Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 20-21
VERSE 20. Knowing this firſt, that no Prophecie of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation.
VERSE 21. For the Prophecie came not in old time (or, at any time) by the will of man: but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt.
THe Apoſtle had formerly commended reading of the Prophets ab utilitate, by the benefite of them: how in reading them he gives warning a difficultate, from the difficultie of underſtanding them. There are things in them hard to be underſtood: the hiſtorie is not without the myſterie: and there often lies a deepe and hidden ſenſe, under a familiar and eaſy ſentence. Let not men ruſh into their expoſition, like haſty ſouldiers into a thicket, without ſeeking direction from the Captaine. When we come to read them, we muſt throw away the ſenſe of fleſh and bloud, and ſubject our ſelves Magiſterio Spiritus. Some copies have read foreign, which ſignifies, Quidam Impetus: then the ſenſe were thus; No Scripture is of any private motion. But the moſt and beſt read, foreign, Interpretation. Now let him that gave the propoſition, give alſo the expoſition: the Spirit which inſpired the Prophets, can onelyonly declare the prophecies. We grant this to men, giving every one leave to bee his owne Interpreter, and to expound his owne meaning. Deny not this to the Holy Ghoſt: that which Gods Spirit hath indited, muſt be by the ſame ſpirit interpreted.
This impoſſibility of true and ſound interpretation without Gods Spirit, occurres not to ſome Scriptures, but to all. foreign: to the letter, All Prophecie is not of any private interpretation. An Hebraiſme, for, No prophecie is of any, &c. Such a phraſe there is, Ro. 3.20. foreign, &c. All fleſh ſhall not be juſtified: for, No fleſh ſhall be juſtified. As the Prophets durſt not Proferre dictamina ſua, broach their owne inventions, ſo wee muſt not Ingerere acumina noſtra, crowd in our owne conſtructions. But beſeech him that decreed them to tell us the meaning of them. Sampſons riddle could not be diſſolved, but by Sampſons owne mouth. The Iewes came to the Prophet: Wilt thou not tell us what theſe things meane? This was the Angels proclamation. Revel. 5.2. Who is worthy to open the booke, and to loſe the ſeales thereof? Who? Verſe 3. No man in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth, was able to open the booke, neither to looke thereon. None in heaven, not the Angels none in arth, not living men: none under the earth; this could not be meant of divells or damned ſpirits; for they of all have no worthineſſe to open this booke. Therefore moſt probably, it is meant of the Saints, who as touching their bodies ſleepe in the graves; whom he ſpeakes of in reſpect of that part which comes neereſt to our ſenſe. Iacob ſaies, Gen. 37. Verſe 35. I will goe downe into the grave unto my Sonne. I, yet was it but his body that could goe downe thither. So that the place is too cold to kindle the fire of Purgatory. Who then? Verſ. 5, The root of David hath prevailed to open the booke: none but the Lambe can doe it. All doth modulum noſtrum ſuperare, we can ſay nothing but what the Lord doth tell us. By his helpe and inſtinction onelyonly, we preach and expound the Prophets. He did write by all the Prophets and Apoſtles. By him did the Fathers interpret them to us, by him wee doe interpret them to you; onelyonly the HOLY GHOST himſelfe interpret them to us all.
For methods ſake, I deſire to lead your attention thorow theſe three principall paſſages. The Suggeſtion, Conſcription, and Expoſition of holy Scriptures. There be certaine adjacent Circumſtances which ſhall finde their due places.
The
Inſpiration from God, it was not a viſion of their owne heads; but they ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt.
The Conſcription; which albeit it were not by the will of man, yet was it done by the hand of man. They were Men, Holy men, holy men of God.
The Expoſition, which is by no private ſpirit, but by the Holy Spirits illumination of mans minde, and directing the Church. For as the Invention of them came not by the will of man, ſo neither doth the expoſition of them come by the wit of man.
