may disgrace or bring in contempt that Ordinance in the person of any as these base men do whose guiltinesse and wrath must therefore be exceeding great Doct. 1. The good Angels are some way present at and imployed about the affairs of the children of men not only within the Church as guardians and servants to the Saints Psal 34.7 as witnesses of their Worship 1 Cor. 11.10 and condisciples with them in the study of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.13 But also without the Church in reference to her good executing judgement at the Lord's command upon her enemies Isa 37.36 marring their counsels against her Dan. 10.20 Although they use not now visibly to appear since the worshipping of them hath so prevailed in the Antichristian Church Yet if they were not some way present and imployed as is said the carriage of these Hereticks could not be aggreged from the dissimilitude thereof to the present carriage of the good Angels toward Magistrates as here it is They despise Government and speak evil of Dignities Whereas Angels which are greater 〈◊〉 power and might bring no railing accusation against them 2. Although the power of Angels be smit as themselves are it being the Lord 's incommunicable property to be Almighty Gen. 17.1 Yet that power which the Lord hath given them for the safeguard of the Saints whom they attend Heb. 1.14 and for the terror of the wicked whom they oppose Psal 68.17 doth far exceed the power of the greatest on Earth for whether they be compared with false teachers who by reason of the multitude of their followers are very powerfull or with Magistrates who are the mightiest on Earth they are according to this Scripture greater in power and might 3. The more nearnesse any creature have to God and the more eminent for gracious qualifications they be the more tenderness and compassion will they bear towards creatures that are void of those perfections wherewith they are endued and compassed with infirmities whereof they are free and the lesse delight will they have in their disgrace or destruction Therefore the Angels who do with much alacrity and height of divine zeal execute the judgments of the Lord when they are commanded Psal 103.20 who are witnesses of more of the wickednesse and sinful infirmities of Magistrates than false teachers can be and who do far excel both in perfection do not as false teachers use to do bring any railing accusation against them before the Lord. 4. As the eminency of sinners doth in some respects aggrege their sins because of the power of their example and their great engagements to God 2 Sam. 12.7 So also doth the meannesse of their condition in other respects Prov. 30.21 they being thereby called to the more humble dependance and duty toward God for thus is the sin of these false teachers aggreged that they being such base and mean creatures should despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities Whereas Angels that are greater in power and might bring no railing accusation against them before the Lord. Vers 12. But these as natural bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption The Apostle having shown how unlike these false teachers who despise Magistracy and Government among Christians are to the most glorious creatures of God the good Angels He sheweth here how like they are in this and the rest of their carriage to the basest of the creatures the bruit beasts and the resemblances betwixt them which the Apostle's words may lead us unto are especially three 1. As the beasts are void of humane reason so are they of heavenly wisdom 2. As the beasts do readily trample under foot the most precious things so do they speak evil of the things they understand not whereby is especially meant their opposing of Magistracy and Government among Christians and their slandering of the doctrine of holinesse so much prest by the Apostles as if it had been contrary to the liberty of Christians 3. As the beasts are framed for destruction so are they for utter perdition which is not to be understood as if they that have immortal souls could come to nothing as the beasts but that they are appointed for eternal torment which they do procure to themselves as the beast is appointed for the slaughter Hence Learn 1. However men of erroneous opinions and vile affections may be in so high esteem in the Church by reason of their fair pretences and specious titles they assume to themselves as to draw a very considerable faction therein after them yet doth the Lord esteem such and will in his own time discover them to be what they are in effect base and beastly in their disposition and carriage for here these false teachers who pretended to be the only fountains of consolation to the Church ver 17. and patrons of christian liberty ver 19. by such fair pretences gaining to themselves a numerous party ver 2. are declared by the Spirit of the Lord to be as natural bruit beasts 2. When men are led by their sensual appetite not by holy reason and do become very adventrous in passing most hard sentences against things they understand least they have then the characters of a beastly disposition and carriage for both these are here made resemblances betwixt the beasts and false teachers who as natural bruit beasts speak evil of the things they understand no◠3. When men do thus resemble the beasts in their disposition and carriage it is the clearest evidence that can be that they are appointed for destruction as the beast is for the slaughter and that however they may as fed beasts prosper for a time yet their end shall be much worse than theirs for the Apostle makes the resemblance also in this that as the beast is to be taken and destroyed so shall they utterly perish 4. The punishment that abideth the wicked doth consist in a through and continual torment of soul and body in the privation of all comfort and that to all eternity without any hope of recovery which is imported in this they shall utterly perish 5. Whatever destruction cometh upon wicked men it is of their own procuring they do in time by their sins treasure-up the wrath and gather the fewel which shall seize upon them and burn them up to all eternity for they shall utterly perish in their own destruction Vers 13. And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness at they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you 14. Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin begutling unstable souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practises cursed children Here is a further amplification of the sin and judgement of these false teachers whom the Apostle hath formerly described and threatned The substance whereof is That they shall want
inexcusable who except they will exclude themselves are not excluded by such large expressions of the grace of God as are here He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 6. All those whom the Lord mindeth to save in an ordinary way are first brought by Him to a sensible sight of sin and deserved wrath and to such apprehensions of mercy in God for them through Jesus Christ as maketh them turn in to Him grieving for and forsaking their sins and giving up themselves to His service for those whom He willeth not to perish He willeth and maketh to come to repentance Vers 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth also and the works that are therein shall he burnt up The third thing whereby the Apostle laboureth to satisfie the Godly anent the delay of the day of judgment is That that day will be very unexpected and terrible to secure sinners as the coming of a thief in the night useth to be to a sleeping family and that there will be then a great change and dissolution of the whole frame of Nature and of all things wherein most men place their happinesse the inference from which not being exprest but to be collected from the Apostle's scope is That it is the wisdom of the Lord's People rather to prepare for that day than to complain of the delay or to be anxious concerning it Doct. 1. Similitudes made use of in Scripture do not justifie the actions of men whence these similitudes are taken only they do much commend to us the Lord's condescendency and desire to have us taking up His mind while He dimitteth Himself for our capacity to compare His most just and holy actions to these actions among men which are most abominable and hatefull to Him Therefore is the suddenty and terror of Christ's second coming set forth here by the coming of a thief in the night which practice though it be in it self sinfull and condemned by the Lord Yet it is made use of by Him because the terror and suddennesse of it is so well known to men that they may by it the better conceive the manner of Christ's second coming But the day of the Lord will come as a chief in the night 2. Christ's coming at the last day will be a great surprisal to the most part of the children of men who will not be wakened out of their security by the Word to make preparation for it As for these fore-going signs of that day which the Scripture speaketh of such as the destruction of Antichrist the conversion of the Jews and that great alteration of the whole course of Nature some of them may be done in so little time and so immediatly before that day and others of them so little taken notice of or believed as signs of that day that notwithstanding of them all the most part shall be surprized with it as with the coming of a thief in the night 3. That day of judgment will be a most terrible day to all who do not expect and prepare for it There will be a strange sight and a dreadfull noise when this great Workmanship being on fire shall all rush down and all the delights of wicked men shall be burnt up before their eyes The Lord thereby testifying His displeasure against mens placing their happinesse in these things and their defiling of them by making them subservient to their lusts mean time signifying His purpose to give a more cleanly and glorious Mansion to His own to dwell in In that day the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up As for questions which may be stated here it is much more safe for us to give time and pains that we may be found of Him in peace at that day than to be taken up in enquiring and determining whether the visible Heavens and the Earth and the rest of the creatures of that kind shall then be totally and for ever annihilated or whether there shall be a new edition of them all or of some of them only to be lasting monuments of the power and glory of the Maker and so ravishing objects of the Saints delight who may through that new world follow the Lamb where-ever He goeth Vers 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse In this second part of the Chapter are contained the several uses which the Apostle draweth from his former Doctrine concerning the last judgment and they are especially six The first which is in this Verse is That the consideration of that day should make all the Lord's People very inquisitive how they may be more and more forth-coming for His honour in the discharge of all the duties of holinesse especially those whereby He may be glorified in their conversation Hence Learn 1. The Ministers of Christ ought not to satisfie themselves to draw the Lord's People to a naked contemplation of the Truth which Hypocrites yea Devils may attain unto Jam. 2.19 But they ought to draw every Truth they propound to them to some practical use for the promoting of holinesse in the hearts and lives of their hearers without which peoples condemnation will be greater than if they had not heard or known these Truths 2 Pet. 2.21 Therefore the Apostle doth not think it enough to have defended by reason the second coming of Christ and to tell them of strange events to fall forth at that day But doth here and to the end of the Chapter apply all to them for their use Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be c 2. The whole creation is now in a manner imprisoned and in bondage while they are abused contrary to their inclination to the service of mens lusts and dishonour of their Maker from which slavery they shall be loosed at Christs coming Rom. 8.21 for the word in the original here is used to signify the loosing of a captive or prisoner out of his bonds Act. 22.30 These things shall be dissolved 3. The consideration of this dissolution of the creatures should make these of the Lord's People that are furthest promoted in holinesse very inquisitive after and still aspiring toward a further degree of holinesse than what they have formerly attained knowing that the greater degree of holinesse they attain unto the more comfort shall they have now and the more glory when Christ cometh for the Apostle putteth this question to his own heart and the hearts of all the Lord's People What manner of persons ought ye to be c 4. That holinesse which should be aimed at by
