Epi, fileofS. Pau to Titus. Gofpel. Thefe are things which mull commend thee to God, as beeing Iiuely fparkes of his own image,farre paling all fhewes and femblances, which are but as a painted fire, nót any whit warming the heart,but lea- Ringit frozen in the natural' dregs of frnne. Grace, mercie. andpeace, fromGod the Father,and theLord fefus Chriff our Saviour. In chefs words is laid downe the forme of the Apoflolicall falutarion. Which is a prayer containing two parts : t. the enumeration ofthe gra- ces he wifhet h for `Titus ; and thefe are three , G'race,mercie, peace. 2. the perlons ofwhom he craueth thefe, who are the firfl caufes of them : and they be, T. God the Father: z. the Lord lefasChrifi: further defcribed by his proper office, ourSauiour. In the words, t. ofthe meaning, 2. ofthe do &rine. Bygrace, is meant the free fauour of God, acceptingvs in his Chrifl, x.tpe, nnnx,;. and not any gifts of grace,which is the fruits and effe&s of ir. I call it a c,, 3a free prow becaufe elfe were it not grace, if it were not freely giuen, gratis data. Rom.: t.6. By mercy,may be meant the former,and that not idlely added, becaufe the freedomeof this grace might bemore lively expreffed , and confir- med; andyet becaufe mercie hath euer an eie to miferie, I rather vnder- 'land hereby Tome fruits of that former grace of God in Chril; Inch as are remiflìon ofChines, iullification , fanRification, and life eternal!, by which we are freed from all miferieoffinne andpunifhment,in part here, and in whole hereafter. By peace, is meant the effe&ofthis mercie;and that is peace with God through Chrifl, who is our peace: peace with thecreatures , and p > with our felues inward and outward: fo as in chele three tearmes, in Mrs order depending one vpon another, is requefled what foeuer can make to the accomplifhment of happineffe, temporali or eternal!. FromGodour Father] This title ofFather is attributed vistoGod, ei- ,wodisS ther, a. efentially: or2.perfonaly: when efi'cntially, it is taken for the ratUher. G whole Trinitie, as Dent.; z.6. Doeyee reward him, O fool people, is he not your Father? In this fence God is a Father two wales : t. general) of all nature, and natural' thin gs,in that he frameth and gonerneth all his crea- cures, yea, men and Angels. Thus bee is called the Father offpiritt Heb.t 2.9. and thus is Adam called the Tonne of God, Luk. 2. 38. and angels the fonnes ofGod, Iob, t. and of both may be fpoken that ofthe Prophet, haut we not all one Father ? Mal.2, s o. 2. M orefpeciafly bygrace, 2 ofchore whoare adoptedand renewed by grace : and thus God is pro- perly our Father in he4uen, and no man is tobe called father in earth. Se- Mar 6.9, condly, when God is perfouallycalled Father, then it is to be taken for E a the 67
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