The Prophecie came not by the will of man, but men ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt.] This is the firſt point; their Indictation, Inſpiration, Suggeſtion. Saint Auguſtine from this place, condemnes their damnable hereſie, that eſteemed the Holy Ghoſt leſſe and inferiour to the Father and Sonne: Aut quod ſceleratius eſt, miniſtrum potius quàm Deum; But, ſaith he, ſhall we call him a creature, qui carnem Domini creavit, who created the humanity of CHRIST? Qui Filium Dei miſit; Who ſent the Sonne of God? Luke 4.18. The Spirit of the Lord hath ſent mee to heale, &c. Qui plane Deus, Who is plainely called God? Act. 5.4. Thou haſt lyed to the Holy Ghoſt: What is he? the Apoſtle directly explaines it, Thou haſt lyed unto God, 1 Cor. 3.16. You are the Temple of God, and the Holy Spirit (who is that God) dwelleth in you. Here that Spirit ſpeaketh in the Prophets: Matth. 10.20. he ſpeaketh in the Apoſtles. It is not yee that ſpeake, but the Spirit of your Father which ſpeaketh in you. Who is he that doth all this? 2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God: it is God himſelfe. Will you conſider with me ſome reaſons, arguments, and demonſtrative proofes; whereby our faith may be confirmed, that all Scripture commeth by the inſpiration of God.
1 Conſider the infallible completion of things long before propheſied, in their due ſeaſons, 1 King. 13.2. Behold, a childe ſhall be borne unto the houſe of David, Ioſiah by name, &c. A man was named five hundred yeeres before he was borne. A right famous man may in that ſpace be eaſily forgotten upon earth: but to tell now who ſhall live, or what ſuch an one ſhall doe, a thouſand yeares hence: this can be done by none, but onelyonly by him who uno intuitu, with one looke beholds all things: with whom nothing is paſt or to come, but all preſent.
2 Conſider that their being hath continued from Moſes unto this day. This is miraculous, that in ſo great hurly-burlies and alterations, they ſhould not be loſt! We muſt yeeld, that the Devill would faine have extinguiſhed their light for ever; and his inſtruments were not backward to attempt it: the ſame Almighty hand that made it, preſerved it, and will not let it periſh.
3 That the ſcope of it ſhould be to build up no worldly thing, but onelyonly the kingdome of heaven, and to direct us to Ieſus Chriſt, Gal. 3.22. The Scripture hath concluded all under ſinne, to make way for the promiſe of faith by Chriſt. It condemnes ſinne in all, and all for ſinne; that only ſuch might be ſaved as truſt in him that died for their ſinnes.
4 That it ſhould paſſe with credite thorow the whole world, and finde approbation of all languages, nations, and places. And where it meets with oppoſitions, ſhould make way thorow them, as thunder thorow the clouds.
5 That the Hebrew tongue, wherein the Old Teſtament was written, doth ſo excell all tongues, in Antiquitie, Sanctitie, Majeſtie. Gravitas in ſenſu, modeſtas in dictis, Ambroſ. He knew her, or went in to her, or ſlept with her. Such is the gracious modeſty of the ſacred Scriptures.
