qua.3.$ 68o All truthsof God anal be delittered,but tomémore dwelt vpon, v1Commentarie vpox the Tim.t.t 5.in fuch s fundamentall point as is faluation onely by Chrifi, tobe oppofed by fo many hundreth heretikes, it is no maruell ifwe fee fome (arre fet by it, or a light held ouer it, that none may paffe by it vn- till they hauediligently waighed,and fully refolued upon the truthof it. In likemanner beeing to iintreat ofthe difficult labour,care,and work of the mini(levie,from which women asnot beeing capable ofit are inier- dieled, andof the excellencieofthe funólion, which no man might ei- ther rafhly take vpon him, or negligently execute being lawfully called: and beeing further to let downe a certaine rule, vnto which all the law - full callings in the Church are to be conformed. In fuch a weighty mat- ter as is thepreferuation of the Churchand pietie,heprefixeth a worthy preface, t:.Tim.2.r. This isa truefaying,if any mandelire theoffice of a Bithop, he defirerh a worthyworke. But where the Apotlle doth all thefe things (as in this place) he couldwith leffe reafon depart from his ordinarie manner. Deîtr. The Miniflers of God mall teach eucry truth , reueale the whole counfell ofGod, and keepe nothing backe; but fome truths mu( he dwelt vpon and more auouched thenothers, and namely, fuch as are either more neceffarie, or morecontradi&ed. This is the wifedorne of the fpirit of God himfelfe, who by his penmendi(inguifhech of truths, and hath neither prefixed Behold, ilia the beginningof euery fentence; nor affixed his Selah in eucry ones ende, but onelyin truth more obler- uable and rernarkeable then the re(. Which point may receive agene- tall confirmation from this obferuacion that the penmen of Scripture beeing to write the hi(otie of things pad, becaufe they were of fa&s more vudeniable as things running into the fenfes of men ; they band not fo much vpon ratifications and affeueratiotrs; yea a-number of hi(o- rical books there are,the authorts ofwhich arenot known to the church But when they cerne to write prophefies of things to come, and things in reafon more improbable;rhë theauthors name,his kinred,his calling, with other circum(ances of time,place,and perlons feruing to confirme and conuince the truth of prophefies are regi(red. And if thefe truthes were either more neceffarily then ordinarie concerning the Church, or more liable tooppofition and exception, then was.much more caution and confirmationvied. To auoide multitude ofexamples whereby this point might be firengtheued, I will onely infra in that prophetic which moreneerely concerneth vs that liue now in the neweTef}ament;natrne- ly of the Revelation: The which booke becaufe it defcribeth the five of theChurch from the timeoflohn the la( ofthe Apoíiles, vntill Chri (s comming againe: and efpecially theproceedings, pride, and fall of Ba- bylon the great whore, with all the kingdames ofAntichrifi : the holy Ghotl
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