THE EPISTLE OF
S. PAVL TO TITVS.
CHAP. I.
Of what qualitie the Priests and Bishops must be: 9 namely learned, considering the Judaical seducers of that time. 12 That the Cretensians must be roughly vsed, to have them continue sound in faith.
PAVL the seruant of God, and an Apostle of JESVS Christ according to the faith of the elect of God and knowledge of the truth: which is according to piety. 2 Into the hope of life euerlasting, which he promised that lieth not, God, before the secular times: 3 but hath manifested in due time his word in preaching, which is committed to me according to the precept of our Saviour God: 4 to Titus my beloued sonne according to the common faith, grace and peace from God the Father, and Christ JESUS our Saviour.
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest reforme the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordaine Priests by cities, as I also appointed thee: 6 If any be without crime, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not in the accusation of riot, or not obedient. 7 For a Bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not angrie, not given to wine, no striker, not couetous of filthy lucre: 8 But given to hospitalitie, gentle, sober, just, holy, continent: 9 embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine, and to reproue them that gainesay it.
10 For there be many disobedient, vaine-speakers, and seducers, especially they that are of the Circumcision. 11 Who must be controuled. Who subvert whole houses, teaching the things they ought not, for filthie lucre. 12 One of them said, their owne proper Prophet, the Cretensians alwaie liars, naughtie beasts, slothful bellies. 13 This testimonie is true. For the which cause rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not attending to Iewish fables, and commandments of men, averting themselves from the truth.
15 All things are [1] clean to the clean: but to the polluted are both their mind and conscience. 16 They confes that they know God: but in their works they deny, whereas they be abominable and incredulous and to euery good worke reprobate.
- ↑ He speaketh not of the Churches abstaining from meates sometimes, which is not for any vncleannes in the creatures, but for chastening their bodies: but he meaneth the Jewish superstition, who now being Christians, would not cease to put difference of cleane and uncleane according to their old law. See S. Augustin, Cont. Faust. U. 31.
