Commentary on Peter and Jude, Peter 2 · Commentary · Chapter 3
¶The third Chapter.
THis ſeconde Epiſtle I now write vntounto you, beloued, wherewith I ſtirre vp, and warne your pure myndes,
To call to remembraunce the wordes, whiche were told before of the holie Prophetes, and alſo the commaundement of vsus the Apoſtles of the Lorde and Sauiour.
This firſte vnderſtande, that there ſhall come in the laſte daies, mockers, whiche will walke after their luſtes,
And ſaie, Where is the promes of his comming? for ſince the Fathers died, all thynges continue alike from the beginnyng of the creation.
For this thei willyngly knowe not, that the Heauens were of olde, and the Earth that was of the water and by the water, by the woorde of God.
Wherefore the worlde that then was, periſhed, ouerflowed with the water.
But the Heauens and Earth, whiche are now, are kepte by the ſame Woorde in ſtore, and reſerued vntounto fire againſt the daie of Iudgemente, and of the deſtruction of vngodlie men.
Dearely beloued, bee not ignoraunt of this one thyng, that one daie is with the Lorde, as a thouſande yeres, and a thouſande yeres, as one daie.
The Lorde is not ſlacke cōcernyng his promiſe (as ſome men count ſlackeneſſe) but is pacient toward vsus, and would hauehave no man to periſhe, but would all men to come to repentaunce.
But the daie of the Lorde will come as a Thief in the night, in the whiche the Heauens ſhall paſſe awaie with a noyſe, and the Elementes ſhall melte with heate, and the Earth with the woorkes, that are therein, ſhalbe burnt vp.
Seeyng therefore that all theſe thinges muſt bee diſſolued, what maner perſones ought ye to bee in holie conuerſation and godlineſſe:
Lookyng for, and haſtyng vntounto the commyng of the daie of God, by the whiche the Heauens beeyng on fire, ſhal be diſſolued, and the Elementes ſhall melt with heate?
But we looke for newe Heauens, and a newe Earth, accordyng to his promiſe, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe.
Wherefore, beloued, ſeyng that ye looke for ſuche thinges, bee diligent that ye maie bee founde of hym in peace, without ſpot and blameleſſe.
And ſuppoſe that the long ſufferyng of our Lorde is ſaluation, euen as our beloued brother Paule, accordyng to the wiſedome giuen vntounto hym wrote to you,
As one, that in all his Epiſtles ſpeaketh of theſe thinges: emong the whiche ſome thynges are harde to bee vnderſtande, whiche thei that are vnlearned and vnſtable, peruert, as thei doe alſo other Scriptures vntounto their owne deſtructiō.
Ye therefore beloued, ſeeyng ye knowe theſe thynges before, beware leaſt ye be alſo plucked awaie with the error of the wicked, and fall from your owne ſtedfaſtneſſe.
But growe in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt: to hym bee glorie bothe now and for euermore. Amen.
This ſecōd Epiſtle I now write vntounto you, beloued, wherwith I ſtirre vp and warne your pure mindes,
To call to remembraunce the wordes, which were tolde before of the holy Prophets, and alſo the cō maundement of vsus the Apoſtles of the Lorde and Sauiour.
IN this Chapter wee are admoniſhed to bee in a readineſſe and eueryevery minute of an hower to looke for the laſt daie. And firſt S. Peter declareth vntounto them how that he hath not written this Epiſtle to theim purpoſely and with intent to laye doune vntounto them the foundation of Faith (for that had he laied doune very ſubſtancially, effectually and ſufficiently afore) but to excite and ſtirre them vp, and to admoniſhe and put them in remembraunce that thei forgett not thoſe thinges whiche thei had afore heard and receiued, but rather that thei ſhould perſeuere in that ſinceritie of mynde and vnderſtandyng, whiche was requiſite, fitte, expediente and appertinent vntounto true Chriſtianitie. For the office and duetie of all true Preachers is, not onelyonly to teache, but alſo continually to admoniſhe and exhort. Becauſe ſo long as wee bee clad with this fleſhe and bloud, wee hauehave greate neede to hauehave the Worde of God to dwell plentifully in vsus, & to raigne & beare ſoueraigne authoritie in vsus: whereby wee maie reſiſt the motions, ſuggeſtions, delites and concupiſcences of the Fleſhe, and with faithfull conſtancie valiantly ſubdue, reſiſt, and ſtriue againſt the luſtes thereof.
