Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 15
VERSE 15. Moreover, J will endevour, that you may bee able after my deceaſe, to have theſe things alwayes in remembrance.
SEeing my life is ſo ſhort, and with it my miniſtery muſt ceaſe; therefore I will take advantage of the time, and yet againe remember you of theſe things. This I have done hitherto, viva voce, with my living voyce: but my care ends not with my life; I will ſtrive that even after my death you may remember them. So often as you turne over the leaves of my Epiſtles, you ſhall (though not heare, yet) ſee me preaching to you theſe things. You ſhall heare mee while I live, and reade mee when I am dead. I die that ſpake theſe words, but the words ſpoken ſhall not die in your memories. As it is ſaid of Abel; Defunctu loquitur. So it pleaſeth GOD that I ſhould preach to his Church even to the worlds end.
This is the Senſe: for method of diſcourſe, many things inherently naturall to theſe words, have beene pretractated on juſt occaſion, Verſes twelve and thirteene. I am loath to fall into a coincidence of argument, and therefore willingly abridge my ſelfe of ſome neceſſary matter. But to reſt content with what is behinde, and to give you the gleanings of the former vintage: there are ſome ſcattering grapes, which well preſſed may afford you a cup of good wine. Firſt, the Apoſtle moves them to embrace his doctrine, becauſe he is old, and hath but a ſhort time to tarry amongſt them. Then he comforts them, that he will ſtrive to leave an impreſſion of his Doctrine behinde him in their hearts.
The grave exhortations of old age are to be ponderouſly received. There is ſomewhat in the Perſon, that procures attention to the Doctrine. A reverend Biſhop is heard Tanquam Pater Eccleſiae, as a Father of the Church, ſaith Auguſtine: his ſpeech may be Brevis, ſed gravis; ſhort, but effectuall; leaving a deepe impreſſion in the hearers. Saint Iohns ſhort Sermon in his old age, [Little children, l…e one another.] ſo warmed his Diſciples hearts with the fire of charitie: that their head was turned into a Limbecke, and did diſtill downe water at their eyes. The ſame weight of doctrine doth not feele ſo waighty in a young mans mouth, as in the gravitie of reverend old age. Not that the truth of God depends on the regard of perſons: but becauſe mens affections ſooner melt at his ſpeech that is ſtuffed with experience; than at theirs who onelyonly averre the theoricall truth. But for us, whether he be a young Timothie, or an old Peter, that tells us the truth in Chriſt; the Spirit of God worke in our hearts a faithfull obedience!
Well, I am old, and muſt leave you: yet I will leave that behinde mee, which ſhall remaine with you. In the whole Verſe we finde two generalls: The Content, and the Intent: his Practiſe, and his Purpoſe: his Labour, and the end of his Labour: the thing he does, and the thing he ſeekes. I will endevour; there is his labour, practiſe, and the thing he does. That you may bee able after my deceaſe, alwayes to remember theſe things; there is his purpoſe, the end of his labour, and the thing hee ſeekes. For the former.
I will endevour. I can doe no more, I muſt doe no leſſe. Now a Miniſters Endevour conſiſts in three eſpeciall things: he muſt endevour by learning, endevour by life, endevour by labour: none of theſe muſt be wanting.
The firſt thing required to this endevour is Learning. The Biſhop of Traiectum in Germanie, ſaid that hee would not admit Aſſes to holy Orders. One replied, that he muſt not now looke for Ambroſes and Cyprians. He anſwered, Cyprianos non requiro, ſed aſinos non admitto; I doe not expect Cyprians, but I will not admit Aſſes. There are ſome that never knew, nor cared to know, the Schooles of the Prophets; yet they ſend themſelves into the Harveſt; they pen their owne commiſſion. But ſayes the Church; Quid agitis in meis, non mei? What make you in my worke, that are none of my ſervants? They are ſonnes without a father: their owne creators, and owne creatures too. Matth. 22.12. Friend, how cameſt thou hither, not having a wedding garment? Quomodo intrasti, non habens veſtem Sacerdotalem? How didſt thou get into the Prieſt-hood, without having a miniſteriall garment? Periculosè docent, qui priùs non didicerunt; They are dangerous Teachers, that never were learners. Dum diſcipuli veritatis non erunt, magiſtri erroris ſunt; While they will not be …chollers of truth, they become maſters of errour. For all CHRISTS Faciam vos; I will make you fiſhers of men; Yet they went not preſently out of the Boat into the Pulpit: Hee was three yeeres inſtructing them. CHRIST commanded them to ſtay at Ieruſalem, till the Holy Ghoſt deſcended on them, Act. 2. They muſt not Simul recipere & effundere; not receive in; and poure out at once, Hieron. Heri catechumenus, hodiè Epiſcopus. Like Davids meſſengers, they muſt tarry till their …eards be growne: not Lapwing-breed, to runne away with the ſhell on their head. They muſt know their winds, ebbings and flowings, creekes and ſea-markes, that will be Fiſhers.
