Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 12
VERSE 12. Wherefore J will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of theſe things, though you know them, to bee establiſhed in the preſent truth.
I Acknowledge to your comfort, that you know and performe in ſome meaſure theſe commended duties; and have made a good progreſſe in them. Yet though you be confirmed, I will not ſo give you over, and leave you to your ſelves; for there is danger of relapſing, but will diligently ſolicite your memories, and incite your affections, to a more zealous obſervation of them. I doe not confirme you, as if you were wavering; but only admoniſh you, as being eſtabliſhed in the truth. The gravitie and weight of the buſineſſe requires it: in a matter of ſuch conſequence, admonitions are never ſuperfluous. Abundans cautela non nocet; Therefore let it not ſeeme tedious unto you.
This verſe is ſpent upon the Paſtor and the people: and therefore to be applied to the Preacher and the Pariſh. I will not be negligent to remember you of theſe things; there is the Miniſters duty. You muſt know them, and be eſtabliſhed in the truth; there is your duty. It is eaſily diſtinguiſhed into the Paſtors Informing, and the Peoples Performing: his Preaching, and their Practiſing: his Diligence, and their Obedience.
In the former we may note his
Pietie; deſirous to bring them to the prementioned kingdome.
Vigilancie; admitting no neglect of their ſoules; what diſcouragements ſoever affront him.
Modeſtie; profeſſing, that he doth rather remember them, than teach them.
Fidelity; he will doe it Alwayes, without wearineſſe of that may tend to their edification and comfort.
Sinceritie; hee doth not incite them to vaine and unneceſſary things, but Theſe things that build them up to ſalvation.
In the other part, which is their Proficiencie, we have commended their
Illumination; They knew theſe things.
Confirmation; They are eſtabliſhed in the truth.
Wherefore, foreign, for this cauſe: this the firſt praiſe of his Diligence, the foundation wheron it is grounded; which is derived from the precedent verſe. Becauſe the foundation of eternall life is to be laid here, and in this life an entrance muſt be made to …hat everlaſting kingdome, or there will be no fruition hereafter: Therefore I will …ake all poſſible paines to prepare your ſoules for it. Now it is certaine, that the foun…ation of Eternity is to be laid in this life: the propoſition is proved by Saint Paul, Laying up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, 1 Tim. 6.19.that they may lay hold on eternall life. The ſtate future followes the former; as the upper building followes the foundation. If we live ill, that is a bad foundation: if we live well, that is a good foundation. Luke 19.9. This day is ſalvation come to this houſe. This day, for it muſt come in the day of Grace, or it will not come in the day of Glory: now, or never. The penitent malefactor might ſay to Chriſt; Hodie es mec… in Patibulo; To day thou art with me on the Croſſe: and Chriſt ſayes to him, Hodie eris mecum in Paradiſo; To day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe. If Chriſt firſt be with us below, then ſhall wee alſo be with Chriſt above. The Kingdome of God muſt firſt come into thy heart, before thy heart can come into the Kingdome of God. A wicked life doth (even on earth) make an entrance into that lower kingdome of darkneſſe. Interiour darkneſſe begins exteriour darkneſſe, inferiour darkneſſe. Iohn 3.18. Hee that beleeveth not, is condemned alreadie. Act. 8.23. Thou art now in the gall of bitterneſſe, and bond of iniquitie. As God ſaid to Abimelech, Gen. 20.3. Thou art but a dead man. Sinne is the very threſhold of hell, and the Fewell of that unquenchable fire:Prov 5.5. her very ſteps take hold on hell. Miſ-livers, and miſ-beleevers; next them ſtands hell. So faithfull goodneſſe hath one foot already in heaven: therefore looke to thy life; for he muſt goe out of this world by the mortification of the fleſh, that ſhall come to heaven by the vivification of the Spirit. Such is Gods mercy to us; that we who have deſerved puniſhments externall on bodie, internall on conſcience, eternall on both; ſhould not onelyonly ſcape theſe, but have in preſent a gracious entrance into bleſſedneſſe. But alas, we ſee our wretchedneſſe, we doe not ſee our bleſſedneſſe: we know that a picture but begun, is not of perfect beautie: let us tarry till God hath finiſhed his worke.b1 Iohn 3.2. We are now the Sonnes of God in grace and peace, we ſhall be the ſonnes of God in glory.