This firſt vnderſtande, that there ſhall come in the laſt dayes, mockers, whiche will walke after their luſtes,
And ſaie, Where is the promiſe of his commyng? for ſince the fathers dyed, all thynges continue alike from the beginnyng of the creation.
THere bee ſome yet at this daie very waueryng and ficklemynded, being caried awaie through certaine reaſons ſette downe in a Booke, entituled and written of Antichriſt, in whiche Booke is declared, that before the latter daie men ſhould fall into ſuche groſſe and Deuiliſh errour as to denye God, and to mocke & deryde all that thei heare preached of Chriſte and of Domeſdaie. And this ſaiyng is true, from whence ſoeuer it was borowed. But it ought not ſo ſtraictly to bee taken, as though the whole World ſhould fall into ſuche a generall Apoſtacie, and ſo vniuerſally blaſpheme God: but that the greater parte and portion thereof ſhould fall awaie. For we ſee it now plainly come to paſſe, and more and more dailie will it burſt out, that when and where the Goſpell ſhall be publiſhed and openly preached among men, many wicked ſhall be wraie themſelues, and the inward hartes of many ſhalbe openly detected, whoſe wickedneſſe and impietie now ſecretly lurketh, & is diſſimuled. And the number now adaies is not ſmall, that beleeue little or nothyng of the latter daie, neither thinke that euer it will come.
Of ſuche mockers and ſkorners S. Peter here forewarneth vsus, tellyng vsus that there ſhould be ſundrie whiche would think there were none other life after this, and therfore would paſſe their daies lewdely, inordinately and accordyng to the deuiſes of their own ſenſuall luſtes. In deede, at Rome and in Italie, this Propheſie is long ago fulfilled: and thei that come from thence to vsus, bryng with them this opinion: that what filthie and wicked life they leade there, the ſame doe they teach vsus, and thoſe Countries where they chaunce to inhabite. But a little before the latter daie, ſuche maner of men muſt needes bee, as Chriſte himſelf foretolde Matth. xxiiij. As the dayes of Noah were, ſo likewiſe ſhall the commyng of the ſoonne of man be. For as in the daies before the floud, thei did eate and drinke, marie and giuegive in mariage, euen vntill the daye that Noah entred into the Arke, and knew nothing till the floud came, and tooke them all awaie: ſo ſhall alſo the commyng of the ſonne of man be. And a litle after in the ſame Chapter: Bee ye readie, for in ſuche a tyme as ye thinke not, will the ſonne of man come. Againe Luc. xxj. As a ſnare ſhal that day come vppon all them, that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Againe Luk. xvij. As the Lightening that lighteneth out of the one parte vnderunder Heauen, ſhineth vntounto the other parte vnderunder Heauen: ſo ſhal the ſonne of man be in his daie. That is, it ſhall come merueilous ſodainly and moſte vnlooked for, when as the Worlde ſhall liue in moſte ſenſeleſſe ſecuritie, and the Woorde of God altogether deryded, and contemptuouſly ſkorned.
This therefore ſhalbee a ſigne and a token of the neere approchyng of the latter daie, when as menne ſhall looſely liue, accordyng to their owne wilfull luſtes and pleaſures: and whē as thei ſhall preſumptuouſly aſke, Where is now the promiſe of his commyng? The Worlde hath continued thus long, and eueryevery thyng is in the ſame caſe as it hitherto hath been, what ſtraunge thyng ſhall there now happen? Sainct Peter therefore forewarneth vsus, that we bee not lightly caried awaie with theſe wicked ſpeeches, but rather knowe that thei bee vndoubted ſignes and tokens, that this daie will come, and that verie ſhortlie.
For this they willingly knowe not, that the heauens were of old, and the earth that was of the water and by the water, by the woorde of God.
Wherefore the worlde that then was, periſhed, ouerflowed with the water.
