310 I. 8. 9 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Lord Jesus Christ. our And diligently to make their calling and election surě, SECT. py as to embrace, and even to those who most unrighteously oppose it, and injure you for your 2 Peter profession of it; For if these excellent things which I have now described, exist and abound in you, they will permit [you] to be neither inactive nor unfruitful, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; but as they must put you upon exerting yourselves in consequence of that knowledge, they will make these your endeavours delightful and effectual for that purpose. But he 9 But he that lackthat is deficient in these things, is blind as to the eth these things, is most important objects of knowledge; at best far off, and hath forhe is very short-sighted, his views are limited to gotten that he was a narrow circle of low and mean objects, which purged from his old lie immediately before him, and cannot take in that enlarged and noble prospect which Christianity sets before him. He shews that he hath contracted a sad forgetfulness of [his] baptismal engagements, and of that purification from the sins of his former life, which he professed to be in search of, and hoped to find by that solemn ordinance which initiated him into the Christian church. blind, and cannot see sins. 10 Wherefore the rather brethren give di calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, 10 And as it would be very fatal to fall from ligence to make your these bright views and expectations into a state of such aggravated condemnation, therefore my brethren, endeavour so much the more diligently to make your calling and your election sure and firm; that having been called into the church of Christ, and chosen to such exalted external privileges, and such glorious hopes, you may not finally lose them; but may be assured upon the best grounds, that you are indeed effectually called by Divine grace, and chosen to the possession of life everlasting. And this important end will be secured, if you resolutely persist in your duty, according to the directions I have now i Calling and election sure.] Mr. Breckel, and Rev. xvii. 14, may perhaps be a furthe ingenious author of the Christian War ther illustration of it, as he well urges. fare, hath taken pains to prove that cal- But I cannot think, that by this we are to ling and election alludes to the manner in determine our notion of the Christian calwhich armies were raised; first, by calling and election; and whoever should atling together all of a proper age to bear arms; and then, chusing out such as were reckoned most proper for that purpose. And he supposes that making the calling and election, Bebalar, stedfast, was aeting in such a manner that they might not be cashiered and disbanded, as unworthy a place in the army into which they had been listed. He has indeed proved by a great number of learned quotations, that this was the case in the Grecian armies; tempt to apply this idea to such phrases in the multitude of places, would find it utterly unsuitable. I have therefore so taken in the idea, which this agreeable writer suggests, as not entirely to drop others, which I think it extremely probable the apostle might have in his view. And it will certainly be a good sense, if we understand the exhortation, Make it an assured thing to yourselves, that you are called and chosen of God. Reflections on the fruits of the knowledge of Christ. $11 things, ye shall never now given; for if ye do these things ye shall never SECT, fall; God will support you with communi fall: i. cations of grace, suitable to any extraordinary 2 Peter trial, to which you may be called, till the whole 1. 10. 11 For so an en- is brought to a happy issue and conclusion. For 11 trance shall be mini so an entrance shall be richly and abundantly adstered unto you abundantly, into the ever- ministered unto you in the everlasting kingdom of lasting kingdom of our our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; you shall Lord and Saviour Je- not only be secure of obtaining happiness there, sus Christ. but shall be received into it with circumstances IMPROVEMENT. WITH all humility let us adore the Divine goodness, in mak- Ver, ing us partakers of the like precious faith with that which he bestowed on the primitive believers. And let it often be con- 1 sidered in this comprehensive and edifying view, as terminating on the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, on that method of justification by him and his gospel which Divine grace hath found out and proposed. With thankfulness let us own the abundant provision made for us, of all things pertaining to life and godliness; and above all, let the exceeding rich and invalu- 3 able promises, contained in the gospel, be