Of what quality the Priests and Bishops must be: 9 namely learned, considering the Judaical seducers of that time. 12 That the Cretensians must be roughly used, to have them continue sound in faith.Of what qualitie the Priests and Bishops must be: 9 namely learned, considering the Iudaical seducers of that time. 12 That the Cretensians must be roughly used, to haue them continue sound in faith.✦
Paul the servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of the elect of God and knowledge of the truth: which is according to pietyPAVL the seruant of God, and an Apostle of IESVS Christ according to the faith of the elect of God and knowledge of the truth: which is according to pietie✦Paulus servus Dei, Apostolus autem Jesu Christi secundum fidem electorum Dei, et agnitionem veritatis, quæ secundum pietatem est
2into the hope of life everlasting, which he promised that lieth not, God, before the saecularia: of the ages of the world, temporal, not "non-religious" times:into the hope of life euerlasting, which he promised that lieth not, God, * before the secular times:✦in spem vitæ æternæ, quam promisit qui non mentitur, Deus, ante tempora sæcularia :
3but hath manifested in due times his word in preaching, which is committed to me according to the precept of our Saviour God:but hath manifested in due times his word in preaching, which is committed to me according to the precept of our Sauiour God:✦manifestavit autem temporibus suis verbum suum in prædicatione, quæ credita est mihi secundum præceptum Salvatoris nostri Dei :
4to Titus my beloved son according to the common faith, grace and peace from God the father, and Christ Jesus our Saviour.to Titus my beloued sonne according to the common faith, grace and peace from God the father, and Christ IESVS our Sauiour.✦Tito dilecto filio secundum communem fidem, gratia, et pax a Deo Patre, et Christo Jesu Salvatore nostro.
5For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest reform the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests by cities, as I also appointed thee:For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest reforme the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordaine priestes by cities, as I also appointed thee:¶✦Hujus rei gratia reliqui te Cretæ, ut ea quæ desunt, corrigas, et constituas per civitates presbyteros, sicut et ego disposui tibi,
6if any be without crimen: a charge or fault, blameworthy accusation, not a felony, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not in the accusation of luxuria: profligate excess, debauchery, not a violent disturbance, or not obedient.* if any be without crime, the husband of one wife, hauing faithful children, not in the accusation of riote, or not obedient.¶✦si quis sine crimine est, unius uxoris vir, filios habens fideles, non in accusatione luxuriæ, aut non subditos.
7For a Bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not angry, not given to wine, no striker, not covetous of filthy lucrum: monetary gain, profit:For a Bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not angrie, not giuen to wine, no striker, not couetous of filthy lucre:✦Oportet enim episcopum sine crimine esse, sicut Dei dispensatorem : non superbum, non iracundum, non vinolentum, non percussorem, non turpis lucri cupidum :
8but given to hospitality, gentle, sober, just, holy, continentem: self-restrained, temperate, not a landmass:but giuen to hospitalitie, gentle, sober, iust, holy, continent:sed hospitalem, benignum, sobrium, justum, sanctum, continentem,
9embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine, and to reprove them that contradicunt: contradict, speak against it.embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine, & to reproue them that gainesay it.✦amplectentem eum, qui secundum doctrinam est, fidelem sermonem : ut potens sit exhortari in doctrina sana, et eos qui contradicunt, arguere.
10For there be many disobedient, vain-speakers, and seducers, especially they that are of the Circumcision.For there be many disobedient, vaine-speakers, and seducers, especially they that are of the Circumcision.✦Sunt enim multi etiam inobedientes, vaniloqui, et seductores : maxime qui de circumcisione sunt :
11who must be redargui: refuted, convicted of error, not restrained or managed: who subvert whole houses, teaching the things they ought not, for filthy lucre.who must be controuled: who subuert whole houses, teaching the things they ought not, for filthie lucre.quos oportet redargui : qui universas domos subvertunt, docentes quæ non oportet, turpis lucri gratia.
12One of them said, their own proprius: their very own, belonging to themselves, not "respectable" prophet, The Cretensians always liars, naughty beasts, slothful bellies.One of them said, their owne proper prophete, The Cretensians alwaies liers, naughtie beastes, slowthful bellies.✦Dixit quidam ex illis, proprius ipsorum propheta : Cretenses semper mendaces, malæ bestiæ, ventres pigri.
13This testimony is true. For the which cause rebuke them (sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,This testimonie is true. For the which cause rebuke them (sharpely, that they may be sound in the faith,✦Testimonium hoc verum est. Quam ob causam increpa illos dure, ut sani sint in fide,
14not attending to Jewish fables, and commandments of men averting themselves from the truth.not attending to Iewish fables, and commaundements of men auerting them selues from the truth.✦non intendentes judaicis fabulis, et mandatis hominum, aversantium se a veritate.