6 The majeſty of the ſtyle, which yet is not only powerfull in words, but effectuall in working: renting the heart, Piercing even to the dividing aſunder of the ſoule and ſpirit, of the joynts and marrow, Heb. 4.12. When I reade them, me thinkes they are not verba, words; ſed tonitrua, but thunders, Hieron. Other Authors, ſweet like Mer-maids, had inchanted my Intellect; Blandiebatur virgilius, &c. But Dulcius mihi nunc immurmurat Filius Ieſſe; Now the Sonne of Ieſſe is more pleaſant than all, Bern. We have heard the writings of Poets ancient and new ſo commended, as if Wiſdome it ſelfe had lived and died with them. And it may be, this is the ſinne of our Samaria, to commit idolatry with ſuch bookes. The Turkiſh Hiſtory, Herodotus lyes, Poeticall fictions, ſcurrilous pamphlets, have thruſt the Bible out of our windowes. As Angelus Politianus preferred Pindarus his Odes, before Davids Pſalmes. But Hierome otherwiſe to Paulinus; They may talke of Simonides, Pindarus, Flaccus, and the reſt: Horum inſtar omnium David Pſalmiſt a nobis; One David, that ſweet ſinger of Iſrael, is to us more worth than all thoſe. 1 Cor. 2.2. I determined not to know any thing among you, ſave Ieſus Christ, and him crucified. Mee thinkes there is no Text but Crux, Chriſts Croſſe: no Theme but the hole in his ſide: no Inke but our Saviours Bloud, no Conference but his Merits, no Object but his Obedience, no Oratory but love the Lord Ieſus, no Muſike but bleſſe our God for evermore. We ſhould chuſe muſike, as he choſe his friend: not him that would be plauſible to his humour for a day, but him that ſhould be profitable to his minde during life: ſo not that muſike which to fleſh is ſweeteſt, but that which laſteth longeſt. This is the ſong of Hallelujah, Praiſing the LORD: this muſike ſhall continue for ever.
7 From the very baſeneſſe of falſhood, we learne to admire the luſtre of truth. Conſider Satans ambition, though he be the father of lyes, to imitate the Scripturall truth. He had his Sorcerers in Aegypt, to follow Moſes in his wonders; albeit non paſsibus aequis, they came farre ſhort of him. To diſgrace and weaken the credit of the Scriptures, he had his Poets and Fabuliſts, whoſe Mythologies were obtruded for true reports. But there are three maine differences betweene them: Firſt, there droſſe was mingled with the gold, water with the wine: happily it was truth, but wronged in the reporting, as a good tale is marred in the telling. That the great Armie of Senacherib was deſtroyed, both Eſay and Herodotus agree. But Eſay ſayes, it was by the Angell of God; Herodotus ſayes, it was by an infinite number of Miſe, which in the night-time did eat up the leathers of their armours, targets, and bridles, and hereupon they fled. Secondly, that is ſaid to be derived from the Gentiles to the Iewes, which indeed came from the Iewes to the Gentiles. Plutarch ſayes that ſome of the Iewes Feaſts, yea, their Sabbath-day, and the word Sabbos, was derived from the Feaſts of Bacchus. But indeed the ſolemnities of Bachus came from them, being nothing ſo ancient as Moſes. Thirdly, there have beene like reports, but under borrowed names, as Auguſtine obſerves. In alluſion to the true Hiſtorie of Ionah, his ſwallowing and egeſtion by the Whale; Herodotus writes of one Arion; who for his money being throwen over ſhipboord, a Dolphin tooke him on his backe, and being delighted with his muſike, carried him to Tanarus, from whence hee went to Penander at Corinth, informing him of his received injury, and ſtrange deliverance. But we may juſtly ſuſpect, that the Greeke tale of the one, meant the Hebrew truth of the other. Satan knowing that it was propheſied of CHRIST, Eſay 42.7. that hee ſhould open the blinde eyes, unſtop the eares of the deafe, make the lame leape like Harts, and the tongues of the dumbe to ſing, Eſay 35.6. He fained an Aeſculapius, and gave on as ſtrange wonders of him: and for better facilitating his purpoſe, hee called him the Sonne of God. Now to wound the Devill with his owne weapon, even this argument proves the Divine and indubitate verity of the Scripture. For counterfeits doe ever preſuppoſe that there is ever ſome ſuch thing, as they attempt to reſemble. Perkin Warbecke in England, that pretended himſelfe to be Edward the fifth; did manifeſtly declare that there had beene one of that name. Coyners of falſe metall, imply by their art, that there is ſome of that ſtampe good and currant. Alchimiſts that labour to make gold by projection, intend that there is naturall gold. Painters, though they have the libertie, Quidlibet audendi; yet account their art to be a reſemblance of that which is, or hath beene. So the affected imitation of holy ſtories is a cleare remonſtrance, that the ſubject which they take for patterne, is of juſtifiable truth, and without exception.
