Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Commentary 17
A COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION VponUpon the ſecond Epiſtle generall of S. PETER.
CHAP. I. Verſe 1. A ſervant]
THe Pope, who will needs ſtile himſelf, A ſervant of ſervants, is herein the ſucceſſour not of Peter, but of curſed Cham. He ſtamps in his coyn, That Nation and countrey that will not ſerve thee, ſhall be rooted out, and ſo bewraies his putid hypocriſie.
Like precious faith] Precious as gold tried in the fire, that maketh rich, Revel. 3.18, And like precious (though of different degrees) In regard of 1. The Authour, God. 2. The object, Chriſt. 3. The means of working it, the Spirit and Word. 4. The end of it, ſalvation. 5. The eſſentiall property of it, of handfaſting us to Chriſt. A childe may hold a ring in his hand, as well, though not as faſt as a man.
Verſe 2. Through the knowledge] There is not a new notion, or a further enlargement of ſaving knowledge, but it brings ſome grace and peace with it. All the grace that a man hath, it paſſeth thorow the underſtanding: and the difference of ſtature in Chriſtianity grows from different degrees of knowledge. Grace and truth came by Ieſus Chriſt, Joh. 1.17.
Verſe 3. To glory and vertue] To glory as the end, to vertue as the means. The very Heathens made their paſſage to the temple of honour thorow the temple of vertue. Do worthily, and be famous, Ruth 4.11.
Verſe 4. Exceeding great and precious] Every precious ſtone hath an egregious vertue in it:Cardan. Subti. l 7. ſo hath every promiſe. The promiſes, ſaith one, are a precious book, every leaf drops mirthe and mercy. The weak Chriſtian cannot open, read, apply it; Chriſt can, and will for him.
That by theſe ye might be partakers] As the Sunne when it applies it's beams to a fitly diſpoſed matter, and ſtaies upon it, begins to beget life and motion, and makes a living creature; ſo do the promiſes applied to the heart make a new creature, See a Cor. 3 6.
Of the divine nature] That is, of thoſe divine qualities, called elſewhere, The image of God, The life of God, &c. whereby we reſemble God, not only as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments, but as the childe doth his father in countenance and conditions. It was no abſurd ſpeech of him that ſaid, That the high parts that are ſeen in heroicall perſons do plainly ſhew, that there is a God. Neither can I here but inſert the ſaying of another, Well may grace be called the divine nature: for as God brings light out of darkneſſe, comfort out of ſorrow, riches out of poverty, and glory out of ſhame; ſo doth grace turn the dirt of diſgrace into gold, &c. As Moſes his hand, it turns a ſerpent into a rod.
Verſe 5. And beſides this] q. d. As God hath given you all things pertaining to life and godlineſſe, and hath granted you exceeding great and precious promiſes, ſo muſt you reciprocate, by giving all diligence, or making all haſte, that ye be not taken with your task undone. Acti agamus.
Adde to your faith] Faith is the foundation of the following graces: Indeed they are all in faith radically. Every grace is but faith exerciſed.
Adde] Gr.foreign. Link them hand in hand, as Virgins in a dance. Or, Provide your ſelves of this rich furniture: one grace ſtrengthneth another, as ſtones do in an arch.
Verſe 6 And to knowledge, temperance] That ye be Wiſe to ſobriety, not curiouſly ſearching into thoſe things, whereof ye can neither have proof nor profit. Some are as wiſe as Galilaeus, who uſed perſpective glaſſes to deſcry mountains in the Moon.
Verſe 7.Mar. 10.11. Joh. 11.3. And to brotherly kindeneſſe, &c.] Love we muſt all men, but eſpecially the family of faith, as our Saviour loved the young man, but not ſo, as he did Lazarus.
Verſe 8. If theſe things be in you] What God doth for us, he doth by grace in us. And it is the growing Chriſtian that is the aſſured Chriſtian. Whileſt we are yet adding to every heap, we ſhall be both actuoſi & fructuoſi; and ſo get more abundant entrance, and further in to the kingdom of Chriſt.
