A00665:796
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.
Ye shall never fall. I come to the Ratification: these words are diversely read: Non impingetis, non offendetis, non cadetis: this is the best, [Greek or Hebrew]: Ye shall not fall. The originall ad verbum, yee shall not fall for ever, that is, ye shall fall never. Such a phrase you have, Joh. 13.8. Thou shalt not wash my feet for ever, that is, Thou shalt never wash them. This seems to be derived from the, Psal. 15.5. He that doeth these things, shall never fall.
Yee shall never fall. I come to the Ratification: these words are diversely read: Non impingetis, non offendetis, non cadetis: this is the best, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉: Ye shall not fall. The originall ad verbum, yee shall not fall for ever, that is, yee shall fall never. Such a phrase you have, Ioh. 13.8. Thou shalt not wash my feete for ever, that is, Thou shalt never wash them. This seemes to be derived from the, Psal. 15.5. He that doeth these things, shall never fall.
But here the Apostle seems to attribute something to our works; as if the merit, of our doing, should preserve us from falling. No, he speaks not De causa misericordiae, sed de via gratiae; not concerning the cause of mercy, but the way of grace. Our own works do not uphold us, but assure us by a token that we are upholden of God. Sunt testimonia electionis quâ fulcimur: they are the inseparable effects of that grace, by which we are kept from falling. So long as we feel thy pulse beating, we are sure thou livest: yet the beating of thy pulse is not the cause thou livest, but a sign by the effects. Bellarmine observes, that CHRIST says not definitively; you are unprofitable servants, Luk. 7.10. But when ye shall have done all that is commanded you, Say, we are unprofitable servants. Dicite, say so, for good manners sake, and the acknowledgement of humility. Nay, but rather subscribe to verity; say so, and say the truth: for CHRIST might give something in charge, Propter humilitatem, to beget in us humility; but nothing contra veritatem, never any thing against the truth. The God of verity never bad us lie: say so then, and say truly, that we are unprofitable servants: