10 For Demas hath forfaken me, loving the present world, and is gone to Theffalonica, Crefcens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with II me. Take Mark and bring him with thee, for 12 he is profitable to me for my miniftry. Tychicus 13 I have fent to Ephefus. When thou comeft, bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and 14 the books, especially the parchments. Alexander the copperfmith did me much evil; the Lord will 15 reward him according to his works. Of whom be thou alfo aware; for he hath greatly withflood our 16 words. At my firft defence no man appeared with me, but all forfook me may it not be laid to 17 their charge! But the Lord ftood by me, and ftrengthened me, that through me the preaching might be fully known, even that all nations might hear and I was delivered out of the mouth of the 18 lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and preferve me unto his heavenly kingdom; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. 19 Amen. Salute Prifcilla, and Aquila, and the fa20 mily of Onefiphorus. Erafus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus I have left at Miletus fick. Do V. 10. Demas-Once my Fellow-labourer, Pilem. ver. 24. bath forfaken me--Crefcens, probably a Preacher allo, is gone with my Confent, to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia, having now left Crete. Thefe either went with him to Rome, or vifited him there. V. 11. Only Luke-Of my Fellow-labourers, with meGOD is with me, and it is enough. Take Mark-Who, though he once departed from the work, is now again profitable to me. e-But V. 13. The cloak-Either the Toga, which belonged to him as a Roman Citizen, or an upper Garment, which might be needful as Winter came on; which I left at Troas with Carpus-Who was probably his Hoft there; efpecially the parchments-The Books written on Parchment. V. 14. The Lord will reward him-This he fpoke prophetically. V, 16. All-My Friends and Companions, forfook me--And do we expect to find fuch as will not forfake us? My first defence-Before the favage Emperor Nero. V. 17. The preaching-The Gofpel 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; preferve me unto his heavenly kingdom-Far better than that of Nero. V. 20. When I came on, Erafus abode at Corinth-Being Cham berlain 21 thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus faluteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Clau22 dia, and all the brethren. TheLord Jefus Chrift be with thy fpirit. Grace be with you. berlain of the City; Rom. xvi. 23. but Tropkimus I have left fick— Not having Power (as neither had any of the Apoftles) to work Miracles when he pleafed, but only when Goo pleafed. T ITUS was converted from Heathenifm by St. Paul. Gal. ii. 3. and as it feems very early, fince the Apostle accounted him as his Brother, at his first going into Macedonia. And he managed and - fettled 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 affift him wherein, he wrote this Epiftle, as is generally believed, after the First, and before the Second to Timothy. The Tenor and Stije are much alike in this and in thofe, and they caft much Light on each other; and are worthy the serious Attention of all Chriftian Minifters and Churches in all Ages. I. The Infcription, This Epiftle has four Parts: II. The Inftruction of Titus to this Effect: 1. Ordain good Prefbyters, 2. Such are especially needful at Crete, 4. Teach aged Men and Women, And young Men, being a Pattern to them, And Servants, urging them by a glorious Motive, 5. Prefs Obedience to Magiftrates, and Gentleness to all Men, Inforcing it by the fame Motive, C. i. 1-4 5-9 10112 13-16 C. ii. 1-5 6-8 9-15 C. iii. I-2 6. Good Works are to be done, foolish Questions avoided, Hereticks fhunned, III. An Invitation of Titus to Nicopolis, with fome Ad monitions, IV. The Conclufion, I. T IT U S. AUL a fervant of God, and an apostle of PJefus Chrift, according to the faith of the elect of God, and the knowledge of the truth which is 2 after godlinefs, In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promifed before the world 3 began; And he hath in his own times manifefted his word, through the preaching wherewith I am intrufted, according to the commandment of God 4 our Saviour: To Titus my own fon after the common faith, grace, mercy, peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jefus Christ our Saviour. 5 For this caufe I left thee in Crete, that thou mighteft fet in order the things which are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I appointed V. 1. Paul a fervant of God, and an apoftle of Jefus Chrift-Titles fuitable to the Perfon of Paul, and the Office he was affigning to Titus, according to the faith-The propagating of which is the proper Bufinefs of an Apostle. Afervant of God-According to the Faith of the Elect. An apofile of Jefus Chrifl-According to the Knowledge of the Truth. We ferve God, according to the Measure of our Faith: We fulfill our Public Office, according to the Measure of our Knowledge. The truth that is after godliness-Which in every point runs parallel with and fupports, the vital, fpiritual Worship of GoD: And indeed has no other End or Scope. These two Verfes contain the fum of Christianity, which Titus was always to have in his Eye, of the cleft of God-Of all real Chriftians. V. 2. In hope of eternal life-The grand Motive and Encourage ment of every Apostle and every Servant of GoD: which God promifed before the world began-To Chrift, our Head. V. 3. And he bath in his own times-At fundry times: And bis own times are fitteft for his own Work. What Creature dares afk, why no fooner? manifefied his word-Containing that Promise, and the whole Truth which is after Godliness: thro' the preaching wherewith I am intrusted, according to the commandment of God our Saviour And who dares exercife this Office, on any. y-lefs Authority? V. 4. My own Son--Begot in the fame Image of God, and repaying a paternal with a flial Affection. The common faithCommon to me and all my fpiritual Children. V. 5. The things which are wanting-Which I had not Time to fettle myself; ordain elders--Appoint the most faithful, zealous Men to watch over the reft. Their Character follows ver. 6-9. Thefe were the Elders or Bishops thatPaul approved of: Men that had living faith, a pure confcience, a blameless life. V. 6. The 6 thee: If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having believing children, not accused of 7 luxury, or unruly. For a bishop must be blamelefs, as the steward of God; not felf-willed, not paffionate, not given to wine, not a striker, not de8 firous of filthy gain: But hofpitable, a lover of good 9 men, prudent, juft, holy, temperate, Holding faft the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be mighty by found doctrine both to exhortand 10 to convince the gainfayers. For there are many and unruly vain-talkers and deceivers, ef11 pecially they of the circumcifion, Whofe mouths must be stopped, who overturn whole families, teaching things which they ought not, for the fake 12 of filthy gain. One of themfelves, a prophet of their own, hath faid, The Cretans are always liars, 13 evil wild-beafts, lazy gluttons. This witness is true; therefore rebuke them Tharply, that they 14 may be found in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, thất 15 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 confci V. 6. The bufband of one wife-Surely the Holy Ghoft by repeating this fo often, defigned to leave the Romanifts without Excufe. V. 7. As the fteward of God-To whom he intrufts immortal Souls: Not felf willed-Literally, Pleafing himself; but all Men for their good to Edification: not paffionate-But mild, yielding, ten der. V. 9. As he bath been taught-Perhaps it might be more literally renderd, According to the teaching, or Doctrine, of the Apostles, alluding to Acts. 2. 42. V. 10. They of the circumcifion-The Jewish Converts. V. 11. Stopped-The Word properly means, to put a Bit into the Mouth of an unruly Horfe. V. 12. A propbet-So all Poets were antiently called. But befides Diogenes Laertius fays, that Epimenides the Cretan Poet, foretold many things. Evil wild-beafts-Fierce and favage. V. 14. Commandments of men-The Jewish or other teachers, whoever they were that turned from the truth. V. 15. To the pure-Those whofe Hearts are purified by Faith, (this we allow) all things are pure--All Kinds of Meat; the Mofaic Diftinctionbetween clean and unclean Meats being now taken away; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure-TheApoftlejoins defiled and unbelieving, to intimate, that nothing can be clean, without a true |