P Orr Cie3ÌCe. I"25 helpe vs,thal,thrtt which idhidden in the heart ofthefather,may berettealedzrto vs 6y the t irtt: andhis te/lirnonic perfirads our [pint, that we arc the f nncs of godand this perfwafion is catwfid6yhi3 cal+tin.oar,dissfltfyirg vs freely byfa;th.And S.Hierome(though commonlyabufed to the contrarie) !Cameo, faithno more but that men cannot knowe loue or hatred by theprefent thisplace. affliefions which they fuffer, becaufe they know not whether they fuller them for triall or punifhment. O6ieçl.3.i.Cor.4,Iiudge not myfelfe,1knownothing6jmyfelfe.Here Paul, as not beeing priuy tohis ownc eflate , refufeth to glue any judgement of his righteoufnes.Anf,It is manifeft by thewords ofthis epitlle,that certaine inCorinth,boldlymore then wifely , cen(ured the Apoftlesminiftrie, and with all difgraced it in refpeet oftheminifterie of other teachers. Thetfore Paul in this chapter goes about to make an Apologie for hirnfelf,fpeaking nothingofhisowneperfon and the efface thereofbefore God , but onelyof his miniflerie and the excellency thereof.And this is the judgementofThe- odoret,Aquinas,&Liravpon this text.Andwhen he faith,1iudgenotmyfcifr, his meaning is, I take not vpon metojudgeofwhat value and price my minifierie isbeforeGod in refpe t ofthe minif}erieofthis or that má: butI !caneall to God. Here thenPaul.refufeth onely togiue judgement of the excellencie ofhis owneminiflerie,& in othercaufes he refufed not to judge himfelfe,as when he laid,/ hawfought agoodfight,!hauekept thefa:th, hence forth islaide vpforme thecrorvne ofrighteoufnes which the Lord the righteous Atli!give me,2.Tim.4.8.And Chryfoflomeon this place faith,that Paul re- fufed to judgehimfelfe not limply, but andy forthis ende,thathemight re. firaineothers,& teach the modcflic.Andwhere Paul faith,! 1{nownothrng by myfelfe, the(peach is not generall,but muff be vnderfloodofthe negligen- ces &offences in the cotitpaffe ofhis miniflerie.Forhe wasprink to himfelf thatin fimplicitie and godly purenes, he hadhis converfation in theworld, 2.Cor. a .12. andheknew this by himfelfe, that nothing fhould fewer him from the loue ofGod in Chri(l. Rom.8.38. O6iec 4.That we maybe iu(lifïed there is fomwhat required invs,name. lyfaith and repentance :and where thefeare wanting,aman cannotbeiufli- fled. Now no man canbe certen by the certenty offaith, that he repents ofhis trnnes with all Ms hcart,and that hebath fuck a faith,asGod requires at our hands,co;afideringthere is no teflimonie in theword,ofour faith and repentance in particular.Therefore no man can be certen bycertenty of faith, that his finnes arepardoned.Anf.It is not neceflarie that any man lhould be certenby faithofhis faithand repentance;becaufe faith is onely offuch thingsas are abfent , where as faith andrepentance are trulyprefent inall chat truly beleeue and repent, it (ball be fuflrcient ifamanmayany way bevufallibly certen that he bath them. And though force men falfly perfwadethemfelues that they beleeue, yet hethatbath true faith indeede knowes that he bath true faith; euen as certenty as he that vuderflands that hevndertiands.Paul faith to the Corinthians, .ProueyonrfeIees whether . e
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