Reas. Because by their effectual calling they have faith, hope, and charity begotten in them, so that they have the principle of all grace in them, nor can any thing be wanting besides the continuation, confirmation, and increase of the same grace. Doct. 11. To obtaine stedfastnesse in grace there is required a fore-knowledge of those things that tend to the confirming and strengthening of our minds.
This is gathered from these words: Seeing ye know these things before.
Reas. Because although our stedfastnes depends upon God, and the effectuall operation of his Spirit, as it is in the conclusion of the 1 Pet. 5.10. Yet God worketh in us not only by a reall efficacy, but also agreeable to an intelligent nature, by teaching and perswading. Now nothing can be wrought by this morall way, unlesse knowledge go before, and so it must be wrought by knowledge, as it is in the text. Vse 1. This may serve to refute the Papists, who maintaine ignorance and commend it in the common people: they are sufficiently refuted by him, from whom they boast that they have received the Chaire, free from all error. For Peter in this place, 1 Requires knowledge of all the faithfull, yea, and fore-knowledge too of those things whereby they might be confirmed against profane men and false teachers. 2 He presupposeth that all that were truly faithfull to whom this Epistle came, were already endued with this knowledge. 3 He presupposeth that his Epistles were so cleare and so easie to be understood that all the faithfull which should read them with godly minds, might understand out of them, and consequently out of the Scriptures, those things, whereby they being forewarned, might be fore-armed against those false deceivers whereof he spake. 2. To admonish us, not so to look for our confirmation, and strengthening from God, as that we should in the meane time neglect the knowledge of those things that tend thereunto, but to use all our endeavour both in generall to know those things that are absolutely necessary unto salvation, and in particular, those things that are necessary for us in our practise upon occasion of any temptation. Doct. 12. Besides knowledge there is required also unto the stedfastnesse of grace a continuall and vigilant heed.
