capa. 15, Perbreue. /cri. bit epillolamet velcx ea Titi perdi(camos virtutemwirum enlm tantum vr conffrmaret handquaquam Inogiori opus erat oratinne fed hune et paucis almo neret.Athan.in prologo. Arctius. To theReader. tareofthe words; call emery branch intobit proper placeby aneafe andfamili- ar method;fitted out the truefence which might beg fland with antecedents, cartfiquents,parallel places,and analogic o ffa theconferredwith thebeg inter_ pretert,confalted in matters quefiionablewith the auncientFathers, raifed na_ tarall doltrines ,and applied them to theirfeuerall vfes ofinflruition, reprehen- fion,confolation,or confutation. In fore whereof howfaeuer Iarmed at the ne- ceffitieand occaftons ofmine owneauditorie,yetgenerally Ihaut prefentedge_ nerallinflruftions;and alltime is inthat 'Winne flyle wherein it was deltuered; both then andnow,more atfoand«ies ofmatter thenfounding of words, and more intending toperfwade the hearts,rhen topleafetheèseres ofmen. Ifit behere obieEled that this E'pifile concerneth but oneperfon,andone more generali might haste been moreprofitabir andfitly chofen. I anfwer That t . my chotfewasfatted tomyauditorie,wherein were asmanyyoateg Titulfes to be infiituted to the feruiceofthe Church,as ordinaryChriflians to6e in¡iru5ied in the dutiesofa religious life. z.This Epifllewas notfa muchwrittenfor Titus, asfor thewhole Charch,and therefore be is commanded to teach thefe things pubIrkylv,as things o ffpeciallvfefor allthepeople ofGod: and in allprobability this Epiffle was openly readby Titru to the wholecongregation , whome in the endhefalutethinthcfe words, Grace be (not with thee , but) with you all. 3. Wee hauenot onely thefptrit of(sod recording it among other holy writings to thewhole Church, butfundry gracious Pa/iors haue Beene delighted to bee conuerfant in it:as e11 Caluin ac*nowledgethof himfelfe to 111. Farrell and Virell;who was ofthem left at Geneva tofin ill, what they had.begu me, as Ti- tus wasofPasslin this ChurchofCreta. Ifit befurther alleadged, that Ihaue been larger by much then Ineeded: Ianfwer, t .! wifhfuck to remember what Athana6us hath'in way ofapoligiefor thefhortneffe ofthisEpifile , and it will fitlyferue to excufe my prolixitie: Titus,faith he ,was amanofgreat appre- henfton,and thereforethe Apofile compofeth whole lefons in emery line: and I mayfay more,ifnot in eueryword,in the moll ofthens,euery one elmofl beinga feuerall and entire text. 2.1confeffe I want rim: dexterity which fame of the learnedwritingon this Epiflle profefe,namely ,toget through the interpreting offuckamateriali Epille in one moneth: neither did Ithink: it the part of a fatthfull Expoftor,eetber wholly toncgle.Et things pertinent,tiìough theyfeerne fnaller,or altogether to amide treatifes which might proouemore laborious.;. Seeing corruptionofmanners is the rif itgreife of our dayes, Icannot be ;stilly blamed ifIhaue moreenlarged myfelfe in bendingmygroutefi forcesagain] this?nogdangerous difeafe: andyetmy hope is that my Readerfhall not tufily challengeme: withmultiplicationof matteries wards who haue laboured to titrufi much varietieofmatter into as fewewords as poffibly 1 could. Ifit bee furCher obielted,that there is nogreat needofwriting boehes inthisage,which ratherfurfettethof them then otherwife. although this,no»tore concerneth me.
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