Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 12
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION VponUpon the Epiſtle of S. Paul to TITUS.
CHAP. I. Verſe 1. The faith of Gods elect]
NOt the election of Gods faithfull ones, as the Arminians make it.
And the acknowledging of the truth] It is uſuall with S Paul in the beginning of his Epiſtles, to utter much in few, and to ſet down the ſumme of the whole Goſpel, as here he doth Juſtification, Sanctification, and the hope of ſalvation, and all by the acknowledging of the truth.
Verſe 2. God that cannot lie] The word of promiſe bindes God: therefore it ſeems (ſaith one) that it is ſtronger then God: for he can aſſoon deny himſelf as his promiſe.
Verſe 3. Manifested his word] As when he laid plainly, He that believeth is the Son hath eternall life.
Verſe 4. Common ſaith] Common to the communion of Saints, verſ. 1. and to them proper and peculiar; for all men have not faith, 2 Theſſ. 3.2.
Verſe 5. Set in order]foreign Co…ſicias. Gr. Set ſtraight, or make up the things that I left unfiniſhed.
Verſe 6. The huſband of one wiſe] Here the Apoſtle canonizeth (ſaith an Interpreter)Stult…t. the marriage of Min…ſters.
Verſe 7. A Biſhop must be blamel…ſſe] As was Moſes, Samuel, Paul, Bradford, Bucer, &c. who led convincing lives: ſo that their foes could not many thing ſtain them, nor their friends ſufficiently commend them.
Not ſoon angry]foreign. Bil…oſus & bellicoſus, teſty and techy, eaſily blown up in…o …age, that will not be laid down without revenge.
Verſe 8. Temperate]foreign. No ſlave to his fleſhly appetite: but one that can maſter him…elf, and give laws to his luſts. See my Common place of Abstinence.
Verſe 9.foreign. Holding fast, &c.] As with tooth end nail, againſt thoſe gain-ſaiers that would ſnatch it from us.
Verſe 10. For there are many unruly] Lawleſſe, yokeleſſe, maſterleſſe men, untractable, untameable, that refuſe to be reformed, hate to be healed. God will hamper theſe Belialiſts, 2 Sam. 23.6.
Verſe 11.foreign. Whoſe mouths muſt be ſtopped] Gr. Muzzled, as bandogs are.C…c. de divinat La…rli…. Fides puni…a Virgil. Cres ſemper mendax, …ala bellua, & bell…o deſe…. Camde…s Eliz. fol …04 Cre…iz…c … … Cret…h…de Fr…en. A …. foreign … Caſaub. Frogs they …y will leave croaking, if but a light be hanged over the lake wherein they are. Let but the truth come clearly in place, and heretikes will be ſoon fil…nced. But if they will not, another courſe muſt be taken with them.
Verſe 12. Even a Prophet of th…ir own] Epimenides the Poet, who by his countrey-men the Cretians was counted a Prophet, and had divine honours done to him after his death.
The Cretians are alwaies liers] So were the Carthaginians, Tyrij que bilingues. The French had ſo often deceived the Engliſh, that ſuch as they mean to deceive, they call by a common byword, Ias A…l…, The Engliſh. The Cretians were loud liars, even to a Proverb. Of Delon Homer ſaith, That he had an art in lying. But Eu…aem…a Joannes (that Cretian Dae noni…ck) wins the whet…on… one from all his countrey-men, whiles he bluſheth not to tell the world in print, that theſe are the doctrines and practices of the Proteſtants, to worſhip no God, to frame our religion to the times, to pretend the publike cauſe to our private luſts, to break our words, as we ſee good for our purpoſe, to cover deadly hatred under fair flatteries, to confirm tyranny by ſhedding the bloud of innocents, &c.