A BRIEF EXPOSITION OF THE First and Second EPISTLES General of PETER BY ALEXANDER NISBET Minister at IRVVIN Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me 1 Cor. 2.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified EDINBVRGH Printed by Christopher Higgins in Harts-Close over against the Trone Church Anno Dom. 1658. To the READER CHRISTIAN READER GOD who is wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working and whose way is in the Sea and His path in great waters doth so in all Ages order the holy Dispensations of His Providence as however our eyes are soon daâ—led and our weak judgments soon confounded in studying thereof yet His holy Purposes concerning the advancement of His Kingdom and the good of His People are still effectual and carried-on In tempestuous and gloomy times He alloweth such as have fled to Him for refuge to believe that it is He who sitteth at the Helm in all Affairs who doth all things well and will make all things work together for good to them who love Him although they cannot distinctly perceive how it shall be so When He letteth-out deluges of Afflictions and other sharp trials upon His People It is but to drive them to His Mercy since other Messengers could not prevail to bring them up to abide and delight in Him that He may crush and take away fewel from those soul-destroying lusts which they would not moâ—tifieâ— and may famish all their idols that they may worship Him And though He do let loose many enemieâ— upon His Vineyard which threaten to consume all Yet not only will it he found in and that very enemies are but Instruments to execute His Purposes and to do only what His Hand and Counsel determined before to be done and that he both can and will in due time give meat out of such eaters and make the letting-loose of errors and troubles contribute to draw His People to love and imbrace the Truth more cordially and lay up their treasure where neither moth nor rust can corrupt nor theeves break through and steal But He can and doth also carry-on His Work in the hands of His own Servants amidst all these disadvantages and causeth His Wall to be built even in troublous times Herein the Lord hath given very ample proof of His magnified mercy toward His Church in this Island whom though He hath been and yet is exercising with such variety of distempers confusion and errors as if all the Locusts of the bottomlesse-pit were let loose upon us Yet we cannot but acknowledge his singular favour in that he not only continueth his Truth among us hiding us and it in the hollow of his hand and preserving a Ministry whom he is pleased to own in the discharge of their Calling But that he stirreth up and enableth so many according to the Talents they have received to lay forth themselves for propagating of Knowledge Truth and the power of Godliness in the present and succeeding Generations As the Lord hath given us an Orthodox CONFESSION OF FAITH and CATECHISM and a DIRECTORY FOR WORSHIP according to the pattern shewed in the Mount So we may say that no Age hath had greater helps for vindicating and clearing the Truths we professe and for helping Christians in the understanding of the Scriptures and directing them in the way of Piety And as some have taken pains to communicate the Labours of forreign A BRIEF EXPOSITION Of the first Epistle General of PETER The ARGUMENT ALthough this Apostle was in a very mean external condition before his calling Mat. 4 18. and wanted not his manifold failings thereafter Mat. 16.22 and 26.70 Gal. 2.14 Yet by the free grace of God he was honoured to be an eye-witness of Christs greatest glory on earth Mat. 17.1 and of his saddest sufferings Mat. 26.27 to convert many thousand souls Act. 2.41 to write this excellent Scripture and to die a Martir 2 Pet. 1.14 compared with Joh. 21.18 19. All which considerations of him may serve to commend to the Church the truths delivered by him The Epistle is directed to the Christian Jews of whom he had gotten a special charge Gal. 2.7 and of whose conversion he had been a prime instrument Act. 2.9 c. The special occasion of his writing to them as appears by the strain of his Doctrine was the rage of Persecution the prevailing of Error and some decay of grace and holiness among them together with the present opportunity of a sin Messenger to carry the Epistle 1 Pet. 5.12 who had a calling to interpret and publickly to explain the same to them 2 Cor. 1.19 His principal scope is to confirm Believers in the Truth to stir them up to constancy and chearfulness under their sufferings for it to grow in grace and to adorn their profession by a holy walking in their several relations as appears by comparing 1 Pet. 5.12 where he resumes his scope in this Epistle with 2 Pet. 3.1 where he expresseth his scope in both The principal parts of this Epistle are three In the first after the Preface Chap. 1. ver 1 2. the Apostle giveth such a description of the excellent spiritual condition of Believers as might provoke them to joy under their saddest sufferings and engage them to these duties of holiness which he presseth in the rest of the Epistle and this is to the 13. ver of the 1. chap. The second part containeth several exhortations with motives pressing the same to such duties of holiness as that most excellent state doth oblige all Christians unto whatsoever their relations or condition be in the world and this is to the 13. ver of the 2. chap. In the third part the Apostle presseth such duties of holiness as are suitable for Christians considered under their Civil Domestick or Church relations and especially such as belong to those who are in a condition of suffering for Christ and his Truth and this is to the 10. ver of the 5. chap. After which is the close of the whole Epistle CHAP. I. THe parts of this Chapter are two In the first after the Preface of the whole Epistle containing a description of the Pen-man of it and of the parties to whom it is directed ver 1 2. the Apostle incites suffering Christians to praise God by raising the song before them wherein he makes clear how excellent their spiritual estate was and holds forth what reasons they had from it of chearfulnesse and constancy under all their sufferings to wit 1. Their regeneration ver 3. 2. Their matchless inheritance ver 4. 3. The certainty of their perseverance ver 5. 4. The shortness and 5. the necessity of all their sufferings ver 6. 6. Their spiritual advantage by them to wit the tryall of their graces especially of their faith ver 7. 7. The happy effects of that faith which by tryals is discovered to be sound
is here described from the property or effect of it it is a lively hope 13. That which keeps the hope of the Regenerate in life and exercise and is the solid ground and cause thereof is that Christ their Cautioner having once died in their room is now risen as a conquerour over all their spiritual enemies Col. 2.15 in testimony that he is fully discharged of all their debt and they in him Rom. 1.4 and 4.25 whereby also they are certified that they shall rise and share with him in the possession of what he hath purchased and possesseth in their name Job 14.2 3. 2 Cor. 4.14 for the ground and cause of this lively hope is here made the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Vers 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you The second reason of that Song of praise which all the Regenerate should keep up in their hearts is that they have a matchless inheritance to look for beyond time which is both excellent in it self and made very sure for them The excellency of it the Apostle sets forth by three properties of it which prove it to excell very far all earthly inheritances 1. That it hath nothing in it self which doth incline it toward any decay 2. That 〈◊〉 admit of nothing from without to stain the beauty 〈◊〉 excellency of it And therefore 3. it doth rema◠〈◊〉 eternity in its primitive and native lustre 〈…〉 are sweetened by this That it is safely kept for 〈◊〉 â—egenerate in a place above all hazard Hence Leaâ—â— Thâ— blessed state which the Regenerate have good 〈…〉 hope for is so matchless and excellent that it 〈…〉 set out by any thing here away The best 〈◊〉 here inclines to a decay is still defiled and faâ—â—â—g one way or other but this inheritance is incorruptiblâ— undefiled and fadeth not away Many words cannot commend it sufficiently for here are several and those mâ—taphorick and negative to tell us that we may more easily conceive and expresse what it is not and what it is like than what it is 2. If the Lords People would keep their hearts in a praising disposition if they would be constant and chearfull in their adherance to the Truth of Christ notwithstanding of sufferings they must have their hearts much taken up with the consideration of the excellency of their portion which is made sure for them beyond time So will they undervalue afflictions by the way 2 Cor. 4.17 18. and rejoyce under them Rom. 5.2 3. So will they despise the pleasures of sin Heb. 11.24 and sweetly digest all pains in the duties of holinesse 2 Cor. 5.8 9. for the Apostle to work up the hearts of those to whom he writes towards this frame doth here commend and propose to their consideration the excellency of their inheritance that it is incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 3. This inheritance which the Regenerate are born unto and have good ground to hope for is nothing else but the Lord himself blessed for ever to be enjoyed by them to all eternity for what is here attributed to it is elswhere in Scripture attributed to him He is the Inheritance of his People Psal 16.5 6. incorruptible Rom. 1.23 undefiled Heb. 7.26 and that fadeth not away Psal 102.27 4. This heavenly inheritance of the Saints doth not come to them by their own purchase or procurement but by vertue of their sonship Rom. 8.17 which they have immediatly upon their closing with Christ Joh. 1.12 as a thing purchased to them by their Father Eph. 1.14 who hath left it to them in legaâ—â— Job 17.24 and lives for ever to be the Executor of his own Testament Heb. 7.25 and is so far from being merited by any of them that it falls as it were by lot as Israels inheritance in Canaan did to which the Apostle here alludes while he sets forth everlasting blessednesse by this word Inheritance which signifies a thing come by heirship left in legacy and fallen by lot 5. This blessed state is made very sure for the Regenerate being from eternity decerned unto them Mat. 25.44 secured to them in time by the promise of the faithfull God Joh. 6.40 and now possest by their Surety and Head in their name Heb. 6.19 20. for the Apostle saith it is reserved in Heaven for them Vers 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time The third reason of the joy and constancy of suffering Believers is That their perseverance is made sure the Almighty Power of God being imployed as their guard and safe conduct by the way to strengthen their faith and keep it from failing till they come to the possession of their inheritance which is ready for them and for the communication whereof the particular time is fixed and set Hence Learn 1. The Lord hath a great mind that the joy and consolation of the heirs of salvation should be strong and full fore-knowing that they are ready to apprehend much matter of fear and uncertainty he guards them on every hand having assured them in the former words that their excellent inheritance was above hazard of being lost here he certifies them that they are no lesse sure and beyond all hazard of being lost in their way to the possession of it An earthly inheritance may be sure enough kept for an Heir but who can service to wit an undoubted right to the salvation of his soul through Christ for the word Receiving here whereby the Apostle expresseth the act of Faith hath in it a metaphor from those Wrestlers who after the victory are taking the prise and carrying it and the word which is here translated the end of Faith may be also rendred the reward of it Receiving the end of your Faith the salvation of your souls 6. Whatever a Believer may lose upon his journey seing he is sure to come well to the end of it and hath his better part the soul beyond peril he may rejoyce in the midst of all sufferings by the way for this may safely be taken for the nearest cause of that joy unspeakable and full of glory which Believers have that while they did exercise their Faith they were receiving the end of their Faith or the reward of it even the salvation of their fouls Vers 10. Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you In this and the two following Verses is contained the last reason of the joy and constancy of Believers under their sufferings which might be branched out in several arguments to that purpose the sum whereof is That all the Prophets and Apostles yea the very Angels of Heaven are Condisciples and fellow-students of this way of salvation which the Gospel holds forth and therefore it is worthy to be rejoyced in even under sufferings for it This tenth Verse holds forth how accurate
