Exposition on 2 Peter 1, Exposition · Verse 1
2. PET. 1.1.
THis Epiſtle, as the former, is intended to the ſcattered Chriſtians; and it conſiſts of two parts, to wit, the Preface, and the body of the Epiſtle.
The Preface conſiſts of three parts; firſt, of a ſubſcription, in theſe words; Symon Peter, a ſeruant, and an Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt; the ſecond, an inſcription, in theſe words; To them which hauehave obtained like precious faith with vsus; the third is a ſalutation, in theſe words; Grace and peace be multiplied, &c.
Symon Peter. Obſerue here the firſt thing which the Apoſtle doth in this worke; he ſets or ſubſcribes his name. And Doctrine.It is an honeſt & commendable practiſe in ſuch as write Bookes for the vſe of Gods Church to do the ſame: and that for theſe reaſons: firſt, to ſhew that they are readie to iuſtifie their writings: ſecondly, that they are ready, to their power, to ſatisfie any which make any ſcruple of any thing writ by them: thirdly, that they are not aſhamed of the truth deliuered.
Indeed in ſome caſes Writers names are better kept cloſe then publiſhed; as firſt, if the perſons writing be ſcandalous, it is pitie that their ſcandalous names ſhould hinder the paſſage of the truth, Secondly, if the Penmen be in no requeſt in the Church of God, it is pitie that their diſregard ſhould hinder a profitable booke.
Vſe.The vſe of this point may iuſtly be to tax a great many nameleſſe railing books, ſent out by Anabaptiſts, Separatiſts, & the like, which are ſo vile & ſo bitter, as that the writers thereof hauehave ſeemed to be aſhamed to ſubſcribe their names, as being vnable indeed to iuſtifie thē.
Vſe.This may alſo ſerue to iuſtifie the practiſe of reuerent Miniſters, which vſe to ſubſcribe their names vntounto their writings. Their practiſe in publiſhing their names is not hypocriticall and vaine-glorious, but Apoſtolicall and ſincere: 1. Theſſ. 3 17what they do in publiſhing their names, the Apoſtles did before them, as we ſee.
A ſeruant of Ieſus Chriſt. Peter was a great Apoſtle, and one that had obtained a great degree among men, and yet hee profeſſeth himſelfe but a ſeruant of Ieſus Chriſt; and indeed Doctrine.the chiefe of the creatures are but ſeruants in this reſpect. Dauid though a King, yet profeſſeth himſelfe but a ſeruant, in reſpect of God. Pſal. 116.16. Yea the very Angels acknowledge themſelues to be but fellow ſeruants with vsus in the ſame regard, Reuel. 19.10.
Vſe.This makes much for the glorie of Chriſt. We may ſay of Chriſt, as it is ſaid of Melchiſedech, Heb. 7.4. How great was this man vntounto whom the Patriarch Abraham payed tithes? So, how great was this God and man, vntounto whom Kings, Apoſtles, and Angels profeſſe themſelues to be but ſeruants. And this ſhould ſerue to remoue the ſcandall of the Croſſe. They that take offence at Chriſt, becauſe he dyed ſuch a baſe death, ſhould remember withall what the Scripture noteth concerning the glory of Chriſt.
Vſe.This alſo ſhould teach eueryevery Chriſtian, not to be aſhamed to profeſſe themſelues to be the ſeruants of Chriſt. We need not be aſhamed of our Maiſter, for he is a God; nor of our worke, for it is honeſt; nor of our (though vndeſerued) wages, for that is no leſſe then a kingdome; therefore let vsus profeſſe without ſhame or abaſhment.
And an Apoſtle. There were fiue orders of Miniſters appointed by Chriſt, Epheſ. 4.11. viz. Apoſtles, Prophets, Euangeliſts, Paſtours and Doctours; amongſt theſe fiue orders, the Apoſtles were the chiefe, and therefore are named in that fore-named Text before the Prophets, becauſe indeed they liued to ſee all things accompliſhed, which the Prophets and Iohn the Baptiſt did not. Now the office of an Apoſtle was firſt to plant Churches, 1. Cor. 3.6. Paul may plant; and ſecondly, to hauehave eſpeciall ſway in Eccleſiaſticall gouernment, Acts 15.3. they were to decide controuerſies. Thirdly, to work miracles, Matth. 10.8. heale the ſicke, caſt out diuels, &c. Fourthly, to preach to the whole world, Math. 28.19. and that by extraordinary reuelation, Matth 10.20. It is not yee that ſpeake, but the Spirit of your Father which ſpeaketh in you.
Now Peter was ſuch a Miniſter, and not an ordinarie teacher.
An Apostle of Ieſus Chriſt. Here Peter doth intimate vntounto the Church, that their duty was to receiue his doctrine, for he came vntounto them as an Apoſtle or meſſenger, from Chriſt, and did ſpeake from him.
And indeed, Doctrine.vnleſſe a Miniſter ſpeake as the words of Chriſt, we are not to receiue him, nor his doctrine.
If any come vntounto you, & bring you not this doctrine, receiue him not to houſe, ſaith the Apoſtle, in the ſecond Epiſtle of Iohn, the tenth verſe.
And it is ſet downe as the commendation of Gods people, in Iohn 10.5. that they will not follow a ſtranger, but flie from him, &c.
Vſe.The vſe of this is, to teach vsus Miniſters, that if we will hauehave Gods people to receiue our doctrine, then we muſt ſpeake from Chriſt, and not from our owne ſpirit: we muſt deliuer the ordinances and oracles of Chriſt, not our owne inuentions.
Vſe.Secondly, it ſhould teach the people, as good Baereans, to trie the doctrine deliuered vntounto them, whether it be from Chriſt, or no. And this will appeare if they trie it by the canonicall Scriptures.
To them which hauehave obtained. The word in the originall is very ſignificant, for it ſignifieth to obtaine by lot: whence we may obſerue, That grace is as a portion obtained by lot: and the reaſon is, becauſe, as God is the author of whatſoeuer is giuen by lot, Pro. 16. the laſt verſe, ſo he is the author of all grace which we receiue, 1. Cor. 12.13. All theſe things worketh the ſame Spirit. Secondly, becauſe, as in the deuiding of the lād of Canaan, there was giuen, by Gods diſpoſing, to one Tribe a greater portion, to another Tribe a leſſe, Num. 33.54. ſo to one is giuen a greater meaſure of grace, to another a leſſe, 1. Cor. 12.13.
Thirdly, becauſe, as in that deuiding of Canaan by lot, eueryevery Tribe receiued an inheritance, but with condition, that they muſt fight for it, and caſt out the inhabitants, Numbers 33.52. ſo eueryevery elect child of God ſhall receiue a portion of grace, but yet alwayes prouided, that they caſt out the inhabitants, that is, the ſtrong man. For, if there be not a mortifying of the old man, there can be no putting on of the new.
Vſe.This ſhould teach vsus, not to enuy the gifts of others, though they be better then our owne; it is God which giueth both the greater gift to another, and the leſſe gift to thee: ſubmit to his wiſedome.
Like precious faith. What Faith is, we will not in this place ſtand to define, purpoſing to ſpeake at large of it (if God permit) among the Grounds of Religion, by way of catechiſme, neither wil we inſiſt on the preciouſneſſe of this grace; onelyonly that which we will obſerue, is, Doctrine.That the people may attaine the like ſauing graces as are in their Miniſters. Yea in ſome particular graces the people may go beyond their Miniſters, as we ſee in Aquila and Priſcilla, in Acts 18.26. they out-ſtripped Apollos himſelfe in ſome things. Yea, as we ſee likewiſe in experience from time to time; how many people be there that excell many Miniſters, in patience, in tenderneſſe of heart, in almes-deeds, and the like.
And the reaſon is, becauſe God is a free worker, he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 2.
Vſe.Miniſters therefore muſt beſtirre themſelues, leſt the people out-ſtrip them. And this indeed ſhould be the ſtriuing betweene Miniſters and people, namely to contend who ſhall out-ſtrip one another in grace.
By the righteouſneſſe of God. That is, by his fidelitie in the performance of his promiſe. Whence note, that Doctrine.Gods owne fidelitie is an eſpeciall motiue vntounto God to giuegive grace vntounto his elect. It moued him to giuegive the like precious faith which he gaue to his Apoſtles, euen to his Church & people. And what I pray you moued Chriſt to ſend downe his Spirit in the ſimilitude of clouen Tongues, Acts 2.3. but becauſe he had promiſed ſo to do? Acts 1. verſe. 5.
And it muſt needs be, if God giuegive grace vntounto any of vsus, he is moued thereunto, either by ſomething in himſelfe, or elſe by ſomething in vsus; but there is nothing in vsus naturally to moue God: therefore he muſt needes be moued intrinſicallly, or by ſomewhat in himſelfe, and that is his fidelitie and mercy.
Vſe.Therefore the way to attaine grace at Gods hand, is to vrge God with his promiſe; we muſt ſay as Dauid did, Pſal. 31.2. Deliuer me in thy righteouſneſſe. Let vsus therefore get a catalogue of promiſes out of the Word, ſuch as theſe. I will poure my Spirit vponupon all fleſh, Ioel 2. They ſhall all be taught of God, Ieremy 31. I will giuegive them an heart of fleſh, Ezech. 36. My ſeruants ſhall reioyce, Eſay 65. and then let vsus flie to the fidelitie of God for the performance of theſe promiſes.