13. 2 Tim. i. 8, 9.
POLITICAL WRITINGS 297
He heareth, that is to say, with the ears of the inward man, or, in other words, He obeyeth my voice, which is equivalent to saying. He beUeveth me. When Christ, therefore, beareth witness unto the truth, He beareth witness, of course, unto Himself; for from His own lips are the words, "I am the truth;" ^^ as He said also in another place, "I bear witness of myself." ^^ But when He said,
one that is of the truth heareth my voice," He commendeth the grace whereby He calleth according to His own purpose. Of which purpose the apostle says, "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are called according to the purpose of God," ^2 to wit, the purpose of Him that calleth, not of those who are called; which is put still more cleariy in another place in this way, "Labour together in the gospel according to the power of God, who saveth us and calleth us with His holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace." ^^ For if our thoughts turn to the nature wherein we have been created, inasmuch as we were all created by the
Truth, who is there that is not of the truth? But it is not all to whom it is given of the truth to hear, that is, to obey the truth, and to believe in the truth; while in no case certainly is there any preceding of merit, lest grace should cease to be grace. For had He said. Every one that heareth my voice is of the truth, then it would be supposed that he was declared to be of the truth because he conforms to the truth; it is not this, however, that
10. John xiv. 6.
11. Ibid., viii. 18. 12. Rom. viii. 28. 13. 2 Tim. i. 8, 9.