I will not be negligent.] foreign. This is the ſecond praiſe of his diligence: i… is well furthered by his Sedulity. Negligence of good duties is in all men damnable, in a Miniſter execrable: in others robbery, in us Sacriledge. Curſed is hee th… doth the Lords buſineſſe negligently, ſaith the Prophet. God was ſo carefull to avoid negligent Miniſters under the Law; that the Levites were to beare no office till five and twenty, and to ceaſe againe at fifty: not ſooner than the firſt age, Propter imbecilitatem mentis; For the diſability of their minde: not longer than the latter terme, Propter infirmitatem corporis; For the infirmitie of their bodie. There is not a Calling of a greater labour: Qui temerè eligit, non intelligit; He that raſhly chuſeth it, never underſtood it. If a man knew the weight of it, it would take away his ſtomacke. It brings a man from a quiet, to a laborious life: I have much adoe to look to my own ſoule,Auguſt. how ſhall I look to the ſoules of others? It is indeed lawfull to ſ…e to be in the Miniſtery;1 Tim. 3.1. as Paul ſayes, If any man deſire the office, he deſireth a good work: it is then lawfull to deſire, therefore lawfull to expreſſe that deſire. But let him thinke of the Account:Hebr. 13.17. To watch for ſoules, as one that must give account. Some have obſerved upon CHRISTS calling of thoſe foure Apoſtles, in the 4. of Matthew; Simon, Andrew, Iames, and Iohn. That Simon ſignifies Obedient; Andrew, Couragio…, Iames, a Supplanter: and Iohn, the Grace of God. And that a Miniſter of the Goſpell ſhould be accordingly qualified: he muſt be obedient as Simon, couragious as Andrew, and a ſupplanter of ſinne as Iames, and manifeſt the power of the grace of God as Iohn. There belong to him, Infuſion, Diffuſion, Effuſion, and power of Confuſion. Infuſion of knowledge, diffuſion of grace, effuſion of doctrine, confutation of error. Saint Paul was ſo diligent in this office, that he was called The wing… Husbandman: one writes of him, that Terra citius deficeret; quàm ſtudium praedica… di: the earth might ſooner have wanted roome for him, than he neglected through the earth preaching. Now, too many make the Miniſterie, a matter of Policie to raiſe themſelves; and once gotten up, though no Biſhop ſuſpend them, they p… themſelves to ſilence: ambition ſhuts up many lippes. They ſee and ſay, that a pai… ful Teacher ſeldom comes to preferment. Therefore they wil only raiſe themſelves by ſilence. When Ariſtodemus bragged how great a fee he had got for ſpeaking Demoſthenes anſwers; ſay nothing foole, I had more for holding my peace. Th… ſuch an one thinkes to ſpeed; and therefore his motto is, Sibi & muſis. But a good Miniſter is not negligent, either in his penne or tongue, his tongue is the penne of a ready writer, and his penne is the tongue of a ready ſpeaker. It is the negligent faſhion, Diteſcere, pingueſcere, ſegneſcere: to grow rich, to grow fat, to grow lazy. When the fiſh is caught, to caſt away the nette: to ſtarve the flocke, when they have ſhorne the fleece. But negligence can never befall him that is truely called of CHRIST.
To put you in remembrance:] this is the third praiſe of his diligence, to faſten it in their memories. We muſt often be ſtirred up; Line added to line, and precept upon precept: here a little and there a little. Some would have rare Sermons, and thoſe excellent ones: yet they can receive the doctrine but by drops, not by flouds. For whatſoever is received, is received according to the capacitie of the receiver. Others would have frequent Sermons though they be meaner. And this courſe is better, for we need continuall remembrancings. It is no hard matter to produce, Eliphanti partum, a yeares bird; to ſtudy up one rare Sermon in three moneths: ſuch Sermons are for Courts. The Emperour that gave ſilver to his ſouldiers, was taxed by others that gave gold: but he anſwered, I did it of purpoſe, that all might have ſome: for it is better all ſhould goe away with peeces of ſilver, than a few onelyonly with peeces of gold. Indeed every miniſter is not a Preacher: all cannot ſay with Paul, 1 Cor. 1.17. I was not ſent to baptiſe, but to preach. To the building of the Tabernacle there went not onelyonly purple, but goates haire; yet are all Remembrancers of us in their places. We have many remembrances, God bleſſe us in the honeſt uſe of them. Other countries have larger bounds, goodlier buildings, ſtronger bulwarkes, richer ſoiles, onelyonly England hath the beſt Pulpits. O that I could alſo adde, that England hath the beſt converſations! could I what ſtreete paſſe through, but ſome monſtrous and manifeſt ſin would give me the lie? We have many that heare the word all their daies: yet being queſtioned concerning their faith on their death beds, they anſwer as Ahimaaz to David, 2 Sam. 18.29. I ſaw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was: ſo they would ſay; I heard a great noiſe, but I never knew what it meant. Some know the way twice on the Sunday to Church, yet hardly learne there to know the way to heaven. But to your dutie anon, firſt look we to performe our owne. For a Miniſter to neglect this office of Remembrance, is to make the divell beholding to him: the negligence of the Prieſt is the injurie of the people, Hieron, Detrimentum pecoris, ignominia Paſtoris. As the dammage of the flock, is the ſhame of the Shepheard. Now the Lord remember us to remember you, and remember you to remember him; and forgive the forgetfulneſſe of us all.