15All things are clean to the clean: but to the polluted and to infidels nothing is clean: but polluted are both their mind and conscience.* Al things are cleane to the cleane: but to the polluted and to infidels nothing is cleane: but polluted are both their minde and conscience.✦Omnia munda mundis : coinquinatis autem et infidelibus, nihil est mundum, sed inquinatæ sunt eorum et mens et conscientia.
16They confess that they know God: but in their works they deny, whereas they be abominable and incredibiles: unbelieving, faithless, not merely skeptical, and to every good work reprobi: rejected, disqualified.They confesse that they know God: but in their workes they deny, whereas they be abominable and incredulous, and to euery good worke reprobate.✦Confitentur se nosse Deum, factis autem negant : cum sint abominati, et incredibiles, et ad omne opus bonum reprobi.
Annotationsfrom the original 1582 Rheims New Testament
5Ordain Priests. Though Priests or Bishops may be nominated and elected by the Princes, people, or Patrons of places, according to the use of the time and diversity of Countries and fashions, yet they cannot be ordered and consecrated but by a Bishop who was himself rightly ordered or consecrated before, as this Titus was by St. Paul. And here it seemeth that he did not only consecrate them whom the people had elected before, but himself also made choice of the persons, no mention being here made of any other election popular. Which though it were long used in the primitive Church, yet for divers causes and especially for continual tumults, partialities, and disorders which St. Augustine much complaineth of in his time, was justly taken away, and other better means of their designment appointed. See Conc. Laodicea cap. 12. 13. St. Augustine, de adult. coniug. li. 2. c. 20. Ep. 110. and Possid. in vita Aug. c. 8. And that the ordering of Priests or imposition of hands to that purpose, belongeth only to Bishops, and to no inferior Priests or other persons, it is plain by the Apostolic practice set down in the Scriptures, namely in the Acts, and in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. And St. Jerome, who seemeth sometimes to say that in the primitive Church there was no great difference betwixt a Bishop and Priest, yet he ever excepteth giving holy Orders, which preeminence he attributeth to Bishops only. ep. 85. as he doth also Confirming the Baptized by giving them the holy Ghost through imposition of hand and holy Chrism. Dial. cont. Lucifer. c. 4. Note also that Aerius was of old condemned of heresy, for holding that there was no difference betwixt a Priest and a Bishop. Epiph. hær. 75. August. hær. 53. Note lastly the fraudulent translation of the Heretics always, turning for Priests (which here is evident to be a calling of Order and office) Elders, saying, That thou ordain Elders. which in our vulgar tongue signifieth the age, and not the Office properly: and all this for hatred of Priests.Ordaine Priests. Though Priests or Bishops may be nominated and elected by the Princes, people, or Patrons of places, according to the vse of the time and diuersitie of Countries and fashions, yet they can not be ordered and consecrated but by a Bishop who was him selfe rightly ordered or consecrated before, as this Titus was by S. Paul. And here it seemeth that he did not onely consecrate them whom the people had elected before, but him selfe also made choise of the persons, no mention being here made of any other election popular. Which though it were long vsed in the primitiue Church, yet for diuers causes and specially for continual tumultes, partialities, and disorders which S. Augustine much complaineth of in his time, was iustly taken away, and other better meanes of their designement appointed. See Conc. Laodic. cap. 12. 13. S. August. de adult. coniug. li. 2. c. 20. Ep. 110. and Possid. in vita Aug. c. 8. And that the ordering of Priests or imposition of hands to that purpose, belongeth onely to Bishops, and to no inferior Priests or other persons, it is plaine by the Apostolike practise set downe in the Scriptures, namely in the Actes, and in the Epistles to Timothee and Titus. And S. Hierom, who seemeth sometimes to say that in the primitiue Church there was no great difference betwixt a Bishop and Priest, yet he euer excepteth giuing holy Orders, which preeminence he attributeth to Bishops onely. ep. 85. as he doth also Confirming the Baptized by giuing them the holy Ghost through imposition of hand and holy Chrisme. Dial. cont. Lucifer. c. 4. Note also that Aerius was of old condemned of heresie, for holding that there was no difference betwixt a Priest and a Bishop. Epiph. hær. 75. August. hær. 53. Note lastly the fraudulent translation of the Heretikes alwaies, turning for Priests (which here is euident to be a calling of Order and office) Elders, saying, That thou ordaine Elders. which in our vulgar tonge signifieth the age, and not the Office properly: and al this for hatred of Priests.