Wherein conſiſts this learning? Not in a theory of divers arts; but in the ſo…er uſe and diſcreet application of Divinity. Cant. 1.11. We will make thee borders of …old, with ſtuddes of ſilver. Divinitie is that border of gold, humane learning the …tuddes of ſilver. A garment to have here and there a fringe, or button, or jewell, …s comely: to be nothing but buttons is ridiculous. Quaero documenta, non ornamen…a; Give us leſſons, not laces. When Salomon made preparation for the building of the Temple;a1 King. 5.15. He had threeſcore and ten thouſand that bare burdens; and fourſcore …houſand hewers in the mountaines: there was hewing and knocking in the mountains. But when the Houſe was a building, there was neither hammer, nor axe, not any …ole of iron heard in it, 1 King. 6.7. The ſtudie of arts muſt goe before, but not …ee too buſie in the edification. That which moves the conſcience, and ſaves the …oule, is the Word of GOD; yet attendant to this Queene, are certaine maids of ho…our; Artes. I cannot ſay they are commanded; I dare not ſay they are for…idden. Indeed a flouriſhing and meretricious eloquence puffed up with theſe, … unprofitable. GOD affects not Auliciſmes, and Courtly termes. It is like a …reat deale of painting in a Church-window, to keepe out the light. What be…efit is in a gilt armour? it is the armour that defends, not the gilt. Or to what …urpoſe is a golden key, if it will not open the doore? If a wooden key will open … it is better for mee. Neither would I have the truth ſtripped of her ornaments, …d ſet barely forth; this is a kinde of treaſon. There is a learning, no man can be good Preacher without it. Matth. 13.52. Every Scribe inſtructed unto the king…me of heaven, bringeth out of his treaſure things new and old. The New Teſtament, and the old: to the broken hearts evangelicall comforts, to rebellious ſpirits legall menaces. New and Old, new before old: becauſe the Goſpell was promiſed, before the Law was printed.
Some thinke a Miniſter hath no great need of Learning, becauſe he is to ſpeake to the unlearned. But as, Hebr. 5.11. We have many things to ſay, and hard to be uttered; ſeeing you are dull of hearing. For, when for the time ye ought to be Teachers, you had need be taught againe the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God; and had need of milke, and not of ſtrong meate. So, 1 Cor. 2.6. We ſpeake wiſedome among them that are perfect. Such is our unhappy exigent: if we preach learnedly, they thinke us mad: as Feſtus told Paul, Act. 26.24. Thou art beſide thy ſelfe, much learning doth make thee mad. We ſeeme mad, but onelyonly to thoſe that are mad. As David ſeemed a foole, Sed Regi Achiſh, to King Achiſh, that was a foole. To common ſimplicity, Divinity ſeemes a kind of hereſie; and Miniſters a kind of Conjurers. It is with Learning as it is with Language: let it be ſtrange, be ſure it will be ridiculous. Hoſ. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they were counted a ſtrange thing. Art hath no other enemy, to ſpeake of, but Ignorance. Licinius can make a decree againſt Learning, though he want ſo much learning as will ſerve to write his owne name, and to ſubſcribe to it. But not to torment him here, that is tormented enough elſewhere; we have too many ignorant cenſurers of Learning: they cannot underſtand us, they can with-ſtand us. No wonder! for who can diſtinguiſh right from wrong, that hath not either a Rule in his hand, or ſome notion of a rule in his head. Iudicare quis ſit ſapiens, vel maxime videtur eſſe ſapientis, Tull. To judge who is a wiſe man, is only the office of a wiſe man. But Mat. 11.19. Wiſedome is juſtified of her children. If it were not for this juſtification at home, poore Wiſdome would ſpeed ill. Either the Temporall Law would non-ſuit her for want of evidence: or the Eccleſiaſticall would excommunicate her for want of compurgatours. Such fortune hath Wiſdome among barren and unbleſt underſtandings; that the common opinion of learning is no more but this: It it a pretty ſhift for a younger brother to live by. This entertainment gives the world to her and her hand-maids, which hath moſt need of her and all her hand-maids. But, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can hee know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. He knowes them not; there is a deniall of the Act: nor Can know them, there is an excluding of the Habite. Howſoever you judge, yet this is the truth: a man may as well ſaw downe a tree with his nailes, as be a profitable Miniſter without learning. You will not venture your eſtate with an unlearned Lawyer, nor your body with an unlearned Phyſitian; and will you venture your ſoule with an unlearned Paſtor.
The next thing required to this Endevour, is an honeſt and religious life. If this have beene bad before thy calling, redeeme it now. Aeneas Sylvius having wrote wanton bookes; when he came to be biſhop of Rome, accepted the name of Pius. Aeneam rejicite, recipite Pium; Forget Aeneas, and receive Pius. Though thou alter not thy name, yet alter thy nature. The Miniſter that ſpends himſelfe like a Taper to light others, muſt not himſelfe goe out with an ill ſavour. It is prepoſterous for a Divine to trouble himſelfe too much with ſecular things. For there is commonly, Otium in ſacris, Idleneſſe in holy matters: where is Negoti… in profanis, Too much buſineſſe in the worlds imployments. Mat. 5.19. He that ſhall break one of theſe leaſt Commandements, and (though but by his example) ſhall teach m… ſo; ſhall be called leaſt in the kingdome of heaven: Minimus, that is, Nullus, ſaith Theophylact. All in a Miniſter ſhould be Vocalia; his very converſation muſt preach: a… Noah was called a Preacher of Righteouſneſſe, becauſe his life was an actuall Sermon. An innocent and unrebukeable Life is a ſilent teſtimony of a good Miniſter. Efficacius est vitae, quàm linguae testimonium, Cyprian. A good worke perſwades much more, quàm ineffectum verbum, than an unperformed ſpeech, Nazi… This was the cauſe why the Indians refuſed the Goſpell brought by the Spaniards; becauſe their lives were more ſavage than thoſe Savages. Heaven it ſelfe was deſpiſed, for feare of thoſe mens company there that did promiſe it. Common auditors receive not a doctrine in the abſtract, onelyonly minding what is taught: but in the concrete, with reference to the perſon that teacheth it. Therefore, if your credit be cracked, it is as bad as if your braines were craz'd: you may preach of heaven and hell untill Doomeſday: and truth will bee truth in your mouthes, not in their hearts.
