Commentary on Peter and Jude, Peter 2 · Preface – Commentary
❧An Induction or Preface of D. Martine Luther, into the ſeconde Epistle generall of Sainct Peter.
SAinct Peter perceiuyng and foreſeyng that the true & pure doctrine of Faithe, ſhould after his daies be corrupted, obſcured and dimmed, writeth this Epiſtle: wherein …e meetet… with two errors at once, ariſyng out of the falſe vnderstandyng of this doctrine of Faithe; and giueth moste profitable leſſons of either parte: to witte, firſt, that no man aſcribe any ſuche ſtrength or force to VVoorkes, as that thei ſhould be any waie able to iustifie vsus before God for that is the effect of Faithe onelie. Againe, that no man ſhould thinke, that Faithe can bee without Good woorkes. For, wee can no ſoner preach of Faith, how that it alone without the helpe of any our Good woorkes, maketh vsus iuste and acceptable before GOD, but ſtraightwaies ſome are readie to barke againſt vsus, ſaiyng, that then it is needeleſſe and booteleſſe for any manne to doe any Good deedes: and this wee knowe by daiely experience is the common ſpeech and ſaiyng. On the other ſide, when we vrge and teache Good woorkes, & praiſe them: then Faithe falleth and looſeth muche of her dignitie. So that wee ſee it to bee a verie hard matter, in this behalfe to kepe a right meane, ſpeciallie where there is want of painfull and faithfull Preachers.
Now, the Lorde teacheth vsus, that we ſhould attribute all our Iustification before God, vntounto a ſincere Faithe in Christe Ieſus. But when wee hauehave thus ſoundly preached, & inculked this infallible doctrine of Faithe, we must alſo teache, that Good woorkes muste needes enſue. Becauſe wee maie not at any hande, (ſo long as wee be in this life) bee idle, without dooyng ſome woorke. All this doeth Sainct Peter in this Epistle purſue and diſcourſe vppon at large: meetyng with thoſe, who peraduēture out of his former Epistle, had foded themſelues with a falſe opinion, and mistaken his meanyng: in thinking Faithe to bee ſufficient, although there be no good VVorkes at all. And vponupon this poinct, is the firste Chapter of this Epistle ſpecially written: wherin he teacheth and willeth the godlie to approue and declare the certaintie of their Faithe by their Good workes.
The ſeconde Chapter is against them, whiche extoll VVorkes onelie, and throwe doune Faithe. And therfore he warneth vsus aforehande of falſe teachers and ſeducers, whiche by newe doctrines of their owne deuiſe, ſhould darken and aboliſhe this aſſuraunce, whiche eche one ought firmely to hauehave of Faithe: for he ſawe, what detestable iugglyng, Apostacie, add departyng awaie from the Faithe would bee in the worlde, whiche euen then beganne: as Saincte Paule ſaieth, ij. Theſs. ij. The Mysterie of Iniquitie doeth alreadie woorke.
Jn the third, hee plainlie deſcribeth and ſetteth out the impietie of thoſe that make a mockage and ieſte of the woorde of God: and ſheweth that in the latter daies the people through vnbebeleef, and lacke of feare of the Iudgement of the laste daie ſhalbee euen as Epicures, whollie giuen to the fleſhe.
This Epistle therfore is written to forewarne vsus, to ſhewe our Faithe by our VVorkes: but yet not ſo, that we ſhould hauehave any confidēce or trust in our VVorkes, or thinke them any whitte, or in any respecte, meritorious, or auaileable towarde our ſaluation.