to sinners and keeping familiar correspondence with them in the man Christ than if they had such desires as is imported in this word in the Original which hath in it an allusion to the type of the two Cherubims that were upon the Ark looking down into the Mercy-seat Which things the Angels desire to look into 7. The moe attesters of the truths of the Gospel we have the more worthy those have been and the more taken up with the study thereof The more are we obliged to delight and adhere to the same notwithstanding of all sufferings if we slight so great a salvation or faint in our adherance to the Gospel revealing it for any possible sufferings from men great must our judgment be many witnesses may be brought forth against us in the day of the Lord even this cloud of witnesses all the Prophets and Apostles and the Angels of Heaven who have with such harmony and earnestness delighted in this study for this is the force of the Apostles principal argument in this and the two preceding Verses which might be branched out in many pertinent arguments to presse chearful suffering for the truth of the Gospel That the Prophets were such serious and painful students thereof the Apostles also have agreed with them and these same things also the Angels desire to look into Vers 13. Wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ In this second part of the Chapter the Apostle draws from his former doctrine concerning the excellent state and rich priviledges of Believers several exhortations to the study of holinesse and presseth the same by severall motives The first exhortation is That they would draw up their affections which are here called the loyns of the mind because they follow the motions of the understanding from things below and unite them together upon Jesus Christ and their spiritual and eternal priviledges spoken of before The second is That they would study sobriety which is not only to keep themselves free of unlawfull pleasures but mainly to meddle sparingly with lawfull delights The third is That they would live constantly in the believing expectation of that full manifestation of Gods favour and that perfection in holinesse which Christ will bring with him to his own at his last appearance And all these the Apostle doth press by the consideration of those priviledges of believers formerly mentioned as the first motive comprehensive of many others Hence Learn 1. The consideration of our spiritual priviledges by Jesus Christ should stir us up to the study of holinesse our diligence in that study being the means of our perseverance and that which clears our right to take the comfort of those priviledges 2 Pet. 1.10 11. So that what ever matter of joy and praise Believers have it should be turned by them in motives to the duties of holiness and therefore they can have no true comfort in their spiritual priviledges who are by the apprehension of them cast over in security and not quickned to their duty for the Apostle having in the former part of the Chapter held forth many grounds of joy and praise to Believers under all their sufferings from their election regeneration their right to the heavenly inheritance the certainty of their perseverance and other priviledges doth teach them here to turn all these in motives to holiness while he infers from them these and the following exhortations Wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind be sober c. 2. Till the Heirs of Glory be possessed in their inheritance they should still think with themselves that much of their way and work and many difficulties are yet betwixt them and the possession thereof that so they may be kept from security and defection and may be still fitting themselves for their journey and their warfare for this ancient custom of trussing up long garments whence the word here is borrowed was especially used when they were to journey or run a race 2 Kings 4.29.18.46 or when they were to fight Isa 8.9 Gird up the loyns of your mind 3. The affections of the Children of the Lord are oftentimes low and scattered partly while they are sinking under sinfull discouragement Psal 42.5 and partly while they are divided and spent upon base and sinfull objects Psal 119.36 37. both which as main hinderances of Christians in their course toward their heavenly inheritance are supponed in this exhortation to be their too ordinary temper Gird up the loyns of your mind 4. It should be the great study of those who mind their spiritual journey and warfare to get their affections elevated above things earthly united together upon Jesus Christ See Col. 3.1 Psal 86.11 and taken up with their priviledges by Him and the duties their priviledges calls them to otherwise they can no more make progress in their christian course than a man whose garments are about his feet can run or fight Wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind 5. They that would keep up their affections from discouragement or setling upon things earthly would labour to have their minds upward the notions and discourses thereof as the word here translated the mind signifies taken up with things spiritual and heavenly because the affections do follow and depend upon the motions of the mind or understanding for which cause they are here called the loyns of the mind Therefore the Apostle having in the former part laboured to draw up their minds to the contemplation of their spiritual and eternal priviledges he here exhorts to draw up and unite upon these their affections Gird up the loyns of your mind 6. They that would make progress in their journey toward their heavenly inheritance must study sobriety which consists in the composing of the rage and excess of carnal passions and perturbations Luk. 8.35 in the entertaining and expressing a mean esteem of our selves and a high esteem of the least good in others Rom. 12.3 in a prudent wariness to meddle with or vent our opinion of things above our reach or calling Act. 26.25 in a spare medling with all sensible delights though lawful in themselves the excess whereof no lesse indisposeth Christians for spirituall performances than excesse of meat or drink doth a man for his work or journey Luk. 21.34 and in a holy and strict watchfulness as the word in the Original also signifies lest we offend any of these wayes for as all the rest of the exhortations here are given to fit Believers for their journey toward their fair inheritance formerly described so is this Be sober 7. Even those for whom the heavenly inheritance is made sure and who have attained to some comfortable measure of assurance that they shall possess it have need to be stirred up to the study of perseverance in grace and holiness especially to keep their hearts still up in the confident expectation of that
incarnation of Christ and the clearer out-breaking of the light of the Gospel which reveals Him should think the Lord hath had a special respect to them and hath in a peculiar manner designed Christ for them and manifested Him to them that they may be more eminent in holiness and thankfulness to Him for to this end the Apostle speaks thus of Christ Manifested in these last times for you 5. Although experience hath proven that there was a considerable part of time to be after Christs incarnation yet all that is but the last time in regard it is to be much shorter than the time that was before and because after that time though there be a continual increase of knowledge and grace to be expected Ezek. 47.1 c. Yet there is no more change of that way of Worship and Ordinances which Christ setled before He left the world Mat. 28.18 19 20. for which cause among others the times after Christs incarnation are here called The last times Vers 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Having commended Christ the Redeemer he describeth those for whose sakes He was appointed and manifested to wit those who do by Faith flee to God thorow Him and that they may be the more encouraged so to do he leads them to consider the Father as one fully satisfied with the ransom paid for sinners by Jesus Christ seing after the payment of it He hath exalted and glorified Him for this very end That the Faith of sinners may safely and comfortably rest upon God as now pacified toward all that flee to Him thorow Christ Which purpose doth contain the ninth argument to the study of holiness That since the Father hath exalted and glorified our Cautioner in our nature for this very end that we may confidently draw near to Him as to our own reconciled God we ought therefore to live to the honour of the Father and the Son in the study of holiness Hence Learn 1. When ever the Ministers of Christ hold forth the ransom paid by Christ for sinners and the benefits purchased thereby to them they ought also to design and describe the persons who may appropriate the same to themselves and ought not to propose that which is peculiar to some Joh. 10.15 as common to all So shall the few that have right to apply the benefits of His Redemption be the more sure and comforted and others shall not be disappointed for so doth the Apostle here while having described Christ the Redeemer and set forth some of the benefits of His Redemption he comes next to describe what manner of persons they are who may comfort themselves in that Redemption purchased by Him even those who by Him do believe in God 2. Although our Faith may close with any one of the blessed Persons of the Trinity providing we do not divide in our thoughts the Divine Essence which is One in all the Three 1 Joh. 5.7 Yet God the Father considered as the fountain of the Deity to whom we come thorow the Second Person cloathed with our flesh being helped by the holy Spirit the Third Person is that full and most satisfying object with which saving Faith closeth when it acts most distinctly for such an object is here proposed with which the Faith of the Redeemed doth close to wit the whole Godhead in the Father apprehended as ours by the Son incarnate thorow the help of the Spirit as the next verse compared with this makes clear 3. There is no closing with God as ours but by the Mediatour Christ in whom God trysts with sinners who hath merited Gods favour to them the power to believe the same and actually works that Faith in them Who by Him do believe in God 4. Although Jesus Christ being the same God equal with the Father Philip. 2.6 did by His own proper vertue raise Himself from the dead Joh. 2.19 and 10.18 Yet to assure us of the Fathers full satisfaction with the price paid by our Cautioner and because the power of all the Three Persons is one and the actions ascribed to any of them in reference to the creatures are common to all His raising from the dead and exaltation is here as frequently elswhere in Scripture Eph. 1.20 Philip. 2.9 attributed to the Father who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory 5. Gods justice is fully satisfied in the behalf of all that flee to Him through Jesus Christ because their Cautioner is liberate and glory is insured to all such their Head being already possessed in it for in testimony that His satisfaction for the Elect is accepted God hath raised Him from the dead and as a sure pledge that His Members shall be glorified He hath given Him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Vers 22. Seing ye have purified your souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently The tenth motive to presse upon Believers the study of holiness is taken from the former progress they had made therein whence the Apostle infers an exhortation to that particular duty of holiness to wit love to the Saints The sum of both is That since by the power of Christ's Spirit enabling them to obey the Gospel they had gotten their heart-corruptions so far purged out as to attain unto some sincere affection unto the rest of the Lords People Therefore they should study to grow in grace particularly in love to the Saints and that they should labour to have such love to them as sloweth from a sincere desire of their good and by the effects of it doth prove it self to be such Hence Learn 1. The fairer beginnings and further progress any have already made in the way of holiness they should find themselves the more strongly obliged to hold on in that way lest they lose the fruit of their former pains 2 Joh. 8. and prove more dishonourable to God and offensive to others than if they had never entered or made such progress in that way 2 Pet. 2.22 for the Apostle here makes former progress in holiness a motive to further progress therein Seing you have purified your souls c. see that ye love c. 2. As all those whom the Lord hath savingly enlightened and renewed will discern in their souls many filthy and unclean roots besides any that have broken out so their great work should be to have their souls purged from those knowing that from the polluted fountain of the heart flows all the pollution of the life Mat. 15.19 and that except the heart be in some measure cleansed all the purity of the outside is loathsom to God Mat. 23.27 for the Apostle thus describeth the Regenerate that they have purified their souls 3. Although it be the alone work of God as the principal efficient cause