reviewed with sin-4 cere delight, and be esteemed as our securest and most important treasure. May they actually have all that efficacy they are suited and intended to have, to procure and secure our escape from the pollutions which are in the world through lust, and to advance the Divine resemblance in our souls. How various, and how lovely, 5, 7 are the graces which are here recommended, as what we are with all diligence to add to our faith: courage and temperance, patience and godliness, brotherly kindness, and universal charity! These are the genuine fruits of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus 8 Christ; these, while they honour him, and adorn our profession, will be no less honourable and beneficial to ourselves. Short-9 sighted indeed we are, if we perceive not on the one hand the happy and delightful consequences which they will finally produce; and on the other, how utterly vain our baptismal honours and 312 St. Peter would remind them of what they had been taught; SECT. and engagements, and all external privileges of church-communion, i. will be, if these vitals of christianity are wanting. In order to exVer. cite our indolent minds to pursue these Divine graces with a spirit in some measure proportionable to their excellence, let us frequently reflect on our speedy removal from this world and all its vanities; how soon we must enter upon eternity. O, how desir11 able then to enter on the kingdom of Christ, to be honoured with an abundant entrance into everlasting mansions, to be received as with a cordial welcome, to sail, as it were, into that blessed harbour with a full gale of consolation and joy! Be not deceived; God is not mocked; it is the invariable design of the gospel to produce and advance our holiness; it is the immutable constitution of the kingdom of Christ, that without it no man shall be permitted to see the Lord. (Heb. xii. 14.) SECT. ii. 2 Peter I. 12. SECT. II.. The Apostle, in the view of his own approaching dissolution, reminds his Christian brethren that their religion was firmly founded, as it was attested both by the miraculous voice from heaven, which declared Jesus to be the Son of God, and by the divinely inspired prophecies, which also bore testimony to him under that character. 2 Pet. I. 12, to the end. I 2 PETER I. 12. 2 PETER I. 12. not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know ed in the present truth. them, and be establish 13 Yea, I think it in this tabernacle, to HAVE been exhorting you to cultivate the WHEREFORE I will several graces of Christianity, and urging this as necessary for the security of your eternal salvation; therefore I will not neglect, always to put you in mind of these things; though I am aware, that you already know them, and are well established by the instruction you have received in the present truth, relating to the practice of 13 these virtues. But I account it right and expedient, yea, what by my office in the church meet, as long as I am of Christ I owe to you, and my other brethren, stir you up, by putting as long as I am in this tabernacle, and inhabit you in remembrance: this frail mortal body, from which, God only knows how soon I may be dislodged, to stir you up by way of remembrance, and to endeavour to keep your hearts under as lively a sense of Di14 vine things as I can; Knowing that all these opportunities of service are confined within very this my tabernacle,even narrow limits; and that I must quickly put off this my tabernacle by death, even as our Lord Christ hath shewed me. Jesus Christ hath shewed me by an express pro phecy, 14 Knowing that shortly I must put off as our Lord Jesus For they had not followed cunningly devised fables. be able, after my de membrance. 16 For we have not followed cunningly de vised fables, when we made known unto you witnesses of his ma jesty. 313 11. 2 Peter phecy, and that memorable action of his, when, sECT. just after his resurrection, he commanded me to follow him in token of my readiness to die for him, by the same kind of death which he 1. 14. 15 Moreover, I will suffered. (John xxi. 18, 19, 20) But I will 15 endeavour, that ye may endeavour, to the utmost of my ability, while it cease, to have these pleases God to continue me among you, that things always in re- you may have these things so familiar to your minds now, that ye may also every one of you have them in remembrance after my departure, when I shall have made my exit from the stage of mortality. For twe have not been pursuing 16 after a series of artfully devised fables, while we made known unto you the and coming of power the power and coming our Lord Jesus Christ; they were not fallaciously of our Lord Jesus invented, nor rashly credited by us; but we were Christ, but were eye- eye-witnesses of his majesty, and of