THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERALL OF PETER.




CHAP. I.


3 Hauing spoken of the bountifulnes of God, 5 and of the vertues of faith, 6 He exhorteth them to holines of life, 12 and that his counsell may be the more effectuall, 14 He sheweth that his death is at hand, 16 and that himselfe did see the power of Christ which he opened vnto them.

1 Simon [Note: [1] A salutation, wherein he giueth them to vnderstand that he dealeth with them as Christes embassadour, and otherwise agreeth with them in one selfe same fayth which is grounded vpon the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ, our God and Sauiour. ] Peter a seruant and an Apostle of Iesus Christ, to you which haue obteined like precious faith with vs by the [Note: [a] In that that God standing to his promises, shewed himselfe faithfull, and therefore iust vnto vs. ] righteousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you, [Note: [2] Faith is the acknowledging of God and Christ, from whence all our blessednes issueth and floweth. ] through the acknowledging of God, and of Iesus our Lord,

3 [Note: [3] Christ setteth forth himselfe vnto vs plainely in the Gospel, and that by his onely power, and giueth vs all things which are requisite both to eternall life, wherein he hath appointed to glorifie vs, and also to godlines, in that he doeth furnish vs with true vertue. ] According as his [Note: [b] He speaketh of Christ, whom he maketh God, and the onely Sauiour. ] diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that perteine vnto [Note: [c] Vnto saluation. ] life and godlinesse, through the [Note: [d] This is the summe of true religion, to be led by Christ to the Father, as it were by the hand. ] acknowledging of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue.

4 [Note: [4] An explication of the former sentence, declaring the causes of so great benefites, to wit, God and his free promise, from whence all these benefits proceede, I say, these most excellent benefites, whereby we are deliuered from the corruption of the worlde, (that is, from the wicked lustes which we cary about vs) and are made, after a sort, like vnto God himselfe. ] Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs, that by them ye should be partakers of the [Note: [e] By the diuine nature he meaneth not the substance of the Godhead, but the partaking of those qualities, whereby the image of God is restored in vs. ] diuine nature, in that ye flee the corruption, which is in the [Note: [f] In men. ] worlde through [Note: [g] For lust is the seate of corruption, and hath his place euen in our very bowels and inmost partes. ] lust.

5 [Note: [5] Hauing layed the foundation (that is, hauing declared the causes of our saluation, and especially of our sanctification) now he beginneth to exhort vs to giue our mindes wholy to the true vse of this grace. And he beginneth with faith, without which nothing can please God, and hee warneth vs to haue it full fraught with vertue (that is to say, with good and godly maners) being ioyned with the knowledge of Gods will, without which, there is neither faith, neither any true verue. ] Therefore giue euen all diligence thereunto: [Note: [h] Supply also, and support or ayde. ] ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith: and with vertue, knowledge:

6 [Note: [6] He rekoneth vp certaine other principall vertues, whereof some pertaine to the first table of the Law, others to the last. ] And with knowledge, temperance: and with temperance, patience: and with patience, godlines:
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[Make your election sure.]




7 And with godlines, brotherly kindnes: and with brotherly kindnes, loue.

8 [Note: [7] As those fruites doe spring from the true knowledge of Christ, so in like sort the knowledge it selfe is fostered and groweth by bringing foorth such fruites, in so much that he that is vnfruitfull, did either neuer knowe the true light, or hath forgotten the gift of sanctification which he hath receiued. ] For if these things be among you, and abound, they will make you that ye neither shalbe idle, nor vnfruitfull in the acknowledging of our Lord Iesus Christ:

9 For he that hath not these things, is blinde, and [Note: [i] He that hath not an effectuall knowledge of God in him, is blind as touching the kingdome of God, for hee can not see things that are a farre off, that is to say, heauenly things. ] can not see farre off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his olde sinnes.

10 [Note: [8] The conclusion: Therefore seeing our calling and election is approoued by those fruits, and is confirmed in vs, & moreouer seeing this is the onely way to the euerlasting kingdome of Christ, it remaineth that we cast our minds wholy that way. ] Wherefore, brethren, giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye doe these things, ye shall neuer fall.