not so thirst cannot conclude they have tasted thereof And therefore an eager appetite after the Word is to be laboured for Hence Learn 1. The Lord Jesus Christ whom Believers seek and serve hath in Him every thing that may be usefull and sweet for them and a strong bensel in his heart to let out the same to them whereof he hath given abundant proof in providing such a remedy for lost sinners as Himself to die for them Tit. 3.4 c. in His daily pardoning of their daily failings Isa 55.7 in His succouring of them under their extremities Heb. 2.18 and in His waiting the fittest opportunity for proving Himself to be such a one to them Isa 50.18 for all these and much more are in this attribute of His as the Scriptures cited which do expresse the effects of His graciousness do make clear and therefore it cannot but be sweet to all that ever have tasted how gracious the Lord is 2. Although all that are in the world do in some sense tast of the goodness of God Psal 145.9 Yet only His own Elect and Regenerate Ones tast of His graciousness as it is manifested in the forementioned effects thereof for it is only the Regenerate who are supponed here to have tasted how gracious the Lord is 3. Although the way of Believers partaking and feeling of this graciousness or sweetness of the Lord be spiritual arising in their hearts from their exercising of their Faith in God as favourable to them through Christ Rom. 5.1 2. Yet it is no lesse real and certain then that which is by any of the outward senses closing with and delighting in their proper objects Therefore as it is elswhere in Scripture set forth by smelling Psal 45.8 and by seeing Isa 45.25 So here as also Psal 34.8 by tasting If so be ye have tasted how gracious the Lord is 4. All that Believers get of Christ in this life is in comparison of that full enjoyment of Him which they shall have in the life to come but a tast a sparing measure to sharpen appetite after more for so it is here called a tasting how gracious the Lord is 5. That which proves our tasts of Christ's sweetness to be kindly and proper to the Regenerate is that thereby our inward and beloved lusts are weakened and we are made to lay them aside and to loath them and our desires after the Word are more sharpened by which the sweet feelings of the Regenerate are differenced from those which hypocrites may have which have no such concommitants Heb. 6.4 for by considering the connexion of this Verse with the former two it appears the Apostle hath prest mortification of sin and desire after the Word for growth as things which could not but be in them if so be they had tasted how gracious the Lord is 6. All those tasts of the graciousness and sweetness of Christ which the Saints may expect in this life are to be looked for in and through the Word for while he makes their former tasts of that kind an argument to sharpen their desires after the Word he doth clearly import that both their former tasts of that sort had been through the Word and that more of these tasts were to be found the same way and no way else desire the sincere milk c. if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious and so would desire to tast more of that sort 7. All the former experiences we have had of the graciousness and sweetness of Christ should sharpen and put an edge upon our desires after more of that sort and after the Word through which those experiences are conveyed for to quicken their appetite after the Word through which the Lord's People tast of His sweetness he mentions their former tasts here If so be ye have tasted than the Lord is gracious Vers 4. To whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious 5. Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ. Here is the fifth motive to the hearty receiving of the Word taken from the great advantage of daily closing with Jesus Christ offered therein and this advantage the Apostle sets forth in several branches as first That Christ should prove Himself a living and secondly a solid foundation to such as by Faith build themselves upon Him Thirdly That however the most part of men reject Him as unworthy to be their choice yet is He the Father's choice and as our Mediatour in high esteem with Him and therefore worthy to be our choice and daily to be made use of ver 4. Fourthly That they who do close with Him as the Gospel offers Him shall be made in some measure conform to Him in spiritual life and stability Fifthly That their union with Christ and the rest of the Saints should be growing more and more strait Sixthly That so they should be made fit for entertaining communion with Himself dwelling in them by his Spirit as in his spiritual Temple And seventhly That by their so doing they should prove themselves to be a People consecrated to the Lord as the Priests were of old to offer up their prayers praises and other parts of their Worship which Christ to whom they are dayly coming doth make well-pleasing to the Father ver 5. From ver 4. Learn 1. With how much greater desire we do receive the Truths of the Gospel by so much the more do we come nearer to Jesus Christ offered therein to enjoy a comfortable communion with Him and to partake of the benefits purchased by Him for if we observe the current of the Apostle's speech we may see that in stead of shewing the advantages of receiving the Gospel he shews the advantages of closing with Jesus Christ offered therein importing these two to be one To whom coming as unto a living stone 2. It is not enough that sinners once come to Christ for life and do close with Him as the Word offers Him to them but they must make a trade and a life of coming to Him daily renewing and strengthening the acts of their Faith in Him for pardon and furniture for every thing they have to do there being much distance still remaining betwixt Him and the best while they are here 2 Cor. 5.8 Ps 73.28 and still a nearer communion with Him attainable Philip. 3.13 for coming to Christ which in Scripture is believing in Him Joh. 6.35 is here prest upon those who had believed in Him before and that by such a word in the present time as signifies the continuation and renewing of the acts of Faith To whom coming c. 3. There is no growth in grace or holiness nor in ability to oppose our corruptions except we be thus coming frequently to Jesus Christ in whom the fulness of grace is Col. 1.19 and who is both our righteousness and
ought to have the written Word so richly dwelling in them that they may be able to confirm every Truth they deliver from that Word and the Lord's People ought to be so well acquainted with the same that though Ministers do not spend time to cite particularly every Chapter and Verse where every passage they bring forth is to be found they may notwithstanding upon the hearing of it faithfully and for the substance repeated to them acknowledge and receive the same for the Lord's mind for even the Apostle here as frequently elswhere doth confirm his Doctrine by Scripture and yet supponing those to whom he writes well acquainted at least with the letter thereof he doth not condescend upon the particular place judging it sufficient to say Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay c. 2. True Faith can have solid footing no where but upon the written Word of God nor should any of the Lord's People be satisfied with the most pleasant notions about Christ Jesus till they see them grounded upon and drawn from that Word therfore the Apostle having in the former words commended Christ as the object of saving Faith doth here repeat again the same commendation of Him from the Old Testament that so Faith might rest safely upon Him as such a one Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone c. 3. Jesus Christ and He alone is that to the Church and to every soul that flees to Him which the chief corner stone whether the lowest or the highest is to the building He is the stone first laid in regard He was and behoved to be actually exercising His Mediatory Office before any sinner could attain to union or communion with God Col. 1.18 He is the stone laid lower than any of the rest in His humiliation Psal 22.6 He bears the weight of the whole Church and of every believing soul Heb. 1.3 He is more curiously wrought than any of the rest of the stones of the building as the chief corner-stone useth to be and engraven by the art of His Father adorning Him with all perfections suitable for the necessities of poor sinners Zech. 3.9 He is the bond whereby most differing Nations such as Jews and Gentiles are united in one building Eph. 2.16 as the foundation corner-stone knits the two side-walls of the building together He is the perfection of the whole in whom the building and every lively stone thereof is compleat Col. 2.10 as the highest corner-stone and as that also He is the glory and ornament of all the building Isa 22.24 In all which He is resembled by that whereby the Spirit of the Lord here sets Him forth to our capacity The chief corner-stone 4. We have this great blessing Christ for the chief corner-stone of this spiritual building with the Father's great good will who hath laid Him first In His eternal Counsel or Decree as the word used by Isaiah chap. 28.16 and here translated to lay doth signifie Psal 2.2 Secondly In His actual exhibition of Him to the Church as Mediatour first in the promise of Him Gen. 3.5 and next visibly in our flesh for so this word is also used to signifie the publishing or execution of things formerly decreed 2 Chron. 9.23 Prov. 3.19 And thirdly in His exalting of Him when He had perfected the work of Redemption so much of it as concerned Him to do in the state of his humiliation for so this same word used Psal 8.2 is translated Mat. 21.16 to perfect a work In all which respects the Father layes Christ the foundation or chief corner-stone in the Church and calls all to behold what pleasure He hath in so doing Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone 5. The Father's condescendency to give His own blessed Son for the above-mentioned uses to His Church and Believers in Him which this similitude here made use of holds forth is worthy of our most serious consideration and Christ this chief corner-stone is much to be admired as differing from all other corner-stones He being one stone who is both the lowest and highest of the building Philip. 2.6 7. who hath immediate connexion with the least stone or meanest Believer as well as with the greatest or most eminent whether Prophets Apostles or even the virgin Mary Joh. 17.20 21. who communicates an influence of life and growth to every stone laid upon Him Eph. 2.21 and who never suffers any that are built upon Him to fall totally and finally off Him Joh. 10.28 In all which respects we are here called to admire Jesus Christ and to give our most serious attention and consideration to the Father in giving Him by this word which serves both to draw attention and admiration Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone c. 6. Though Christ be God's gift to the whole Church made up of Jews and Gentiles Eph. 2.14 which often hath the name of Sion in Scripture Obad. 17. Yet with a special reference to the Church of the Jews who first had that name He is said to be laid in Sion being first preached publickly and held forth in Promises Sacrifices and Types to them Psal 147.19 20. being come of them according to the flesh Rom. 9.5 and first offered to them after His incarnation Matth. 10.5 6. from whom the news of Him is come to the rest of the world Mica 4.2 and by whom Christ shall yet have a great part of His publick glory in the world Hos 3.5 Rom. 11.12 15. All which should make us pity their present case and pray for their conversion for with a special eye to them is this spoken Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone c. 7. Christ's fitness for this great work of our Redemption evidenced by the Father's choosing of Him for it from among all others as the word elect signifies and by His high esteem of Him as our Mediator should strongly draw the hearts of sinners in to Him and move them to dwell much upon the thoughts of His worth and of the Father's esteem of Him as He is the receiver of all that come to God through Him for the Apostle having commended Christ before from these two Epithits that He is chosen of God and precious as motives to draw sinners in to Him repeateth them here again as delighting to write and think of so sweet a subject as Christ Elect precious 8. That which builds sinners upon Christ this chief corner-stone is that grace of believing which according to the signification of the word in the Hebrew whence the Apostle translateth this Text is the fixedness or stayedness as this same word is translated Exod. 17.12 of the soul in the expectation of salvation through Christ offered in the Gospel and whereby the soul is fed and nourished upon Him as its necessary food which is also in the signification of the word in that Language for the Apostle instead of insisting further upon the
