This epistle was most probably written in some part of St. Paul's last progress through the Asiatic churches, between his first and second imprisonment at Rome; and consequently the last of his epistles, except the second to Timothy: but nothing can be certainly determined, either as to its date, or the place from which it was sent; for though the spurious postscript supposes it to have been written from Nicopolis, yet the contrary seems to be plainly intimated, chap. iii. 12; as the apostle says not, I propose to winter here, (which would have been most natural, if he had resided there when he was writing) but there; which shews he was at that time in some other place. However, it is plain Titus was at Crete when he received it, where St. Paul had left him, to settle the church he had established there, and carry on the work he had begun. Accordingly the greatest part of the epistle is taken up in giving him directions for the more successful discharge of his ministry amongst them; and particularly for his behaviour towards those corrupt Judaizing teachers who endeavoured to pervert the faith and disturb the peace of the Christian church. The apostle, after a short introduction, in which (agreeably to the design of the epistle) he intimates that he was commissioned by Christ to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, reminds Titus of the special reasons for which he left him at Crete, and directs him on what principles he was to act in the ordination of those Christian ministers who were to take the oversight of particular churches ; representing them as persons not only of a blameless, but exemplary character, who should be eminent for their piety, and for every social and personal virtue, as well as thoroughly established in the Christian faith; chap. i. 1-9. And, to make Titus more sensible of the necessity of using this precaution, he puts him in mind of those seducing Judaizing teachers with which that church was infested; who, under the mask of greater zeal and knowledge than others, concealed the grossest corruption of morals, and whose mischievous attempts were the more likely to succeed, considering the general character of the Cretans. Such therefore he directs him to reprove with great severity, and, in opposition to their false and dangerous tenets, advises him to accommodate his exhortations to the different sorts of persons with whom he conversed, according to their respective sexes, ages, and circumstances. And to give the greater weight to his instructions, he admonishes him to be himself an example of what he taught, and by the purity of his doctrine, as well as the innocence of his conduct, to silence his opponents, ver. 10, to the end. Chap. ii. 1-8. St. Paul then proceeds to urge on Titus a care to instruct servants in the duties of their station, that they might, according to their sphere, do an honour to the religion they professed; and represents the obligation they were under to such a conduct, from the great design of the gospel-institution, and our Saviour's sufferings and death, which was to deliver mankind from sin, and form them to universal holiness in heart and life, ver. 9, to the end. Agreeably to this view of religion the apostle exhorts Titus to enTo the Epistle to Titus. force force subjection to the civil magistrate, and a readiness to all good works; to caution against censoriousness and contention, and recommend a meek, peaceable, and forgiving temper: which he in. timates might the more reasonably be expected from Christian Gentiles, as before their conversion their character had been so corrupt. This leads him to acknowledge the grace of God in Christ, to which all Christians were indebted for the change produced in them, and for the hopes of salvation they were taught to entertain: from whence he takes occasion to remind Titus of the importance of insisting upon the great doctrines of practical religion, in opposition to those empty speculations and useless controversies to which some were attached. In the close of the epistle he directs him how to proceed with respect to heretical teachers; and having expressed his desire to see him at Nicopolis, where he proposed to winter, he concludes with a general salutation; chap. iii. 1, to the end of the epistle. Upon a review of this, and the two epistles to Timothy, it is natural to reflect how much they tend to illustrate and confirm the internal evidence of Christianity. It has been often observed, and very justly, that nothing sets the characters of great men in so true a light as their letters to their particular friends: while they are acting in the eye of the world they frequently appear in disguise, and the real motives of their conduct lie out of sight; but in their familiar correspondence they open their minds with freedom, and throw off all reserve. If therefore any should object to the argument drawn from St. Paul's epistles to the churches, that, as they were designed for the public view, he would be upon his guard, not to let anv expression escape him that might give the world an unfavourable idea of himself or the cause in which he was engaged; yet certainly, when he is writing, as in this and the two former epistles, to his most intimate friends, who were embarked with him in the same design, and with whom therefore he could use the utmost confidence, we may reasonably expect to find him disclosing his real sentiments, stripped of all artifice and disguise. And now, upon the most accurate and impartial examination of these epistles, what do we discover? Can we trace any marks of insincerity and imposture? Does the apostle wear any other character than that in which he had appeared to the whole world? Does he drop the least hint that can lead one so much as to suspect that he had been only acting a part, and imposing upon mankind? Can we perceive the least shadow of inconsistency between the views he gives of religion in these and his other writings? Is there any thing like that double doctrine which some have charged upon the ancient philosophers?