Verſe 9 But he that lacketh theſe] Thoſe that adde not to their ſtock of grace, ſhall have no comfort either from the time paſt, for they ſhall forget they were purged from their ſinnes, or from thoughts of the time to come, for they ſhall not be able to ſee things farre off, to ken their intereſt in the kingdom of heaven.
Cannot ſee farre off] Being pur-blinde, blinking, Luſcioſi, qui ſiquando oculorum aciem intendunt, ut certiùs aliquid cernant, minùs vident quam antè, foreign.ſaith Vives. If weak-ſighted men look wiſhly upon a thing, they ſee it no whit the better, but much the worſe.
And hath forgotten] As if he bad been dlpt in the lake of Lothe, and not in the laver of baptiſme. Divers of the Spaniſh converts in America forget not only their vow, but their very names that they received, when they were baptized.
Verſe 10. Give diligence] Say not here as Antipater King of Macedony did, when one preſented him a book treating of happineſſe, foreign, I am not at leiſure. But do this one thing neceſſary, with all expedition.
Your calling and election] We muſt not go (ſaith one) to the univerſity of election,T. C… on Coloſ. before we have been at the grammar-ſchool of Vocation: Firſt, we are to begin below at our ſanctification, before we can climbe to the top of Gods counſell, to know our election.
Sure] Some copies have it, Sure by good works: and indeed theſe ſettle the ſoul, 1 Cor. 15.58. as a ſtake, the more it is ſtruck into the ground, the faſter it ſticks.
Ye ſhall never fall] Stumble ye may: but he that ſtumbles and fals not, gets ground.
Verſe 11. Ministered unto you abundantly] Ye ſhall go gallantly into heaven, not get thither as many doe, with hard ſhift, and much ado. A ſhip may make a ſhift to get into the harbour, but with anchors loſt, cables rent, ſails torne, maſt broken: another comes in with ſails and flags up, with trumpets ſounding, and comes bravely into the haven: ſo do fruitfull and active Chriſtians into Chriſts Kingdome.
Verſe 12.Act and Mon. fol 1…89. I will not be negligent] Miniſters muſt carefully watch and catch at all opportunities of benefitting the people. Dr Tailour the Martyr preached at Hadley his charge on any day, as oft as he could get the people together: and once a fortnight at leaſt went to the almhouſe, and there exerciſed his charity both ſpirituall and corporall.
Verſe 13.foreign. To stir you up] Gr. To rouſe you and raiſe you, ex veterno corporis, teporis & oblivionis, Grace in the beſt is like a dull ſea-coal-fire; which, if not ſtirred up, though it want no fuell, will yet eaſily go out of it ſelf.
Verſe 14. I muſt put off] See the Note on 2 Cor. 5.1. What is this life, but a ſpot of time betwixt two eternities? Our tents ſhall be taken down.
Verſe 15.foreign. After my deceaſe] Gr. Mine out-going, or Paſſage to heaven. The Apoſtle in this expreſſion hath reſpect doubtleſſe to that, Luke 9.31. As Daniel 6.15. referres to Pſal. 2.1.
To have theſe things alwaies, &c.] Dilexi virum (ſaid Theodoſius concerning Ambroſe) I could not but love the man exceedingly for this, that when he died, he was more ſollicitous of the Churches then of his own dangers. And I am in no leſſe care (ſaith Cicero)Mihi non minori curae eſt, &c. Cicer. Lael. what the Commonwealth will do when I am dead, then whiles I am yet alive.
Verſe 16. Cunningly deviſed fables] Artificially compoſed and compiled,foreign. not without a ſhew of wiſdome and truth, to deceive ſilly people. The Jeſuites confeſſe that the legend of miracles of their Saints is for moſt part falſe: but it was made, ſay they, for good intention, that the common-people (the females eſpecially) might be drawn with greater zeal to ſerve God and his Saints.
Verſe 17. This is my beloved Sonne] See the Notes on Matthew 3.17. and 17.5.
Verſe 18. When we were with him] Witneſſes of his glory, and the ſame were ſhortly after witneſſes of his agony. Envy not the gifts or honours of others: ſith they have them upon no other tearms, then to undergo the ſorer trials.
In the boly Mount] Holy for the while, as are our Churches, during the publike aſſemblies.