were all of them federally holy and some of them endued with true sanctification and so were a holy Nation Fourthly That all of them who did externally subject themselves to Christ were owned by him as his propriety and prime interest in comparison of the rest of the world and true Believers among them as his Elect and Redeemed Ones and so were a peculiar People And all for this end that they might in their practice commend and express his properties to his praise who had called all of them externally and some of them effectually out of the state of sin and wrath to a state of favour and happiness Which purpose containeth two further arguments to press a hearty receiving of the Gospel and daily use-making of Christ offered in it in order to their spiritual growth The one taken from the excellency of their present estate in the several fore-mentioned particulars The other from that wonderful change which God had made upon them from so wofull to so blessed a condition Hence Learn 1. It is very safe and suitable to Scripture-language to give unto the whole visible Church and all the Professours within the same these stiles and compellations which do only agree in their full and best signification to true Believers Suppose the most part within the visible Church void of saving grace yet in respect of the rest of the world and by vertue of that Covenant which is betwixt the Lord and her and all her Members Deut. 26.17 c. and 29.10 c. all Professors may in some sense have all the stiles that are here in the Text and others like them for though these stiles be most truly verified in Believers Yet did the Lord of old give them unto the whole Church of the Jews and the Apostle here giveth them indefinitly to all the nation of the Jews who were professours of Christ to whom he writeth though with a special eye to those who were true Believers among them Ye are a chosen Generation c. 2. So excellent is that state whereunto sinners are advanced by believing in Jesus Christ that the sharpest sighted in the world the longer they look upon it will still see more and more of the excellency and priviledges thereof The discovery whereof to the Lord's People especially while they are under affliction should much take up the heart and pains of all the Ministers of Christ it being his peoples prime comfort under all their crosses and their chief motive to all their duties that they are in so excellent a spiritual state for after the Apostle hath largely described it in the former Chapter and spoken much of it in the former part of this he cometh yet again upon the branching out of it here But ye are a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood c. All which stiles do most truly agree to true Believers 3. They who do by Faith choose Jesus Christ for their portion who entertain in their hearts a high esteem of him and do make use of him daily for growth in grace and holiness They have the characters and marks of such as have been from eternity elected of God and in time effectually called there being no other ordinary way to evidence the latter to us but by the former 2 Pet. 1.10 for of Election and effectual calling in reference to true Believers may this be understood which here the Apostle affirmeth of those to whom he said before that Christ was precious But ye are a chosen Generation 4. As that dignity whereunto sinners are advanced by flying to Jesus Christ doth in a spiritual sense resemble that of the Priests under the Law as was cleared in the tenth Doctrine upon the fifth Verse So are they also thereby brought unto a kingly dignity and in a spiritual sense they only are truly royal having a new nature in some measure resembling the divine 2 Pet. 1.4 being co-heirs with Jesus Christ Rom. 8.17 of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 and more than conquerors over all their spiritual enemies Rom. 8.37 In all which and the like respects they are a Royal Priesthood 5. Our union with Jesus doth not only oblige us to keep a distance from the disposition and profane fashions of the men whose portion is in this earth and to consecrate our selves wholly for the Lords use in the study of holiness but likewise it doth really make Believers a holy People In so far as he is daily made use of by Faith their hearts are purged from the love of their lusts Act. 15.9 and they are made to exercise other graces and duties of holinesse wherein he is honoured Gal. 5.6 for this third branch of the commendation of their excellent state includeth both their duty and their priviledge They are a holy Nation 6. As all the people on earth are the Lords they being all the works of his hand and under the disposal of his providence Act. 17.26 and all the Members of the Church visible are His in a more peculiar way than others Amos 3.2 So Believers in Jesus Christ are in a most special way his propriety and peculiar interest whom he hath purchased to himself at a dear rate Act. 20 28. and made new again by a second creation Eph. 2.10 in whom he doth delight Zeph. 3.17 and whom also he will maintain and never forsake Psal 94.14 for this is the fourth branch of the dignity of his People which doth in some sense agree to the whole company of Professours and most truly to true Believers that they are a peculiar People 7. That which is the Lords end in bestowing all these priviledges upon Believers and which they should make the great end and business of their life is That they may shew forth the praises of the Lord by numbering out as the Hebrew word Isa 43 21. which the Apostle here translateth doth signifie to the Lord himself his blessed perfections or vertues as the word here rendred praises is in the original or rather by their prudent and seasonable commending to others his properties such as his Wisdom Power Terror Sweetness Faithfulness manifested in his dealing Psal 145.4 c. 10 c. that so others may be stirred up to serve him and praise him but especially by their expressing and holding forth in their practise some resemblance of his properties to his praise Philip. 2.15 16. by their prudent and wise carriage declaring to on-lookers that he is most wise by whose counsel they are guided by their hazarding upon affliction rather than sin demonstrating his terror to be above the terror of flesh and by their patience and chearfulness under crosses and trials proclaming to discerning beholders that his power is great that sustains them and his consolations sweet that do refresh their hearts under such afflictions and make up the bitterness of them for this is here set down as the end of all the fore-mentioned priviledges and the compend of Believers duty that they should shew
Spirit which are in their hearts Gal. 5.17 But likewise against the everlasting wel-being of their very souls so that these corruptions cannot be given way to except we would so far as in us lyes run the hazard of the losse of our souls for this is here a third motive to the mortifying of these lusts that they war against the soul 8. The Lord doth allow Christians to stir up their hearts to the study of the mortification of their corruptions by the consideration of the hazard that cannot but follow upon their prevailing which is no lesse than the wounding of their souls by every advantage their corruptions do get and the eternal losse and ruine of their souls by the continual prevailing of them as is imported also in this motive to the mortification of those fleshly lusts They war against the soul Vers 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation In this Verse the Apostle presseth the effect of his former exhortation and withall prescribeth a special mean of shewing forth the praises of God to wit That Christians should labour to express holiness in their outward conversation and this he beareth in by two arguments The first is That their lot was to converse among the enemies of the Gospel and such as would be glad to find occasion from their miscarriage to slander them as evil doers The second is That their holy walking among such might prove a blessed mean not only to stop the mouthes of their slanderous enemies but likewise to being about their conversion and consequently bring much glory to God when it should please him to visit them with his saving grace Hence Learn 1. In so far as the power of sin is weakened in the heart there will be a beauty and loveliness upon the outward conversation which if it be defiled with out-breakings doth clearly evidence the power and prevalency of unmortified lusts in the heart â—or as a necessary consequent or effect of the former exhortation to abstain from fleshly lusts the Apostle bringeth in this having your conversation honest 2. It is not so much by a fair profession or good expressions that Christians do shew forth the praises of God as by an honest conversation made beautiful and lovely as the word here translated honest signifieth to on-lookers by the right ordering of all the parts of it in duties to God and men Psal 50.23 by the manifesting of wisdom and meekness therein joyntly Jam. 3.13 and especially by the faithful discharge of the duties of their particular callings and relations 1 Thess 4.11 12. Tit. 2.9 10. for the way of the Apostle's bringing in this exhortation giveth ground to take this as an mean of attaining to what he had prest before to wit their shewing forth of the praises of God mentioned ver 9. having your conversation honest c. 3. The more wicked the society be with whom Believers lot is to converse the more should they be stirred up to the study of an honest conversation for the conviction or gaining of such for by this that these Christian Hebrews were among Heathens whom many professors of Christianity resemble in living like Heathens without respect to the Law of God Rom. 2.14 pursuing strongly their Idols as Heathens do 1 Cor. 12.2 and being unacquainted with the priviledges and duties of the Covenant of Grace as Heathens are Eph. 2.11 and ready to persecute all that run not their course 1 Pet. 4.3 All which the Scriptures cited make characters of Heathens the Apostle perswades them to study holiness of life having your conversation honest among the Gentiles 4. Those of whom the world is unworthy are often represented to the world as unworthy to live in it by those whose dishonest wayes are reproved by their honest conversation for it is here supponed to be the lot of the chosen Generation the royal Priesthood c. to be spoken against as evil doers 5. It is one of the characters of them that are without God in the world to be enemies to and slanderers of those who will not run with them to the same excess of riot for it is here a description of the Heathens that they speak against those who are of an honest conversation as evil doers 6. The best way for Christians to stop the mouthes of their slanderers is by an honest conversation without which any other means they can use will readily prove ineffectual for maintaining their reputation for here the Apostle prescribeth to Christians the study of a holy walking as a mean to put their very enemies upon an exercise inconsistent with slandering of the Godly having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God 7. Although the Word accompanied with the powerfull blessing of God be the principal mean of sinners conversion Rom. 10.17 15. Yet the Lord may make use of the very carriage and visible acting of his People such as their equity in their dealings even with their enemies their patient bearing of injuries from them and continuing to expresse love and respect to them notwithstanding thereof to allure wicked men to fall in love with his way and to give him glory that ever sent them such a mean and blessed it to them for their reclaiming from the way of perdition for here an honest conversation is pressed as a mean of gaining the enemies of Christ and his People to glorifie God in the day of visitation 8. Neither the best use of natural power of free-will that unrenewed men may attain â—nto nor all the pains that the Godly can take upon them will be sufficient to bring about that glorious work of their Conversion whereby the Lord is so much glorified till he be pleased to visit them with his power Psal 110.3 and with his love to make the change Ezek. 168. for here as a necessary pre-requisit for the gaining of sinners to glorifie God the Apostle supponeth that there must be a day of visitation whereby must be understood a visitation in special mercy in regard it gains sinners to glorifie God 9. It is not any glory to our selves from men that should be our motive to an honest walking among them but that we may thereby bring some glory to God from them which being honestly aimed at by us shall bring sufficient glory to us along with it 1 Sam. 2.30 for this is here made the principal motive to an honest walking That thereby others might be moved to glorifie God in the day of visitation 10. The Children of the Lord should not lose their hopes nor quite their endeavours of gaining the greatest enemies to God or themselves among whom they live considering how soon and easily the Lord can make a change upon them for the Apostle