Tunc etiam fatis aperit Caſſandra futuris
Ora Dei juſſu non unquam credita.
I doe not ſay that holineſſe is an eſſentiall grace of a Miniſter: perſonall offences ſuſpend not the power of the Holy Ghoſt. Suſpend it not, I ſay, directly; yet may occaſionally: through the infirmitie of ſimple men; who were not then ſimple men, if they did onelyonly adhere to the doctrine. His life is bad, therefore his doctrine is falſe? O this is an harſh Non ſequitur. Yet is it a thouſand times better, that our good lives ſhould prevent it, than our great learning be driven after to confute it. Pſalm. 50.16. VntoUnto the wicked God ſaith, What haſt thou to doe to declare my Statutes? Though it be truth thou preacheſt, yet thou art not fit to preach it. Chriſt reproved the Devill, even confeſſing truth, Marke 1.24. I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God. This was truth, yet ſaith IESUS; Hold thy peace, keepe thy breath to coole thy torment. The true Prophet is hee; Cujus in ore verbum vitae, cujus in more vita verbi; In whoſe mouth is the Word of life, in whoſe behaviour is the life of the Word.
Otherwiſe men ſeeme to propound doctrines impoſſible to be kept. Act. 1.1. Of all that Ieſus did both doe and teach. It is ſaid of Chriſt, that he did firſt Doe, and then Teach. The queſtion to the Miniſter ſhall be at laſt; not how many bookes he hath read, but what life he hath led: not onelyonly how he hath preached, but how hee hath lived. They muſt not be like ſcribbling ſchoole-boyes, that write faire with the fore-finger, and blurre it with the hind-finger. Indeed ranke hypocrites often maske in ſheepes clothing: and as Phyſitians that would miniſter a draught of bitter potions to children, anoint the brimmes of the cup with honey, or ſome well taſted liquour. So theſe paint the exteriour apparance, that men may more eaſily ſwallow their drugs and dregs of hereſie. But we may ſoone diſcerne theſe wolves in lamb-skins; for ſheare them, and their wooll will grow no more. Yet muſt not the lambe put off his fleece, becauſe the wolfe hath worne it. Leſt he divert Diſpenſationem in diſsipationem; his office of gathering the flocke together, into a ſcattering them aſunder. Every Shepheard hath a Scrip, a Staffe, and a Whiſtle: ſo a Miniſter muſt have Maintenance to live on, Sanctimony to live by, Doctrine to enliven others. Worldlings that minde the purſe, and neither preach fervently, nor live charitably; have loſt the Staffe and the Whiſtle, and onelyonly keepe the Scrip: Neither doth well aſunder, all doe very well together: yet what ever becomes of the Scrip, keepe we a good Staffe, and a good Whiſtle: that we may out-preach ſinne; out-live ſinne; and be our reward in the hands of Ieſus Chriſt.
The laſt thing required to perfect this Endevour, is conſtant Labour. There is nothing more wretched, than for a man to live without care, when he hath gotten a Cure: Sine cura, cum pervenerit ad curam, Bern. Matth. 9.38. Pray the Lord to ſend forth Labourers, not loyterers, into his Harveſt. But there is no need to follow this point: You in this Citie will looke to it well enough, that your Miniſters ſhall labour: you have here the law in your owne hands; if he will not labour, you will keepe him faſting. Yet it is to be feared, that as curious as you are to ſet us on work, and watch us with continuall labour; you relliſh none of our fruits, you will be never the better for it. You ſend us a hunting, as Iſaac ſent his ſonne: but when with Iacob wee ſay,bGen. 27.19. Sit and eat of our Veniſon, that your ſoules …ay bleſſe no…: You queſtion, how we came by it ſo ſoone? Wee anſwer; The Lord brought it to our hands. You look upon it, and ſay, It is good Veniſon, a good Sermon: but ſtill you goe away faſting. Thus we are forced to labour in vaine. Eſay 49.4. Wee have laboured in vaine, and ſpent our ſtrength for nought. That wee may hereafter labour to purpoſe, Lord knit your hearts unto our lips; Proſper thou the workes of our hands upon us, O proſper th… our handy worke, Pſal. 90.17.