Alwaies to remember you. This is the fourth praiſe of his diligence, which ſhewes it to bee well followed; wherein we noted his Fidelitie, in the aſſiduitie of his Preaching. Now this dutie cannot be performed by any Miniſter of the Goſpell, without a conſtant abiding among his owne. When we learne, that a preſident ſhould be Reſident. Some have their Poole lying in the Countrey, yet they are ſtill angling about the Court. But they anſwer it with the Proverbe; no fiſhing to the ſea, no ſervice to the King. Indeed the Apoſtles were Vbiquitaries, but Miniſters muſt be Reſidentiaries. Now there is a diſtinction of pariſhes and charges: therefore let every man Take heed to that flocke, over which the holy Ghoſt hath ſet him, Act. 20.28. And Paul left Titus in Crete, to ordaine elders to every Citie, Tit. 1.5. Reſidence is two-fold; Perſonall and Paſtorall. It is not ſo much the Perſonall, as the Paſtorall reſidence, that is required Iure divino. A Miniſter may be Paſtorally reſident, though not Perſonally; in watching over the peoples ſoules; and feeding them immediately by himſelfe ſo much as he can, and mediately by as good as himſelfe when he cannot. Another may be Perſonally reſident, yet not Paſtorally; when he is amongſt them, and doth not diligently preach unto them. There may be a juſt non-reſidence, when the Church hath imployed a man about publike buſyneſſe. Yea, it may be alſo juſt; when it is neceſſary; Pro vita & viatico; for the recoverie of health, or needfull maintenance, to keep himſelfe from hunger and unrelieved penurie: nature it ſelfe allowes it. Herein every mans owne conſcience is his beſt direction. But they that preach altogether by an Atturney, are like to be ſaved altogether by an Atturney. As they wholy feed the flocke Per vicarios, by their deputies: ſo ſhall they goe to heaven Per vicarios, by their deputies. Some cannot endure to be reſident in any place: but he that loves to be a runnagate, not ſeldome proves a runnagate: the wandring ſtarre is ſwoop'd downe by the dragons taile, not fixed by the hand of CHRIST, Alwayes. The buſineſſe of a Miniſter is like the Husband-mans, and that is compared to a ring, becauſe it is endleſſe. Eſa. 62.6. I have ſet watchmen, which ſhall never hold their peace day nor night: yee that make mention of the Lord, keepe not ſilence: for Ieruſalems ſake we have no reſt. Paul adjures Timothie to preach opportunè, importunè: ut obſecret, increpet, 2 Tim. 4.2. i… ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long ſuffering. We read Matth. 13.25. that while men ſlept, the enemie came and ſowed tares. Let the Preachers but ſleepe a little, how quickely will Satan caſt in the ſeed of errors! Let Moſes be non-reſident forty dayes, though he went to fetch the Law; yet in this while Iſrael hath calved an Idol. There is nothing more eaſy than to decline, if Chriſt ſet not watch-men over us, to put us alwayes in rem…brance.