and cursed estate Eph. 2.3 Yet there may be amongst them much difference of disposition some of them being of a more bountiful and liberal temper as the word here rendered good may signifie Mat. 20.15 and lesse rigid in exacting all that in strict justice they might as the word translated gentle doth import others of them more perverse and harder to have dealing with according to the signification of this word froward which difference doth mainly flow from the Lord 's various dispensation of the gifts of nature and his common influences for improving the same according to His Soveraign pleasure for here among wicked and heathen Masters there are some good and equitable or moderate to wit in comparison of some others of them and there are others who are more perverse or froward 8. The wickednesse of those to whom in God's providence Christians are tied by any relation doth not exempt them from making conscience of the duties of that relation toward those to whom they are tied the ground of our duty not being the qualification of the person to whom we owe it but the Command of God obliging us to it Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward Vers 19. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully 20. For what glory is it if when ye be buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God From this to the end of the Chapter the Apostle bringeth many arguments to presse upon Christian Servants dutifulness to their Pagan-Masters and patient suffering of injuries from them in following their duty to Christ The first is That if they did out of respect to Christ's command and glory hold on in their duty notwithstanding of hardest sufferings He should graciously reward their so doing as acceptable service to Him ver 19. The second is That it would be a great disgrace for Christians to deserve by their miscarriage hard usage from Heathens but if they were faithful in their duty and patient under sufferings for it they might be sure of God's approbation ver 20. Hence Learn 1. Although neither our doing nor our suffering can merit any thing at God's hand it being wholly His grace as the first expression ver 19. may be rendered from the Original that enables us for both Philip. 1.29 Yet when His grace hath in some measure enabled us for both He is pleased to esteem thereof as if it were worthy of thanks from Him and graciously to reward it with a further increase of grace and ability to do and suffer Mat. 25.19 with begun peace and consolation in the heart under sufferings for duty to Him 2 Cor. 1.5 as earnest of the full reward which His grace is to bestow at last Rev. 3.4 5. which ought to be a sufficient encouragement to the Godly in their duty against all their sufferings from men for which end it is held forth here for This is thank-worthy or as the Original may be rendered this is grace 2. God doth not so much respect the sufferings of Professors even for Truth and Duty seing Hypocrites may attain thereunto 1 Cor. 13.3 as He looks unto the principle and manner of their sufferings whether they suffer because of their former engagements by profession or otherwise and because they desire to carry a name and esteem of religious persons to the end with them or whether they suffer out of conscience toward God that is in obedience to Him who commands them to choose affliction rather than sin and from a desire to please and honour Him by bearing Testimony to His Truth by suffering for this suffering and this only is reckoned thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully 3. Although the Lord sometimes keeps heavinesse and grief off the spirits of his People under such sufferings as are very heavie and grievous in themselves Act. 16.25 Yet at other times He sees it sitting not only to exercise them with hard and unjust sufferings from men but likewise with many sad weights upon their spirits under these sufferings arising partly from the sight of God's dishonour by their enemies Psal 42.3 and partly from the fear of their own miscarriage under their trials Joh. 14.1 together with their mis-belief of the Promise of their through-bearing and out-gate Psal 116.11 both which exercises together are sometimes necessary for the Godly that they may be compleatly denied to their own strength and courage and may be taught to depend on God for their through-bearing 2 Cor. 1.8 9. and therefore both exercises ought to be patiently submitted unto by them in so far as they are for their trial and advantage even as they would expect a reward from God for this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully 4. Although it be the mark of Hypocrites to do all duties of Religion for respect to their own credit and glory before men Mat. 23.5 Yet the Lord allows His own People to have so much respect to their own credit especially before the profane as may provoke them to a tender and holy walking and to eschew every thing that may disgrace them and their holy Profession for this is here made an argument to duty and patient suffering of wrongs that if they neglected duty and so were put to suffer for their miscarriage That would be no glory but rather a disgrace to them and their Profession for what glory is it if when ye be buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently 5. As it hath pleased the Lord for the good of humane society to leave in the minds even of Heathens some knowledge of what is contrary to His will Rom. 2.14 15. and some inclination to punish the same Act. 28.4 So it is a very great disgrace to Christian Religion when Heathens or such as are like Heathens void of the saving knowledge of God in Christ may find Christians in those sins which their light leads them to punish especially when Christians make their liberty by Christ a pretence and cloak to cover those sins for it is here imported by the Apostle that Heathen Masters did not only know some what of their Servants duty but also would justly punish them for neglect of it and that if Christian Servants did by their miscarriage deserve sufferings from such Masters as they were in hazard to do by abusing their christian liberty this would prove a great disgrace to them and to the Profession of Christianity for what glory is it if when ye be buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently 6. Although patience under deserved stroaks from men be in it self commendable and will prove persons to be accepted with God when they accept the punishment of their iniquity and flie to Christ
His Bow abode in its strength Gen. 49.24 there being nothing in Him to befriend a temptation Job 14.30 He being by His miraculous conception exempted from the contagion of Original sin Luke 1.35 whence actual transgressions flow Jam. 4.1 and it behoved Him to be so that He might be compleatly lovely to God as being the truth of all those spotless Lambs that were offered under the Law as types of Him Joh. 1.29 and that He might be a perfect pattern of holinesse to His Followers who did no sin 2. There is nothing but truth and sincerity in all the words of Christ He never exprest more willingnesse to receive and do good unto sinners than He doth mind really to make out to all that come to Him nor hath He exprest more wrath against slighters of Him than they shall find to be true for this is another branch of the commendation of Christ from His innocency Neither was guile found in His mouth 3 How innocent soever the Children of the Lord may be of those crimes which are unjustly charged upon them by persecutors as the cause of their sufferings Yet the sense of their sinfulness in other things ought to make them submissive to and patient under hardest sufferings from men considering that they suffer for lesse than they deserve Ezra 9.13 and that it becomes them to bear indignation because they have sinned Mica 7.9 for the Apostle proposeth the innocency of Christ who was a patient sufferer as an argument from the more to the lesse to move sinfull things not to take ill with sufferings since Christ was a patient sufferer who did no sin c. 4. As all that would glorifie the Lord by their sufferings and have comfort under them must study to imitate Jesus Christ in His innocency and sincerity So they that have attained to the greatest measure of conformity to Him in these may not therefore expect exemption from sad sufferings but rather the liker to Him in these they are to look for the worse usage from wicked men for as Christ's innocency and sincerity are here held forth as steps of His which they that would honour Him by their sufferings and have comfort under them must follow So He is here held forth as exposed to extream grievous sufferings notwithstanding He had these in their perfection He did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth yet He was reviled and put to hardest sufferings 5. It was the lot of our Lord Jesus when He was in our place in the estate of His humiliation not only to suffer hard things in His Person but likewise in His Name to have that rent and torn with reproaches and to have foul crimes as the word here rendred to revise signifies unjustly laid to His charge such as compliance with Satan Joh. 10.20 blasphemy Joh. 10.33 sedition Luke 23.2 and the like and that because though He never did any thing worthy of blame He stood in the room of many sinners really guilty of all these crimes which were only upon Him by imputation so as He bear the curse of God and the shame of the world that was due to these sins for this lot is here suppoâ—ed to have been Christ's that He not only suffered but was reviled 6. While our Lord Jesus was under this lot He did not give a meeting of any kind to his enemies but was so far from charging them with foul crimes unjustly which is reviling that when they had done so to Him calling Him a Devil Joh. 8.48 He did not at that time so much as repeat the like challenge which He had before justly laid to their charge Joh. 8.44 and though He did sometimes threaten fearful judgments upon despisers of reconciliation with God through Him Mat. 23.13 c. Yet upon his receiving of greatest personal wrongs He did not so much as renew any of these threatnings but on the contrary prayed for his enemies Luke 23.34 lest in the misapprehension of any onlookers His sufferings might have been stained with imputation of passion or revenge and his followers might have abused his practise to vent their carnal passion against their persecutors the hazard whereof is likewise imported in the Apostle's guarding thus against it Who when He was reviled reviled not again when He suffered He threatned not 7. As all Christ's Followers should resolve to meet with grievous reproaches and slanders joyned with their other sufferings as Christ did So ought they to follow Christ's steps in not requiting their enemies or giving ill language for the worst usage but must learn to die to their reputation as well as to other things for His sake who when He was reviled reviled not again when He suffered he threatned not 8. While Christ our Lord was suffering in our room He did with much confidence and willingnesse deliver Himself up to the will of his righteous Father to endure the utmost that was due to sinners according to his undertaking in the Covenant of Redemption Psa 40.7 8. knowing that his Father's righteousnesse was engaged in the same Covenant to sustain his Manhead under all his sufferings Isa 50.7 c. to reward Him for them by giving Him all that He died for as his seed to serve him and praise him for ever Isa 53.10 11. and to punish all the rest according to their deserving Psal 110.5 6. for this is here expresly asserted as the ground of the patience and submission of the man Christ to the Fathers will He committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously 9. Although these acts of Faith which do necessarily presuppose guiltinesse or have with them any mixture of mis-belief or discouragement could not be in Christ who was holy harmlesse undefiled and separated from sinners Heb. 7.26 Yet His Soul was eminently endued with the grace of Faith as it is taken for resting upon the faithfulnesse of God and resignation of ones person and cause to Him under unjust sufferings from men for thus is Christ here as a Believer described He committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously 10. The opprest and suffering People of God who are not able to defend themselves from wrongs at mens hands nor to redresse the same ought to commit themselves and their cause to God their Father as to a righteous Judge not out of malice against or desire of judgment upon their persecutors but as a mean to prevent their own despondency of spirit and despair under their hard usage for this practise of Christ's is one of his steps which suffering Christians ought to follow He committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously 11. The best way for Christians to attain to true christian patience under a crosse for Christ to keep down their carnal passions while they suffer wrongfully from men and to guard their hearts against the study of revenge toward their persecutors is to resign themselves and their cause in the hands of God the righteous Judge for though there was no hazard of such
the same hazard Therefore the Apostle presseth the duty of Women to their Husbands by such an expression as imports a like strictnesse of tye upon them to their duty as was upon those mentioned in the last part of the former Chapter Likewise ye wives be subject c. 4. The wickednesse and disobedience to the Gospel of any married person however it may draw themselves under the curse of God Yet it doth neither loose the relation nor exempt the other party from their duty excepting in the case of Adultery and lawful divorce thereupon Mat. 5.32 or wilful desertion 1 Cor. 7.15 but doth rather tye the better party the more strictly to a conscionable discharge of that duty for the conviction or gaining of the other party for though the Apostle here doth suppone Husbands some of them at least to be disobedient to the Word Yet he presseth upon their Wives dutifulness to them as to their own Hubands Be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the Word c. 5. Although the publick Ministery of the Word be the ordinary and principal mean of sinners conversion to the Lord Rom. 10.15 17. Yet the Lord may and sometimes doth make use of the pains of private Christians for that effect for it is supponed that they who obey not the Word may be won to obey it by the conversation of their wives 6. Although the Children of the Lord be bound to deal with the unconverted or profane among whom they live by discourse and conference commending Christ to them and pointing out the way of attaining acquaintance and communion with him Joh. 4.29 30. Philip. 2.15 16. Yet it is mainly a conversation suitable to the Word that God useth to blesse for gaining of such to fall in love with Religion without which the best discourses will rather harden folk in sin than reclaim them from their sinful wayes Therefore the Apostle here presseth practical duties upon Christian Women as the best way to gain their unbelieving Husbands That if any obey not the Word they may be won by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chast conversation c. 7. The Lord's People ought not to quit their hopes of the conversion of those who have not hitherto been perswaded by the Word to follow the directions thereof neither yet do believe the Truths revealed in it But they ought to continue their pains toward those with whom the publick Ministery doth not prevail for even to these Husbands whom the Apostle supponeth to be unbelievers disobedient to the Word and such as will not be perswaded thereby as the word here signifieth he pleads for duty from their Wives in hopes of gaining them thereby That if any obey not the Word they may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives 8. The winning of a sinner to Jesus Christ is an imployment full of gain and advantage as the word here translated to be won signifieth both to the sinner it self who is thereby made partaker of the true riches Jam. 2.5 and to those who are instrumental in that work in regard of the comfort they may have from them Philip. 4.1 and the reward they shall have from God Dan. 12.3 and therefore it ought to be mannaged with a great deal of spiritual policy and skill as the same word also signifieth That if any obey not the Word c. they may be won 9. There is no part of a Christians conversation so prevalent to gain on-lookers to fall in love with Religion as that wherein the duties which we owe to others in the relation we have to them doth shine for these two chastity which in the peculiar signification of it is one main duty of the Wife in reference to her Husband and fear signifying reverence to a superiour Rom. 13.7 are the qualities of a christian conversation which the Spirit of God here condescends upon as most prevalent for gaining unbelievers to fall in love with Religion They may be won while they behold your chast conversation coupled with fear 10. Carnal men do very accurately pry into all the secrets of the practice of those that are religious which though it be done by them that they may find occasion against the Godly Psal 56.6 who should therefore be the more circumspect Psal 39.1 and the more earnest for God's teaching Psal 27.11 Yet the Lord may make use of it contrary to their intention to be a mean of much good to their souls for the word which the Apostle uses here while they behold signifieth very accurately to pry into and seriously to consider a thing upon which the Apostle may be safely conceived to lay some weight for moving Christian Women to the more holy circumspection in their carriage which the Lord might blesse for gaining of their Husbands While they behold your chast conversation 11. There is no true purity or holinesse of conversation which doth not flow from fear of offending God in the heart by which Christians depart from evil in their practice Prov. 16.6 Nor is there any true fear of God in the heart where the conversation is not in some measure holy Jer. 32.40 for though this chastity and fear of Christian Women here spoken of may be taken with a special respect to their Husbands Yet the words are of a larger signification and must necessarily include holinesse of life and fear of offending God in the heart what ever they might suffer from their Husbands the one whereof cannot be separated from the other A chast conversation coupled with fear Vers 3. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price The Apostle giveth here two further directions to believing Women for attaining to such a conversation as through the Lord's blessing might prove a mean of gaining their unbelieving Husbands The one is negative that they should not be too curious and superfluous in trimming their outward man The other is positive that their great pains should be to have their inward man adorned with the grace of God especially meeknesse and peaceablenesse of spirit in reference to their Husbands and the Lord's dispensation in tying them to such men and to a crosse with them which last he presseth by two arguments The first is that this was an ornament that would not wax old as others do The second is that it is in very high esteem with the Lord and therefore as they desired to gain their husbands by their outward carriage their great care should be to attain to a right frame of spirit within Hence Learn 1. Even the Children of the Lord are in hazard to offend Him and others in the matter of their apparrel while they labour not
The other argument is from the advantage of such a carriage that if they did imitate these holy Women especially Sarah in dutifulnesse to their Husbands notwithstanding of any terror from them they should prove themselves heirs of Sarah's blessednesse Hence Learn 1. The Children of the Lord have not only need of precepts to presse their duty upon them but likewise of the examples of others held forth to them who have gone before them in the practise of these duties that so they may apprehend them feasible seing others have attained to them and sweet seing others have chearfully practised them and the neglect of them hazardous since these who have made conscience of them may be brought as witnesses against the neglecters of them Therefore after the Apostle hath prest by precepts and reasons the duty of believing Women to their Husbands he here beareth in the same further by the example of the Saints for after this manner also the holy Women in the old time who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their own husbands 2. The approven examples of the most eminent of the Saints making conscience of moral duties which are registred in the Old Testament are obligatory under the New to the meanest of Believers in Christ who are not by their Christian Liberty freed from imitating them in these for here the Apostle presseth upon Christian Women dutifulnesse to their Husbands from the example of holy Women under the Old Testament and particularly Sarah who was an eminent and in some respects an extraordinary person For after this manner in the old time the holy women also c. Even as Sarah c. 3. There is no true holinesse which hath not Faith in God for the fountain and root of it whereby the heart relieth on God for furniture for the duties of holinesse and encouragement against difficulties in the way thereof Nor is there any real trusting in God which hath not for the fruit thereof holinesse consisting in the study of abstenance from every known sin and endeavour after every known duty for from these two joyntly are those ancient Believers described as examples to be imitated by others Holy Women who trusted in God 4. True holinesse and faith in God are mainly evidenced in the particular duties of these relations wherein the Lord's Providence hath placâ—d his People the conscionable discharge whereof doth prove the principal ornament of Professors for here the Apostle sets forth those ancient believing Women as in their best ornaments while they are evidencing their holinesse and trusting in God by their dutifulnesse to their Husbands to be imitated by Christian Women under the Gospel The holy Women who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their Husbands 5. The Lord takes notice of the least act of sincere obedience to his Commands even when it is mixed with many sinful failings which he passeth in penitents and would not have any of his People cast at any good in others nor be the lesse careful to imitate it that they do discern much miscarriage joyned with it for in that passage of Sarah's Gen. 18.12 which is here related to there are many sinful failings and little thing commendable beside that one word evidencing her reverence to her Husband which the Lord here registreth for her commendation and others imitation hiding the faults that were therewith Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. 6. The want of these qualifications in parties to whom the Lord's People have relation which have been eminent in others doth not exempt them from these duties which by vertue of that relation have been performed to others endued with these qualifications for here the Apostle from Sarah's reverencing of Abraham an extraordinary and eminently gracious man inferreth upon Christian Women reverence to their wicked infidel Husbands Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. 7. When we obtain grace from the Lord to follow the footsteps of the Saints registred in Scripture especially in the faithful discharge of the duties of our particular stations and relations then do we prove our selves to be partakers of the same spiritual priviledges with them and heirs of the same eternal blessednesse which they now possess for as those who imitate the faith and obedience of Abraham are for that called his children Rom. 4.11 12. Gal. 3.7 9 29. So these Women here who imitate Sarah in well-doing particularly in obedience to their Husbands are called her daughters Whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well which is not to be understood as if they were cast out of the number of her daughters for every short-coming in their duty but that it is in the way of their duty that they will clear to themselves their right to her blessedness and enjoy the sense of their interest in the spiritual priviledges which she had 8. They that resolve to hold on in the way of well-doing may resolve to meet with as much of terror and afrightment therein as wicked men can make them yea even from those of their nearest relations whose enmity against godlinesse before the Lord change them is greater than any natural affection they have to those they are most strictly tied unto for it is mainly against the terror and amazement of wicked Husbands that the Apostle here guards Christian Women encouraging them by this that they should prove themselves daughters of Sarah if they held on in their duty and were not afraid of any amazement 9. It is perseverance in the way of duty when there is not only small appearance of successe but much terrible opposition from wicked men in following of it which mainly cleareth to Believers their right to the heavenly inheritance for this the Apostle presseth upon Christian Women as that which would prove them daughters of Sarah that is co-heirs with her of the heavenly inheritance if they did well and were not afraid of any amazement Vers 7. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindred In the next place the Apostle presseth the duties of Husbands to their Wives which he comprehendeth in two branches First That they should manifest a special measure of prudence and heavenly wisdom in conversing with them And secondly that they should season their authority over them with tenderness and respect to them both which he presseth by several arguments 1. From the strictnesse of their obligation to these duties which was the same with that of the Wives to theirs 2. From the weaknesse and infirmity of the Women which calls for the more wise and tender dealing 3. From the equality of both in partaking of spiritual and eternal priviledges And 4. from the hazard of the neglect of those duties to wit the interrupting of their service to God particularly the marring of their access to him in prayer Hence
another Fifthly that they should shew themselves courteous in their carriage and easie to be conversed with ver 8. Sixthly that they should not study to requite mutual injuries But seventhly rather seek the happinesse of them that wrong them All which especially the last two the Apostle presseth by this reason that they were all called to inherit one common blessednesse From ver 8. Learn 1. Although compleat onenesse of judgment cannot be expected among the Lord's People whilest knowledge is imperfect in all 1 Cor. 13.9 and dispensed in different measures Rom. 12.6 Yet it ought to be the sincere endeavour of every one so to drink-in the knowledge of all saving and necessary Truths themselves and to imploy their power according to their calling to make all others do the same that they may be so far as is possible as if one and the same mind were in them all as the word here signifieth which is in some good measure attained when Christians do agree in all saving and fundamental Truths and when their prime projects and designs as the word also signifieth do meet in one to wit the advancement of the glory of Jesus Christ without which unity of judgment there doth ordinarily follow among the Lord's People alienation of affection Gal. 4.15 16. and a losse of the consolations of Christ's Spirit which uses to be given through their communion among themselves Philip. 