Obſerve further, that all a Miniſter can doe, is but his Endevour: Paul can but plant, and Apollos water; it is God that gives the encreaſe. Noſtrum eſt dare operam, D…i dare operationem. It is our part to endevour, the Lords to bleſſe it with ſucceſſe. Preachers are called Saviours, Obad. verſ. 21. Saviours ſhall come upon mount Sion: yet is there but one Saviour of us all, IESUS CHRIST. They are called Lights, Vos eſtis lux mundi: yet there is but one Light, Ioh. 1.8. Chriſt is that true Light, which lighteneth every man. They are called Reconcilers, yet Chriſt is the onelyonly Reconciler, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Chriſt, reconciling the world to himſelfe: and we have but the miniſtery of this reconciliation. Aliud eſt docere, aliud flectere; It is one thing to teach, another thing to convert. Well may the Miniſter move his tongue and his lips like Organ-pipes; but if there be no breath of Gods Spirit with them, it is to no purpoſe. Lift up your hearts to heaven: he hath a Pulpit above the clouds, that preacheth to the conſcience. Act. 3.16. It is the Name of IESUS, through faith in that Name, which converts us: let none of his glory cleave to our earthen fingers. You thinke it enough to commend us: no, bleſſe the Lord, whoſe power is magnified in our weakneſſe. When we have done all, it is but our endevour; we would have ſaved you. And be it to our comfort, our endevour ſhall be accepted. 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not. Non ſecundum quod valuimus, ſed quod voluimus, ſhall our reward be. We endevour to ſave you; doe you endevour to be ſaved: and the Spirit of God bleſſe both our endevours. That though the Miniſter part with his people on earth, they may all meet together in heaven.
That you may be able.] All is Propter vos, for your ſakes: this preaching, this remembring, this writing, all propter vos, for you. 1 Cor. 3, 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, all are yours. You may ſay to your Miniſters, as the Poet of Oxen; Sic vos non vobis, fertis aratra boves; They labour in the plough, not for themſelves, but for your ſoules. 1 Theſſ. 1.5. Yee know what manner of men we were among you for your ſakes: Ier. 6.29.foreign: inter vos, propter vos. The bellowes are burnt, the lead is conſumed of the fire: yet the Founder melted in vaine, for the wicked are not plucked away. He had burnt a hole in his bellowes, gotten the conſumption of the Lungs, exhauſted his ſpirits; and all for the people. Phil. 1.24. Nevertheleſſe, though it were better for me to be diſſolved; yet to abide in the fleſh is more needfull for you.
After my deceaſe. Some have read, in ſtead of Dabo operam, ut post obit…m meum; Et poſt obitum meum: I will endevour even after my deceaſe, that &c. So they give to Saint Peter, and other Saints, a provident care over us ſtill. If they would extend it no further, then that the Saints in heaven pray for us on earth, wee would eaſily grant. Or that their Sermons once preached ſtill do us good, we aſſent. What then? becauſe we reverence their words, muſt we therefore worſhip their bodies, or relickes? Yet ſuch is the fond collection of Fevardentius on this place. He urgeth it from, Rom. 10.15. How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Goſpell! If their feet be beautifull, how beautifull then are their hands and join…s, and tongues and lips! If the ſhadow of Peter, and the hand-kercher of Paul, could cure the ſicke: why may not the body of that ſhadow, and the hand of that hand-kercher, effect as much? why ſhould not theſe be worſhipped? Wee honour their writings, how much more their relickes! This ridiculous ſtuffe needs no other confutation, but deriſion. There was read in the Nicen Councell; by the Monke … phanus, out of the booke of Sophronius, this Legend. A Monke was continually troubled with a devill: at laſt being very of his gueſt, he did pray the devill in faire and friendly tearmes, to let him alone. (And was not this religiouſly done, to pray … the deville, Satan anſwered, that if he would promiſe and ſweare to ſatisfie hi… … one thing, he would forſake him. The Monke ſwore a deepe oath; then quoth the devill: Thou ſhalt never hereafter pray any more to ſuch an Image of our Lady, holding her child in her armes. But the Monke was too crafty for the devill: for the next day he went and confeſſed himſelfe to the Abbot, and he diſpenced with his oath, upon condition that he ſhould continue praying to that Image. And is not this an excellent proofe of praying to Saints, which is borrowed of the devill? But what is this to Relickes? yes, they that ſpeake ſo much for the Image of Saint Peters head, what will they ſay for the head it ſelfe? Fevardentius addes; The duſts, the rags, the ſhooe, the naile of a Saint is venerable. This is the drunken doctrine of Rome, that adores the reliques, but regards not the lives of Saints. Neither Peter nor Paul ſhall teach them by their writings, they will bee taught by their relickes.
To have theſe things in remembrance.] The Apoſtles did not only preach to us vocally while they lived: but even now alſo exemplarily by their former converſation, and ſtill doctrinally by their holy rules. The words of a Preacher die not with him; but live in the hearers hearts: and ſhall either convert them here, or convince them hereafter. The word that I have ſpoken, Ioh. 12.48.the ſame ſhall judge him in the laſt day. Thou haſt forgotten ſuch a Sermon; but this Sermon ſhall not forget thee, Zach. 1.6. The Prophets are dead: but the words that I commanded them to ſpeake, did they not take hold of their fathers? If it take no hold in thee by due obedience, it ſhall take hold on thee by deſerved vengeance. A Prophet comes to Ieroboam, and ſaies,c1 King. 13.2. Oh altar, altar, thus ſaith the Lord; Ioſiah ſhall offer the prieſts of the high places upon thee: and upon thee ſhall mens bones be burnt. That Prophet died, yet his word came to paſſe; Ioſiah did accompliſh this. 2 King. 23.17. and was ſhewed the Sepulcher of that man of God, which had proclaimed theſe things that he did. It is ſaid of Samuel. 1 Sam. 3.19. that the Lord did let none of his words fall to the ground. Stephen foretold the Iewes of their future deſolation by the contempt of CHRIST: they confute him with hard arguments, ſtop his mouth with ſtones: Stephen dies, but Stephens Sermon dies not. We tell the uſurer, that the third generation ſhall rue all: we die, but our words come to paſſe. We tell the Impropriator, that his robbing God of his due, ſhall make his poſterity like Achan, accurſed: we die, but this ſaying is fulfilled upon them. We tell the proud officer, that his ſuites are the ſuites of Geheſi, cut out of bribes; and will engender a leproſie in his iſſue: wee die, but this event followes. Our Sermons ſhall bee thought on: even when wee are dead you ſhall remember them: God grant you may remember them to your comfort.