8 Laſtly, this is an argument of the finger of God, and ſupernaturall power in holy Writ; that the Penners of it renounced all affection, and delivered the true meſſage even againſt their owne reputations. So did this Holy Spirit over-rule their pens, that they depreſſe and diſgrace themſelves, and remaine expoſed as wonderments to all ſucceeding ages; that all glory may be the LORDS. If they did amiſſe, their errours are recorded either by themſelves or their friends. The faults of Noah and Lot, are not concealed by him, that honoured the memory of Noah and Lot. Luke loved Paul and Barnabas, yet writing their Acts, he ſpeakes of an unbecomming ſtrife betweene them; which grew ſo ſharpe and hot, that they parted, Act. 15.39. Moſes in his five Bookes, as he ſpared not his brother, nor his ſiſter, nor his wife; neither Aaron, Miriam, nor Zippora; when they came in his way: ſo he leaſt of all ſpared himſelfe. That God had almoſt ſlaine him for neglect of Circumciſion; that when the people murmured, he was one: that he was onelyonly permitted to ſee, not to enter into Canaan: all this he writes of himſelfe. Ieremie records his owne impatience, Ier. 15. David is owne bloud-guiltineſſe: Ionah his owne uncharitableneſſe, frowardneſſe, and repining at Gods merciemercy. He was the writer, that was the offender; yet he reports the fault as if it had beene of a ſtranger. Hee ſets aſide affection to his owne credite, runnes not into a buſh with Adam: but writes his fault on his brow, points the finger at the tranſgreſſour under his owne proper and individuall name. Hee tells ſuch a tale of himſelfe, that if all his enemies had ſtudied to laſh him, they could not have matched it. Men are naturally ambitious, deſirous either to blaze their owne vertues, or to blanch their owne errours. Looke upon humane pens, how they are dipped in the oyle of oſtentation! They profeſſe to chronicle the truth; but this friend, or that faction ſhall have a partiall favour. They will not detect the evill that is, but inſert the good that is not. But that one ſhould in ſobrietie write a Treatiſe, to declare his owne faults; this is not found in any Heathen. Tully will not have it buried, that Rome was beholding to him in the cauſe of Catiline. Plutarch, Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, may write much in their owne praiſe: I never read in them one line of their wickedneſſe. Dion will have the world know, that hee was a man employed in matters of State. Ioſephus is abundant in relating his owne ſtratagems. Horace ſayes of his Poems, that he had ſet up Monumentum are perennius, regale ſitu pyramidum altius. Ovid of his Tranſmutations; Iamque opus exegi, quod nec Iovis ira, nec ignis, &c. And Ille ego ſum nulli nugarum laude ſecundus. Mahomets writings extoll him for an onelyonly Prophet; that he received oracles from heaven: that hee ſhall riſe from the dead, but eight hundred yeares after; a prettie time to trie a concluſion in; but there is not a ſyllable of all his damnable vices. Thus men will be men, humorous, ambitious, ſelfe-loving. This cannot be refrained, nor reſtrained; but that directly or indirectly it will breake out. But thoſe whom God employes, caſt dung on their owne faces, publiſh their owne errours to the ends of the world: that every eye may ſee, and every tongue confeſſe; All men are ſinners; God is only good, and wiſe, and holy; who is bleſſed for ever. Amen.