Verſe 13 Rebuke them ſharply] Gr. Preciſely, rigidly,foreign, … uttingly. ſeverely, and to the quick. A Metaphor from Chyrurgeons, who muſt not be melch-hearted, faith Celſus: but pare away the dead fl…ſh, Ne pars ſincera trabatur. Howbeit,Chirurges miſericordes eſſe non opartes. that is a good rule given by a godly Divine, that although there muſt be ſome warmth in a reproof, yet it muſt not be ſcalding hot.M Wbatcy in his Atchetyp. Words of reviling and diſgrace, they ſcald, as it were. But words that tend to ſtir up the conſcience to a du… conſideration of the errour, or evil reproved, they be duly warm, and tend to make the phyſick work more kindely. Evangelizatum non maledictum miſſus es, ſaid O…col …mpadius to Farellus: laudo zelum, modò non d…ſideretur mauſu…tudo. Vinu… & oleum in tempore ſuo inſund …dum. Evangelistam non tyrannicum leg ſ…atorem praeſtes. Thou art ſent to preach, not to rail. Thy zeal … commend ſo it be mingled with me…kneſſe. Wine muſt be poured into mens wounds one while,Oecolamp epad Gul. Fa…d. and oil another. Thou muſt ſhew thy ſelf a peaceable preacher, not a tyrannicall Law-giver, &c.
Verſe 14. Not giving heed to Jeniſh fables] Wherewith their Talmud is full far…: which whiles they hug overhard, as Cleopatra did the … …es that ſucked her bloud, they periſh.
Verſe 15. Ʋnto the pure all things, &c.] This Piſcator holds a ſufficient warrant for us to uſe, Ne for…, and other Heathen-expreſſions; like as the Apoſtles uſed, foreign, &c.Piſe…t in Mare…a 14 3. Paſ praeſat ad Lexic. abuſed by the Greeks to ſignifie then wicked and deviliſh oracles. But Paſ…r is utterly againſt it.
Is nothing pure] Their own table is a In…re to them, yea Gods table. The Saints are kept at hard commons, but have their keeping of free-coſt: the wicked have larger cates, but pay ſweetly.
Conſcience is d…ſiled] To wit, with ſins, and ſo can no more judge of it, then a man can diſcern of colours in a foul and ſoiled g…ſle.
Verſe 16. They proſeſſe that they know] Aliud in titulo, aliud in pyxi…e. Out-fide Chriſtians, who perform as Ephraim, dow-b…ked duties, are almoſt perſwaded, as Agrippa, come near Gods kingdome with that young Phariſee; faint chapmen that go without the bargain, as he did that came kneeling to our Saviour, and ſaying, What ſhall I…d, to inherit eternall life? Theſe do vir…ut is ſtrag…lam pudeſacere, put honeſty to an open ſhame, as Diogenes ſaid to Antipater, who being vicious wore a white cloak, the enſ go of innocency.
Being abominable]foreign. Gr. Such as ſtink above ground, and are of an offenſive ſavour.
To every good work reprobate] Or injudicious: ſuch as cannot make a right judgement of any good works, ſo as to approve and reliſh them, to ſee a beauty in them, as good, &c.
CHAP. II. Verſe 1. But ſpeak thou, &c.]
QVaſidicat, The worſe others are, the better thou muſt bet keeping a conſtant countermotion to the corrupt courſes that are in the world thorow luſt. A pearl in a puddle retains its preciouſnes: and fiſh in the ſalt waters retain their freſhneſſe.
Verſe 2. That the old men be ſober &c.] Not as it is ſaid of the Flemings,Er…ſm. in Mor… cncom. that quo magis ſeneſcunt cò magis ſtulteſcunt, the elder the fooliſher. Solomon and Aſa were ſo. And the Heathen Sages wiſely warn us, That old age is to be feared, as that which comes not alone, but brings with it many diſeaſes both of body and minde. Sapè fit uſ S…tan, qu…m juvenem capere non potuit, anneſum fallat & capiat, ſuth Bucholcerus. Many that have held out well in youth, have failed and been ſhamefully foiled in old-age.
Verſe 3.foreign. In behaviour] Or, In habit, apparrell, gate gesture.
Teachers of good things] As was Bathſheba, Prov. 31.1.2. Lois, 2. Lim. 1.5. Monica, &c.
Verſe 4.foreign. To be ſober] Or wiſe: teaching them as Schoolmaſters do their d…c…ples: ſo the word ſignifi…s. He was a fooliſh man that ſaid,E…ip. foreign, I love not to have a woman wile, A prude … wiſe is of the Lord. Such an one was Abigail, and Aſpaſia, Mil ſia the wiſe of Cyrus, who was ſaid to be foreign, Fair and wiſe withall.Aelian la… 1.
Verſe 5. To be diſcrect, chast, &c.] Conjugi…m humanae divina Academia vi…. Mach good may be learned by wedlock.