-On the contrary, is it not most evident, that he founded his own hopes, and formed his own conduct, upon the very same principles which he recommended to others; that he had no views of secular interest or ambition to gratify, and was influenced by no other motives than those which he openly avowed in the face of the world: in a word, that his character, as well as his doctrine, was consistent and uniform, and 45 46 A General Introduction, &c. his inward sentiments the same with his outward profession? The instructions he gives his friends for the exercise of their office had nothing of art or subtilty, but were all plain and simple, and centred in that grand design of advancing the interests of religion and the happiness of mankind, which ever lay near his heart: and so far is he from flattering them with the prospect of any worldly advantage, that he exhorts them to be ready after his example, to sacrifice every temporal interest, and even life itself, in the cause they had undertaken to support. Now if this be allowed a just representation of the case, it will certainly follow, that the apostle was himself thoroughly persuaded of the truth and importance of those doctrines he had taught: and since it may be easily proved, that the evidence on which he built his faith was of such a nature, as to exclude all possibility of mistake, we may safely conclude, upon the credit of his testimony alone (had we no other arguments to produce), that the Christian religion is not a cunningly devised fable, formed to answer the ambitious or interested views of its authors, but that it is indeed the power of God, and the wisdom of God. A PARA PARAPHRASE AND NOTES ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TITUS. SECT. I. Paul, after a proper introduction, reminds Titus of the special reasons for which he left him in Crete; and directs him on what principles he should act in the ordination of those Christian ministers who were to take the oversight of particular churches. Tit. I. 1-9. TITUS I. 1. PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, accor TITUS I. 1. is written by Paul, a THIS epistle servant of SECT. i. the one living and true God, and an apostle ding to the faith of of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, for the God's elect, and the advancement of the faith of God's chosen people 1. acknowledging of the truth which is after and to promote the acknowledgment of the truth Titus of the gospel; that Divine doctrine which [is] according to godliness, and has the greatest tendency to promote the interest of the true reli2 In hope of eternal gion in all its branches ; Whilst it exhibits, 2 cannot lie, promised in so clear a manner, the hope of eternal life, before which God, who cannot lie, nor deceive any of his creatures, hath not only, as under the former dispensation, intimated to us, but expressly promised to all believers, in consequenc of those great godliness: life, which God, that a For the faith, &c.] This is the proper signification of καλα πισιν, in this connection, which expresses the end to which his labours tended. Compare 1 Tim. vi. 3. See Raph, ex Xen. in loc. b Before 48 SECT. i. Titus Paul declares his commission to preach the gospel. great engagements into which he entered with before the world be- 1. 2. was divided into these revolving periods which ing, which is commit 3 measure out its succeeding ages. The plan 3 But hath in due 4 To Titus mine own and peace from God Saviour. 4 Saviour. And I address this epistle to Titus, 5 6 5 For this cause left elders in every city, For this cause I left thee in Crete, though II thee in Crete, that could have been so heartily glad of thy com- thou shouldest set in pany in my travels, that thou mightest set in order the things that order the things which were deficient there, as I are wanting, and ordain could not stay long enough myself to reduce as I had appointed them into so regular a state as I could have thee. wished; and particularly, that thou mightest ordain elders in every city, in which Christian churches are planted, to whom the stated oversight of them may be committed in the Lord, as I gave thee in charge when I parted with thee. 6 Tf bệ The office is so very important, that I hope blameless, the husband thou wilt be proportionably careful as to the of one wife, having character of the persons who are to be invested faithful children, not b Before the world began.] It seems more natural to refer this to the promise made by the Father to Christ, in the cove. vant of redemption, than, with Mr. Rymer, to explain it of the promise made, quickly after the creation, to our fallen parents: Gen, iii. 15. See Rymer of Rev. Rel. p. 49. c Ordain elders in every city.] There were an hundred cities in the island of Crete though its dimensions were not very large; with accused but it is well known, that every conside rable town was called a city by the ancients. It it most likely that some congregations were settled under proper ministers while Paul was among them; but there were others not so provided, and the interposition of so wise and good a man as Titus, probably honoured with such extraordinary gifts, would no doubt, have great weight on such an occasion. d Believing |