Of theſe things.] foreign. This is the laſt praiſe of his diligence; whereby he hath fitted, directed, and applied it to matter of the beſt conſequence. Herein we obſerved his Syncerity; Theſe things, that is, ſuch as may ſave your ſoules. He aimes at nothing, but that concernes their ſalvation. The Miniſter muſt not labour Pro ſtolida aurâ, nec pro ſolido auro; neither for praiſe nor for purſe, but for conſcience. Oportet eſſe Piſcatorem, non decimarum, ſed animarum: he muſt fiſh for ſoules, not for riches. Some fiſh without nettes, ſome with broken nettes, ſome with whole ones but not cleane, ſome have nets, whole, and cleane, but caſt them not: others have nets but not cleane, and doe caſt them, but not on the right ſide; They like well to fiſh, but only where they are ſure with Peter, to draw up a fiſh with ſilver in the mouth. Theſe are farre ſhort of Saint Peters Integrity: they mind many things, but not Theſe things. There are three things in the Miniſtery; Worke, Reward, and Honour: the good Miniſter embraceth the firſt, minds not the other, onelyonly refuſeth them not if they come. To deſire it for the Honors ſake, or for the wages ſake, is not good. There is Deſiderium boni, and Deſiderium bonum: a deſire of good, and a good deſire. The thing may be good, yet is ill to deſire it, if it be not fit for us, or we not fit to deſire it. Simon Magus had a deſire of good, but not a good deſire; when he offered coine for the Holy Ghoſt. His intention damned his petition:Bern. which was to give money for it, that he might get money by it. Appetere ut praeſis, malum eſt: appetere ut proſis, bonum eſt. To deſire this office that we may be honoured in it, is corrupt: to deſire it that wee may doe good by it, is honeſt, Bernard. Quoties praeeſſe deſidero, Domino praeire cupio. So often as we ſeeke glory and greatneſſe in the miniſterie, we both miſtake the office, for to be a miniſter is to ſerve; and we ſtrive to be better than CHRIST, for he ſerved. Indicitur miniſtratio, interdicitur dominatio. We are commanded to ſerve, we are forbidden to dominere.
Indeed there are too many that ſeeke Opes not Opus: not Officium but Beneficium; rather the Church-goods, than the Churches good. But let us aime at Gods glory, not our owne praiſe: let none of his honour cleave to our earthen fingers. Though ſpirituall fiſhers catch many ſoules, yet they muſt not aſcribe it to themſelves. This were, as the Prophet ſpeakes. Hab. 1.16. To doe ſacrifice to their net. Let us only mind Theſe things: an honeſt heart is required in all men, eſpecially in a Miniſter. When the Apoſtles were to chuſe a twelfth into Iuda's roome, from which hee had fallen by trecherous apoſtacie; they put it to God; Quia novit corda, becauſe hee knew the hearts of men. Act. 1.24. Thou Lord, which knoweſt the hearts of all men, ſhew whether of theſe thou haſt choſen. They ſpake not of underſtanding nor memorie, nor learning nor eloquence: but inſiſted only on the heart. Indeed the principall in Miniſter is an honeſt heart. A good wit for invention, doth well: a good Iudgement for diſpoſition, well: a good memorie, a gracefull pronuntiation, a comely preſence, all doe well: but the chiefe of al is a good heart. Diligence and painfulneſſe, and patience are good; but it is the ſincereneſſe of heart that commends the reſt. Theſe things! I could be negligent, and not remember you: or remember you, and not Alwaies? or remember you alwaies, but not of Theſe things: but this is the perfection of his holy diligence; foreign, to remember you alwaies of Theſe things. Phil. 4.8. Whatſoever is true, or honeſt, or juſt, or pure, &c. let us all be diligent about theſe things. Luk. 2.8. The ſhepheards were a biding in the field, keeping watch …ver their flocke by night. As CHRIST at his firſt comming found the ſhepheards tending their flockes: ſo the ſpirit of God guide us, that we the Shepheards may be found well leading, and you the Flocke well following, at the ſecond comming of Ieſus Chriſt.
Though you know them, and be establiſhed in the preſent truth.]