Verſe 19. A more ſure word] The authority of the Scriptures is greater then of an angels voice, of equall command to Gods audible and immediate voice, and of greater perſpicuity and certainty to us: for beſides inſpiration, it is both written and ſealed.
As unto a light] As the Governour of a ſhip hath his hand on the ſtern, his eye on the pole-ſtar: ſo ſhould we on Chriſt the dayſtar, Rev. 2.28. and 22.12.
Verſe 20. Of any private interpretation] That is, of humane interpretation: Private is not here oppoſed to publike, but to divine, or to the holy Ghost. The old Prophet may bring a man into the Lions mouth, by telling him of an Angel that ſpake to him.
Verſe 21. As they were moved] Forcibly moved, acted,foreign. carried out of themſelves to ſay and doe what God would have them.
CHAP. II. Verſe 1. Who privily ſhall bring in]
OR, Fraudulently ſoist in falſe doctrines under the title of truth, and pretext of piety. Some truths they ſhall teach,foreign. the better to perſwade to their falſhoods. Together with the gold, ſilver, and ivory of orthodox tenets, they have ſtore of apes and peacocks, as Solomons ſhips had. Sunt mala miſt a bonis, ſunt bona mista malis.
Denying the Lord that brought them] Or, Freed them, viz. from their former idolatries and enormities, Ʋt verbum foreign frequentius ſignificat, ſaith one. Or, that bought them, as they conceited, and others charitably imagined: but it proved otherwiſe, as appeared by their apoſtaſie.
Verſe 2.A…. de civ. Del. The way of truth ſhall be, &c.] The ancient Chriſtians were generally hated and hooted at by the Heathens for the heretikes-ſake, who were alſo a kinde of Chriſtians, as Auſtin complaineth. And Epiphanius addeth that many Pagans refuſed to come near the Chriſtians to joyn with them in any good exerciſe, Improbis ſceleſtorum illcrum factis consternati, as being offended at the unclean converſation of divers heretikes, the Priſcillianists eſpecially, whoſe doctrine was,
Jura, perjura, ſecretum prodere noli.
Verſe 3 With feigned words] Covetouſneſſe in never without a cloak, and flattering words (1 Theſſ. 2.5.) for a colour: as, what wool is ſo courſe, but will take ſome or other colour? Seducers pretend the glory of God, and good of ſouls to their worldly and wicked practices, Phil. 3.18, 19.
Verſe 4. If God ſpared not the Angels] Though but for one ſin only, and that in thought only. It ſprang from the admiration of their own gifts, it was confirmed by pride and ambition, it was perfected by envy, ſtirred by the decree of exalting mans nature above Angels in and by Chriſt. Some ſay it was a tranſgreſſion of ſome Commandment in particular (not expreſſed) as Adams was.
Verſe 5. Bringing in the floud] And ſo burying them all in one univerſall grave of waters.
Verſe 6. And turning the Cities] Burying them likewiſe in the dead ſea, after that he had rained down hell from heaven upon them. See my Notes upon Geneſis 19.24, 25.
Making them an enſample] Hanging them up in gibbets, as it were, that others might here and fear.
Verſe 7.foreign. Vexed] Gr. Labouring under it, as under an heavy burden, and as much tortured, as if he had been ſet upon a rack, as it is verſe 8.
Verſe 8. In ſeeing and hearing] Every ſinfull Sodomite was a Hazael to his eyes, a Hadadrimmon to his heart.
Vexed his righteous ſoul] Guilt or grief is all that the good ſoul gets by converſing with the wicked.
Verſe 9. The Lord knoweth how] He hath waies of his own, and commonly goeth a way by himſelf, ſuch as we think not of; helping them that are forſaken of their hopes: Peter (if any man) might well ſay, The Lord knoweth how to deliver his: for he had been ſtrangely delivered, Act. 12.
Verſe 10. But chiefly] See the Note on Heb. 13.4.
That walk after the fleſh] That is, The harlot; as filthy dogs follow after a ſalt-bitch: ſo the harlot is called, Deut. 23.18.Act. and Mon. fol 7 51. The Helvetians had an old cuſtome in their towns and villages, that when they received any new Prieſt into their Churches, they uſed to premoniſh him before, to take his Concubine, leſt he ſhould attempt any miſuſe of their wives and daughters.
