CiHAP.1.I2 cí1 Commestarie vonthe 238 í Cpimeddts (rakenothcre as a Ytophee. Real-oils. I 2 3 The Genti e, had their pro. Film focalled to w,tnesa villa theirim picric, it So Bucer faid ofSeneca. 2 3 rug natueale. Ins genùnm. ofit; and almofi rauifhcd, and out ofthemfelues, as Paul coddled of himfelfe:buc neither were they madde,nor fenfles,nor foaming , nor de- formed,nor ignorant what befell rhem;but with knowledge,faith,reue- rence,wifedome,and affeetion,receiued the things of God , which they were todefiner againeafterward to the vCe of the Church. S. Whereas the former euer ferued the vieof the Church,and endea- uoured ro lead naen toGod, furthering them in faith and obedience:the latter onely ferued thevanitie andcuriofcieofmen : andalthough they could not well lead men further fromGod then they were , yet they the more detained them from feeking after the true God. Thus the diffe- rence plainly appeareth,which bath gitien good light to the vndertian- ding of the place. Quell. But whether did Epimenides vtter this as a prophecie ? Asir No vnleffe we conceive ro him as aP het in the generall acceptationof p a the word. For, t.the deuill is not will ing,except he gaine more by it,to rebuke finne, of whichhimlelk is the patron. 2. He (peaketh nor of a thing to come, but ofthat whichwas prefect, and pal}. ;. He was not ignorant what he write here ,but by the light of nature, as other Poets did,taxed their vices whichhe had obferucd very enorínious.Andhence we mayobferue two infiruEtions. Doíir. a. The Gentiles had their Prophets, and Poets fuch as was Epimenides, which were fufficicnt wicreffes againfl their impietie. And neuer wereany people fo rude and barbarous, among whom God had not fufficient wicneffes to condemne them. Which appeareth plainely thus.Firfl,without themfelues they had three things to condemne them. a. Their Philofophers,Poets, Orators, andwifcmen,ofwhome what vice was it whichwas not brought into di f race ? what vertuewas vn- perfwaded?that a manmay fafely lay of fume ofthem,that they left vnto polleritiemore clearenes, andprints ofdiuinitie then all the bookes of the fchoolemen,put together. z.their preuerbr,and voice of men publik- ly againfi thenr,as this againfl the Cretians was s prouerbiall fenteuce.3. The worl esof God,Rom.1.zo.A61.14.17. Secondly, within themfelues they had two things. I. Naturallk,now- ledge: For Paul inRom.1.18. faith of theGentiles, that they detained the truth ofGod sx vnrighteosfnef . Where by the truth of God , is not meant curry truth in generall,nor yet the truthof hiswritten word: but that light which remaineth in the natureofman after the fall , called the !awe efnatsre, and the limeof nations: which light they by their iniu- (ice,impietie,profaneneffe,and fuperflition did feeke tooppreffe , and extinguifh, and fodetaine as a captive in the darke dungeonoftheir hearts. And v. 3z.heaflirmethof them,thatthe lnewe the loreof God br
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