Analytical Exposition of Peters Epistles, Letter 2 · Chapter 1 · Verse 9
Verse 9. But he that lacketh these things, is blinde, and cannot see farre off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sinnes.
The Analysis.
THis is the second argument whereby the exhortation of the Apostle is confirmed; and it is taken from the disprofits that befall all those that are strangers to these vertues. And these disprofits are contrary to those profits whereof mention was made in the former verse. For the Apostle would say that they which have not these vertues, are quite barren and unfruitfull. But he doth not barely expresse this, but sets it forth by the causes thereof. And the causes are two, blindnesse and forgetfulnesse. For he that is blinde, must needs be barren and unfruitfull, and unfit to do those businesses especially, which require the eye sight: and he that forgets the benefit which he hath received, it is no wonder, if he bring forth no fruit worthy of that benefit. Their forgetfulnesse is set forth by the object or benefit which they should remember, that is, their purification from their old sinnes. By blindnesse in this place is meant, not the privation of their corporall sight, or of their naturall understanding, but of that spirituall perfection, whereby we come to the saving knowledge of those things that pertaine to the kingdome of God, and our eternall life. By those things that are farre off, are meant things truly spirituall which as touching their nature and condition, are as farre off from carnall men as heaven is from earth.
The Doctrines arising here-hence.
Doct. 1. All that are destitute of vertue are spiritually blinde.
They are blinde in a twofold respect. 1. In respect of that naturall blindnesse, wherein all the sonnes of Adam are born, like that man that was blinde from his birth, Iohn 9. 1 And secondly, in respect of another adventitious blindnesse, which they have brought upon themselves by their sinnes▪ through the just judgement of God blinding those that will not see, like that sorcerer, Acts 13. 11. upon whom the hand of the Lord seemes to have beene, to blinde him. The former blindnesse goes before as the cause, viz. the neglect of vertue; the other followes as the effect. And both of them appeares by those signes that corporall blindnesse doth.
Reason 1. Because those men know not the speciall way wherein they should go.
2. They cannot see those stumbling-blocks that lye in the way, but continually stumble and fall.
3. They cannot so much as discerne the colours of those things which they handle, and therefore as it is, Isay 5. 20. They call evill good, and good evill, &c. And one thing there is that addes to their misery more then is in those that are corporally blinde; namely, that they seeke not fit guides to leade them, as it is said of the sorcerer, that he did, Acts 13. 11. for either they trust wholly to themselves, because they doe not know that they are blinde, Apoc. 3. 17. or else they follow some blinde guide, so that both fall into the ditch.
Vse 1. This may serve to admonish us, to acknowledge our spirituall blindnesse, and to labour to get out of it. For it is in every one of us either in whole or in part. We should therefore thinke with our selves how great a misery it is to continue in perpetuall darknesse and in a most thick myst. Christ wept over Jerusalem for this their blindnesse.
2. To exhort us earnestly to pray unto God, who can open the eyes of our minde. The blinde man, Luke 18. 38. never ceased to cry out, saying, Iesus thou Sonne of David have mercy on me, and when Christ asked him, what he would that he should do unto him, he desired nothing else, but that he might receive his sight, verse 41. So also in spirituall blindnesse although a great part of it was cu…ed in David, yet we see that he constantly prayes unto God, to open his eyes, Psal. 119. 18 So also the Apostle saith, that he ceased not to pray for the faithfull, that the eyes of their understanding might be enlightned Ephes. …. 18 This is the counsell of the holy Ghost, and of Christ, …. 3. 18.
3. To instruct us, …ever to think that we have received sight, untill we finde in our selves th…s study and labour to abound in vertue.
Doct. 2. The forgetting of Gods benefits is a great evill and sinne and brings misery along with it.
For it is here attributed unto those, that are strangers unto vertue, not only as a sinne, but also as a great disprofit, and is opposed to that fruitfulnesse wherein the happinesse of the faithfull doth consist. It is a sinne, because it containes ingratitude in it, and that not the least degree of ingratitude; for though a man be mindfull of the benefit which he hath received, purposing to be thankfull for it, yet if he doth not render thankes, he is said to be ungratefull; yea, and though he doth render thankes, if he doth it coldly, and doth not endeavour to answer the merits of him that bestowed this benefit upon him, and the dignity of the benefit, he is not yet free from this vice; but if he doth quite forget the benefit which he hath received, then he is rightly said to be as it were twice ungratefull.
Vse. This may serve to admonish us, to beware of this kinde of ingratitude, and not to think our selves ungratefull then only, when we do repay evill for good, but also when we doe any way forget the benefit which we have received.
Doct. 3. God accounts him forgetfull of the benefits which he hath received, that is not effectually mindfull of them, that is, that doth not so remember them, as to live answerably.
This is gathered therehence, that fruitfulnesse and forgetfulnesse are opposed. For they are made immediately contraries, so that there is no medium betweene them. Deut. 32. 18. The Israelites are said to have forgotten God for that reason only, because they had forsaken the true worship of God, and his due obedience, as it is explained, verse 15. So Psal. 106. 13. where they are said to have forgotten God and his workes as, often as they murmured against him, although there is no doubt but if they had beene asked, they could have easily related the whole history of those things that God hath done for them in Egypt. After the like manner are the words of Christ to be understood, when he asked his Disciples, whether they had forgotten the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, intimating that it was a manifest token of their forgetfulnesse, that they were at that time so troubled about bread.
Vse. 1. This may serve to admonish us, not to rest satisfied with such a memory as consists in bare contemplation, which God accounts forgetfulnesse.
2. To exhort us, by all meanes to study this art of memory:
Which that we may the better do, let us observe these Rules.
Rule 1. That we do not slightly passe over the thought of these things, but look narrowly into the natures and circumstances of them. For the more plainly we come to understand them, the more firmely do we retaine them.
Rule 2. That having come to such a cleare knowledge of them, we should also call them to minde, so as to consider the efficacy of them; for the more they worke upon the affections, the stronger is the impression upon the memory: thence is it, that children are wont to remember many things, which others forget, because they use to admire all things as new and strange; and wee also doe not easily forget those things which we admire, as being things wherewith we are much taken, Psal. 119. 16. I will delight my selfe in thy statutes, there is the affection; and I will not forget thy word, there is the memory flowing from the affection.
Rule 3. That we should alwayes carry a memoriall with us, whereby the memory of these things may be kept, Numb. 16. 40. This is a memoriall. Now our memoriall is the word of God chiefly, which in that respect we should daily read and meditate upon.
Doct. 4. Our purification from sinne is a benefit never to be forgotten.
Reason▪ 1. Because it is very great in it selfe and its owne nature, seeing by it we are freed from the guilt and dominion of sinne, from the the curse of the law, from the anger of God and eternall death.
2. Because it is of great force and efficacy to stirre us up to labour to be thankfull, and to abound in vertue, as here it appeares by the manner of arguing, which the Apostle useth. For that cause also Paul, Rom. 12. 1. and in other places exhorteth the faithfull by the mercies of God.
Vse 1. This may serve to condemne those, that do either not think at all upon the mercy of God, and redemption through Christ; or else turne it into an occasion of sinne.
2. To exhort us, daily to meditate upon this benefit, and not to satisfie our selves, unlesse we are daily stirred up by this argument to the practise of piety.
Doct. 5. All the sinnes from which we are purged in Christ, must be accounted old, that is, out of use, forsaken, dead, never to be taken up againe.