will honour them that honour him 153 3 What honour and glory Christ receiued in his transfiguration 155 4 That God hath his time to put honour vpon his children 156 5 Rather then Gods children shall want honour God will giue them honour by extraordinarie meanes 157 6 God dwelleth in the midst of such glory as becometh his greatnesse 158 7 How Christ is the Sonne of God by what kinde of sonneship 159 8 Christ is beloued of God after an especiall maner 160 9 That God the Father was euer wel pleased with Christ 162 10 God is wel-pleased with his Church in Christ 163 11 That one place of Scripture expounds another 165 VERSE 18. 1 That Gods voice is an audible voice 166 2 That it is an especiall priuilege to be conuersant with Christ 168 3 Euery place is holy during the time of Gods holy ordinances 171 4 The Gospel of Christ is an infallible truth 172 VERSE 19. 1 We ought to prize the sentences of Scripture aboue all other speeches or Sentences 173 2 It is the duty of all Christians to giue diligent heede to the word of God 175 3 It is a commendable thing to take heed to the word of God 176 3 That it is the duty of Ministers to encourage people in their practise of hearing Gods word by commending them 177 4 That the word is a light 179 5 The heart of the vnregenerate is a darke place 182 6 Why illumination or the gift of Christ is compared to the dawning 184 7 Why it is compared to the morning Starre 185 8 Differences betweene light in the elect and light in the reprobate 186 9 How long we ought to giue heed to Gods word 186 VERSE 20. 1 That none can interpret Scriptures without the helpe of Gods Spirit 188 2 None should be ignorant that the Scripture is not of priuate interpretation 191 VERSE 21. 1 The Scriptures are not the inuention of man 193 2 The Prophets and Apostles were men not Gods 194 3 That they were men of God 195 4 That they were holy men 196 5 That the canonicall Scriptures were giuen by inspiration 197 6 That the holy Ghost did strongly reigne in the Prophets and Apostles 199 AN EXPOSITION AND CERTAINE COLLATIONS VPON THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER 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 haue obtained like precious faith with vs 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 Pen-men 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 haue 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 vnto their writings Their practise in publishing their names is not hypocriticall and vaine-glorious but Apostolicall and sincere 1. Thess 3 17 what 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 vs 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 vnto whom the Patriarch Abraham payed tithes So how great was this God and man vnto 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 euery 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 vs 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 haue 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 vnto the Church that their duty was to receiue his doctrine for he came vnto 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 vnto 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
tooke Gen. 32.40 The drought consumed him by day and the frost by night and the sleepe departed from his eyes Thus the good woman spoken of in Prou. 31. was a true Christian and behold she seeketh wooll and flaxe and worketh willingly with her hands yea she riseth whilst it is night and eateth not the bread of idlenesse Pro. 31.13.15.27 Thus Paul was a Christian Minister and he laboured more aboundantly then they all 1. Cor. 15.10 A Christian hath a double calling to follow First his generall calling as he is a Christian Secondly his particular calling as he followeth this or that trade of life and this double calling will not suffer him to be idle he may haply want worke in his particular calling at some times but he can neuer want worke in his generall calling he shall haue enough to do to worke out his saluation though he worke day and night therefore a true Christian cannot be an idle person Obiection But some possibly may obiect that in 2. Thes 3.11 I heare saith Paul that there be some which walke disorderly amongst you and worke not at all Answer Such indeede were amongst the Thessalonians but they were not of them Or secondly we deny not but a true childe of God may for a time be ouertaken with idlenesse as he may be ouertaken with other sinnes but idlenesse doth not raigne in him Vse This serues to discouer many to be no true Christians as first many of our gentry which follow no calling but spend their precious time idly and scandalously Secondly our common beggers which cast off all labour and liue by begging Thirdly vsurers which cast off their lawfull callings and liue by vsury Fourthly stage-players and cheators and drunkards and harlots with many others which follow no lawfull imployment These are no true Christians as appeareth by their idlenesse Secondly this may serue to excite vs to auoide idlenesse as we desire to approue our selues true Christians let vs alwayes be found either in our generall or particular calling and that for these reasons First because idlenesse is one of the very sinnes of Sodom Ezek. 16.49 Secondly because it is the breeder of other sinnes 1. Tim 5.13 Thirdly because it bringeth pouerty by a iust iudgement of God Pro. 24.34 And lastly