Exposition on 2 Peter 1, Exposition · Verse 9
He is blinde. Hence we are to obſerue, that Doctrine.Euerie graceleſſe perſon is a blind perſon: and ſo they are termed in diuers places of Scripture, as in Eſay 42.7. where Chriſt is ſaid to be giuen as a Couenant of the People, and a Light of thr Gentiles, to open the blinde eies, and to bring out the priſoners from the priſon, and them that ſit in darkneſſe out of the priſon houſe: and in Romans 1.21. where it is ſaid of the graceleſſe heathen, That their fooliſh heart was darkned: and in Matth. 15.14. where it is ſaid of the graceleſſe Phariſes, That they were blinde leaders of the blinde.
Reaſon.And fitly may a graceleſſe perſon be compared to a blinde man for theſe reaſons.
Firſt, becauſe, as a blinde man is apt to ſtray out of his way, and yet to thinke himſelfe to be in the way; ſo a graceles perſon is prone to erre from the way of Gods precepts, and yet ſtill to ſuppoſe that he is in the ready way to heauen.
Secondly, becauſe, as a blinde man walketh on and ſeeth no danger, but thinkes himſelfe ſafe vntill he drop into a pit: euen ſo a graceleſſe perſon goeth on in his wicked courſe, and is ſecure vntill he ſodainly drop into hell.
Thirdly, becauſe, as a blinde man may eaſily be wronged in his meats, and drinkes, and the like, taking that to be wholeſome which is vnwholeſome; euen ſo graceleſſe perſons may eaſily be wronged in their ſpirituall diet, taking that to be wholeſome doctrine which is vnſound and vnwholeſome.
Fourthly, becauſe, as a blind man is depriued of outward comfort; he ſeeth not the glorie of the Sunne, nor the beauty of the Moone, nor the pleaſantneſſe of the fields and of eueryevery tree: euen ſo a graceleſſe perſon is deſtitute of all ſound conſolation; he may ſeeme to reioyce in the face, but he cannot reioyce in the heart.
Queſt.But here it may be demanded, whence comes this fearefull blindneſſe vponupon mankinde, was man at the firſt created blinde?
Anſw.Not ſo; Adam and Eue were created in the image of God, but ſtriuing for more knowledge then was fit for them, they loſt that ſight and knowledge which they had.
Secondly, the diuel the prince of darkneſſe doth blind the eies of infidels, that the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt might not ſhine vntounto them, 2. Cor. 4.4.
Vſe.Now, is it ſo, that eueryevery graceleſſe perſon is blinde? Then this doth iuſtly meet with that proud ſelfe-conceitedneſſe which is in graceleſſe perſons, eſpecially if they be rich, or learned in humane learning, in that they are ready to ſay with the proud Phariſes, Iohn 9.40. Are we alſo blinde? VntoUnto whom we may anſwer, Yes verily, ye are alſo blinde, being graceleſſe. For whoſoeuer hath not theſe things, is blinde.
Secondly, this teacheth vsus to take notice of this blindneſſe, and to labour to get out of it; let vsus crie after Chriſt as Bartimeus did, Marke 10.51. and let vsus neuer giuegive ouer our ſuite, vntill we obtaine that ſpirituall eyeſalue whereby we may ſee.
Thirdly, this ſheweth what need eueryevery congregation hath of a guide, I meane of a faithfull and vnderſtanding Miniſter. A blinde perſon hath not more need of one to leade him, then we hauehave of Miniſters to guide vsus.
And cannot ſee afarre off. The word in the originall ſignifieth winking with the eies. Whence we are to obſerue, that Doctrine.A graceleſſe perſon is wilfully ignorant.
This is proued out of Matth. 13.15. Their eyes they hauehave cloſed, leſt at any time they ſhould ſee with their eies; and out of 2. Peter 3.5. This they willingly are ignorant of. And out of Iohn 3.19. Light came into the world; and men louelove darkneſſe more then light.
