HOMILY I.] HOMILIES ON TITUS. concern for men, and that it might be done at a seasonable time. " It is time for Thee, Lord, to work" (Ps. cxix. 125), says the Prophet. For by " His own 1 times " is meant the suitable times, the due, the fitting. Ver. 3. " But hath in due times manifested His word through preaching, which is com mitted unto me." That is, the preaching is committed unto me. For this included everything, the Gospel, and things present, and things future, life, and godli ness, and faith, and all things at once. "Through preaching," that is, openly and with all boldness, for this is the meaning of " preaching." For as a herald proclaims 2 in the theater in the pres ence of all, so also we preach, adding nothing, but declaring the things which we have heard. For the excellence of a herald consists in pro claiming to all what has really happened, not in adding or taking away anything. If therefore it is necessary to preach, it is necessary to do it with boldness of speech. Otherwise, it is not preaching. On this account Christ did not say, Tell it " upon the housetops," but " preach upon the housetops " (Matt. x. 27) ; showing both by the place and by the manner what was to be done. " Which is committed unto me according to the commandment ofGod our Saviour." The expressions, " committed unto me," and " according to the commandment," show the matter to be worthy of credit, so that no one should think it discreditable, nor be hesitating about it, or discontented. If then it is a com mandment, it is not at my disposal. I fulfill what is commanded. For of things to be done, some are in our power, others are not. For what He commands, that is not in our power, what He permits, is left to our choice. For instance, " Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matt. v. 22.) This is a commandment. And again, " If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Matt. v. 23, 24.) This also is a command. But when He says, " If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast" (Matt. xix. 21): and, " He that is able to receive it, let him receive it" (Matt. xix. 12) : this is not a com mand, for He makes His hearer the disposer of the matter, and leaves him the choice, whether he will do it or not. For these things we may either do or not do. But commandments are not left to our choice, we must either perform them, or be punished for not doing so. This is implied when he says, " Necessity is laid upon me ; yea woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel." (i Cor. ix. 16.) This I will state more plainly, that it may be manifest to all. For instance, He that is intrusted with the gov ernment of the Church, and honored with the office of a Bishop, if he does not declare to the people what they ought to do, will have to answer for it. But the layman is under no such obligation. On this account Paul also says, "According to the commandment of God our Saviour," I do this. And see how the epithets fit in to what I have said. For having said above, " God who cannot lie," here he says, " According to the commandment of God our Saviour." If then He is our Saviour, and He commanded these things with a view that we should be saved, it is not from a love of com mand. It is a matter of faith, and the com mandment ofGod our Saviour. "To Titus mine own 3 son," that is, my true son. For it is possible for men not to be true sons, as he of whom he says, "If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, with such an one no not to eat." (i Cor. v. u.) Here is a son,4 but not a true son. A son indeed he is, because he has once received the grace, and has been regenerated : but he is not a true son, because he is unworthy of his Father, and a deserter to the usurped .sovereignty of another. For in children by nature, the true and the spurious are determined by the father that begot, and the mother who bore them. But it is not so in this case, but it depends on the disposition. For one who was a true son may become spurious, and a spurious son may become a true one. For it is not the force of nature, but the power of choice, on which it de pends, whence it is subject to frequent changes. Onesimus was a true son, but he was again not true, for he became " unprofitable " ; then he again became a true son, so as to be called by the Apostle his "own bowels." (Philem. 12.) Ver. 4. " To Titus, mine own son after the common faith." What is " after the common faith " ? After he had called him his own son, and assumed the dignity of a father, hear how it is that he lessens and lowers that honor. He adds, " After the common faith " ; that is, with respect to the faith I have no advantage over thee ; for it is common, and both thou and I were born by it. Whence then does he call him his son ? Either only wishing to express his affection for him, or his priority in the Gospel, or to show that Titus had been enlightened by him. On this account he calls the faithful both children and brethren ; 1 Or, " its own," iStois, E.V. " due." 2 Ki)pOTT4, the same word as is used for preaching.