because it bringeth damnation as appeareth by the foolish virgins which were found sleeping Math. 25. Nor vnfruitfull The best Greek copies reade it thus though there be some bookes which reade it otherwise The lesson hence to be learned is this viz. that Doctrine as a true sanctified Christian is no idle person so he is not barren vnfruitful He is like a tree planted by the riuers of waters which bringeth forth fruit in due season Psal 1. yea such as are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.13.14 And the wisedome which is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Iam. 3.17 Thus the Macedonians were true sanctified Christians and their deepe pouerty abounded to their rich liberality 2. Cor. 8.2 The like may be said of Iob in his 31. chapter and of Cornelius Acts. 10.1.2 and of Dorcas Acts 9.39 and of Zacchaus Luke 19.8 and of the poore widdow which cast in all her liuing into Gods treasury Mar. 12.34 and of the good women which followed Christ from Galile ministring vnto him Mat. 27.55 Reason And indeede it cannot be but a true Christian must be fruitfull First because Christ is his roote Rom. 11.18 Secondly because God the Father is his planter Esay 5.2 Vse This may serue to discouer many that make shew of religion not to be true sanctified Christians because they are barren and vnfruitfull their vnfruitfulnesse argueth their vnsoundnesse but let all such remember the barren fig-tree which Christ cursed and let them tremble Secondly It may serue to excite euery one of vs to fruitfulnesse Let vs bring forth fruits worthy of repentance Math. 3.8 Let vs haue our fruit vnto holinesse Rom. 6.22 Let vs be filled with the fruits of righteousnes Phil. 1.11 Let vs offer the sacrifice of prayse to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giuing thanks to his Name Heb. 13.15 And to distribute or communicate let vs not forget for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 They make you Whence obserue and note that Doctrine grace in the childe of God is the cause of painfulnesse and fruitfulnesse Of painfulnesse thus Paul was besides himselfe as it were in the seruency and labour of his ministery because the loue of Christ constraineth him 2. Cor. 5.14 Thus Noah moued with feare prepared the Arke Heb. 11.7 Thus Ieremiah was constrained to preach by that fire of grace which was within Ier. 20 7. Thus Peter and Iohn could not but speake the things which they had seene heard being moued by the Spirit of God within them Acts 4.20 And this puts a difference between the painfulnesse of worldlings of Christians Worldlings are moued to painfulnesse for greedinesse of gaine or the like but Christians by the motion of grace become painfull the one sort are moued by an outward cause the other by an inward Secondly as grace is the cause of painfulnesse in the childe of God so it is of fruitfulnesse For what moued Rahab to receiue the Spies and to hide them from the rage of their enemies but faith Heb. 11.31 What moued the good Samaritane to take care of the wounded man Luke 10.33 but his inward compassion What moueth the good man to lend Psal 112.5 but mercie and louing fauour And this also serues to put difference betwixt a true Christian and an hypocrite For an hypocrite doth all for an outward cause to wit to be seene of men but a true Christian doth that which he doth in sinceritie and by the inward motion of grace In the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ The knowledge of Christ consists mainly in those things first in knowing him to be very God secondly to be very man thirdly to be God and man in one person fourthly to be the second person in the Trinitie equall to the Father fiftly to be conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary and so as followeth of him in the Creed sixtly to know him to be the true Messiah to be the onely Sauiour to be a King to rule ouer vs a Priest to offer Sacrifice for vs and a Prophet to instruct vs seuenthly to know him experimentally to know the working of his Spirit the vertue of his death buriall resurrection ascension mediation and the like This is the chiefe knowledge of all others as the Apostle acknowledgeth Philip. 3.8 yea it is eternall life Iohn 17.3 And Paul himselfe desired to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified 1. Corint 2.2 Yea if a man knew
very God for as a man begets a man like vnto his owne kind so God in like manner must needs beget a God for else we should make God more impotent then man yea then any other creature for euery like begets his like Secondly let it teach vs to admire Gods Philanthropie or loue to man in that he vouchsafed to giue his Sonne his beloued Sonne his onely begotten Sonne to the death yea to the execrable death of the crosse and that for his enemies O vnspeakeable loue O admirable mercy Thirdly let it encourage vs to pray vnto the Father in the name of Christ What will God deny vs if we preferre our petitions in his Sonnes name Surely nothing Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he wil giue it you so saith our blessed Sauiour himselfe Iohn 16.23 That beloued one Whence we may note that Doctrine Christ is beloued of God after an especiall manner He is that beloued one God loueth the world and he loueth all his workes as they are his workes he loueth the elect Angels and he loueth his elect amongst