THei are ſuche peruerſe and frowarde perſones (ſaieth he) that thei diſdaine and grudge to beſtowe any tyme or labor in learnyng the truth: in ſo muche that with a flearyng diſdaine, thei reſiſte, and can not be brought ſo muche as euen to reade the Scriptures: Yea, thei are ſo wilfull and obſtinate, that thei will not ſeeme either to thinke or know, how that the ſame thyng came to paſſe alſo in the olde worlde, when Noah builte the Arke. Namely, how that the Earth beeyng ſeparated frō the water, was in the beginnyng made by the Woorde of God, and how againe the ſame Earth was whollie ouerflowed and drouned with water: and how that menne liued then ſo ſecure and careleſſe, that thei looked for no harme to come vntounto theim, neither thought of any deſtruction at hande. And yet ſodainly the Floud couered theim all. Of all whiche, theſe peruerſe and froward perſones, are willyngly and wilfully ignorant. The plaine meanyng of his woordes is, as if he ſhould ſaie: If God then deſtroied the Worlde with water, and by a terrible example declared, that he was able to droune it vniuerſallie: how muche more will he deſtroie it now, hauyng ſo muche and ſo often in plaine and ſundrie wordes, and in ſo many ſeuerall places threatened and promiſed theſame?
Heauen and Earth had their Beginnyng and Creation by the Woorde of God, thei were not from euerlaſtyng. And the Waters that reſted aboue in the Cloudes, were by a Firmament ſeparated from the Waters, whiche were in Seas and Riuers vpō the Earth belowe. So that the Earth which was ouerwhelmed and ſurrounded with the Deepe, was by the Worde of GOD parted from the Waters, and became drie lande: ſtandyng and beeyng hemmed in by the Waters. And that whiche Moſes at large deſcribeth, is by Saint Peter here but lightly touched. By the ſame Worde of GOD whereby thei were made and created, are all thynges therein preſerued and gouerned. For it is not there Nature ſo to ſtande, or to remaine in ſuche ſituation: and therefore if God by his vnſpeakable power did not vpholde, preſerue, and gouerne theim, all thynges would quickly come to a wrecke and ruine, and bee ſonedrenched, couered, and wholly ouerflowed with Water. But mightie is thee Worde, whiche God ſpake, whē he ſaied: Lette the waters vnderunder the heauens bee gathered into one place, and let the drie lande appeare: That it, let the Waters depart aſide and giuegive place, that the drie lande maie bee ſeen, and that menne maie dwell thereon for otherwiſe, (as I ſaied afore) by Nature the water would ouerflowe and couer the whole Earth. Whiche that it ſo commeth not to paſſe, is as ſtraunge a miracle as any is, among all the woorkes of God. Now ſaieth Sainct Peter: Theſe wilfull flouters and ſtiffenecked deriders, are ſo peruerſe and incōſiderate, that thei maliciouſly thinke ſkorne to ſhewe this honor to the holie Ghoſt, to reade the Scriptures, and therein to ſee how God keepeth, preſerueth, and gouerneth the worlde within the water wherby thei might well perceiue and ſee, that all thynges are in the handes of GOD: and therefore ſithe he hath once alreadie deſtroied the world by bringing therevpon the general Deluge, ſo alſo when it pleaſeth him can he doe vntounto vsus. For the example thereof ought ſo greatly to mooue eche one of vsus, that as he then performed that, whiche afore he threatened, ſo we ſhould now none otherwiſe think, but that he will ſurely abide by his woordes, and doe that whiche he hath ſpoken concernyng vsus.
But the Heauens and Earth, whiche are now, are kepte by the ſame Woorde in ſtoare, and reſerued vntounto fier, againſt the daie of Iudgement, and of the deſtruction of vngodlie menne.
