A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is

For the understanding of the Text, we may take notice, that Titus exercising his ministerial office now at Crete (whether as a settled officer and Metropolitan, which some highly contend for, or rather as a temporary and extraordinary officer, an Evangelist, is not here to be disputed.) Paul writeth this Epistle to him concerning his end, why he left him there, and also exciteth him to a lively performance of his office, especially in a sharp and severe rebuking of them, because of their doting still about Jewish fables and ceremonies, [Greek or Hebrew], clearly without ambiguities, [Greek or Hebrew], so Varinus, or [Greek or Hebrew], so Hesychius, or cuttingly (as it were) to go to the bottom of the putrefied sore, that no unsound core be left behind, so Illyricus. And to evidence the crime of the Cretans the more, he brings a testimony from Epimenides, whom he calls their Prophet by way of conception, for they esteemed him so, sacrificing to him, for he pretended ⟨p. 222⟩in furious fits to be like one acted with a divine spirit and rapture. Now this famous brand he stigmatizeth the Cretans with, That they were always liars, &c. And although Epimenides, being a Cretan, it might be retorted that he lied in saying, The Cretans were liars, yet the speech is to be understood not of every one, but of the general part, and therefore the Apostle saith, This witness is true; From whence Aquinas gathereth, That wheresoever there is any truth, a Doctor in the Church may make his use of it, because all truth is of God. The use here is not so much for confirmation, as conviction; if you ask, Why must these Cretans be so sharply rebuked for their Doctrine about Jewish Ceremonies, seeing Rom. 14. The Apostle doth there prescribe another deportment to such (viz.) of for bearance and condescension? The Answer is, Those that are there spoken of, were such as did err out of infirmity and weakness, but these in Crete were such as did obstinately and pertinaciously defend these false Doctrines, therefore they must be severely dealt with, yet the end of this censure is medicinal, That they may be sound in the faith, all error is a sickness and a disease.

For the understanding of the Text, we may take notice, that Titus exercising his ministerial office now at Crete (whether as a setled officer and Metropolitan, which some highly contend for, or rather as a temporary and extraordinary officer, an Evangelist, is not here to be disputed.) Paul writeth this Epistle to him concerning his end, why he left him there, and also exciteth him to a lively performance of his office, especially in a sharp and severe rebuking of them, because of their doting still about Jewish fables and ceremonies, , clearly without ambiguities, , so Varinus, or , so Hesychius, or cuttingly (as it were) to go to the bottom of the putrified sore, that no unsound core be left behind, so Illyricus. And to evidence the crime of the Cretians the more, he brings a testimony from Epimenides, whom he cals their Prophet by way of conception, for they esteemed him so, sacrificing to him, for he pretended