Commentary on Titus, Part 1 – Part 2
The occasion of the Epistle.
HE hath little acquaintance with the writings of the Apostles, who out of themselues cannot attaine vntounto the occasion of their penning: but not to wast time in the particular Arguments of each seuerall Epistle, they hauehave all one common and generall occasion, which was this: So soone as the Apostles had planted any Church of God, by sowing the good seede of the word, fetched out of Gods owne garners in the field of the world; the malitious man sent his seruants to sow tares in the same field, which sprouted vp suddenly into the blade and eare, to the choking of the good husbandmans good seede. Hence was it that (least Gods husbandrie should vtterly miscarie) the Apostles were put to new trauells: who hauing vponupon them the care of all the Churches which they had founded; and seeing Satans subtilties incessantly breaking out in his seducing instruments, teachers of lies, and false Apostles, to the annoyance of the Church; were constrained with a second hand to stablish their first worke, and with no lesse labour to vphold and repaire that house and building of God, which like good master-builders they had formerly reared and erected. This truth is euident, not onelyonly in other Churches planted by this our Apostle, the Doctor of the Gentiles, as by his seuerall Epistles is clearely gathered; but also in this Church, planted by himselfe in the Ile of Creta, Rom. 16.17. 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 10. Gal. 1.6. Eph. 4.14. Phil. 3.2. Coloss. 2 4 8. …. Thess. 2.2.now called Candy: for Satans rage containeth not it selfe in the continent, nor contemneth a conquest against the Church in such a small Iland as this is. And therefore no sooner was Paul departed hence (although he left Titus behind him to further the worke) but Satan thrusteth in corrupt teachers, some erronious in doctrine, others in life, scandalous; both of them exceeding infectious: some of them seeking the ouerthrow of the doctrine, others of the gouernment of the Church established: others would for the honour of the seruant, despise the Son, by ioyning Moses and Christ together: all of them disioyned the profession and practise of pietie; and by this meanes peruerted many, and drew them into their owne destruction. Our Apostle therefore wrote this Epistle to Titus, 1. that he might authorize and backe him in his Ministerie against such as might otherwise carrie themselues contemptuously towards him. 2. That he might direct him in redressing and repressing such disorders as beganne to preuaile: for which ende he both describeth what manner of persons he should place Teachers ouer the congregations; as also what doctrine he would hauehave him particularly applie to eueryevery degree and condition of men; that by the sufficiencie of the former, the false teachers might be foiled, and by the euidence of the latter all sorts of men might be sensed, and out of daunger of corruption by them. 3. Because Titus was young (as it seemeth) he teacheth him how to carrie his whole doctrine, how to order his life, how to deale with the tractable, how also with obstinate offenders, who studied rather parts, and …ow to be contentious, then how to content themselues with the simple truth: and so shutteth the Epistle with some personall matters, and the Apostolicall salutation.
The parts of the Epistle.
This Epistle containeth three parts:
1. The salutation, in the 4. first verses.
2. The narration, or proposition of the matter of it: from the 5. verse of the 1. Chapter, vntounto the end of the 11. of the 3. chap.
3. The Conclusion; containing some priuate businesse enioyned Titus: and the ordinarie salutation of the Apostle.