Thus we ſee multitudes which will not come where they may be inſtructed, refuſing to com to the Church, refuſing to dwel in Chriſtian houſes, abhorring to come in the company of the wiſe, and all becauſe they would not be inſtructed.
Reaſon.And why are people willing to be ignorant? Surely, firſt, becauſe their deeds are euill, therefore do they hate the light, Iohn 3.19. They are loath to know the worſt of their eſtates.
Secondly, becauſe they are ſelfe-conceited, and think that they know ſufficient, when indeed they know nothing as they ought to know.
Thirdly, becauſe they are prone to hauehave a preiudicate opinion of knowledge, eſteeming baſely of it; like vntounto fooles which prize bables at an high rate, but deſpiſe things precious.
Vſe.But let vsus beware of this ſinne: for if Chriſt wil come in flaming fire, rendring vengeance vntounto them which know not God, 2. Theſſ. 1: then how much more will he be auenged of them which crie in their hearts; Depart from vsus, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes? Iob 21.19.
Secondly, let euerie one examine themſelues, whether they be guiltie yea or no of this ſinne; and it will appeare by theſe markes: for firſt, if thou contemne powerfull preaching, and wilfully neglect it: ſecondly, if thou art loath that thy conſcience ſhould be pricked with the ſence and feeling of thy ſinne: thirdly, if thou hateſt them that would inſtruct thee: fourthly, if thou ſhunneſt the company and places where knowledge is to be learned: fiftly, if thou ſtandeſt at a ſtay, and endeuoureſt not to increaſe in knowledge: ſixtly, if thou haſt a baſe eſteeme of knowledge; thou needeſt go no further to ſeeke markes, thou art wilfully ignorant. And therefore pray God to giuegive thee repentance, that thou maieſt eſcape his wrath.
And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old ſinnes. By old ſinnes we are to vnderſtand ſinnes committed of old: and graceleſſe perſons are ſaid here to be purged from their old ſinnes, that is, to be iuſtified by Chriſt: not becauſe they were effectually iuſtified; for if ſo, then withall they ſhould hauehave bene ſanctified; but becauſe iuſtification is freely offered vntounto them, and becauſe they make account that they hauehave as good part in it as anie other, therefore they are ſaid to be purged. Laſtly, graceleſſe perſons are ſaid to forget this great worke of redemption by Chriſt, to intimate, that they are groſſely vnthankfull for the ſame. Thus you ſee the meaning of the words.
Old ſinnes. Whence obſerue we, that Doctrine.EueryEvery man and woman are ſinners of old. The wicked (ſaith Dauid) are eſtranged from the wombe, they go aſtray as ſoone as they be borne, ſpeaking lies, Pſalme 58.5. Haſt thou marked the old way which wicked men hauehave troden? ſaith Eliphas, Iob 22.15. Thus Iob maketh mention of the ſinnes of his youth, Iob 13.26. and Dauid of the ſinne wherein he was conceiued, Pſal. 51: all implying that men and women are ſinners of old.
Beſides proofes out of Scriptures, we ſee it manifeſt by wofull experience in the world. For do we not ſee children, before they can ſpeake plaine, to be ſubiect to take Gods name in vaine, to lie, to be proud, to be vaine, and the like? Yes, it is too manifeſt.
Vſe.Let it therefore teach vsus, not onelie to repent of our yeſterdaies ſinnes, and of our new ſinnes, but alſo of our old ſinnes. Let vsus learne of Dauid to ſay, Remember not the ſinnes of my youth, nor my tranſgreſſions, Pſal. 25.7. And be it farre from vsus to extenuate or mince the ſinnes of old, as though they were nothing, becauſe they were committed in our minoritie, or for want of wit, and the like. And much more let vsus abhorre to boaſt of our old ſinnes, as it is the manner of many doting ſinners. But let vsus know that old ſinnes muſt hauehave new repentance; or if they hauehave not new repentance, certainly we may looke that they ſhall hauehave new iudgements.