Holy men of GOD ſpake.] This is the ſecond Generall, the Conſcription of GODS Word. GOD would have his Word written: though it be here ſaid, they ſpake; yet that they ſpake is called Scripture, a thing written, Rom. 15.4. Whoſoever things were written afore-time, were written for our learning. Wherein obſerve the Authority, Antiquity, Vtility of the Scriptures. It is written, there is the Authoritie. Afore-time, there is the Antiquitie. For our learning, there is the Vtility. The voice is vaniſhing; aske for the voice, and finde it in aure, in the eare: aske for the Scripture, finde it in aere, written for the eye to looke upon. Therefore would God have it written in bookes, that the ſyllables might be alwayes in our eyes, ſo well as the ſound in our eares. Hereby we may come to exerciſe ourſelves in it day and night, Pſal. 1.2. By this meanes no man ſhall adde to it, or detract from it. Deut. 4.2. Though the Sound of the thundring Apoſtles went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world, Rom. 10.18. Yet the holy Ghoſt would have a Treatiſe written of all that Ieſus did and taught, Act. 1.1. And this ſhall be intitled The booke of the generation of Ieſus Chriſt, Matth, 1.1. The Scripture is a Bible, becauſe it is written: and The Bible, becauſe it excels all other bookes, both for the matter, and the maker. God would not have his Inſtruments onelyonly Nepthali's, to give goodly words, Gen. 49.21. But that his will be committed to Zebulun, the handler of the pen, Iudg. 5.14. Oh that my words were written, oh that they were printed in a book! Iob 19.23. What would he have written? the words of his paſſion? No, but the words of his faith; even the truth of God; I know that my Redeemer liveth. Schiſmatickes are all for a Speaking Scripture: Anabaptiſts all for an infuſed Scripture: Papiſts are all for a Painted Scripture: they love Teſtes feneſtras; with them no leaſe of the Bible is ſo authenticall as the Painters worke in the window. But all true Catholikes are onelyonly for the written Scripture: And the Lord make this our light and delight to the end.
The Perſons that are the Manuaries, directed by God, as a Schoole-maſter guides the hand of a young writer, have here a threefold deſcription. They are Men, men of God, Holy men of God. Men, there is their Condition: Men of God, there is their Diſpenſation: Holy men of God, there is their Qualification.
Men; Why did not God chooſe ſome other nature of greater authoritie and credite? 1. That no glory might be aſcribed to the meanes, 2 Cor. 4.7. We have this treaſure in earthen veſſels, that the excellencie of the power may be in God, and not of us. When Sampſon with the the jaw of an Aſſe ſlew ſo many; the weaker the weapon, the ſtronger the man. The infirmitie of the inſtrument makes for the glory of the Agent. 2. In commiſeration of mans weakneſſe, Exod. 20.19. They ſaid unto Moſes; Speake thou with us, and we will heare: but let not God ſpeake with us, leſt we die. The voice of the Lord is like thunder, it will ſhake in peeces the timorous heart of fleſh. 3. For the ſecurity of our ſoules: if our Preacher were an Angell, Satan could transforme himſelfe into that ſhew. If one from the dead, the Devill can appeare in the ſhape of Samuel. If by miracles, Iannes and Iombres withſtood Moſes; and Antichriſt ſhall doe wonders. If by viſions, the Pagans had their apparitions. 4. In fit reſpondence to the worke of our redemption: a man died for us, therefore is a man fit to preach this to us, Act. 3.22.
