C nr p, q.. E piffle to the 7beffalonians. V Z R. S . confufion, that there bee righteous to whom st comes after the worke of the wicked: and wicked ,te whom it falls after the Worke of the righteous. How reconcile we ? Diftirltions are many. Firft, af- ter the meanes. Knowledge of God is twofold. Firft,by his workes ;which all Gentiles had.Secondly, by bis word: that the prerogariue of the Church. Secondly, God is knowne, Firft, as reator ; fo Gen- tiles knew him : Secondly, as Redeemer, in Chrift; fo they knew him not : they were 1 without Cbrìff : the i Eph.z.tz. m none of lefus not heard a mongft them. m Rum. r 5.2o. Thirdly, knowledge is of two forts. Firft,oneefu- n zCor. 18. An n that trarsfformes vs into Gods image. Secondly, the 3 other incffectua' l,ftanding onely in fpeculation,without efficacy and power in the foule and confcience. The fumme is : By the workes ofGod they knew him.; fo far jas the creatures could reueale him : by his Word, they knew him not; that was the priuiledge of the Church. As Creatour and Gouernour of the world,they knew him as Itedeemer,in Chrift,they knew him not. Laftly, forte imperfect and inrff ltuall notices they had of theGodhead, Bach as depriued of excufe, know -, ledge effeetuall and powerfull to reforme, they had not. And hereof would the Apoftle be chiefly vnderftood. The defcriprion conceiue to be propounded cafually+ The Gentiles lined in the paffion of tuft : no maruell: the caufe is euident : they knew not God. Ignorance then isa /seer, a mother-fin. `full it,thou put- left all fsn.There is no f nne,into which an ignorant man, in the point where his ignorance lyes,is not ready to fal. See ifthe Apoftle fay not asmuch . ° Aliensfrom the lfeof ,o iph 4.18. God, through the ignorance that is in them, ethey were p I cor.ia.:. carried to disrobe Idols, as they were led. Through q ig q I Tim. 1.13, norance it was, that Paul blafphemed, pertcuted, oppref- fed the Church ofGod. That I ewes crucified the Lord of glory rAGrne fo fertile of finnes,is this of ignorance,rhat T 4 the
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