To speak evil of dignities] Here we have a lively picture of the Popiſh Clergy. Aretine, by a longer cuſtome of libellous and contumelious ſpeaking againſt Princes, had got ſuch an habit, that at laſt he came to diminiſh and diſeſteem God himſelf. How boldly and baſely doth Baronius bellow againſt the King of Spain his Soveraign? And he defends himſelf againſt another Cardinall reprehending his fierceneſſe thus, An imperious (impetuous he ſhould have ſaid) zeal hath no power to ſpare God himſelf.
Verſe 11. Which are greater in power] viz. then the mightieſt Monarch, Dan. 10.20. and are therefore called principalities and powers, 1 Pet. 3.22. Mighty ones, Iſa. 10.34. See 2 Theſſ. 1.7. Exod. 12.23, 27. 2 Sam. 24.15. 2 King. 19.35. This is all for our comfort, they being our guardians. See my Common-place of Angels.
Verſe 12. As naturall bruit beaſts] Some men put off all manhood, fall beneath the ſtirrop of reaſon, and are beaſtialized, yea ſatanized.
Speak evil of the things] Dare to reprehend what they doe not comprehend, diſpraiſe ſound doctrine.
Verſe 13. To riot in the day-time] See the Note on 1 Theſſ. foreign.5.7. The word here rendered riot. comes of a root that ſignifies to break: for there is nothing that doth ſo break and emaſculate the mindes of men as rioting and revelling. Luxury draws out a mans ſpirits, and diſſolves him.
Spots they are] Blots of goodneſſe,foreign. botches of Chriſtian ſociety.
Verſe 14. Having eyes full of adultery] Gr. Of the adultreſſe, As if ſhe were ſeen ſitting in the eyes of the adulterer.Plutarch Kign pucillam & pacillam o ut… ſignificat. The wanton Greek was ſaid to have his eyes, foreign, Non virgines, ſed meretrices, not maids but minions. Archeſilaus the Philoſopher told a young wanton,Vitijs nobis in animum per oculos eſt via. Quinul. Nihil intereſt quibus membris cinaedi ſitis posterioribus an prioribus. The leper was to ſhave his eye-brows, to teach us to take away the luſt of the eyes, Levit. 14.9.
And that cannot ceaſe to ſinne] Though they have made many Covenants with God, promiſes to men. So Pro. 19.19. They break all, as eaſily as Samſon did the new ropes…
Exerciſed with covetous practices] Which they conſtantly follow, as the Artificer doth his trade.
Verſe 15. The wages of unrighteouſnes] The Mammon of unrighteouſnes, wages of wickednes.
Lucra injuſt a putes justis aequalia d…mnis:
Dum peritura paras, per malè parta peris.
Verſe 16. The dumb Aſſe ſpeaking] The Angel (ſome think) ſpake in the Aſſe, as the devil had done in the ſerpent. Who now can complain of his own inability and rudeneſſe to reply in a good cauſe,D. Ha…'s contempl. when the dumb Aſſe is enabled by God to convince his maſter? There is no mouth into which God cannot put words: and how oft doth he chuſe the weak and unwiſe to confound the learned and mighty?
Verſe 17. Theſe are wells, &c.] Not fitted, nor filled with wholſome doctrine, but as the brooks of Tema, Job 6.17. in a mo…ſture they ſwell, in a drought they ſail. The river Novanus in Lombardy at every Mid-ſummer ſolſtice ſwelleth and runneth over the banks: but in mid-winter is clean dry. So theſe.
Verſe 18.foreign. Great ſwelling words] Gr. Bubbles of words, full of winde, big ſwoln fancies, ſeſquipedalia verba. Swenckfeldius the heretike bewitched many with thoſe big words (ever in his mouth) of Illumination, Revelation, Deification, the inward and ſpirituall man, &c. Faith, he ſaid, was nothing elſe but God himſelf in-dwelling in us. And have we not thoſe now that tell their diſciples they ſhall be Chriſted, Godded, &c?
Through much Wantonneſſe] As Hetſerus and Monetarius the Anabaptiſts,Joh. Manl lcc. com 321. & 490 who corrupted many matrons, whom they had drawn to their ſide.