Men of God.] This is an ancient attribute; Viri Dei, Sancti Dei, Nuncii Dei, Prophetae Domini, Prophetae Altiſsimi, 1 King. 17.18. 1 Tim. 6.11. 2 Tim. 3.17. Men of God. Men not only in requeſt living, but even dead: Princes over Princes: theſe reigne but during life, thoſe even after death: But eſpecially they are called Men of God, becauſe their diſpenſation comes from God, 1 Cor. 2.13. Wee ſpeake in the words, we which mans wiſdome teacheth, but which God teacheth. So the Prophets came, Os Domini locutum eſt. The mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it, 1 Cor. 11 23. Quod accepi à Domino; I received of the Lord what I delivered unto you, Matth. 22.43. David to Spirit called him Lord, Pſal. 45.1. My tongue is the pen of a ready writer; Calamus Scriba, that is, the pen of the Holy Ghoſt, Pſalm. 85.8. The vulgar reades; Andiam quid in me loquatur Dominus; I will heare what the Lord will ſpeake in me. Hence was it that the Lord did not manifeſt all things to them, Semper & Simul, together: but as Paul ſaid to the Church, ſo God to Paul, Act. 20.20. I have kept backe nothing; vobis neceſſarium, that was profitable to you. Eliſha know the king of Syriah's ſtratagems and plots, which he conſulted in his bed-chamber, 2 King. 6.12. Yet he did not know at firſt the purpoſe of the Armie to Dothan; untill his ſervant told him. He could foretell to the Shunamite, that ſhe ſhould have a ſonne; yet the death of that childe was hidden from him, 2 King. 4.27. The Lord hath hid it from mee, and hath not told me. He did not preſently reſolve the three Kings concerning the event of the warre; but called for a Minſtrell, 2 King. 3.15. And when the Minſtrell played, the hand of the Lord came upon him.
Holy men, the LORD that ſent them, qualified them. But was this a neceſſary and inſeparable annexion to all the Secretaries of GOD, Holineſſe? was not Prophecie (without this) incident to ſome reprobates? Indeed ſome tranſient revelations might paſſe through them, themſelves mean-time remaining as wiſe as Trunkes. Balaam is called a Great Prophet; God opened his mouth: yet did he not in this more favour him than his Aſſe: hee made them both to ſpeake his glory, and Balaams ſhame. Saul does prophecie; Nunquid Saul inter Prophetas? Yet he was as farre from the Grace of God, as hee was from the God of Grace, when he had caſt him off. Caiaphas could prophecie the expedience, that one ſhould die for the people, Ioh. 11.51. This he ſpake not of himſelfe: but being High-Prieſt that yeare, hee propheſied that IESUS ſhould die for that Nation. His Office propheſied, rather than himſelfe. Matth. 7.22. They ſhall ſay in the latter day, We have propheſied in thy Name; yet be rejected with a Depart from me, I know you not. But it is on all ſides conſented, that Gods publike Notaries, the Canonicall Writers, were all regenerate and Holy, the children of light and life: once gracious Saints on earth, now glorious Saints in heaven.
Thus are they qualified: one may be a man, yet not a man of God: a man of God, yet not Holy. To be a man is noble, an emphaticall word, Act. 1.11. Men of Galile. Act. 2.14. Men of Iudea. Act. 17.22. Men of Athens. Act. 19.35. Men of Epheſus. 1 King. 2.2. Shew thy ſelfe a Man. Multi homines, pauci vtri; One may be Adam, not Iſh; Homo, not Vir. As David ſaid to Abner, 1 Sam. 26.15. Nunquid tu Vir es? Art thou not a valiant Man? But to be a Man of God, this is more noble; to be intruſted with the ſecrets of heaven, the myſteries of Salvation. The Ambaſſadour of a King is of no ſmall account; but theſe are Legati à latere Divino, the Lords Legates: Whoſoever harmed them, Protinus Deum ſenſit ultorem; Found God himſelfe their avenger, Matth. 10.16. He that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me. Yet there be ſome that dare, and that in extremity, doe it, though they are ſure to be condemned for it. But laſtly, to be Holy, this is moſt noble. Prophecie ſhall ceaſe, Preaching ceaſe, miniſtration of Sacraments ceaſe, Holineſſe ſhall never ceaſe. There are divers gifts, 1 Cor. 12.31. to be an Apoſtle, to Prophecie, to teach, to worke miracles, to ſpeake with tongues; But let us covet earneſtly the beſt gifts; even our Sanctification. The reſt are needfull for you, this for our ſelves: they bring you to heaven, this muſt bring us to heaven. That bleſſed Spirit which hath made us Men, and men of God, make us alſo Holy men; that our Nazarites may be whiter than the ſnow, and our Prieſts purer than the Saphires.