IN the old tyme when God drouned the whole Worlde in the generall Floude, the waters in moſte abundaunce guſhed out of the Cloudes aboue: ſpouted out of the bowelles of the Earth belowe, and on eueryevery ſide ſuche ſtreames encreaſed, that nothyng was now to bee ſeene but Waters: the Earth accordyng to her Nature, beyng all drouned, and couered vnderunder the Waters. But God promiſed that hee would neuer thence forthe deſtroie the Worlde with waters any more: makyng a couenaunt and giuyng his Rainbowe in the Cloudes, for a ſigne thereof, Geneſ. ix. Therefore he will nexte conſume and deſtroye it with Fire: ſo that there ſhall then nothing appeare but Fire, as aforetyme there was nothyng ſeene but water. Hereof alſo S. Paule ij. Theſs. j. When the Lorde Ieſus ſhall ſhewe hymſelf from heauen with his mightie Angells, in flamyng Fier, rendryng vengeance to them that doe not knowe God, and whiche doe not obeye vntounto the Goſpell of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt. Againe, j. Cor. iij EueryEvery mannes woorke ſhalbee made manifeſt: for the daie ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhalbee reueiled by the Fire. Therefore, when that laſte daie ſhall (like a ſodaine flaſhe of Lightnyng) come vppon vsus, all thynges in this Heauen and this Earth, ſhall in the twincklyng of an eye be conſumed to Cinders, and ſodainly chaunged with Fire, euen as in the tyme of Noah, all thynges were chaunged with the water: and that GOD will not faile in this his threatening & commination: wherof we ought to take his former dealyng for an infallible token, the whiche he hath left vntounto vsus for a ſigne.
Dearely beloued, bee not ignoraunte of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord, as a thouſand yeres, and a thouſande yeres, as one daie.
The Lorde is not ſlacke concernyng his promiſe (as ſome men counte ſlackneſſe) but is pacient toward vsus, and would hauehave no man to periſhe, but would all men to come to repentaunce.
But the daie of the Lorde will come as a Thiefe in the night, in the whiche the Heauens ſhall paſſe awaie with noyſe, and the Elemētes ſhall melt with heate, and the Earth with the woorkes that are therein, ſhalbe burnt vp.
IN theſe woordes S. Peter meeteth with thoſe cauillers (of whom he ſpake afore) whiche ſaie, that the Apoſtles hauehave foretold many vaine and fooliſh tales of the latter Daie, and that al thinges ſtande ſtill in the ſame courſe and order as thei did before, notwithſtandyng ſo long a ſpace of tyme, ſince thei foretold and Prophecied thereof. And this place borowed he out of the praier of Moſes in the lxxxx. Pſalme. A thouſand yeres (ſaieth he) in thy ſight are as yeſterdaie when it is paſte. This is after twoo ſortes to bee vnderſtoode and taken: One, as it hath reſpecte and relation to God, the other as it reſpecteth Men and the Worlde: Againe, this life is to be conſidered after one ſort, the life to come after an other. This life can not bee the life to come, becauſe into that none can paſſe, but by Death: that is, till he ceaſſe from the functions of this mortall life. This preſent Life, conſiſteth and is preſerued by eatyng, drinkyng, ſleapyng, digeſtyng, &c. all whiche conſiſte and are doen within the limitation of Houres, Daies, and Yeres. But when thou wilt throughly conſider the life to come, thou muſt quight forget and put out of thy cogitation and remembrance, all the courſe of this preſent life, and neuer thinke, to make any conference or compariſon, betweene this Life and it: For all thynges in it, are as one Daie, one Houre, one Minute, one Moment.
Seyng therefore, that there is no Dinumeration of tyme with God, it followeth that a thouſande yeres with hym, are as one daie: and therefore the firſt manne Adam is as neere to God, as he that ſhalbe laſte borne, the daie next afore the Generall daie of Iudgement. For God reſpecteth not tyme, according as the ſame is in length, but rather (as it were) aſlope: as if a man ſhould behold and looke vpō a verie long Tree, liyng ouerthwarte or aſlope afore hym: For ſo ſhould he with one glaunce of his eye, beholde bothe the endes thereof at once: whiche he could not doe, if he ſhould ſtande at the one ende, and beholde it long wiſe. Now, we mortall Creatures can not by our owne reaſon, beholde and conſider the Tyme, but accordyng to the length, by numbryng and addyng yere to yere, from Adam till the laſte daie. But with God, all thynges are lapped vp as it were in one bundle, and ſeen with one bluſhe: What we thinke to de long, the ſame with hym is ſhorte, and contrariwiſe. A man when he dieth, lieth buried in the Earth, and his bodie is conſumed into duſte, neither knoweth he any thyng: but when he ſhall ariſe againe in the laſte daie, he ſhall thinke he hath ſlept as it were ſcarcely as houre▪ then ſhall he ſee and beholde a greate multitude that liued after hym, of whom hee knewe nothyng at all. Saincte Peters meanyng therefore is this: The Lorde is not ſlacke to performe his promiſe, as theſe Mockers and Skorners doe thinke that he is, but is pacient and long ſuffryng: therefore be ye ready againſt the laſte daie, whiche will come ſooner then ye looke for: and will ſodainly ouertake the wicked Worldlynges, as Saincte Paule ſaieth: j. Theis v. When thei ſhall ſaie, peace and ſafetie, then ſhall come vppon them ſodaine deſtruction, as the trauaile vponupon a woman with child, and ther ſhall not eſcape ▪ That daie ſhall come with ſuche a noiſe, and ſhall ſo ſodainly (as it were a terrible tempeſt) fall vponupon the world, that al thinges ſhalbe conſumed in a moment.