the solemn pomp and grandeur with which he appeared 17 For he received at his trausfiguration. For he then received 17 from God the Father, from God the Father illustrious honour and glory; a sublime honour was done him, and a refulgent voice to him from the glory was shed round about him, when such excellent glory, This is a voice was sent forth to him from the magnificent my beloved son, in glory of the Shechinah, which then appeared so conspicuous and glorious, and made that ever memorable proclamation, This is my wellbeloved son in whom I acquiesce, (Mat. xvii. 5,) and in whom my soul is perfectly well-pleased. And this voice which came down from heaven, 18 we, his three distinguished friends, James and John, as well as myself, actually heard, when we were with him in the holy mount, which was, for the time, consecrated by the visible appear19 We have also a ance of the Divine glory upon it. And we 19 more sure word of pro- have a surer and firmer prophetical word, the do well that ye take evidence of which, on the whole, is far more bced, as unto a light extensive and important than that of any single that shineth in a dark miracle, how conspicuous soever: to which, dawn, therefore, ye do very well to adhere, and to take heed to its contents, as to a lamp shining in a dark, honour and glory, when came such there whom I am pieased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. phecy; whereunto ye place, until the day a Surer prophetical word.] Some are of opinion that the apostle intended no comparison in this place, but that the compara. tive is used for the positive; so that it only signifies a very sure provhetical word. As in Heb. xiii. 23, Taxi is used for quickly. Acts xxr. 10, xanatov for well. Compare 1 Tim. iii. 14; 2 Tim i. 17, 18. And pixelpos for the least, Mat. xi. 11; Luke vii 28 Others assert, that the series of prophecies, when explained in the light of 314 ii. Reflections on the certainty of the Christian religion. SECT. obscure, and gloomy place. Observe it there- dawn, and the day-stat fore, and adhere to it, till the day dawn, and arise in your hearts 2 Peter the morning star arise in your hearts, with re I. 16. splendent beams, as the sure herald of an eternal day, whose sun shall no more go down, nor its 20 moon withdraw itself: Knowing this first, as 20 Knowing this first, a matter of chief importance; that no prophecy that no prophecy of the of scripture is of private impulse, or original. vate interpretation. scripture is of any pri21 For prophecy was not brought of old, to the minds 21 For the prophecy of those that uttered it, by the will of man; they came not in old time could not work themselves up to the attainment holy men of God spake by the will of man: but of this extraordinary gift, nor divinely foretell as they were moved by what they themselves desired, and whenever the Holy Ghost. they pleased; but holy men of God, whom he honoured with that important work, spake [as they were] borne on by the Holy Spirit; and they were only his organs, in declaring to the people what he was disposed to suggest to them. Ver. 14 13 15 IMPROVEMENT, MAY that uncertainty, that frailty and brevity of human life, which the ministers of Christ are frequently inculcating upon others, be seriously considered by themselves. Let them remem. ber, that they must quickly put off this tabernacle, and be dismissed from their present state of service; and while they have opportunity therefore, let them stir up the minds of the people committed to their charge, by way of remembrance, and give diligence to make such impressions upon their hearts, that when they themselves are laid down in the silence of the grave, and sleeping among the clods of the valley, by the recollection and improvement of the lessons they taught, survivors may be quickened in their preparation to b Lamp shining in a dark place.] Bishop Chandler supposes, prophecy is so called, because it grows gradually brighter and brighter, as it approaches nearer and nearer to its accomplishment. Bishop Chandler's Defence of Christianity, p. 23. c No prophecy of scripture is of private impulse.] So I render επιλύσεως; and take it to signify, that men did not work themselves up into such agitations, as led them to utter the predictions and oracles recorded. And this, I think, the original will very well bear, and the opposition justify. To interpret it in opposition to the right of private judgment in the interpretation of scripture, is quite foreign to the apostle's purpose, as well as extremely injurious to common sense. See quit Dr. Flem. Christology, Vol. I. p. 147. uw originally signifies a sign or watch-word given to the racers when they were to start. See his Review of the controversy between the author of the grounds &c, and his adversaries, p. 149. |