men But he loueth Christ aboue all and that for iust cause Christ is best worthy to be beloued first because of his excellency he is the brightnesse of Gods glorie and the expresse image of his person Hebr. 1.3 Secondly he is most innocent he neuer ttansgressed the will of his Father at any time he finished the worke which was giuen him to do Iohn 17.4 Thirdly he layd downe his life that he might take it vp againe therefore the Father loued him Iohn chap. 10. verse 17. Many other reasons might be alledged to proue that Christ is chiefly beloued of the Father but we will not insist vpon them Wee will rather answer to the obiections which may be made to the contrary Some may obiect possibly that in Iohn 17.23 where it is said that God hath loued his people with the same loue wherewith he hath loued Christ himselfe I answere It is meant of the same kinde of loue but not of the same degree Againe if any shall obiect further that God gaue his Sonne Christ for the redemption of the elect world and therefore that hee loued the elect world better then Christ I answere It followeth not For God did not so giue his Sonne as vtterly to part with him he gaue him indeede to suffer death but he gaue him not absolutely away Thirdly if any shall obiect that the Father did not so tenderly loue Christ as this text may seeme to imply because he suffered him to liue so poore in the world so despisedly because he suffered him to be so wronged to die such a death yea because he stood not by him in his afflictions but forsooke him I answere We must not iudge of the loue of God or of his hatred by these outward things The Sunne doth not alwaies shine to vs but it alwaies shines in the firmament So the loue of God doth not alwaies appeare but it is alwaies feruent in him Vse Let this teach vs the more to admire Gods loue towards vs in that he would giue his Sonne whom he loued so deerely for our redemption yea it must teach vs to be content to part with whatsoeuer we loue best for Gods cause Secondly let it be matter of comfort to the children of God For certainly if God hath not spared his Sonne whom he loued so deerely but hath giuen him to death for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also As the Apostle speakes Rom. 8.32 Doctrine In whom I am well pleased These words imply or denote vnto vs two points First that God the Father is and euer was well pleased with Christ and secondly in him well pleased with the Church For the first point viz. that God the Father is and euer was well pleased with Christ himselfe it is euident First because he is the Sonne of his loue and can any one hate his sonne whom he loueth Secondly because he neuer transgressed the will of his Father at any time and what father is there but he must needes be well pleased with such a Sonne Thirdly it is manifest that Christ was highly in the Fathers fauour at all times in that the Father did so mightily preserue him in his infancy in that he assisted him to doe so great workes in that he heard him at all times Iohn 11.42 and in that he graced him by an audible voice from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Obiection But here some may possibly obiect Did not Gods wrath smoake against Christ for our sinnes Did not Christ treade the wine-presse of the Fathers wrath Yea did he not cry my God my God why hast thou forsaken me vpon the crosse And if so how then is it true that Christ was alwaies in fauour with God Answ I answere Christ endured indeede the wrath of God for sinne namely for the sinnes of the Church and thus Gods wrath did smoake against him and did not spare him but the lord was able to distinguish betwixt Christs person and our sinnes and to expresse his wrath against sinne but yet to be well pleased with his Sonne Vse Let this teach vs not to iudge of the fauour or hatred of God meerely by outward sence God was well pleased with Christ when Christ in the meane time endured persecution and pouerty a shamefull death yea the pangs of hell in his soule in the Garden and vpon the crosse God hid his countenance from Christ in his greatest extreamitie and yet Christ was in great fauour with him And so I say to poore deiected Christians though they may be in great extremitie for a time as though God had vtterly forsaken them yet let them not despaire they may be in base estate for the present and yet be highly fauoured of God with the virgin Mary Luke 1.48.28 They may possibly cry out with Christ my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet indeede be in great fauour with God as we see in this text But to come to the second point As God was alwaies well pleased with his Sonne so in him he is well pleased with his Church And the same point is also implyed in these words In whom I am well pleased For the proofe of the point I referre the reader to that in Ephes 2.16 where it is said that Christ hath reconciled both Iewes and Gentiles to God in one body by the crosse And to that in Coll. 1.20 where it is said of Christ that hee made peace through the blood of his crosse and reconciled all things in heauen and earth Obiection If any shall obiect that in Psal 106.40 that Gods wrath was kindled against his people in so much that he abhorred his owne inheritance and therefore that God is not fully reconciled to his Church or throughly well pleased with it Answer I answere God indeede is