which before was only manifested to the Jews) teaching them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world, expecting eternal Salvation and bliss, (the blessing which all good Christians hope for) and the glorious Coming of Jesus Christ to judgment, (who is here called the great God), who gave himself for us that he might re∣deem us from the guilt of all our iniquities, and so justifie us, and purifie us unto himself, and make us a peculiar people, zealous of good works, and so san∣ctifie us. These things he commands Titus to press with all authority, that none may have any just cause to despise him. From Ver. 11. to the end.

[Chap. 3] 4ly. He directs him to exhort all sorts of Christians to these duties; 1. To be subject to civil Powers and Magistrates(a) 1.6. 2. To be ready to every good work. 3. Not to revile any man. 4. To be no Brawlers. 5. To be gentle towards all, even the worst of men; and the reason he gives for it, is this, Be∣cause

* 1.7 we (says he) before our conversion were such as others now are; in which carnal state whilst we lived, we were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, and would not have thought our selves well dealt with, to have been imperiously and roughly handled: what therefore, we would not that men should have done to us, when we were such; let not us do to others, that now are, as we then were. But when the transcendent mercy and loving-kindness of God towards lost sinners, was effectually manifested to us by the preaching of the Gospel, then there was a blessed change wrought in us. Yet the cause of this change was not any thing in us, or any works of righteousness done by us, but meerly the free grace of God, which mov'd him to rescue us out of that wretched miserable estate, and to work a work of regeneration in us, whereof Baptism is the outward visible sign, and the Holy Ghost the inward invisible worker; whom Christ hath obtained of the Father, that he should be sent down and imparted unto us, and should dwell in us, (not essentially but energetically) abundantly illuminating, guiding, strengthning, and comforting of us. And the end of God herein is, that being justified by his grace, that is, by Faith in his Son, we should be made heirs of eternal life, according to the hope which the Promises of God have given us thereof. From Ver. 1. to 8.

5ly. He directs Titus to inculcate this into his Hearers, with firm and solid reasons, That true Believers ought especially to be careful to employ themselves in good works, and to go* 1.8 before others in the practice of them; because these things are profitable not only to others, but especially to themselves, seeing God of his grace will reward them for them. 2. That they should avoid foolish questions and disputes about genealogies, and contentions about the various interpretations of certain places in the Law; because these things are unprofitable. 3. That they should reject, that is, avoid, shun, and refuse communion with an Heretick, who does pertinaciously persist in great and dangerous errors, and labours to draw Disciples after him, (see Act. 20.30.), after they have once and again admonished him; concluding that such an one is perverted, and sinneth grievously(c) 1.9, inflicting that punish∣ment on himself, which the Church is wont to inflict on those that are guilty of great misdemeanours, that is, cutting himself off from the Church, of which he is a Member. Ver. 10, 11.

6ly. In the Conclusion of the Epistle, he speaks of private business; he orders Titus that when he shall send Artemas or Tychicus to supply his absence there, he should make haste to come to him to Nicopolis, where he did intend to winter. That he should bring Z••nas and Apollos on in their way (who were coming to him), and supply them with moneys and other necessaries for their journey. And he orders, that not only the faithful among the people, but that the Prea∣chers* 1.10 themselves, and those of the Pastoral Order should look to it that their Faith be accompanied with Charity and good works, and that they excell therein upon all necessary occasions. Such (among others) are, friendly to entertain and dismiss strangers, especially those that labour in the Gospel; lest whilst they exhorts others to good works, and to bring forth the fruits of Faith, they themselves should be found un∣fruitful. Lastly, with salutation sent to Titus from the Brethren with him, and desiring him to salute all the Christians in Crete who loved him, and the Brethren with him, for the common Faiths sake, and with such a love as the Christian Faith requires. He concludes all with his Apostolical Benediction. From Ver. 8. to the end.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Epistle to Titus.
• (a) 1.2

  v. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Missus ad enunciandum eam fidem quam ha∣bent qui electi sunt à Deo. Vatabl.
• (b) 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ante tem∣pora secularia, h. e. ante multa se∣cula; jam inde à primis mundi tem∣poribus
• (c) 1.4

  ante 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 subaudi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, q. d. Manifestavit autem proprio tempore per verbum suum in praedi∣catione quae mihi concredita est.
• (d) 1.5

  Ita tra∣ctandi sunt Cretenses pro∣ut Cretenses tractari par est, adeòque liberè redar∣guendi.
• (a) 1.6

  Spontè nempe non coactè.
• * 1.7

  Cum dicit Paulus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, non tam se intelligit quam eos qui ex Genti∣bus vocati erant, per 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 satis ipsi familiarem, neque nimium ob∣tortam, cum Christiani omnes uni∣us corporis membra sunt. Grot.
• * 1.8

  v. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. bonorum operum singularem cu∣ram gerere, ut facere tenentur qui negotio alicui praefecti sunt. Metaph. Pisc.
• (c) 1.9

  Adeò ut culpa non tam in intel∣lectu sita sit quam in vo∣luntate.
• * 1.10

  v. 14. Nostri, i. e. Nostri Or∣dinis homines, Ministerio, scil. fun∣gentes, ne sese immunes censento ab Eleemosynarum collatione. Beza. Alii per nostros intelligunt solum fi∣deles in Cretâ.