Verſe 19. Promiſe them liberty] As Mahometiſme, and Popery, which is an alluring, tempting, bewitching religion. Sr Walter Raleigh knew what he ſaid, that were he to chuſe a religion for licentious liberty and laſciviouſneſſe, he would chuſe the Popiſh religion. No ſinne paſt, but the Pope can pardon: no ſinne to come, but he can diſpenſe for it. No matter how long men have lived in any ſin (though it be the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt) extream unction at laſt will ſalve all.
Verſe 20. Again entangled] As a bird in a gin, as a beaſt in a ſnare. Sapè familiaritas implicavit, ſaepè occaſio peccandi voluntatem fecit.Iſidor ſolil. l. 2.
The later end is worſe] They fall ab equis ad aſinos, from high hopes of heaven into hell-mouth; where they ſhall have a deeper damnation, becauſe they diſgrace Gods houſe-keeping, as if they did not finde that they lookt for in religion.
Verſe 21. It had been better] Nocuit ſanè Judae fuiſſe Ape ſtolum, & Juliano Chriſtianum: to begin well and not to proceed, is but to aſpire to an higher pitch, that the fall may be the more deſperate. Non quaeruntur in Chriſtianis initia, fed finis, Act. and Mon. fol 993.ſaith Hierom, B. Bonner ſeemed at firſt to be a good man, and a favourer of Luthers doctrines.
Verſe 22. The dog is turned] Proverbia hac ſunt Canonica, quae Christiano nauſeam commoverent. God will ſpue out apoſtates for ever, teaching them how they ſhould have ſpued out their ſin.
CHAP. III. Verſe 1. This ſecond Epiſtle]
SO muſt Miniſters with one Sermon peg in another: and never ceaſe beating and repeating the ſame point, ſaith S.Aug de doct. Chriſtian. Auguſtine, till they perceive by the geſture and countenance of the hearers, that they underſtand it, and are affected with it.
I ſtirre up] Gr. I rouſe you, who perhaps are nodding with the wiſe virgins, Mat. 25.5.foreign.
Your pare mindes] Gr. Pure as the Sun. Chryſoſtome ſaith of ſome in his time that they were ipſo coelo puriores, Hom. 55. in Math.more pure then the viſible heavens: and that they were more like angels then mortals.
Verſe 2. Mindfull of the words] See the Note on 1 Cor. 15.2. Run to this armory of the Scriptures for weapons againſt ſeducers and epicures.
Verſe 3. Scoffers] Thoſe worſt kinde of ſinners, Pſal. 1.1. thoſe abjects of the people, Pſal. 35.15. thoſe Pests, foreign.as the Septuagint render them, Pſal. 1.1. thoſe Atheiſts that jear when they ſhould fear, and put farre away the evil day, that make no more matter of Gods direfull and dreadfull menaces, then Leviathan doth of a ſword, he laugeth at the ſhaking of a ſpear, Job 41.29.
Verſe 4. Where is the promiſe, &c.] The ſleeping of vengeance cauſeth the over-flow of ſin (the ſinner thinks himſelf hail-fellow with God, Pſal 50.21.) and the overflow of the ſinne cauſeth the awakening of vengeance.
Verſe 5. Willingly ignorant of] A carnall heart is not willing to know what it ſhould do, leſt it ſhould do what it would not, Act. 28.27.
That by the word of God] And that by the ſame word again they may as ſoon be diſſolved, yea reduced to their firſt originall, Nothing. A learned man propoundeth this queſtion, How did the Lord imploy himſelf before the world? And his anſwer is this,D. Preſton of Gods attrib. p. 34. A thouſand years to him are but as one day, and one day as a thouſand years. Again, Who knoweth (ſaith he) what the Lord hath done? Indeed he made but one world to out knowledge: but who knoweth what he did before, and what he will do after? Thus he.
And the earth ſtanding, &c.] God hath founded the earth upon the ſeas, and eſtabliſhed it upon the flouds, Pſal. 24.2. This, Ariſtotle reckons among the wonders in nature, and well he may. God hath ſet the ſolid earth upon the liquid waters for our conveniency, Pſal. Lib. de mirabil.104.6 7.
