Epiflko' S. Partite Titus. ouely read,but expound ir. which is committed untomee,etceording to the CoremaundementofGod our Sauiour. Our Apofile infitleth ail in the iufüfyingof his calling, & fhewes how he carne to be a difpenfcr of fuchgrcar myíleries as thefe are, of which he bath fpoken : it was not ambition which made him thrufi hittifelfe in for a Pallor :neither necetlìty or want,whichvrged him to take vp this calling( as many bale wretches now a dales make it as a citie of refuge ) for witileft he went with commiffion againfi Chriflians, we neuer read, I that he was glad to worke with his hands to miniver to his neccßïties: neitherwas it cafe or honour which folicitedhim ; for euer after the vn- dertaking of ic,he was in difgrace,ia perils,in paines,end labours aboue all the raft oftheApoliles: neither was it a voluntarie motion taken vp ofhis own head, which moouedhimvnto this fund?ion ofpreaching: But firfi it was a bufineffc or charge committed vnto himof truft, or where- with he was betrufted: Secondly, he received it by commaundement, the nature ofwhich commandement theweth, that he was to farre from vn- dertaking this office ofhis own wi!l,rhat it was rather forced vpon him: the word in the originali is properly a martial word, taken frô the wars, wherein the Captain bath a power to preffe fouldíers,& to place them in the foreward, reareward, or wings at his pleafure, from whom or from whence they may not tiart,'vnder paine of martial) lawe : towhich bee feemeth to allude, when he faith; that he had fought a goodfight. And how Paul star extraordinarily pared into this field, cuco again)) his heart, and (as we fay) thehaire, appeareth in that he muli bee beaten downe to th"e ground, ftrucke Clarkeblind, gate and drinke nothing in three daycs, that ofan extraordinary wailer of the Church lie might be- come an extraordinarie chofenvet%) to publifh the dentine he had per- fecuted : And thirdly, hereceiueth nomore commaundements from the high Prieus to afflict theSaints, but a commandement ofa far re contra- tienature, from the highPrieíl olourprofefïìon ; euen from God our Sa. uiour. Which mrybe meant either of the Tonne, towhom the title of If- fus or Saviour, is properly afcribed in Scripture (whence is notably prooued the diuinitie of Chrifi,who as God meritteth mans faluation :) or elfe rather here of the Father, the epithire beefing trucly referredveto both:for the Father faucth by hisSonne,and the Sonne by his flab in re- conciling vs vnto the Father. Again, the Father is called a Sauiour,as he is the God of life,imparting to the ele&, throughhis Chrill, the life of grace and glorie: which meflageof life, the Apofile was to publifh bÿ vertue of this commiffion and commaundement: which is laid (toÇhevie this order) to be receivedboth from the Fatherour Saviour, and the Lord D a I.< fro SI s,TltelL5.1. tl{Tt)ÿ, Al 9. áAe MOtYSYOtl.foY.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=