Epiffle ofS. Paul lo Titus. Cxnr.3.8. uing, as faith vnfained working in obedience. Ver. 8. This isafaithfulllaying, and theft things Iwill then/hoaldfi of firme, that they which hauebeleeued in God might becarefuli tothew forthgood worker. The firf+ words of this verfe beefing as it were a finger pointing to fome excellent mater, ionic take tobe a preface making way, and win- ningattention to the fequel of the verfe: others thinke it to be anepiphe- nema, or grade (huttingvpofthe matter which immediately goech be- fore;as gluing confent and acclamation veto the mot+weighty and ne- ceffarie do6+rine offree iuf+ificatiô by the grace ofGod in Chrifl:which doEtrin becaufe the Apof+le by the fpirit ofprophecydid forefee,would be moll ftrongly oppoled , he purpofely by a vehement affeneration jIlrengtheneth: as alfo the doctrine o! Chriflian hope, which although it be not of things feene, yet is it of things fo faithful! and firme in relpeó+ ofthe promife, as the Chrif+ian foule may without wauering and doub- ting, retie and leane it felfe upon the faithful! accomplifhment of it. But 1 rake it thewords may not soliEly be referred to the whole do6irine, i propounded both before and after,there beeing the fame (cope ofboth: for what new thing is the Apof+le to teach,woichhe hadnot taught and srgedbefore? and what particular isexpreffed in the verte, which for- merly bath not beetle deliuered to young and old, men and women, fer- uantsand other;all which efîates after their conuerfió voto the faith, are in (pedal' called toreadineffe ineuerygood work!, vcrf.r. and to what o- therendare thofe large defcriptions of our twofold ef+ate,but to l+rike on the fame f+ ring, that howfoeuerwecould not in the former attaine to any fruitful! conuerfation;yet now in the latter it were a Elaine not to adorneour profeiron and calling? and what other end learned we of the appearingof grace, but that vogodlinesand worldly lulls being denied we (hould hue foberly, and rightcoufly, & godly in this preferrt world ? So as 1 fay, the Apo(+le fetteth a feale voto his whole doôtriue ; that it is true and faithful!, moft vndoubted and certaine in it fcife,an,: mot+ wor- thy of all our credit and faith ; feeing nothingcan be cruller fpoken, no- thing more profitably beleeued, nothingmore comfortably piaéfifed, then the truth here delit:credveto vs. .Quell. But arenot other doctrinestrme and faithful!, yea as tae as this? and is not all Scripture of diuine infpiration? Anfw. Yes : nei- ther dothour Apof+le oppofe the truths ofScripture,asthoughone were more or leffe true thetaanother,but in more neceffarie or more queiVo- nable truths, he fetteth here and there a markeor pointinghar.d,both ro vrge theauthoritie and neceffitie of the one, and alfo to force menmote eafily toyeeld vnto the truth ofthe other. Examplehereofwe haue, r. V u 3 Tim.' 679,
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