(4) To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. (5) В¶ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: (6) В¶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. (7) For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; (8) But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; (9) Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (10) For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: (11) Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
I have, in the opening of the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy, given my views of what the Apostle meant, in calling those companions of his sons. On this point I need not enlarge. Neither shall I detain the Reader, with any unnecessary observations, on the history of Crete, where Paul saith he left Titus, to arrange the government of the Church in that place. We know but little of this place from scripture. It was one of those islands, in the Mediterranean Sea, where Paul, in his voyage, passed. Acts 27:7. But it could not have been at that time, the Apostle left Titus there. It might have been more likely, when he went over various parts of Greece. Acts 20:2. But this is not so material, to our present purpose, to enquire. I would rather call upon the Reader, to remark, with me, Paul's anxiety as is here, and elsewhere expressed, respecting the ordination for the ministry. Let any person bring into one view, all that the aged Apostle, hath said on this subject, in his Epistles to the Churches, and to Persons; and it will strike him, I think, as it doth me, with full conviction, that nothing lay nearer the heart of Paul, than the caution, which ought to be observed, in sending men to labor in the word and doctrine. If the Reader will indulge me, I will take advantage from what the Apostle hath here charged upon Titus, on the subject, to offer a short observation.
The work of the ministry, is in itself so arduous, its duties so various, and its eventful consequences so infinitely important; that no man of the least seriousness, if he thought at all, would run unsent. Paul, when speaking of himself on this occasion, seems to express the greatness of his surprise, that one, less than the least of all saints, should have the grace given to him for such a purpose; that I (said he) should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Ephesians 3:8. Had the Apostle considered the gifts of nature, or of art, as qualifying for the ministry; certainly his liberal education, and his powers of eloquence, might have been thought very suitable requisites. But in Paul's view, these things rather hindered; than forwarded the Lord's service. What things were gain to me; those (said he) I counted loss for Christ. Philippians 3:7. And certain it is, the Apostle had in view at all times, his wonderful conversion; and his call of Jesus to be his Apostle; as well as the ordination of the Holy Ghost to the ministry; as the great authority, by which he acted, in the service of the Lord. How would Paul have shuddered, had he been told of men, rushing into the ministry, unsent of God, and unanointed by the Holy Ghost? What a contradiction in terms, would it have appeared to the Apostle's mind, had he heard of Preachers going forth to the conversion of ethers, when unconverted themselves? The characters Paul here speaks of whom Titus was to ordain, were such as not only lived in the Spirit, and walked in the Spirit, in the exercise of the graces of the Holy Ghost, he hath here enumerated; but holding fast the faithful word, which he himself had been taught; that he might be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convince gainsayers. But how awfully doth the Apostle speak of many unruly and vain talkers; whose mouths (he saith) must be stopped: and who teach things, which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Reader! let us turn from the view, for it is most awful. Let us seek relief to our mind, from the painful contemplation in beholding, if but a moment, the beautiful account of Paul's own ministry. Paul stood amazed, at the grace shown him, that the Lord should count him faithful, putting him into the ministry. And the constant sense he had of his own vileness; and the discoveries made to him, of the Person, glory, excellency, and riches of Christ and his grace tended to keep the Apostle always at the feet of Jesus, humbled, and self abased before him. And it was thus Paul went forth to the ministry, preaching Christ. It was Christ that Paul preached. Christ, as he is in himself; and Christ, as he is to his people. The plainest, the simplest language, and not excellency of human gifts, and human attainments, marked all his discourses. Seeing then (said he) that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. 2 Corinthians 3:12. Blessed be God for putting him into the ministry! Blessed be God for all the grace given to him, in this service. And blessed he God, for every instance both then, and now, and in all ages of the Church, where Jesus his Almighty Master, hath blessed his ministry, to the souls of his people!