11 For by this meanes an entring shalbe ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

12 [Note: [9] An amplifying of the conclusion ioyned with a modest excuse, wherein he declareth his loue towards the, and foretelleth them of his death which is at hand. ] Wherefore, I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things, though that ye haue knowledge, & be stablished in the present trueth.

13 For I thinke it meete as long as I am in this [Note: [k] In this body. ] tabernacle, to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance,

14 Seeing I knowe that the time is at hand that I must lay downe this my tabernacle, euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath [Note: Iohn 21.18. ] shewed me.

15 I will endeuour therefore alwayes, that ye also may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departing.

16 [Note: 1.Cor.1.17. and 2.1. ] [Note: [10] An other amplification taken both of the great certaintie and also excellencie of this doctrine, as whereof our Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God is authour, whose glory the Apostle himselfe both sawe and heard. ] For we followed not deceiuable fables when we opened vnto you the power, and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, but with our eyes we saw his maiestie:

17 For he receiued of God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voyce to him from that excellent glory, [Note: Matth. 17.5. ] This is my beloued Sonne, in whom I am well pleased.

18 And this voyce we heard when it came from heauen, being with him in the Holy mount.

19 [Note: [11] The trueth of the Gospell is hereby also manifest, in that it agreeth wholy with the foretellings of the Prophets. ] We haue also a most sure worde of the Prophets, [Note: [12] The doctrine of the Apostles doeth not shut out the doctrine of the Prophets, for they confirme eche other by eche others testimonies, but the Prophets were as candles which gaue light vnto the blinde, vntill the brightnes of the Gospel began to shine. ] to the which ye doe well that yee take heede, as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place, vntill the [Note: [l] A more full and open knowledge, then was vnder the shadowes of the Lawe. ] day dawne, and the [Note: [m] That clearer doctrine of the Gospell. ] day starre arise in your hearts.

20 [Note: 2.Tim.3.16. ] [Note: [13] The Prophets are to be read; but so, that we aske of God the gift of interpretation, for he that is the Authour of the writings of the Prophets, is also the interpreter of them. ] So that yee first knowe this, that no prophecie of the [Note: [n] He ioyneth the Scripture and prophecie together, to distinguish true Prophecies from false. ] Scripture is of any [Note: [o] For all interpretation commeth from God. ] priuate interpretation.

21 For the prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man: but [Note: [p] The godly interpreters and meßengers. ] holy men of God spake as they were [Note: [q] Inspired of God: and these their motions were in very good order, and not such as were the motions of the prophane soothsayers and foretellers of things to come. ] moued by the holy Ghost.


CHAP. II.


1 Hee foretelleth them of false teachers, 3 whose wicked sleightes and dectruction hee declareth. 12 Hee compareth them to brute beastes, 17 and to welles without water, 20 because they seeke to withdrawe men from God to their olde filthineße.

[False teachers to come.]




1 Bvt [Note: [1] As in times past there were two kinds of prophets, the one true, the other false, so Peter foretelleth them, that there shall be some true & some false teachers in the Church, in so much that Christ himselfe shalbe denied of some, which notwithstanding shall call him redeemer. ] there were false prophets also among the [Note: [a] Vnder the Law, while the state and policie of the Iewes was yet standing. ] people, euen as there shalbe false teachers among you: which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies, euen denying the Lorde, that hath bought them, and bring vpon themselues swift damnation.

2 [Note: [2] There shall not onely be heresies, but also many followers of them. ] And many shall folow their destructions, by whom the way of trueth shalbe euil spoken of,

3 [Note: [3] Couetousnes for the most part is a companion of heresie, & maketh marchandise euen of soules. ] And through couetousnes shall they with fained words make [Note: [b] They will abuse you and sell you as they sell cattell in a faire. ] marchandise of you, [Note: [4] A comfort for the godly: God who cast the Angels that fell away from him, headlong into the darknesse of hell, at length to be iudged: and who destroyed the olde worlde with the flood, & preserued Noe the eight person: & who burned Sodom, and saued Lot, will deliuer his elect from these errours, and wil vtterly destroy those vnrighteous. ] whose condemnation long since resteth not, and their destruction slumbreth not.