No prophecie of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation.] Theſe Holy men were the Sacraries and Secretaries of GOD, the Regiſters of his Royall Covenant. Now as they could not ſpeake or write, but by the Spirits inſpiration; ſo neither can wee expound what they have written, but by the ſame Spirits Interpretation, 1 Cor. 12.10. Interpretation is given by the Spirit. He that expounds the Scripture upon the warrant of his owne ſpirit onelyonly; doth lay the brands of the fire together without the tongs, and is ſure at leaſt to burne his owne fingers. Salomon confeſſed that hee ſtudied for his Doctrines, Eccleſ. 12.10. The Preacher ſought to find out acceptable wordes; yet was he the wiſeſt man. Daniel was a famous Prophet, yet he deſired reſpite to expound. Nebuchadnezzars dreame, Dan. 2.16. Is the Scripture lighter than a dreame? or Nunquid tu ſapientior Daniele? Art thou wiſer than Daniel? It is true that all right and ſober expoſition is of God. Dan. 2.28. It is God in heaven that revealeth ſecrets. But the Lord doth not now reveale this to us in viſions and dreames: but ſets us to ordinary meanes; conferring with orthodox writers, turning over many bookes, zealous invocation to the Father of lights, ſtudious obſerving the context of Scriptures. You thinke our preaching and expounding the word to be very eaſy; indeed ſo it might be, if we ſhould doe with our Sermons, as you doe with your moneys. They are not Sermons, that come forth like untimely births, from uncircumciſed lippes, and unwaſhen hands. I know there are ſome, that thinke ſcorne to bring a premeditated Sermon: that were to tie the Holy Ghoſt to an inkehorne: No, turne the Cocke, and let it run. They ſay, they bring Sermons of Gods owne making, becauſe they tooke no paints in the compoſing. As if this were to preach in the Evidence of the Spirit, and demonſtration of power. But as every ſound is not muſicke, ſo every Sermon is not Preaching. Speaking is from cuſtome, but ſaying from Art. Pſal. 45.1. My heart is inditing a good matter: It was Sermo natus in pectore; a ſpeech firſt conceived and borne in his heart. Iohn Baptiſt went before CHRIST to prepare his wayes: ſo our heart muſt goe before our tongue to prepare our words. We muſt hew the ſtones before we bring them to the building, or they will never couch in order. He that commeth wildly to this holy worke, ſhall be driven to beate the aire, and to ſeeke up and downe for matter, as Saul ſought for his fathers Aſſes. As we ſtudy for your good, ſo doe you pray we may ſtudy to your good; that we may bring you to the Scripture, and the Scriptures bring you to ſalvation.
I conclude; the Summe of this whole Chapter hath beene a ſweet Garden of Grace and merciemercy. The firſt Flower, was a Salutation, and that is a wiſh of merciemercy. The ſecond, a Promiſe, and that is a word of mercy. The third, a Conſolation, and that is a worke of mercy. The fourth, an Exhortation, and that is the way to mercy. The fift, a witneſſe of our Election, and that is an Aſſurance of mercy. The ſixth, an Induction to heaven upon earth, and that is an high degree of mercy. The ſeventh, a Teſtimony from heaven, and that was the voice of mercy. The eight, a Word of performed Prophecie, and that was an argument of mercy. The ninth, an Illumination of the Goſpell, and that is a light of mercy. The laſt, is the glory of heaven, and that is the full day and perfection of merciemercy. Through theſe bleſſed degrees my diſcourſe hath brought you: firſt we begun with Peace, then dwelt long with Grace, and laſtly are come to Glory. This Peace poſſeſſe your conſciences, this Grace beautifie your hearts,Iude verſe 24. and this Glory crowne all your ſoules. Now unto him that is able to keepe you from falling, and to preſent you faultleſſe before the preſence of his glory with exceeding joy: to the only wiſe God our Saviour, be glory and Majeſtie, dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen.