A00665:788
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.
For the Condition, we must first do and then have, not first have the reward and then do. Indeed we must first have Unde, grace whereby to do before we do: but not the reward till we have done. Among men he first serves, that deserves: for God, we can merit nothing by doing, yet we shall have nothing without doing. The good man sayes, Non mereor gloriam, sed vereor vindictam: I deserve not reward for my goodness, but I fear punishment for my sinfulness. Let me look to my obedience, let GOD alone with my recompense. The tenor of the Scripture doth always set the work before the wages, Luke 19.17. Well done good servant: then Enter into thy LORDS joy, Matth. 20.8. First call the Labourers; and if they have laboured, then Give them their hire, Rev. 22.12, I come and my reward is with me; to give every man according to his work. First, we must arm, then fight: first fight, then conquer: first conquer, then triumph. Isaiah 62.11. His reward is with him, and his work before him. His work is before him, but his reward he brings with him. First, seek the Kingdom of heaven: ⟨p. 222⟩first seek it, then find it. There is none among us, but looks for eternal blessedness: but where is our precedent obedience? GOD is not such a Prodigal, to deal his treasures among them that never sought to please him. Quidam luxuriantur in Christo. 1Some are too bold with CHRIST, they spend too fast upon his stock: indeed through their own default, his riches mal• them poor. The conceit of his sufficiency causes them to neglect their own deficiency: they will fail in doing, yet CHRIST must not fail in Crowning. They forget their first, yet expect Gods last. They are deceived; if they will not first do these things, they shall fall. It was a prayer of the Jews every morning; Puram animam, quam mihi dedisti, da ut tibi restituam: so let it be ours, Lord, as thou gavest me an undefiled soul, so grant I may return thee an undefiled one again. Let us spend this short time in agendo quae ad gratiam, in doing the works of grace; that we may spend that eternal time in habendo quae ad gloriam, in possessing the riches of glory.