Exposition on 2 Peter 1, Exposition · Verse 18
We heard. Whence we may note, that Doctrine.Gods voice is an audible voice. The Lord ſpoke from heauen, and his voice was heard and vnderſtood, as appeareth in this Text and the like. We reade in Iſay 30.30. The Lord ſhall cauſe his glorious voice to be heard, and in Pſal. 68.33. He ſendeth forth his voice, and that a mightie voice, and in Marke 15.34. At the ninth houre Ieſus cried with a loude voice, Eloi eloi lama ſabachthani, and in 37. verſe of the ſame Chapter, Ieſus cried with aloude voice, and gaue vp the Ghoſt.
The voice of God is ſo mighty, as that the inſenſible creatures are ſenſible of it, Hebr. 12.26. Whoſe voice then ſhooke the earth, but now he hath promiſed ſaying; Yet onee more I ſhake not the earth onelyonly, but alſo ſo heauen.
Yea, the dead ſhall heare the voice of the Sonne of God in their very graues at the laſt daie, Iohn 5.25.
Vſe.The audibleneſſe of Gods voice may ſerue to conuince vsus of his mighty power; a ſtrong voice argueth the ſtrength of the ſpeaker; and ſo the mightineſſe of Gods voice doth argue the mightineſſe of his power.
Secondly, it may teach vsus Miniſters which ſpeake in Gods ſtead, not to fauour our ſelues too much, but to ſtraine our ſelues, that we may be heard of the people, and to extend our voices if it be neceſſary to make them audible. And this the Lord requireth, Eſay 58.1. Crie aloude, ſpare not, lift vp thy voice like a trumpet, &c.
Thirdly, it may teach people to do what in them lies, to eleuate the voice of their Miniſter. They muſt pray for him, that God would open vntounto him the doore of vtterance, Epheſians 6.19. Secondly, they muſt not daunt his ſpirit by diſcouragements, but rather put life into him by their encouragements, Ioſua 1.18. where the people ſay vntounto Ioſua, Only be ſtrong, and of a good courage. Thirdly, they muſt beware of rebellion againſt Gods word and diſobedience; for rebellion and diſobedience are an eſpeciall cauſe that the tongue of the Prophet doth cleaue to the roofe of his mouth, Ezechiel 3.18.
Fourthly, it muſt teach vsus to be thankefull, in that the voice of God, I meane the voice of the Miniſtrie, is ſo audible amongſt vsus: in that we hauehave ſo many ſonnes of thunders, to ſound the word in our eares. Chriſt pronounceth the eares of his Diſciples bleſſed, in that they heard, Matth. 13.16. and ſo certainly they were, hauing grace, not onelyonly to heare, but alſo to obey.
We were with him. That is, we three, Peter, and Iames and Iohn: for theſe were the three which Chriſt led along with him when he went into the mountaine where he was transfigured; as appeareth in Marke 9.2. And it is a thing to be obſerued, that Chriſt admitted theſe three aboue the reſt of the Apoſtles vntounto diuers buſineſſes; as when he raiſed Iairus his daughter, he ſuffered no man to goe in with him, ſaue Peter and Iames and Iohn, and the father and mother of the maide, Luke 8.57. Alſo, when he went apart to pray, he tooke Peter, and Iames and Iohn with him, commanding the reſt of his Diſciples to ſtay behind in a place which he appointed them, Marke 14.33.
And ſo here when Chriſt went to be transfigured, he tooke with him Peter, and Iames, and Iohn.
And the reaſon may be; firſt, becauſe Iames, Cephas and Iohn ſeemed to be Pillars, as we reade, Galat. 2.9.
Secondly, it was out of Chriſts owne freedome; it was lawfull for Chriſt freely to vouchſafe certaine priuiledges vntounto theſe three, which he would not vouchſafe the reſt of the Apoſtles.
We were with him. Whence obſerue, that Doctrine.It is an eſpeciall priuiledge to be conuerſant with Chriſt. So it is pleaded here; we were with him when others were not admitted. We ſee by experience, that it is a priuiledge to be familiar with great men: for great perſonages will not be familiar with euerie one, neither is it fit they ſhould. How much more then is it a priuiledge to hauehave familiaritie with God?
Secondly, the benefits receiued by familiaritie with God, do proue it to be an eſpeciall priuiledge. For firſt, by being familiar or conuerſant with Chriſt, we learne many things; according to that in Prou. 13.20. He that walketh with wiſe men, ſhall be wiſe. Secondly, by being conuerſant with Chriſt, we receiue contentment and ioy, as it is ſaid, Ioh. 3.20. But the friend of the Bridegroome which ſtandeth and heareth him, reioyceth greatly becauſe of the Bridegroomes voice. Thirdly, by being conuerſant with Chriſt, we are in ſafety. This Ieremy acknowledgeth in his twentieth chapter and eleuenth verſe: The Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one; therefore my perſecuters ſhall ſtumble, and they ſhall not preuaile.
