Whereas therefore the Apostle saith here, Our salvation is now nearer us, he saith the same thing in the Epistle to Titus in other words: The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared, that is, hath sprung forth, and is every where commonly preached: although it was not hid before in any of the Saints, notwithstanding it was not yet commonly known unto the world. After the same sort the Scripture speaketh in many places, when it sometime saith that Christ is to come, sometime, that he is come, although he always hath bin, and is in all the elect. Howbeit because he had not before his resurrection come to all by public preaching, the Scripture speaketh diversly of his coming. For because of this public preaching he came in the flesh, being made man, for his incarnation had not bin profitable to any,1 if the Gospel had not thereupon bin preached, by which he came into the whole world, and whereby it is commonly known, why he was made man, whereby that blessing promised to Abraham, is now published, and made common to all which by the Gospel believe in Christ. Hereupon Paul saith very well, Rom. 1. that the Gospel was promised of God, &c. as though he would say, although God hath promised every where in the writings of the Prophets his son in the flesh, yet forasmuch as all that should be done, that the Gospel might be preached abroad in the world, whereby he cometh spiritually to the minds of the believers, (which coming only bringeth salvation, and is far to be preferred before that coming in the flesh, inasmuch as it was done because of this) I say rather that God promised by the Prophets in the Scriptures the Gospel concerning his son. For God considered the Gospel and our faith in all these things, for which he would also have him to be made man, that the Gospel might be preached of him, that being made man, he hath saved us by his death, and that the salvation which he hath wrought, might go into the whole world, and be made near unto all. Some have taught four comings of ⟨p. 241⟩Christ, according to the four sundays in Advent as they call it, but this coming of Christ by the Gospel, which is most necessary of all, and of which all do depend, of which Paul here speaketh, this coming I say, they could not see, inasmuch as they are ignorant, both what the Gospel is, and to what end it was given.
Whereas therefore the Apostle sayth here, Our saluation is now neerer vs, he sayth the same thing in the Epistle to Titus in other wordes: The grace of God, which bringeth saluation, hath appeared, that is, hath sprong forth, and is euerie where commonly preached: although it was not hid before in any of the Saincts, notwithstāding it was not yet commonly knowne vnto the world. After the same sort the Scripture speaketh in many places, when it sometime saith that Christ is to come, sometime, that he is come, although he alwayes hath bin, and is in all the elect. Howbeit because he had not before his resurrection come to all by publike preaching, the Scripture speaketh diuersly of his comming. For because of this publike preaching he came in the flesh, being made man, for his incarnation had not bin profitable to any,1 if the Gospell had not thereupon bin preached, by which he came into the whole world, and whereby it is commonly knowne, why he was made man, whereby that blessing promised to Abraham, is now published, and made common to all which by the Gospell beleeue in Christ. Hereupon Paul sayth verie well, Rom. 1. that the Gospel was promised of God, &c. as though he would say, although God hath promised euerie where in the writinges of the Prophets his sonne in the flesh, yet forasmuch as all that should be done, that the Gospell might be preached abroad in the world, whereby he commeth spiritually to the myndes of the beleeuers, (which comming onely bringeth saluation, and is farre to be preferred before that comming in the flesh, inasmuch as it was done because of this) I say rather that God promised by the Prophets in the Scriptures the Gospell concerning his sonne. For God considered the Gospell and our faith in all these thinges, for which he would also haue him to be made man, that the Gospel might be preached of him, that being made man, he hath saued vs by his death, and that the saluation which he hath wrought, might go into the whole world, and be made neere vnto all. Some haue taught fower comminges of ⟨p. 241⟩Christ, according to the fower sundayes in Aduent as they call it, but this comming of Christ by the Gospell, which is most necessarie of all, and of which all do depend, of which Paul here speaketh, this cōming I say, they could not see, inasmuch as they are ignoraunt, both what the Gospell is, and to what end it was giuen.
- 1The coming of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel.The cōming of Christ by ye preaching of the Gospell.