Keepers at home] Carrying her houſe on her back, as the ſn… doth. Sarah was found in the tent, ſo was Jael the wiſe of Heber. The Aegyptian women ware no ſhoes, that they might the better keep home.
Verſe 6. Young men likewiſe exhort] See the Note on 2 Tim. 2.22.
Verſe 7. A patern of good] Gr. A ſtamp. foreign.Digging thy Sermons out of thine own breſt, …d living them, when thou haſt done.
Verſe 8. May be aſh …ned, having &c.] O tis a brive thing to ſtop an open mouth, to thrat…le envy, to cu… off all occaſion of ev…lſpeaking.
Verſe 9. Not anſwering again] Not chatting or thwarting.
Verſe 10. Not purloining] Interverting,Aulent cu… talia ures. Virg…l emb…z…ling their maſters eſtates, ordinary among the Romans, which made them call ſervants and th…eves by one name: ordinary among the Hebrews; whence that ſaying of R. Gamali…l, Marbe gn badim, marbe gezil, He that mul…ipli…th ſervants, multiplieth theeves. Pirke-aboth, chip 1.ordinary alſo amongſt us, whence that Proverb. He that will be rich must ask his ſervants leave.
Verſe 11. For the grace of God &c.] This is rendered as a reaſon why ſervants ſhould be faithfull, becauſe to them alſo belongeth the promiſe of ſalvation, yea the reward o… inheritance, as if they were ſons: and to them the Goſp…l is preached as well as to others.
Hath appeared] As the Sun in heaven,foreign. or as a beacon on an hill
Verſe 12. Dexying ungodlineſſe] Every Goſpel truth ſtrikes at ſome ſin, and thereby may be diſcerned.
Soberly, righteouſly, a…d godly] This is the Chriſtian mans motto, his ſym…ol, and the ſumme of his whole duty,
Haec tria perp tuò meditare adverbia Pauli:
Haec tria ſint vitae regula ſancta tu….
The Egyptians when they praiſed their deceaſed friends,Diod Sicul. were wont to commend them for theſe three things, their godlines, righteouſnes and temperance.
Verſe 13. Looking for] As with necksſtretcht out, foreign Rom. 8 19. Julg. 5.28.or head put forth; as Siſeras …nother looked out of her lattice for her ſons happy return.
Verſe 14. That he might redeem us] God will have the price of Chriſts bloud out: he will thorowly purge us.
A peculiar people] Gr.foreign. A people that comprehend all that God ſets any ſcore by, 1 Pet. 2.9.that contain all his gettings: called elſwhere the people of acquiſition.
Zealous of good Works] Give God thine affections: elſe thine actions are ſtill born, and have no life in them.
Verſe 15.foreign Ne… 10 plus ſapere auſit. Let no man despiſe thee] Or have occaſion to think himſelf wiſer then thee.
CHAP. III. Verſe 1. To be ready to every]
AS the Bee, ſo ſoon as ever the Sun breaks forth, ſlies abroad to gather honey and wax. A ready heart makes riddance of religious duties.
Verſe 2. To ſpeak evil of no man] Unleſſe it be in an ordinance, for the reformation of the unruly, pleaſing all in that which is good to edifie.
Verſe 3. For we our ſelves alſo] I Paul, and thou Titus were as bad as others: let us therefore ſhew all mercy and meeknes to others. Aut ſumus, aut fuimus, aut poſſumus eſſe quod bic est.
Serving divers! …ſts]Captivarum ſuarum captivi Plu…ren R…a villrix. gentian, captivi v…iorun Oren … Dra… …e re non… n…inu. conſervo ſer vimu. … epiſt. l. 12 As the Perſian Kings Were Lords of the world, but ſlaves to their Concubines. The Aſſyrian led away the Egyptians naked and bare ſoot, Iſa. 29.2. So doth Satan, ſinners. Hence, though never ſo great, they are called vile perſons, as Antiochus, Dan. 11.21. Becauſe they have as many Lords, as luſts. Felix at that very time that he trembled before Paul, could not but covet and expect a bribe from him.
Hatefull] Gr. Horrible, as hell it ſelf, or juſtly odious to others.
Verſe 4. Kindenes and love] His native goodnes, and his communicated goodnes to us, not yet exiſting, nay reſiſting.
Verſe 5.foreign. Which we have done] We that are bankrupts in Adam, would yet fain be doing, and think to be ſaved for a company of poor b…ggarly duties: as bankrupts will be trading again, though but for pins, &c.