Obiection.But ſome may poſſibly obiect: Yea but if any be continually in Chriſts preſence, he muſt walke very accurately; he muſt not ſpeake an idle word, nor hauehave a wanton looke. And this degree of preciſeneſſe may ſeeme rather to be a bondage then a priuiledge. Anſw.It is indeed a bondage to the wicked and graceleſſe, to be exerciſed in true holineſſe: but vntounto the childe of God it is the ſweeteſt freedome in the world.
Vſe.Let it therefore teach vsus to labour for this priuiledge (to wit) to walke with God, and to be conuerſant with him; and that we may attaine thereunto, obſerue we theſe directions.
Firſt, we muſt be conuerſant in the word▪ 1. Iohn 1.3. That which we hauehave ſeene and heard, declare we vntounto you, that yee alſo may hauehave fellowſhip with vsus; and truly our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Ieſus Chriſt. Secondly, we muſt beware of ſinne; for God will hauehave no fellowſhip with the ſtoole of wickedneſſe: and, If we ſay, that we hauehave fellowſhip with him, and walke in darkeneſſe, we lie, and do not the truth, 1. Iohn 1.6. Thirdly, we muſt be very conuerſant in works of holineſſe. For, where two or three are gathered together in Chriſts name, there is he in the midſt of them, Math. 18.20.
Vſe.Let it alſo teach Chriſtians which are partakers of this priuiledge of hauing fellowſhip with God, to be thankfull. As Henock was much bound to God for this fellowſhip, and Abraham and Moſes, and Peter, and Iames and Iohn; euen ſo art thou which enioyeſt this fellowſhip, though it be in an inferior degree. If a King ſhould admit thee into great familiaritie with him, and thou ſhouldeſt deſpiſe it, and make light of it, were it not moſt iuſt for him to caſhiere thee out of his preſence, and to depriue thee of his princely familiarity? Euen ſo, if God vouchſafe to be familiar with thee, and thou prize it not, how iuſt is it for him to hide his countenance from thee, and to depriue thee of his familiaritie?
Vſe.Laſtly, this ſheweth the miſerie of the wicked; for they are not partakers of this priuiledge of hauing fellowſhip with Chriſt, but their fellowſhip is with the diuels; with them they conuerſe, with them they conſult, of them they are taught, and them they obey.
In the holy mount. Here it may be demanded, Why Chriſt was tranſfigured rather in a mountaine then in a valley? This might be for this reaſon, namely, that the eminency of the place, might put the Apoſtles in minde to lift their hearts vp vntounto God, and to hauehave their mindes aboue in this holy buſineſſe. For what was the reaſon that the Temple was built vponupon an hill, but for the ſame cauſe? And what was the cauſe that Abraham went vp into the mountaine to offer his ſonne Iſaac, but for the ſame reaſon?
Vſe.Let this teach vsus in heauenly matters, to hauehave our hearts aboue. Heauenly actions ſhould be performed with an heauenly minde; and that we may doe ſo, obſerue we theſe rules. Firſt, we muſt empty our mindes of worldly occaſions, before we come into Gods houſe; we muſt leaue theſe as ſeruants, at the foote of the hill, as Abraham did. 2. We muſt vndertake holy buſineſſes with preparation. 3. We muſt beware of ſuch obiects as diſperſe our thoughts in the time of Gods ordinance.
Holy mount. Why was this mountaine called holy, more then another mountaine? Surely not in reſpect of the earth or matter whereof it conſiſted, but becauſe of Gods preſence.
The point hence to be obſerued is this, viz. that Doctrine.EueryEvery place, during the time of Gods eſpeciall preſence and holy ordinance, is holy. Yea, the very open fields and mountains are holy vponupon this occaſion; as we reade, Exod. 3.5: Moſes come not nigh, put off thy ſhoes, the place where thou ſtandeſt is holy ground. Hence it is that Gods temple is tearmed an holy Temple in Pſal. 5.7. and in diuers other places of the Pſalmes.
Vſe.This makes againſt them which carry themſelues vnreuerently in the houſe of God, and that in the very time of Gods ordinances, either by ſleeping or gazing, or by pride, or by ſtealing, &c. Of theſe it may truly bee ſaid; Thine holy Temple hauehave they defiled; and, My Fathers houſe is the houſe of prayer, but you hauehave made it a denne of theeues.
Secondly, this muſt teach vsus to reuerence Gods Sanctuary, as we are taught, Leuit. 19.30. Whileſt we labour to ſhunne the ſuperſtitious opinions which idolaters hauehave of their Temples, we muſt take heede that we fall not into the other extremitie, to wit, to hauehave a baſe opinion of Gods houſe.