The Apoſtle takes it as granted, that they underſtood theſe things already, and were conſtant in the aſſurance of the truth of them. A happy progreſſe! Oh that we could ſay ſo to our auditories: and as Paul, Rom. 7.1. Scientibus legem loquor, I ſpeak to them that know the Law. But Neſcitis? know you not? is a word often uſed by Saint Paul. Rom. 6.3. and in many other places; know you not? 1 Cor. 3.16.5.6.6.16.Is it poſſible that you have heard ſo much, and ſtill remaine ignorant? Well, ſuppoſe you know; but are yee eſtabliſhed in your hearts? If yes; Oh you are worthy to be commended, I will not withhold your juſt praiſe and acknowledgement. 1 Cor. 11.2. Now I praiſe you brethren. Other grounds have received ſhowres, and conceived thornes, whoſe end is to be burned. Hebr. 6.9. But we are perſwaded better things of you, ſuch as accompany ſalvation. Faine would we be ſo perſwaded of you alſo: but I feare then, our perſwaſion were better than our experience. 1 Cor. 15.34. For ſome have not the knowledge of God; I ſpeake this to our ſhame. It were to our ſhame indeed, if we did not know God. As in countries where be the greateſt plentie of fruites, they have the ſhorteſt lives; they doe ſo ſurfet on their abundance. So we have the greateſt plentie of ſpirituall food, but we turne the fulneſſe into loathing and contempt. We have the beſt Pulpits, but I cannot ſay we have the beſt lives. The Indians were the moſt beggarly and naked people, amongſt whom was all the gold: ſo in the midſt of Gods mercies, and the riches of grace; we are the moſt poore, naked, and miſerable in our converſations. Which being true, our commendation muſt be turned into Commination: Our, In this we praiſe you; into, In this we praiſe you not, 1 Cor. 11.17. In this that I declare unto you, I praiſe you not. But if your mind be eſtabliſhed in underſtanding, your heart in affecting, your life in obeying, bleſſed are you; your Miniſter ſhall praiſe you, the Church your mother will praiſe you, the Angels praiſe you, yea you ſhall be praiſed of CHRIST himſelfe.
I come to the concluſion: this conceſſion makes way for a further impoſition. Though you know theſe things, and be eſtabliſhed, yet you muſt admit a further confirming. So Paul inſinuates to the Romans, Chap. 15. Ver. 14. I my ſelfe am perſwaded of you, that yee alſo are full of goodneſſe, filled with all knowledge, able to admoniſh one another. Well, be it granted, Ver. 15. Nevertheleſſe I have written the more boldly to you, as putting you in mind. Benè etiam currentibus addenda ſunt calcaria: no man runs ſo faſt, but he may need ſome ſpurring. Quamvis Sceva ſatis per te tibi conſ…lis, & ſcis; Diſco docendus adhuc. There is ſtill ſomething, that he would teach, and they ſhould learne. So Ambroſ. Per hunc laudem provocat ad meliora: by praiſing the goodneſſe they have, he provokes them to a greater degree and meaſure of it. Lai… da…ſque virtus Creſci…, & immenſum gloria calcar habet; ſaith the Poet. Vertue thrives by commendation, and glory is a ſpur to doe well.
Acer & ad palmae po… … ſutus honores,
Si tamen horteris, for… ibit equas.
The horſe that would run well of his owne metall, doth yet mend his pace by the riders encouragement. The Apoſtles commendation is not to quiet them in the conceit of their owne ſufficiencie, but to incite them to a further degree of ſanctitie. The ceſſation of remembrancing may eaſily lapſe us to forgetfulneſſe. Thomas got ſuch incredulitie by a little abſence, that he was hardly brought to beleeve an evidence. Albeit his ſpeech was Dubitantis, Auguſt.non negantis, the voice of one that doubted, not of one that denyed: yet we ſee when illumination is but a little dusked, how good men fal into blind errors. The Italians have a proverbe; It is good to be born wiſe, or bo… twice. Surely we are firſt borne, in reſpect of heavenly wiſdome, fooles: therfore we had need of a ſecond birth: borne once to come into the world, and then borne againe to overcome the world. This is not done without continuall warring, …d not that without continuall encouraging. We vowed in our Baptiſme, not only … be CHRISTS ſouldiers, and to fight manfully; but ſo to fight perpetually and … continue this warre unto our lives end. Aut ſors, aut mors. When Agamen… ſaid; victor timere quid poteſt? What can a conqueror feare? Caſſandra anſwered, Quod non timet; That he doth feare. If the Miniſter doe not ring continually this alarme bell, you will forget to fight. Though you be establiſhed, you muſt thinke there will be ſome offering to ſhake you. Therefore a Chriſtians reſolution ſhould be like king Alfreds:
Si modo victor eras, ad craſtina bella pavebas.
Si modo victus eras, ad craſtina bella parabas.
If we conquer to day, let us feare the skirmiſh to morrow: if we be overcome to day, let us hope to get the victory to morow. When you have fought the maine battell, gotten the conqueſt, and are crowned with that triumphant wreath in heaven; as you bleſſe God for many things; ſo you will bleſſe him for this, that he gave you a good Remembrancer upon earth; ſuch a Preacher as did alwaies ſet you forward to your eternall reſt. The Lord faile not us and ours of ſuch Remembrancers, till we all meete together in that high and everlaſting glory.