4 For if God spared not the [Note: Iob 4.18. iude 6. ] Angels that had sinned, but cast them downe into [Note: [c] So the Grecians called the deepe dungeons vnder the earth, which should be appointed to torment the soules of the wicked in. ] hell, and deliuered them into [Note: [d] Bound them with darkenes, as it were with chaines: and by darkeneße he meaneth that most miserable state of life that is full of horrour. ] chaines of darkenes, to be kept vnto damnation:

5 Neither hath spared the [Note: [e] Which was before the flood: not that God made a new world, but because the world seemed newe. ] olde worlde, but saued [Note: Gen.7.1. ] Noe the eight person a [Note: [f] For he ceased not the space of an hundreth and twentie yeeres to warne the wicked both by worde and deede, what wrath of God hanged ouer their heads. ] preacher of righteousnesse, and brought in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly,

6 And [Note: Gen. 19.13,24. ] turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrhe into ashes, condemned them and ouerthrewe them, and made them an ensample vnto them that after should liue vngodly,

7 And deliuered iust Loth vexed with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked:

8 (For he being righteous, and dwelling among them, in [Note: [g] Which way so euer he looked and turned his cares. ] seeing and hearing, [Note: [h] He had a troubled soule, and being vehemently grieued, liued a painefull life. ] vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes.)

9 The Lorde [Note: [i] Hath bene long practised in sauing and deliuering the righteous. ] knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation, and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement vnder punishment.

10 [Note: [5] He goeth to another sort of corrupt men, which notwithstanding are within the bosome of the Church, which are wickedly giuen, and doe sediciously speake euill of the authoritie of Magistrates, (which the Angels them selues that minister before God, doe not disprayse.) A true and liuely description of the Romish cleargie (as they call it.) ] And chiefly them that walke after the flesh, in the lust of vncleannesse, and despise gouernement, which are bolde, and stand in their owne conceite, and feare not to speake euill of them that are in [Note: [k] Princes, and great men, be they neuer so high in authoritie. ] dignitie.

11 Where as the Angels which are greater both in power and might, giue not railing iudgement against them before the Lord.

12 [Note: [6] A liuely painting out of the same persons, wherein they are compared to beastes which are made to snare them selues to destruction while they giue them selues to fill their bellies: For there is no greater ignorance then is in these men, although they most impudently finde fault with those things which they knowe not: and it shall come to passe that they shal destroy them selues as beastes with those pleasures wherewith they are delighted, and dishonour and defile the company of the godly. ] But these, as naturall brute beasts, led with sensualitie and [Note: [l] Made to this ende to be a praye to others: So doe these men willingly cast them selues into Satans snares. ] made to be taken, and destroyed, speake euill of those things which they know not, and shal perish through their [Note: [m] Their owne wicked maners shall bring them to destruction. ] owne corruption,

13 And shall receiue the wages of vnrighteousnes, as they which count it pleasure dayly to liue deliciously. [Note: Or, litle rockes. ] Spottes they are and blottes, deliting them selues in their deceiuings, [Note: [n] When as by being amongst the Christians in the holy bankets which the Church keepeth, they would seeme by that meanes to bee true members of the Church, yet they are in deede but blots of the Church. ] in feasting with you,


[Page 107]

[The punishment of false teachers.]




14 [Note: [7] He condemneth those men, as shewing euen in their behauiour and countenance an vnmeasurable lust, as making marchandise of the soules of light persons, as men exercised in all the craftes of couetousnesse, to bee short, as men that sell themselues for money to curse the sonnes of God after Balaams example, whom the dumme beast reproued. ] Hauing eyes full of adulterie, and that can not cease to sinne, beguiling vnstable soules: they haue heartes exercised with couetousnesse, they are the children of curse:

15 Which forsaking the right way, haue gone astray, folowing the way of [Note: Nomb. 22.23. ] Balaam, the sonne of Bosor, which loued the wages of vnrighteousnes.