Verſe 6. Being overflowed with water] Therefore that is not altogether true, that all things continue as they were at firſt, as the ſcoffers affirmed, ver. 4.
Verſe 7. Reſerved unto fire] The old world was deſtroied with water, Propter ardorem libidinis for the beat of their luſt, ſaith Ludolphus: the world that is now ſhall be deſtroied with fire, Propter teporem charitatis, for their want of love.
Verſe 8. One day is with the Lord, &c.] Nullum tempus occurrit regi, How much leſſe to the Ancient of daies? In God there is no motion or flux; therefore a thouſand years to him are but as one day.
Verſe 9. Not willing that any ſhould periſh] See the Note on 1 Tim. 2.4.
Verſe 10. The heavens ſhall paſſe. &c.] The very viſible heavens are defiled with mens ſins, Revel. 18.5. and muſt therefore be purged by fire; as the veſſel that held the ſin-offering, was in the time of the law.
Shall be burnt up] This the very Heathens knew in part, as appears by the writings of Lueratius, Cicere de natura Deorum, and Ovids Metam. lib. 1.
Verſe 11. What manner of men] Even to admiration, Quales & quanti, as the word ſignifies, Mar 13.1. How accurate,foreign. and how elevate above the ordinary ſtrain!
Verſe 12. Looking for] As Siſera's mother looked out at a window, and expecting the return of her ſonne, ſaid, Why are his charriots ſo long a coming? So ſhould we look up and long for Chriſts coming in the clouds, thoſe charriots that carried him up, and ſhall bring him back again.
The heavens being on fire. &c.] A far greater fire then that at Conſtantinople, Blnnts voiage.where 7000 houſes are ſaid to have been on fire at once, an. Dom. 1633.
And the elements ſhall melt,] And fall like ſcalding lead, or burning bell-metall on the heads of the wicked, who ſhall give a terrible account with the world all on fire about their ears. Whether this ſhall fall out in the year 1657. (as ſome conjecture, becauſe in the year of the world, 1657.Alſted. Chr…oi. the old world drowned, and becauſe the numerall letters in MƲnDI ConfLagratiIo, Make up the ſame number) I have nothing to affirm. Sure it is, the Saints ſhall take no hurt at all by this laſt fire, but a great deal of benefit. Methodius writeth that Pyragnus (a certain plant ſo called) grows green, and flouriſhes in the midſt of the flames of burning Olympus, as much as if it grew by the banks of a pleaſant river. And of this he ſaith, that himſelf was an eye-witneſſe. Praeclarum ſanè noviſſimi diei indicium & documentum.
Verſe 13. According to his promiſe] Which is good ſure-hold. For he paies not his promiſes with fair words, as Sextorius did, but with reall performances.
Verſe 14. That ye may be found of him] Watching, working, well-doing. See the Note on Mat. 24 43, 44.
Verſe 15. That the long-ſuffering, &c.] Rom. 2.4. which ſentence Peter picks out of Pauls epiſtles, as one of the choiſeſt, and urgeth it here.
Even as our beloved brother, &c.] Ingenium eſt profiteri per quos profeceris, ſaith Pliny. S. Peter makes honourable mention of S. Paul: ſo Ezekiel of his contemporary Daniel.
Verſe 16. Wreſt as they doe. &c.] When we ſtrive to give unto to the Scripture, and not to receive from it the ſenſe: when we factiouſly contend to faſten our conceits on God, like the harlot, take our dead and putrified fancies, and lay them in the boſome of the Scriptures, as of a mother, when we compell them to go two miles, which of themſelves would go but one, when we put words into the mouths of theſe oracles by miſ-inferences or miſ▪applications, then are we guilty of this ſin of wreſting the Scriptures.Cadem Scripturarum faci …s. Tertullian ſpeaketh of ſome that murther the Scriptures to ſerve their own purpoſes.
Verſe 17. Fall] As leaves fall from the trees in Autumn.
Verſe 18. But grow] In firmneſſe, in fineneſſ… at leaſt, as an apple doth in mellowneſſe: as Oaks grow more ſlowly then willows and bulruſhes, yet more ſolidly, and in the end to a greater bulk and bignes.