To conclude, we have Saint Peter ſtill preaching among us. As it is ſaid plainly, Act. 15.21. Moſes was preached, by being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day. While the writing of Peter is read, the voice of Peter is heard. The Apoſtles are dead, their holy Sanctions live with us. But now what entertainement have they found in our hearts? you ſhall ſee that by our lives. If you have digeſted thoſe excellent rules, Lord what a change they will worke in you! you will be as men that dreamed, wondring at your former loves: your faire Herodias of this world will appeare a ſtigmaticke Gypſie. All the toile and coſt you have beene to get riches, will appeare as ridiculous, as if a countrey man ſhould annoint his axletree with Amber-greece; or a traveller ſhould liquor his bootes with Balſamum. You that have runne by the Church as a Peſt-houſe, would now continually waite at her doores. Then if you know that finger, which but itched to be acceſſary to any corrupt dealing, you would cut it off: and bite off that lip which but liſped out any equivocation: and plucke out thoſe eyes, that luſted after adulterous mixtures; Let Religion be held a Fable, and Miniſters falſe Prophets, if you find not in your ſelves a wonderfull change. But alas, where is this change? where is the fruit of ſuch plentifull Preaching? There is a curſed devill that marres all, called covetouſneſſe. It was once ſaid of this Iland; Lûc… Britaniad…ves, England is rich in …ight; alluding to the long dayes, and ſhort nights. It may truely be ſaid of her in reſpect of the Goſpell; that ſhe is rich in the beſt light: but the darkeneſſe of this worldlineſſe hath almoſt overcaſt it. This Land hath beene foure times conquered, ſay our Chronicles: but by the Chronicles leave I will adde a fift conqueſt. Firſt, it was poſſeſſed by the Britaines, the Romans conquered the Britaines, the Saxons conquered the Romans, the Danes conquered the Saxons, the Normans conquered the Danes: but now covetouſneſſe hath conquered all. I know you have eares judicious enough; I heare you extolling the learned, praiſing Preachers, magnifying Sermons: yet and more, England gives preferment to her Miniſters. But beloved, there is one preferment behind, and that moſt proper to Preachers; a preferment in the hearts of the hearers. Let the reſt goe, give us this. Though I have no hope to attaine to any preferment in this world, yet I ſhall reſt joyfully contented with this; if I may find preferment in your conſciences.
That after my deceaſe, you may have theſe things alwayes in remembrance.] There are two materiall points in this verſe, which I durſt not pretermit. The firſt is; what the proper intention of all Preachers and Sermons is; they are but Remembrances. The other is a method, how we may remember the Apoſtles preaching after their departure; which is by a diligent and frequent reading of their writings.
That you may beable to remember. There are two offices of the holy Spirit; Docere & ſuggerere, to Teach and to call to remembrance. Both are expreſſed. Ioh. 14.26. The Holy Ghoſt when hee comes, ſhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatſoever I have ſaid unto you. Suppoſe that the fundamentall articles of faith may be taught, within leſſe than the terme of a Preachers life: which (curious ſpeculations, and idle digreſſions, layed a ſide) I conceive not impoſſible. In the remainder what ſhall he doe? Either he muſt preach the ſame over againe, and ſo be a Remembrancer: or elſe be ſilent, and ſo be no Preacher. It is too true that, who hath not an Athenian eare? We long for novelties, and would have men preach not only Novè, after a new methode; but Nova, new doctrines. But Chriſts ſheepe love not only his name, but the Eccho of his name: they hearken to his voice, and to every reflection of his voice. Were your ſanctification abſolute, continuall obedience to his Word would no more trouble you, than the everlaſting aſpect of his countenance doth trouble the Angels. Therefore anſwerable to the degree of your regeneration, muſt be the degrees of your attention. Likewiſe cauſeth liking. 2 Cor. 3.18. We with open face beholding as in a glaſſe the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image. If you be changed into that Image, you will deſire to behold in the Goſpell, as in a glaſſe with open face, that Image into which you are changed.
