Ept/! eofS. Paul to Titus. CHAP.2.1. canfi ; but yet all this while defpife the word offered, and thou haft for- i 7 Taken thineowne mercie : naymore , come to the minifterie , heare the word read, preached, ioyne in the prayers & Sacraments of theChurch, ifthou cotnmeft without the fubmillionof thyheart, whereby thou art become as prepared ground , to couer the feerle vt.to increafe, all is in 1 vaine: for what is Paul? what w eApollos?what is the minifter(be he neuer fo choife andexcellent) except he be the tilfinifier of thy faith ? and fo what is the miniflerie to thee, (fit be not the minifterie of thy faith ? 4. Euety man may hence (examine himfelfe, whether in thevfe of the r.eor.;.s. r'newtha acmmrain iR faryith i , minifterie, he finde failing faith,begotten and wrought in his heart; and by examination,fome may find their vnderftandings more enlightened, their iudgementsrnore fetled,theirpra6tife in force things reformed:but a very fewe fhall find Chrift apprehended, and refted in veto faluation, and therefore fewfhallbe fa- ucd. Teeing lo few thereare that hue by faith in the Sonne of God : for of all the tïnnes that the fpirit may andfhall rebuke the world of, this is the cheife, becaufe they beleeuenot inChrift. Howfoeuer many arc in force things bettered by the minifterie, yet very fewe haueattained this prin. cipall endeofit, which is toput men in poffefïion of true faith, and by it of faluation. toh.JGg. Andthe knowledge ofthe truth which isaccording to Godlinefe ] The Apofilebering called to begetfaith in the ele&, magnifieth and extolleth this his calling from the difñculcieofthe worke: for it is not to bring forthby his traueli any blind perfwafion of faith, which ( beeing too naturali to men, would rife ofit falle fart enough, without any fuch manuring: but fuch a faith as is peculiar to theele.i, as before we heard* In the which leaft mtn lhould be deceived, as eatîly and willingly the moft be, he taketh paines to let downe the whole natureof it in particu- lar. And firft, here we haue the ground offaith, which isknowledge r and becaufe the truth offaith cannot finde footing vpon follies or fancies; nay, nor vponeuery profitable knowledge, bee teacheth what kind of knowledge he fpeaks of,and that is the knowledge of the truth: that is, of the Golpe!, beeing aword of truth, yea truth itfeife focalled by wayof excellencieoreminencie,asthough noother truth deferued that name: Afoxa,, or becaufe thiscarrieth the onely vndoubted truth with it. And further, becaufe many thinke all cock -fure,and that they cannot falle of faith, if they be able todifcourfe ofthis truth; he teacheth vs,that it is not euery knowledge ofthe truth he meaneth; but fuch a one as is accordingtogod- lineffe, that is, fuch asframeth the heart of the paffefforto true Godli- nefte. . Whence naturally arifethefe three conclufions : Firi, that thedoêrine oftheGofpell is the truth it (elfe. B z Second-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=