16 But he was rebuked for his iniquitie: for the dumme beast speaking with mans voyce, forbade the foolishnesse of the Prophet.

17 [Note: Iude 12. ] [Note: [8] An other note whereby they may be well knowen what maner of men they are, because they haue inwardly nothing but either vtterly vaine or very hurtfull, although they make a shewe of some great goodnesse: but they shall not escape vnpunished for it, because vnder pretence of false libertie, they draw men into most miserable slauerie of sinne. ] These are [Note: [o] Which boast of knowledge, and haue nothing in them. ] welles without water, and cloudes caried about with a tempest, to whome the [Note: [p] Most grosse darkenesse. ] blacke darkenes is reserued for euer.

18 For in speaking [Note: [q] They deceiue men with vaine and swelling wordes. ] swelling wordes of vanitie, they [Note: [r] They take them, as fishes are taken with the hooke. ] beguile with wantonnesse through the lusts of the flesh them that were [Note: [s] Vnfainedly and in deede, cleane departed from idolatrie. ] cleane escaped from them which are wrapped in errour,

19 Promising vnto them libertie, & are themselues the [Note: Ioh. 8.34. rom.6.20. ] seruants of corruption: for of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome, euen vnto the same is he in bondage.

20 [Note: [9] It were better to haue neuer knowen the way of righteousnesse, then to turne backe from it to the olde filthinesse: and men that doe so, are compared to dogges and swine. ] [Note: Matth.12.45. hebr.6.4. ] For if they, after they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the acknowledging of the Lorde, and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ, are yet tangled againe therein, and ouercome, the latter ende is worse with them then the beginning.

21 For it had bene better for them, not to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnes, then after they haue acknowledged it, to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them.

22 But it is come vnto them, according to the true Prouerbe, [Note: Prou. 26.11. ] The dogge is returned to his owne vomit: and, The sowe that was washed, to the wallowing in the myre.


CHAP. III.


1 Hee sheweth that hee writeth the same things againe, 2 because they must often be stirred vp, 4 because dangers hang ouer their heades through certaine mockers: 8 therefore hee warneth the godly that they doe not after the iudgement of the flesh, 12 appoint the day of the Lorde, 14 but that they thinke it alwayes at hand, 15 in which doctrine he sheweth that Paul agreeth with him.

1 This [Note: [1] The remedie against those wicked enemies, both of true doctrine and holinesse, is to be sought for by the continual meditation of the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles. ] seconde Epistle I nowe write vnto you, beloued, wherewith I stirre vp, and warne your pure mindes,

2 To call to remembrance the wordes, which were tolde before of the holy Prophetes, and also the commaundement of vs the Apostles of the Lord and Sauiour.

3 [Note: 1.Timoth.4.1. 2.timoth.3.1. iude 18. ] [Note: [2] He voucheth the seconde comming of Christ against the Epicures by name. ] This first vnderstande, that there shall come in the last dayes, [Note: [a] Monstrous men, who will seeme wise by their contempt of God, and wicked boldnesse. ] mockers, which wil walke after their lustes,

4 [Note: [3] The reason which these mockers pretende: because the course of nature is all one as it was from the beginning, therefore the worlde was from euerlasting, and shalbe for euer. ] And say, Where is the promes of his comming? for since the fathers died, all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation.

5 [Note: [4] He setteth against them the creation of heauen and earth by the worde of God, which these men are willingly ignorant of. ] For this they willingly know not, that the heauens were of olde, and the [Note: [b] Which appeared, when the waters were gathered together into one place. ] earth that was of

[Of the day of the Lord.]



the water and by the water, by the word of God.

6 [Note: [5] Secondly he setteth against them the vniuersal flood, which was the destruction, as it were of the whole worlde. ] Wherefore the worlde that then was, perished, ouerflowed with the [Note: [c] For the waters returning into their former place, this world, that is to say, this beautie of the earth which we see, and all liuing creatures which liue vpon the earth, perished. ] water.