When we heare an excellent leſſon on an Inſtrument, we call for it againe, and againe. If Gods peace dwell in our hearts, we love the ſongs of Sion rehearſed; Decies repetita placebunt. All our Sermons are but Rehearſalls of that old Sermon. Gen. 3.15. The ſeed of the woman ſhall breake the head of the Serpent. All the ſumme of the new Teſtament is but the repetition of that one Prophecie. What are the Father writings, but expoſitions of the Apoſtles? the Schoolemen, but abridgements of the Fathers? It is an uſuall adage in the Schoole, that the ſoule of Auguſtine was pythagorically tranſfuſed into the body of Aquinas. The Ieſuite is nothing elſe but a… old Schoole-man bound up in a new cover. As one obſerved wittily; The Schoole-man is Philoſophicall in his Theologie; the Ieſuite. Theologicall in his Philoſophy. As Auguſtine wrote of his baſtard Adeodatiu…; Ego in illo puero prater delictum … h…bebam; I had no ſhare in that boy, but onelyonly ſinne. So the Ieſuites may confeſſe of their bookes; that there is nothing in them of their owne, but that which is had▪ The good ſtuffe is the fathers, onelyonly the lace and pinking is their owne. As it is ſaid of a Cimnell, that it is but bread upon bread: ſo we may ſay of the Ieſuite; it is but Aquinas they licke him over, and let him goe. As Galaton painted Homer vomiting; reliquos verò poetas ea quae ipſe evomuiſſet haurientes; and all the reſt of the Poets licking up what he had vomited, Aelian.
All is but Remembrance: thrice in theſe foure verſes doth our Apoſtle preſſe it; Paul, Phil. 3.1. It is not grievous to me to write the ſame things unto you: but for you it is ſafe; a moſt ſure courſe. Vnregenerate hearts are termed Stony hearts: if they were braſen, they might be melted: if iron, they might be wrought: but hearts of ſtone muſt be broken with continuall hammering. The bloud of CHRIST muſt be often dropped upon theſe adamantine hearts to mollifie them. Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, ſed ſaepe cadendo. Deut. 32.2. My doctrine ſhall drop as the raine, and my ſpeech diſtill as the dew. If all the world were Paradiſe, the ſower might ſow but once for all. Or if it were like the land of Albanoiſes, he need to till it but once in three yeares. Or if it were ſo fertile, as ſome ſoile is ſaid to be under the Northerne Pole; he might ſow in the morning, and reape in the evening. But ſinne hath made the ground full of thornes, and much ſeed falls among theſe thornes, Matth. 13. Some is trampled under feete with the vulgar tract: other waſhed away with the common ſtreame of the time: the reſt pecked up by the fowles of the aire: there is need therefore to ſow even often the ſame ſeed, and alwaies to put you in remembrance, not of other, but even of theſe things. We have brittle memories, weake retentions; therefore there is need or frequent and hearty incitations. Eſa. 28.10. Precept muſt be upon precept: line upon line: here a little and there a little. The Scripture often ingeminates the ſame word, the ſamething, to give ſtrength to the declaration of it. Eſa. 28.7. They have erred, they are out of the way, through wine: the phraſe is repeated ſeven times in one Verſe; to vilefie drunkenneſſe. So Ver. 21. The Lord ſhall doe his worke, his ſtrange worke: and bring to paſſe his act, his ſtrange act. So Ver. 23. Give eare, and heare my voice, hearken and heare my ſpeech; that the eare might bee throughly charmed. Pſal. 62.11. God hath ſpoken once, twice have I heard it. Prov. 4.14. Enter not into the way of the wicked, goe not in, avoid it, paſſe by it, turne from it, and paſſe away. Prov. 31.2. My ſonne, the ſonne of my wombe, the ſonne of my vowes. Ier. 22.29. Oh earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord! Our Saviour thrice queſtioned Peters love, and thrice urged his dutie. Eſa. 6.3. The Lord is thrice called Holy. Vanity is thrice called Vaine, to ſhew the vileneſſe of it. In theſe and ſuch like places, ſo fraught with repetitions; as it is with Numeration in Arithmeticke: the figure in the firſt place ſtands for it ſelfe; in the ſecond place for ten-times it ſelfe; in the third for a hundred times it ſelfe. So when the Scripture condemnes a ſin; as it proceeds in iteration, it riſeth in aggravation.
Oh the infallible power of the word! heaven and earth ſhall paſſe, it ſhall never faile. Time may faile, ſpeech may faile, audience may faile: but the matter of that abundant treaſure ſhall never faile. It may be, Samuel knowes not Gods firſt call, nor his ſecond, nor his third; yet at laſt, ſpeake Lord, for thy ſervant heareth. It may be as Peter, Act. 10.16. in his viſion; Ariſe, kill, and eate; he excuſeth himſelfe; Not ſo Lord, for I have never eaten any uncleane thing. But when this was done thrice, he is reſolved. So when the Lords voice comes to us once, Ariſe and eate; it may be we excuſe our ſelves; Not ſo Lord: but when it ſhall be ſpoken thrice, often; there is ſome hope that we will heare at laſt. It may be according to the ſigne that God gave Hezekiah, Eſa. 37.30. This yeere yee ſhall eate ſuch as groweth of it ſelfe: the ſecond yeere, ſuch as ſpringeth of the ſame: but the third yeere yee ſhall ſow and reape. So the firſt time we heare the doctrine of ſalvation, it is without profit; and it breeds no meditations in us but ſuch as grow of themſelves. The next time, ſuch as ſpring of the former, thoughts of fleſh and bloud. But yet the third time, it may worke us, to a more induſtrious cogitation of heavenly things. Paul in the 17. of the Acts; three Sabbath daies together handled one doctrine.