6Of one wife. To that which is said upon the like words 1 Tim. 3: add this testimony of St. Epiphanius li. 3. to. 2. cont. hæres. in fine. Holy Priesthood, saith he, for the most part proceedeth of Virgins: and if not of virgins, yet of them that live a sole or single life: but and if the single and sole persons suffice not to the Ministry, of such as contain from their wives, or after once marrying remain widows. For, him that hath been married twice, it is not lawful to take to Priesthood &c. If you list to see the causes why bigamy is forbidden them that are to be Priests, and continency required of the Clergy, see the same author li. 2. to. 1. hæres. 59. St. Ambrose li. 1. Offic. c. 50. and upon 1 Tim. 3. St. Augustine, de bono Coniugal. c. 18. St. Jerome ep. 50 c. 5 ad Pammachium, and against Jovinian li. 1. c. 19. St. Leo ep. 87. and other ancient authors. And if the studious reader peruse all antiquity, he shall find all notable Bishops and Priests of God's Church to have been single, or continent from their wives, if any were married before they came to the Clergy. So was St. Paul, and exhorteth all men to the like: 1 Cor. 7. 7. So were also continently all the Apostles after they followed Christ, as St. Jerome witnesseth, affirming that our Lord loved John specially for his virginity. Apol. ad Pammach. c. 8. & li. 1 cont. Iovin. c. 14. St. Ignatius ep. 6 ad Philadelph. saith of the said John, and of Timothy, Titus, Evodius, Clement, that they lived and died in chastity, reckoning up of the old Testament divers notable personages that did the same, as Elias, Jesus Nave (otherwise called Josue) Melchisedec, Eliseus, Jeremy, John Baptist. No man is ignorant that all the notable fathers of the Greek and Latin Church lived chaste: Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzene, Chrysostom, Cyprian, Hilary (who entered into holy Orders after his wife's death) Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Leo, Gregory the great. Certain other notable fathers had once wives, but no holy men ever used them, much less married, after they were in holy Orders. A marvellous thing, that so many heretofore should have the gift of chastity then, and now so few, if the Protestants say true, that scarce one among them in our age of all their sects, even of their principal Superintendents, hath had it.Of one wife. To that which is said vpon the like wordes 1 Tim. 3: adde this testimonie of S. Epiphanius li. 3. to. 2. cont. hæres. in fine. Holy Priesthod, saith he, for the most part procedeth of Virgins: and if not of virgins, yet of them that liue a sole or single life: but and if the single and sole persons suffice not to the Ministerie, of such as conteine from their wiues, or after once marying remaine widowes. For, him that hath been maried twise, it is not lawful to take to Priesthod &c. If you list to see the causes why bigamie is forbidden them that are to be Priests, and continencie required of the Clergie, see the same author li. 2. to. 1. hæres. 59. S. Ambrose li. 1. Offic. c. 50. and vpon 1 Tim. 3. S. Augustine de bono Coniugal. c. 18. S. Hierom ep. 50 c. 5 ad Pammachium, and against Iouinian li. 1. c. 19. S. Leo ep. 87. and other auncient authors. And if the studious reader peruse al antiquitie, he shal finde al notable Bishops and Priests of Gods Church to haue ben single, or continent from their wiues, if any were maried before they came to the Clergie. So was S. Paul, and exhorteth al men to the like: 1 Cor. 7. 7. So were also continently al the Apostles after they folowed Christ, as S. Hierom witnesseth, affirming that our Lord loued Iohn specially for his virginitie. Apol. ad Pammach. c. 8. & li. 1 cont. Iouin. c. 14. S. Ignatius ep. 6 ad Philadelph. saith of the said Iohn, and of Timothee, Titus, Euodius, Clement, that they liued and died in chastitie, reckening vp of the old Testament diuers notable personages that did the same, as Elias, Iesus Naue (otherwise called Iosue) Melchisedec, Eliseus, Hieremie, Iohn Baptist. No man is ignorant that al the notable fathers of the Greeke and Latin Church liued chast: Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzene, Chrysostom, Cyprian, Hilarie (who entered into holy Orders after his wiues death) Ambrose, Hierom, Augustine, Leo, Gregorie the great. Certaine other notable fathers had once wiues, but no holy men euer vsed them, much lesse maried, after they were in holy Orders. A maruelous thing, that so many heretofore should haue the gift of chastitie then, and now so few, if the Protestants say true, that skarse one among them in our age of al their sectes, euen of their principal Superintendents, hath had it.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.