Commentary on 2 Peter, Title page 1 – Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1
A COMMENTARY OR, EXPOSITION ƲPON THE DIVINE SECOND EPISTLE GENERALL, WRITTEN BY THE BLESSED APOSTLE St. PETER.
By THOMAS ADAMS.
1 PETER 5.10.
The God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternall glory by Chriſt Ieſus, after that yee have ſuffered a while, make you perfect, ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you: To Him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen.
EX IGNE RESVRGIT VIRTVS
LONDON, Printed by RICHARD BADGER for IACOB BLOOME, MDCXXXIII.
TO THE TRULY NOBLE, AND WORTHILY HONOVRED, SIR HENRY MARTEN KNIGHT; IVDGE OF HIS MAIESTIES HIGH Court of the Admiraltie, and Deane of the Arches Court of Canterbury.
Noble SIR,
THE Merchant that hath once put to SEA, and made a proſperous Voyage, is hardly with-held from a ſecond Adventure. It hath beene my forwardneſſe, not vvithout the Inſtinct of our Heavenly Pilot, the moſt Bleſſed Spirit of God, to make one Adventure before: For he that publiſheth his Meditations, may be well called an Adventurer. God knowes what returne hath beene made to his owne glorie: If but little, (and I can hope no leſſe, though I have ever prayed for more) yet that hath beene to mee no little comfort. I am now put forth againe, upon the ſame Voyage, in hope of better ſucceſſe. For my Commiſsion I ſue to You: who have no ſmall power, both in the deciding of Civill differences, and in the diſpoſing of Navall affaires, and matters of ſuch commerce: being knowne well worthy of that Authority in both theſe Eccleſiaſticall and Civill Courts of Iudicature: That You would bee pleaſed to bleſſe my Spirituall Trafficke with Your auſpicious Approbation. I dare not commend my owne Merchandize: yet, if I had not conceived ſomewhat better of it, than of my former, I durſt not have been ſo ambitious, as to preſent it unto You; of whoſe cleare underſtanding, deepe judgement, and ſincere integrity, all good men among us have ſo full and confeſs'd an experience. Yet beſides Your owne candid diſpoſition, and many reall encouragements to me Your poore ſervant; this may a little qualifie my boldneſſe, and vindicate me from an over-daring preſumption: That my aime is Your Patronage, not Your Inſtruction; Not to informe Your wiſedome, which were to hold a taper to the Sunne: but to gaine Your acceptation and faire allowance: That under Your Honour'd Name, it may finde the more free entertainment, whereſoever it arrives: which (I am humbly perſwaded) Your Goodneſſe will not deny. That Noble Favour of Yours, ſhining upon theſe my weake endevours, will encourage me to publiſh ſome maturer thoughts, which otherwiſe have reſolved never to ſee the light. The ſole Glory of our moſt Gratious God, the Edification and comfort of his Church, with the true felicity of of Your ſelfe and Yours, ſhall bee alwayes prayed for, by
Your ever honour'd Vertues humble and thankfull ſervant, THOMAS ADAMS.