7 [Note: [6] Thirdly, hee pronounceth that it shall not be harder for God to burne heauen and earth with fire, in that day which is appointed for the destruction of the wicked (which thing he will also doe) then it was for him in times past to make them with his onely word, and afterwarde to ouerwhelme them with water. ] But the heauens and earth, which are nowe, are kept by the same word in store, and reserued vnto fire against the day of condemnation, and of the destruction of vngodly men.

8 [Note: [7] The taking away of an obiection: In that he seemeth to deferre this iudgement along season, in respect of vs it is true, but not before God, with whom there is no time either long or short. ] Dearely beloued, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lorde, [Note: Psalme 90.4. ] as a thousande yeeres, and a thousande yeeres as one day.

9 [Note: [8] The Lord will surely come, because he hath promised: and that neither sooner nor later then he hath promised. ] The Lord of that promes is not slacke (as some men count slackenesse) [Note: [9] A reason why the latter day commeth not out of hand, because God doeth patiently waite till the elect bee brought to repentance, that none of them may perish. ] but is pacient toward vs, and [Note: Ezech. 18.32. and 33.11. 1. Timoth.2.4. ] would haue no man to perish, but would all men to come to repentance.

10 [Note: [10] A very short description of the last destruction of the worlde, but in such sort as nothing coulde be spoken more grauely. ] But the [Note: Matth. 24.44. 1.theßal.5.2. reuelat.3.3. and 16.15. ] day of the Lord will come as a thiefe in the night, in the which the heauens shall passe away with a [Note: [d] With the violence as it were of a hißing storme. ] noyse, and the elements shall melt with heate, and the earth with the workes that are therein, shalbe burnt vp.

11 [Note: [11] An exhortation to puritie of life, setting before vs that horrible iudgement of God, both to bridle our wantonnesse, and also to comfort vs, so that we be founde watching, and readie to meete him at his comming. ] Seeing therefore that all these thinges must be dissolued, what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse,

12 Looking for, and [Note: [e] Hee requireth patience of vs, yet such patience as is not slouthfull. ] hasting vnto the comming of that day of God, by the which the heauens being on fire, shall be dissolued, and the elements shall melt with heate?

13 But wee looke for [Note: Esai. 65.17. and 66.22. reuelat. 21.1. ] newe heauens, and a newe earth, according to his promes, [Note: [f] In which heauens. ] wherein dwelleth righteousnesse.

14 Wherefore, beloued, seeing that yee looke for such thinges, be diligent that ye may be found of him in [Note: [g] That you may trie to your profite, howe gentle and peaceable hee is. ] peace, without spot and blamelesse.

15 [Note: Rom. 2.4. ] And suppose that the long suffering of our Lord is saluation, [Note: [12] Pauls Epistles are allowed by the expresse testimonie of Peter. ] euen as our beloued brother Paul according to the wisedome giuen vnto him wrote to you,

16 As one, that in all his Epistles speaketh of these thinges: [Note: [13] There be certaine of these things obscure and darke: whereof the vnlearned take occasion to ouerthrowe some men that stand not fast, wresting the testimonies of the Scripture to their owne destruction. But this is the remedie against such deceite, to labour that we may dayly more and more grow vp and increase in the knowledge of Christ. ] among the [Note: That is to say, among the which things: for he disputeth not here whether Pauls Epistles be plaine or darke, but saith, that amongst those things which Paul hath written of in his Epistles, and Peter himselfe in these two of his owne, there are some things which cannot be so easily vnderstoode, and therefore are of some drawen to their owne destruction: and this hee saith to make vs more attentiue and diligent, & not to remoue vs from the reading of holy things, for to what ende should they haue written vaine speculations? ] which some thinges are hard to be vnderstand, which they that are vnlearned and vnstable, wrest, as they do also other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction.

17 Ye therefore beloued, seeing ye know these thinges before, beware, lest ye be also plucked away with the errour of the wicked, and fall from your owne stedfastnesse.

18 But growe in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ: to him be glory both now and for euermore. Amen.