A00665:608
A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written
A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, written by the blessed apostle St. Peter. By Thomas AdamsA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written by the blessed apostle St. Peter. By Thomas Adams
London: printed by Richard Badger and Felix Kyngston for Jacob Bloome, 1633London: printed by Richard Badger and Felix Kyngston for Iacob Bloome, 1633
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Be in you: this is the sowing; GOD must first prepare the ground, and then sow his seed in it. It is he that unlocks the heart, to entertain these graces. There are six keys whereby things are opened or shut, that GOD hath entrusted into the hands of no other, Angel or Seraphin. The key of rain, Deut. 28.12. The Lord opens the heaven to give rain to the Land in his season. The key of food, Psal. 104.28. Thou openest thy hand, and they are filled with good. The key of the womb, Psal. 113.9. He maketh the barren woman to be a joyful mother of children. The key of the Grave, Revel. 1.18. I have the keys of hell and of death. The key of the mouth, Psal. 51.15. O Lord open thou my lips. The key of the heart, Act. 16.14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia. In all thesey he openeth, and no man shutteth: he shutteth, and no man openeth. Now when he hath thus opened and prepared the heart, he sows in it this spiritual seed. Graces like good herbs, will not grow of themselves: vices like weeds, need no sowing. Man is no more borne with virtues in his soul than with apparel on his back. It is not generation, but regeneration that sows this seed. The seed is good, the sower is God, Gal. 5.22. Indeed there be ministerial deputies; so Paul plants, and Apollo waters, but still God gives the increase. This takes away from our best works all possibility of merit. A meritorious work must be Ex proprio, and Ex indebito. First, it must be our own: but every good gift is from the Father of lights, Jam. 1. Omne bonum nostrum, vel ipse, vel ab ipso. Secondly, it must be beyond our duty and debt: but alas, having done our best, we are unprofitable servants. Heaven is indeed often called a Reward; not factive, but pactive; of covenant, not of merit: God gives it us, not because we have earned it, but because he hath promised it. Justitia nec vestra, nec vera: woe to us if we had no more comfort than we deserve,