Seyng therefore that all theſe thinges muſt be diſſolued, what maner perſons ought ye to be in holy conuerſation and godlineſſe,
Lookyng for, and haſtyng vntounto the commyng of that daie of God?
SEyng that ye know, that all theſe thinges ſhall paſſe awaie, bothe Heauen, Earth and all thinges therein: conſider and waigh with your ſelues with what holineſſe of life and godlineſſe of conuerſation ye ought to ſtande readie againſt that daie. For S. Peter ſo deſcribeth this daie, as that it is euen now at hande: againſt the whiche, wee ſhould not onelyonly be in a readineſſe, but alſo moſte ioyfully and gladly expect and looke for the commyng thereof. Yea, he would hauehave vsus with moſte willing myndes to goe to meete the Lorde in that daie, as in whiche, wee hope at length to bee clearely ridde and deliuered from the tyrannie of Sinne, Death and Hell.
By the whiche the heauens beyng on fier, ſhalbee diſſolued, & the Elementes ſhall melt with heate.
But we looke for newe Heauens and a new Earth, accordyng to his promiſe, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe.
THE Lord by his Prophetes in ſundry places hath promiſed that he will create newe Heauens and a newe Earth, as Eſay. Lxv. Loe, I will create newe Heauens and a newe Earth, and the former ſhall not be remembred not come into your mynde. Againe: Eſay xxx. The light of the Moone ſhalbee as the light of the Sunne, & the light of the Sunne ſhalbe ſeuenfold, and like the light of ſeuen daies. And Chriſt ſaith Matth. xiij. that the iuſt ſhall ſhine as the Sunne, in the kingdome of their father. But how & after what faſhion al this ſhall come to paſſe, we cā not tell, ſauing that it is faithfully promiſed by him who can not deceiue, that there ſhalbee newe Heauens and a newe Earth, in which ſhall dwell no ſinne & vncleanneſſe, but righteouſneſſe and they that bee the children of God, as Paule alſo Rom. viij. witneſſeth. There ſhalbe nothyng but ioye and perpetuall ſolace, to wit, the kyngdome of God and all felicitie.
Here he that would bee inquiſitiue to knowe, whether the elect and bleſſed ſhal at that tyme bee in the Heauens or on the Earth: Truely this place ſoundeth, that thei ſhal remaine and dwell on the Earth, ſo that al, both Heauens and Earth ſhalbe as one Paradiſe, wherein God himſelf will dwell. For he not onelyonly dwelleth in the Heauens, but eueryevery where: and therfore where he is, there ſhall the elect alſo bee.
Wherefore, beloued, ſeeyng that ye looke for ſuch thynges, bee diligent that ye maie bee founde of hym in peace, without ſpot, and blameleſſe.
FOrſomuche (ſaieth he) as ye hauehave eſcaped ſo great miſchieues and daungers, and ſhall come to ſuche and ſo great ioyes, this ought not a little to moue you, to contemne and deſpiſe all the thinges of the Worlde, and with pacient myndes to ſuffer what aduerſitie ſoeuer ſhalbe allotted vntounto you: and this is it, that he ſaieth, ye ought diligently to endeuour yourſelues to liue without ſpot and blame, and after this …orce in peace to expect and looke for that daie.
And ſuppoſe that the long ſuffryng of our Lorde is ſaluation,
IN that, hee ſo long ſpareth you and deferreth his iudgement, and doth not by and by iudge you, think ye it your greate gaine and auaile. He hath cauſe enough to be angrie with you, and euen by and by to take preſent reuenge vponupon you, but ſuche is his merciemercy and clemencie, yt he ſpareth you & pardoneth all your tranſgreſſions.
