Ver. r . the Epiftle to the Romanes: Secondly, Gods decree was before ei- ther there were men or women, that is, before they had any being. Thirdly, there muff needs be a rejell:ing of forre wheretome bee ele&ed. Fourthly, that which moved him to make this diffe- rence, was not any condition or quali- ty in the parties, but his good pleafure. Fifthly,the cleft are not Paved but by the merits ofChrift: the others are not con - dernned,but by the' defert of their fins : adde hereunto that God is not tyed un- to any law,and therefore cannot wrong any,or offend againft equity. T I M. In what thing, may it appeare that God rcfpeeeletb no perfons? S I L. In thefe two things : Firft, in bellowing his fpirituall gifts and graces, which bee giveth to poor and meane ones, as well as to the great and rich ones, as his effe&uall calling, faith, re- pentance. Secondly, in infli&ing his judgements for finne, which he punifh- eth in great and rich ones, as well as in poore and mean ones. T I M. What ufe are we to mare hereof? S i L. That we ought to bee like un- to God herein , not to refpeft per- fons, but to judge according to the elute. T I M. In bow many things are net wee to re /pets perfons? S I L. In foure things : Firft,the Mi- nilter in deliveringdo&rine, Macth. 2 2. Thou teachefi tritely and ref etleff no mans perfon. Secondly,the Magifirate in ad- miniftring juftice, Dent. 16.1 g. Third- ly, all Chriflians in their cenfure and judgement of alcions good or evill. Fourthly, in having the precious fáith without refpe& of perfons, James 2. I. T But there it fume cafe wherein it is good to refpe& perfons? Si L. True,as in giving reverence to every man according to his eftate and gifts; examples hereof wee have in .4hrsbau .rowards the Hittites, in Jo- J & cowards Pharaoh, in Salomon to- wards his Mother: the reafon whereof, is the authority and gifts ofourbetters, to whom civil] reverence is due. DIALOGuE VIII. Verte 12. For as many as have finned without the Law, fhall periff, without the Law: and as many as have finned in the Law, fhall be judged b3 the Law. TIMoTHEUS. Hat is the purp% of the bleed Apo - file in this prefent Text, and bow pro - ceedeth bee? S t L. The fame as before, to prove the judgement of God in punifhing fin - ners to bee juft,and hinsfelf to bee no ac- cepter of perfons : becaufe howfoever the Jewes and Gentiles, bee unequal] in . knowledge, yet hee will indifferently punifh both, both being finners. And here Paul draweth neer to the particu- lar objeaions of Jesves andGentiles,pre- venting them in that they would plead and lay in againft this equity of Gods diftributive juftice : which the Jew,es thought it thould not take hold on them, becaufe God had graced and adorned them with the benefit and pri- viledge of the Law, by having where- of they looked not to bee condemned, but juffified : the Gentile, feeing they wanted the Law,deemed it hard to bee condemned ; whereunto hefaith in this verfe, that it fhall no whit helpe the Jewes that they had the Law, nor the Gentiles that they lacked it; for not - withftanding this difference, both were worthy to perifh, teeing both had in them finne, the proper wife of damnati- on. This is the drift and fctmme of this verfe,and thus Paul proceedeth. T I m. But why faith bee of the Gen- tile,,'that they are without a Law, a, ha- ving no Law? S I L. This is fpoken in cotnparifon: the Gentiles had not the Law fo plainly delivered in writing, as the Jemes had; yet were they not without a Law, which hee proveth afterwards by two manner of wayes, is verle 14, 15. the one externall,doing force good things; the other internal!, the teftimony of confcience. TIM. How can the! bee faidto floue,' fleing ftnne it the tranfgreJon of the Lësty",
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