A00665:792
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.
Now to reduce all these branches to their root, and as we have taken the words a sunder, so to put them together again; all the particulars unite their forces in this one sum, or general Doctrine. The mercy of God in our salvation requires our actual obedience; we must do these things. All the bells of Aaron ring this peal, Deut. 4.1. Hearken unto the statutes and Judgements which I teach you, for to do them, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law, to do them. Not sufficient to know them, but to do them, Rom. 2.13. not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified. There was a woman, Luk. 11.27. that blessed the womb which bare CHRIST: but he replied, Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Yea, that thou sayest is true, she is blessed indeed, and all generations shall call her blessed; but there are others also blessed, even as many as hear the truth, and do it. Blessedness is desired of all, but few will go to the price of it, Psal. 106.3. Blessed are they that keep judgement, and do righteousness: that keep within the bounds of the one, and live in the practise of the other: the one being as it were their ore, the other their compass. Be ye followers of God as dear children, Eph. 5.1. Summa religionis est imitari quem colis: the abstract of religion is to imitate him whom thou dost worship. Such a one hath done me insufferable wrong, how can I forgive him? God would. Another is gotten into my debt, and abuseth my patience, how can I forbear him? God would. Be thou a follower of God in grace, that thou mayest ascend to his glory. A man is travelling to this City; at least in his own opinion he thinks so, and tells all he meets that he is going to London; yet still he keeps his back upon it, and bends his course the contrary way. So ridiculous a thing is it, for men to profess that they are going to heaven, when their whole life is directly forwarding themselves to hell.1