Purged. Whence note, that Doctrine.There is a meanes whereby to be purged euen from old ſinnes, that is, from the guiltineſſe and puniſhment of them. There is a fountaine opened to the houſe of Dauid, and to the inhabitants of Ieruſalem for ſinne and for vncleanneſſe, Zach. 13.1.
If anie ſhall demand what fountaine this is which purgeth away ſinne: I anſwer, It is no other but the precious bloud of the Lord Ieſus; according to that of Reuelat. 1.5. To him that loued vsus, and waſhed vsus from our ſinnes in his owne bloud, &c. and that in Iohn 13.8. where Chriſt ſaith vntounto Peter, If I waſh thee not, thou ſhalt hauehave no part with me.
Vſe.Let vsus make this vſe of the point: firſt, in that there is a fountaine opened, let vsus bleſſe God for it, and waſh our ſelues in it by the hand of ſound application. Let vsus not ſay with Naaman the Syrian, Are not Abana and Pharpar riuers of Damaſcus better then all the waters of Iſrael? 2. Kings 5.12. But renouncing the puddle of our owne merits, let vsus flie to Chriſts merits, the fountaine of pure waters; and let vsus truſt to him alone.
Secondly, let vsus learne hence to eſteeme ſinne (as it is) to be a filthie and loathſome thing; were it not ſo, what need we to be purged? Yea, let vsus eſteeme it to be a moſt capitall and hainous thing; for elſe, what needed ſuch a ſtrong purgation, as is the bloud of Chriſt?
Thirdly, this may be a remedie againſt deſpaire: for, grant thou art a great ſinner, and an old ſinner; yet thou haſt this comfort, if thou conuert and turne, that there is ſufficient means to purge thee from thy ſinnes, though neuer ſo great, or of neuer ſo long continuance. Come by faith to the Iordan of Chriſts bloud, and it will waſh thee from thy leproſie, though thou waſt a leper borne.
They were purged. Whence obſerue, that Doctrine.Graceleſſe perſons are not exempted from that redemption which is by Chriſt. This is a true ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, That Chriſt Ieſus came into the world to ſaue ſinners, 1. Tim. 1.15. whereby ſinners we are to vnderſtand as in other Texts of Scripture, graceleſſe perſons. The like we reade in Luke 19.18. The Sonne of man is come to ſeeke, and to ſaue that which was loſt. And in 1. Iohn 2.1. If any man ſinne, we hauehave an Aduocate with the Father, and he is the Propitiation for our ſinnes, &c.
Vſe.The Lord offereth Chriſt to all, and the Goſpel preacheth Chriſt vntounto all: if any man therefore receiue not benefit by Chriſt, his condemnation is of himſelfe. For howſoeuer no man hath free will to beleeue if he liſt; yet in that he doth wilfully reiect Gods offer of mercy, therfore he iuſtly deſerueth damnation.
HaueHave forgotten. Hence obſerue, that Doctrine.Graceleſſe perſons are very forgetfull of Gods bleſsings, yea euen of redemption it ſelfe.
Thus it is ſaid of the graceleſſe Iſraelites in Pſal. 106.7 Our Fathers vnderſtood not thy wonders in Aegipt, they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies, but prouoked him at the ſea, euen at the red ſea. And in the 21. verſe of the ſame Pſalme; They forgat God their Sauiour, which had done great things in Aegipt, &c.
The reaſon of which forgetfulneſſe is, becauſe the memorie of graceleſſe perſons is vnſanctified. Our memories naturally being polluted as well as our iudgements or affections.
Secondly, becauſe graceleſſe perſons they know not the benefit of redemption, they feele not the ſweetneſſe of it, and therefore, no maruell if they be forgetfull or vnmindfull of it.
Vſe.This ſheweth how vnworthy graceleſſe perſons are of Gods benefits.
And ſecondly, let all that feare God beware of this ſinne: yea let vsus remember night and day, this benefit of redemption, as being the greateſt benefit of all other.