Euen as our beloued brother Paule, accordyng to the wiſedome giuen vntounto hym, wrote to you:
As one that in all his Epiſtles ſpeaketh of theſe thinges: among the whiche, ſome thinges are hard to bee vnderſtande, which they that are vnlearned and vnſtable, wreſt, as thei do alſo other Scriptures vntounto their owne deſtruction.
SAinct Peter here giueth expreſſe teſtimonie and allowaunce of the ſounde doctrine contained in S. Paules Epiſtles: whiche prooueth that this Epiſtle was written long after the Epiſtles of Paule. And this is one of thoſe places, whereby a man maie take occaſion to thinke, that this Epiſtle was not written by S. Peter: as alſo an other ſentēce a little afore in this preſent Chapter expreſſed, dooeth inſinuate, and purporte: where he ſaieth, that God would hauehave no man to periſh, but would all men to come to repentaunce. For it ſeemeth to ſauour of a lower ſpirite, and to carie a meaner grace, then to one inſpired with an Apoſtolicall ſpirite is vſuall. Yet is it not altogether incredible, nor amiſſe to thinke, this Epiſtle to bee written by Peter. For ſeeyng that in this Epiſtle his purpoſe and meanyng was, not to write of Faithe, but of LoueLove and Charitie: be purpoſely abazeth hymſelf in his Style, as the nature of Charitie alwaies is to dooe, to the intent thereby to humble hymſelf to his Neighbour: as on the other part, Faith alwaies mounteth and lifteth vp it ſelf to Godwarde.
And this … he well ſee would come to paſſe, that many light and vnſtable Spirites would wreſt and wring, inuert and peruert S. Paules wordes in ſundrie places: For that, in his Epiſtles there are ſome Textes harde to bee vnderſtoode▪ as where he ſaieth, that no man is iuſtified by workes, but by Faithe onelyonly. Rom. iij. Againe, that the Lawe was giuen to knowe Sinne. Rom. iiij. & vij. And moreouer, Where ſinne abounded, there grace abounded muche more, Rom. v. and ſuche like places. For aſſoone as they heare this, they ſtraight ways breake out into theſe or ye like ſpeeches …f it be thus, we will liue ydlie and merilie, wee will doe to good worke at all, and yet ſhall wee (neuertheleſſe) be ſaued and iuſtified: and after this ſorte euen nowadaies doe they …aiſe on vsus and ſhamefullie helpe vsus, faiyng: that wee in our Sermons condemne and diſpraiſe good Workes. But wee maie not thinke it any meruaile or ſtraunge thyng, ſeeyng, thei hauehave not ſpared to wreſt and miſconſtrue S. Paules wordes.
Ye therefore beloued, ſeyng ye knowe theſe thinges before, beware, leſt ye bee alſo plucked awaie with the errour of the wicked, and fall from your owne ſtedfaſtneſſe.
But growe in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte: to him bee glorie bothe now and for euermore. Amen.
SEyng therfore ye perfectly know all theſe thinges afore declared, and are certainly giuen to vnderſtande that many falſe Teachers ſhalbee chopped and foyſted in among you to ſeduce the Worlde, and many froward mockers ſhal wilfully miſtake and wreſt the Scriptures, not beyng willyng to vnderſtande them aright, it greatly ſtandeth you vponupon, to take good heede to your ſelues, and moſte carefully to beware of them, leaſt with their falſe and erroneous doctrine thei carie you awaie from the right Faithe: but looke rather that ye dailie encreaſe in godlineſſe and knowledge, that from daie to daie through continuall preachyng and exerciſe of the Worde of God, ye maie bee more and more confirmed and ſtrengthenes.
And here wee are to beholde and note, the greate care that the Apoſtle had ouer them which had now receiued the Faith: whiche cauſed hym to write vntounto them theſe twoo Epiſtles, wherein is largely and plentifully layed doune, al and whatſoeuer is expedient and neceſſarie for a Chriſtian man to know, yea concernyng thoſe thynges alſo whiche are to come. God graunt vntounto vsus his grace, that we maie both rightly vnderſtand alſo effectually keepe and obſerue the ſame, to the glorie of his holy and bleſſed name, and to the comforte and conſolation of our own Soules and conſciences. Amen.