Good things are not weariſome in their continuall uſe. Our daily bread, though daily received, is daily craved. The light of the Sun would diſpleaſe none but ſome lover of darkeneſſe, though it never went downe in our coaſts. The perpetuall uſe of neceſſary things can never offend us though they never forſake us. Shall then the doctrine of life, the reſtorative of our fainting ſpirits, through the often repeating diſcontent us? No, here the eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the eare with hearing. Yet many uſe themſelves in the hearing of beaten points, as they doe in drinking of wines: the firſt draught is for neceſſitie, the ſecond for pleaſure, the third for ſleep. If they heare you once, that's enough: if a ſecond time, that's too much; but if you come with the ſame a third time, fare you well, they muſt goe ſleepe. When Paul preached at Antioch,dAct. 13.42. The Gentiles beſought him that thoſe words might be preached to them againe the next Sabbath. foreign; the very ſame words. Gal. 4.19. My little children, of whom I travell in birth againe, untill Chriſt be formed in you. Now the ripening and perfitting of a child in the wombe, requireth nine moneths at the leaſt.
The time then, is not idly ſpent, that calls to mind fore-recited principles. If you aske us, Quouſque eadem? how often ſhall we heare the ſame? we would to God there were no need of repetitions. But it is true what Elihu ſpeakes in Iob. eIob 33.14.God ſpeaketh once, yea twice, but man perceiveth it not. Yea, Ver. 29. God doth worke it twice and thrice, often times with man. Let us anſwer, as Auguſtine did the Donatiſts; being enforced to ſome iteration; Let thoſe that know it already pardon me, leſt I wrong them that are ignorant. It is better to give him that hath, than to turne him backe that hath not. If it were true of Homer, or may be true of any man formed of clay; One Homer never cloyed any man that read him. Then certainely it muſt be true of truth it ſelfe; One IESUS CHRIST in his Goſpell never ſatiated any that read him. To conclude, for your part;fCol. 3.16. Let the word of CHRIST dwell in you plenteouſly. The word of grace hath beene often offered unto you: whither it hath gotten houſe roome in you or no, I cannot tell. Perhaps it is but in the Nature of a Paſſenger to you; and your boſome the Inne to give it only a baite and away. Perhaps as the Levite, that ſate in the ſtreetes, and no man received him to houſe, Iudg. 19. it hath ſounded in your Churches, but none bade it to dinner in their conſciences. Perhaps it hath gotten admiſſion by force, as they let downe the ſicke man by the tiles of the houſe: the doores of your hearts being peſter'd with a throng and crowd of worldly buſineſſe. But now let it be no ſtranger, but like a brother dwell with you, never to depart: not in a corner, as if it were pinched for want of roome, but Plenteouſly: not with in-mates and chamber-fellowes, as luſts and evill affections; but in your hearts, alone. Yea in corde cordis, in the very heart of your heart. Pſal. 40.8. The law is within my heart, in the midſt of my bowels. Not unconceived or miſconceived, unapplied or miſapplied, but in all wiſedome. And the God of all wiſedome bring you by it to the end of your faith, even the deare ſalvation of your ſoules!
The other point is the method of our memorie, the meanes how we may remember them: which is indeed, frequently to read them. Ioh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures. Honour and admire the depth and ſecrecy of Gods word; yet faile not in thy diligence to ſearch it. The Scripture is not like a kalendar, to die with them for whom it is written; but ſerves for us, in what climate ſoever we breath. What Paul wrote to the Romans, Corinthians, &c. ſerves alſo for the meridian of England. What is written, is ever ready to be read; if men would be at leaſure to read it. CHRIST repells all Satans aſſaults with his owne weapon; It is written. Him diſcamus omnes arma noſtra eſſe ſacras Scripturas ſaith Caietan. From hence let us learne that all our weapons are the holy Scriptures.gCant. 4.4. It is like the Tower of David builded for an armorie, whereon there hang a thouſand bucklers, all ſhields of the mightie men. There are ſhields for defence, and ſwords for offence. As Laban deceived Iacob in the night, giving him in ſtead of faire Rachel, bleare-eyed Leah. So Sathan in the darkeneſſe of our ignorance cozens us: onelyonly the Scriptures day-light can diſcover Leah from Rachel. Cant. 5.12. His eyes are like the eyes of doves by the rivers of water. The dove ſitting by the rivers, diſcryeth a farre off the ſhadow of the hawke, her mortall enemy: ſo either eſcapes by flight, or by hiding her ſelfe under the bankes, He that ſits by the banke of theſe living waters, can diſcover the practiſes of Satan, by them he can ſound him, and wound him. This is that Sword of the ſpi…it: not the woodden daggar of fabulous ſtories, nor the ruſty ſcabberd of old Tra…itions; theſe are blunt: but the two-edged ſword of the Spirit. Scriptum eſt, It is writ…en, this is the voice of CHRIST. Traditum eſt, it is by Tradition, this is the voice of Antichriſt.