But according to his mercy] God is not merchant: his kingdom is not partum, but paratum. He that ſaid, Coelum grat is non accipiam, I will not have heaven on free coſt,Vega. went without it.
Verſe 6.foreign. Which he ſhed] Gr. Poured out (as it were by pail fuls) his ſpirit (the beſt thing) upon all fleſh (the baſeſt thing) Joel 2.28.
Verſe 7. Be made heirs] Not purchaſers: all is of free grace, Horreo quicquid de meo eſt, ut ſim meus. Paul was a moſt conſtant preacher of grace.Bernard. Auguſtin. foreign
Verſe 8. That thou affirm constantly] Be well ſetled in it thy ſelf, and avouch and averre it confidently to others: being ready to make it good, if queſtioned.
Be carefull] Bend their wits, and beat their brains.foreign.
To maintain good …orks] To exceed and excell others in their honeſt functions and faculties:foreign Plutarch. to be their craſeſ-maſters, to bear away the bell from all that are of the ſame trade or profeſſion. This was Tully's ſtudy to be beſt at any thing he ever undertook: ſhould it not then be a believers?
Verſe 9. But fooliſh queſtions] Such as is that of the Papiſts, whether an aſſe drinking at the font, do drink the water of baptiſme, and ſo may be ſaid to be baptized? Eſt quaestio digna aſinis, ſaith Melancthon. Such queſtioniſts are (as Stapleton ſaith of Bodin) magninugatores, great triflers.
Verſe 10. A man that is an berotike] All hereſies are found to flow (ſaith Chemnitius)Loc com part loc. 2. either from the ſupercilious pride of Samoſatenus, or from the ſophiſtry of Arrius, or from the ignorance of Aetius. Theſe mens wit will better ſerve them to deviſe a thouſand ſhifts to elude the truth, then their pride will ſuffer them once to yeeld and acknowledge it. And here this rule of St Paul takes place. Neſtorius was an unlearned and proud man, but very bold and well-ſpoken: Inſomuch as thereby he oft carried it, and ſo ſeduced the Emperour Theodoſius, as that Cyril, a very good Biſhop was thrown out of his place.Zanch Miſe. epiſt. dedicat. Howbeit he was afterwards reſtored again with honour, when the Emperour had better bethought himſelf, and the heretike Nectorius was condemned and caſt out.
Verſe 11. Condemned of himſelf] Sith, as a head-ſtrong horſe, he gets the bit between his teeth, and runs away. Thus did the Phariſees, Totiès puncti, & puncti, minimè tamen Ad reſipiſcentiam compuncti, as one ſaith, They ſhut the windows leſt the light ſhould come in.
Verſe 12. Come unto me to Nicopolis] The inhabitants of this City are ſaid ſo to have hated the braying of an Aſſe, that they would not endure to hear the found of a trumpet. So ſome pretend ſuch an hatred of hypocriſie, that they will not abide the profeſſion of piety.
Verſe 13. That nothing be wanting] Thoſe that labour in the Lords work, muſt have all neceſſary accommodations and encouragements. They muſt be ſet forth and brought forward on their journey, and in their negotiations worthy of God, 3 Joh. 6. Deductione honorifie â, Act. 15 3. & 20.38. & 21.5. A Balaam will not deal hardly with his Aſſe, if once he perceive the Lord to be in him, and to ſpeak by him: Shall we deal unworthily with Gods Miniſters, in whom God is of a truth, 1 Cor. 14.25. and hath given unto them the miniſtery of reconciliation? 2 Cor. 5.18.
Verſe 14. To maintain good works] See the Note on Verſe 8. of this Chapter.
That they be not unfruitfull] As drone-Bees or body-lice, living upon others labours, and ſo opening the mouths of Heathens, who will be ready to ſay, as he once did, Odi homines ignavâ operâ, philoſophâ ſontentiâ.
Verſe 15. That love us in the faith] That beſt ligament of love. The Church is the only daughter of her mother, and is called Eccleſia, of calling all hers together. Religion hath its name of binding, becauſe it binds men all in a bundle, and makes them be of one heart, and of one ſoul, Act. 4.32. to ſerve the Lord with one ſhoulder, Zeph. 39. to glorifie God with one minde, and with one mouth, Rom. 15.6. there being no ſuch oneneſſe in the world, as among true believers.