We appeale to your conſciences, we feed not your eye with pictures and bables, …or your eare with Legends and fables: no holy water from the font: but It is writ…en: This is that ſacred water which is caſt in the devills face, and ſtops his mouth. Rom. 15.4. Whatſoever things are written, are written for our inſtruction. Paul ſaies, …he Scriptures are the peoples inſtruction: the Romiſts ſay, they are the peoples de…truction. Paul ſaies,h1 Tim. 3.27. It makes the man of God abſolute; the Romiſts ſay, it makes him diſſolute. Paul ſaies,iCor. 10.11. They are written to admoniſh us: they ſay, they are writ…en ſo difficult that in a knowen language they rather ſeduceus. CHRIST bids …s to Search the Scriptures, for there is eternall life: take heed, ſay they that forbid us, …or therein is eternall death. Eſa. 8.20. To the Law, to the Teſtimonie: no ſay they, Ad Traditum, ad decretum, ad Papam; To traditions, to decretalls, to the Pope. Pſal. 119.105. Thy word is full of light: no ſay they, It is full of darkeneſſe. Thus …hey caſt a miſt before mens eyes, that they cannot ſee their Iuggling. They blind …he people, and buffet them: and then aske them, as the Iewes asked CHRIST; who ſmote them? Theſe are they that compare the Scriptures to a noſe of waxe, formable to what proportion the handler pleaſeth. They make the Fathers their children, …nd the ancient Doctors their puny Scholers; that they ſhall only ſpeake what they would have them. It is nothing with them to abuſe the ſacred Writ. Non ſcrip…uras ad materiam, ſed materiam ad Scripturas excogitant, Tertul. Firſt they make their Sermons, and then looke for a Text. Thus that viſion, Act. 10.13. Riſe Peter …ill and eate; is made warrant enough for the Pope to deſigne the killing of any Prince. Sometimes they cite the beginning without the end, as the divell ſerved CHRIST; ſometimes the end without the beginning: ſometimes they take the words againſt the meaning; often they make a meaning againſt the words. So in ſumme, they doe not keepe the old Scripture, but coyne a new. Either they ſuppreſſe the word, or not expreſſe the ſenſe: as if they would convey away the gold, and throw us the bagge.
But wee have the Scripture, let us read it: not the bare words onelyonly, but the …enſe, The Scripture is like Ezekiels Roule, written within and without: without in …he outward ſentence, within in the inward reference. It is the golden pot of Man…a; the words, that is the golden pot: the ſenſe, that is the Manna. It is not enough to take what offers it ſelfe at the firſt propoſed; but to digge deepe. God that …s rich in the veines of nature, is not poore in the veines of Scripture: excellent in …he hiſtorie, more excellent in the myſterie. The Scriptures are not in ſuperficie ſed in medulla: non in verborum foliis, ſed in radice rationu, Chryſoſtome. It is not the letters and words, but the ſenſe and heart of the Scriptures, whereupon our faith depends. Revel. 1.3. Bleſſed is he that readeth, and they that heare. We muſt not onelyonly reade, nor only heare, nor only meditate, but all. Lectio ſine meditatione arida, meditatio ſine lectione erronea. Reading without meeditation is fruitleſſe, meditation without reading ſubject to errour. Meditate, to profite by reading: and read to rectifie meditation. Otherwiſe it may be ſaid, as of the Delphicke oracle; Quotiès legitur, negligitur: it is not ſoone gotten, than forgotten. Col. 3.18. Let the word dwell plenteouſly in you. The word muſt dwell in us, therefore the Bible muſt be in our houſe. It muſt dwell plenteouſly, therefore we muſt read it daily. The word doth dwell plenteouſly among us, God grant it may dwell plenteouſly in us. It is but a ſhift now, and will be no good anſwer at the laſt day; I am no Divine, this is none of my profeſſion, to be buſy with the Scriptures. Yet you would be Chriſt ſheepe: butkIoh. 10.4. his ſheepe know his voice. You ſhould be thought honeſt men; but is there any thing except Gods word can make thee honeſt, Mic. 2.7. You would not be thought uncleane: butlPſal. 119 9. Wherewithall ſhall our way be clenſed, but by the word? you would all be made bleſſed: but Bleſſed is he that delighteth in the Law of the Lord, and meditates in it day and night, Pſal. 1.2. But ô the profaneneſſe of this age! reading this booke is thought a fit of melancholy; deductions out of this booke, Paradoxes, and the Language of this booke a Shibboleth, which all the world beſides pronounceth not. Alcibiades comming into a Schoole, and asking the Schoole-maſter for one of Homers workes, when he anſwered that he had none: he knitting his fiſt, ſmote him on the eare. If God come to viſite thy houſe, and find thee without a Bible, the booke of thy faire profeſſion; God ſhall ſmite thee thou whited wall, thou ſhalt feele the waight of his hand.mAct. 28.2. The barbarians ſhewed Paul no little kindneſſe, God forbid we ſhould uſe him as a Barbarian. Other bookes, Hiſtories and Poems, we read and remember: but let a Text of Scripture be preſſed, and we ſay not;nAct. 19.15. Ieſus we know, and Paul we know. But Quis novus hic nostris ſucceſsit ſedibus hoſpes? The Fairy Queene we know, the Arcadia we know, the booke of Statutes we know, the Chronicles we know; but who are yee? The LORD of his infinite merciemercy, lay not this neglect to our charge: but bind the Bible to our conſciences, and our conſciences to the bible. That our faith may embrace the comforts there; and our eyes one day ſee the joyes wee have beleeved, in the bleſſed kingdome of IESUS CHRIST.