2.1 2. for this is it which the Apostle here expresly presseth Finally be all of one mind 2. Every one of the Children of the Lord ought to be so affected with the condition of another as if it were their own mourning with and for one another in affliction as if they were afflicted with them Heb. 13.3 rejoycing in and praising for their welfare as if they were in their case Rom. 12.15 considering that they are all members of one body 1 Cor. 12.26 and that this sympathizing frame of spirit is a special part of our conformity to Jesus Christ Heb. 4.15 for this is the second duty here pressed having compassion one of another 3. Whatever differences for worldly respects or measures of spiritual gifts there may be among the Children of the Lord there should be notwithstanding such affection and love in the most eminent and strongest toward the meanest and weakest as is among Brethren they being all Children of one Father Joh. 1.12 and the weakest owned by Christ as his Brethren Heb. 2.11 and co-heirs not only with the strongest but with Jesus Christ himself of everlasting blessednesse Rom. 8.17 and therefore that measure of affection which may be found among men without the Church who have not put off humanity is not sufficient for one of the Lord's People toward another for this is the third duty here pressed Love as Brethren 4. There can neither be unity sympathy nor brotherly love among the Lord's People unlesse they have hearts to pity the infirmities one of another and some prouenesse of spirit to do good to others even when they deserve the contrary at their hands for this word whereby the Apostle presseth the fourth duty is often used to signifie Christ's compassion to his own which is manifested in bestowing favours notwithstanding of provocations and signifieth such a tender-heartednesse as is evidenced by forgiving of wrongs Eph. 4.32 be pitiful 5. They that would keep up a sweet and profitable society with others of the Lord's People must shew themselves affable and pleasant in their carriage towards them studying to speak and do so far as they may with a good conscience what may be acceptable and engaging of their affections to them for this duty which is the last in the eight Verse as also all the former may be taken in reference to the keeping up of society with others be courteous From ver 9. Learn 1. Even those who have attained to such a carriage as ought in all reason to be lovely and honoured by all with whom they converse may notwithstanding resolve to meet with much hard usage and many slanders for the Apostle presseth here patience in the sixth place importing that they who had attained to all the former sive would notwithstanding have ado with their patience Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing 2. The Children of the Lord may resolve not only to meet with hard usage and bitter language from the profane or those that are without but even from their fellow-Professors whether Hypocrites who will still be maligning the sincere Gal. 4.29 or even truly gracious whose corruptions oppose grace in others Job 16.20 for this last grace of patience prest in the beginning of the eight Verse cannot well be taken in reference to other persons than these in reference to whom the exercise of the former graces or duties were pressed which do clearly relate to other Professors and therefore this imports that they might be tried both with evil deeds and words from such while the Apostle thus dehorteth Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing 3. However the best of the Children of the Lord are prone to study revenge and requital of private injuries as is supponed in this disswasive Yet must they not allow themselves in so doing as they love their own and others peace and desire to eschew the displeasure of God for usurping his place Rom. 12.19 Prov. 23.2 Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing 4. So far should the Lord's People be from the study of private revenge and retaliation of wrongs done by one of them against another that by the contrary the greatest personal wrong by word or deed should not hinder one of them to procure the bestowing of blessings if they be able upon another to commend in them what they can discern to be praise-worthy or to pray for their true blessednesse which is a special draught of the Image of the Lord Mat. 5.44 45. All which is in the signification of this word whereby the Apostle expresseth the duty opposite to rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing 5. The consideration of that everlasting blessednesse which consisteth in the clear vision and full fruition of God in Christ through the Spirit and which sinners who are naturally under the curse are called to possesse as their free-gifted inheritance as the word here translated to inherit signifies should comfort the hearts of Believers against the worst usage and vilest reproaches of men which will be sufficiently made up when they come to possess that blessedness the thoughts wherof should take them off from all study of revenge toward those who may be heirs with them of the same inheritance and who could never wrong them so far as they have wronged the Lord who hath graciously called them to possess that free-gifted inheritance for this is here proposed by the Apostle as an argument to patience under wrongs and a disswasive from revenge among the Lord's people for even hereunto were ye called that ye should
good Joh. 7.7 and their carriage a shame and â—â—proof to others 1 Joh. 3.12 for lest from the former â—â—couragement any might expect exemption from trouâ—â—â— by following that which is good he doth in this â—uppone that they might expect to be put to suffer for righteousness sake 2. The sufferings of the Godly for â—ighteousnesse sake are so far from making them miserable as themselves are apt to apprehend Psal 73.13 and the wicked world do ordinarily judge 2 Cor. 4.13 that by the contrary they serve both to promote their spiritual happinesse the times of suffering being the times wherein every grace thrives most Rom. 5.3 and divine consolation aboundeth most in their hearts 2 Cor. 1.5 and likewise to evidence and prove to them their right to everlasting blessednesse Philip. 1.28 a special measure whereof is reserved for the greatest sufferers Rev. 7.13 c for this second encouragement doth contradict the Lord's Peoples ordinary apprehension of themselves and the profane worlds opinion of them under suffering If ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye 3. The best of the Children of the Lord are in hazard to have their spirits troubled and perplexed with the fear of hazard from flesh which is then exceeding sinfull when it makes them deny the Truth Mat. 26.70 or take any sinful course for their temporal safety 1 Sam. 21.10 13. or when their spirits are thereby defiled and mudded as the word in the Original here signifieth with passion against the instruments of their trouble Mat. 26.51 which hazard is imported in this disswasive given to those that suffer for righteousness Fear not their fear neither be troubled 4. They who are sled to the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and desire to adhere to that which is right in his sight notwithstanding of suffering have no cause to fear what flesh can do unto them or to have their spirits perturbed under the hardest of their suâ—â—â—â—ings considering that what ever they suffer is according to the Lord's fore-appointment 1 Thess 3.3 and carved out by His al-ruling providence Mat. 10.30 that they have the promise of his presence with them under thâ— sufferings Heb. 13.5 6. and are sure of a glorious issâ—â— out of them 1 Cor. 4.17 Upon which grounds 〈◊〉 ought to banish fleshly fear and perturbation out of 〈◊〉 hearts as the Apostle here exhorteth Fear not their â—eaâ— neither be troubled Vers 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear This Verse contains some further directions to persecuted Christians for attaining to a right frame of spirit and carriage under their sufferings The second in order is That they should reverence and adore in their hearts the soveraignty and holinesse of God especially in that dispensation of his toward them in putting them to suffer while their wicked persecutors prospered which direction as also the former is taken out of Isa 8.12 13. The third is That they should timously furnish themselves with such clear knowledge of the Truth that they may be able to hold forth from the Word of God reasons of what they believe and suffer for The fourth is That their testimony for the Truth should be seasoned with meeknesse even toward their persecutors And the fifth is That they should entertain in their hearts some holy fear of miscarrying in the way of giving that testimony Hence Learn 1. It is a principal part of a right disposition for sufferers to entertain in their hearts the sense and acknowledgment of the holinesse of God who though he be matchlesse in holinesse 1 Sam. 2.2 and can have nothing added to that or any other of his infinit perfections by any creature Rom. 11.35 36. Yet doth esteem himself sanctified in the hearts of his own while they are by the consideration of his holinesse made submissive to the hardest of his dispensations toward them Psal 22.3 afraid to offend so holy a Majesty Isa 29.23 and thereby also are confirmed in the faith of his performing all his Promises Psal 111.9 and eâ—ecuting of his threatnings upon his enemies and theirs â—â—b 1.12 for this is the Apostle's second direction for attaining to a right frame of spirit under sufferings sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts 2. The Children of the Lord while they are under hard usage from wicked men are in great hazard not only to forget the soveraignity of God over them to use them as he pleases for his own glory which occasioneth much perturbation of spirit in them Isa 51.12 13. but likewise to entertain in their hearts thoughts unsuitable to the holinesse and purity of his Nature as if their sufferings and the wickeds prosperity were not consistent therewith both which are imported in this exhortation to acknowledge the holinesse of God whom the Apostle representeth under such names as hold forth also his soveraignity Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts 3. Although the Godly ought not to be anxious concerning their furniture in a time of trial Mat. 10.19 Yet ought they not to neglect ordinary means of preparation for trials such as the drinking-in of the solid and clear knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 6.19 entertaining the presence of that Spirit who revealeth Truths not yet known and brings known Truths to remembrance when it is necessary Joh. 19.26 that so they may be able to defend the Truth by holy reason drawn from the Scripture or make apology for it as the word here signifies and answer objections that may be made against the same Prov. 15.28 as is imported in this third direction Be ready alwayes to answer every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 4. Although in some cases the Children of the Lord may safely answer their adversaries with silence to wit when they have sufficiently and frequently born testimony to such Truths before Mat. 27.12 14. or when questions are propounded to them by wicked men out of scorn Prov. 26.5 or curiosity Luke 23.8 9 11. or to be a snare to the Godly Isa 36.21 Yet ought they still to keep themselves in a readinesse of mind and fitnesse of disposition for defending the Truth and giving a reason of what they hold when the glo y of God and edification of others call for it the seasoâ— and manner whereof every humble waiter on God shall know from Him Luke 12.11 12. and 21.14 15. Hab. 2.1 for the Apostle doth not direct them here to answer alwayes every man that asketh them but to be ready alwayes to answer every one that asketh a reason 5. The Children of the Lord ought not to satisfie themselves with any confidence or perswasion concerning the truths of the Gospel whereof they have not such clear and rational grounds from the Word as may not only convince themselves but such as they are able to hold forth to others when they are
called be ready to give a reason to every man that asketh you 6. Every testimony that God's People give to his Truth before the enemies of it ought to be seasoned with meeknesse of spirit evidenced in their carriage toward their persecutors by their eschewing all signs of carnal passion and revenge against them 1 Thess 5.15 by their respective and sober language to them Act. 26.25 which may be blessed of God to procure a mitigation of their trouble Prov. 15.1 at least to put convictions upon the wicked of the equity of the cause which they persecute as the following Verse cleareth for this is the fourth direction for a right carriage under sufferings that they be ready to give a testimony to the Truth with meekness 7. Although the fear of flesh which maâ—reth confidence and peace in the heart be most unsuitable for sufferers as was cleared from the Apostle's first direction Yet a holy fear of miscarriage under trials by denying or concealing any necessary Truth by bringing forth the same untimously or mixing our own passions with our testimony to the Truth is a prime qualification of a right sufferer for Christ and his Truth for 〈◊〉 is the Apostle's fifth direction That they should 〈…〉 to bear testimony to the Truth with fear Vers 16. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak 〈◊〉 evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly 〈◊〉 accuse your good conversation in Christ. Here is a sixth direction for attaining to a right carriage under suffering That they should labour to have their conscience purged from guiltinesse and so made good in God's sight the study whereof as also of all the former the Apostle presseth by a third motive which is also an encouragement against suffering That if they made conscience of following those directions their slandering persecutors should be convinced and ashamed by their christian carriage Hence Learn 1. None can rightly undergo a suffering lot for Christ and his Truth who do not labour to get and keep a good conscience within by the application of Christ's bloud for purging of it from guilt and of the vertue of his Spirit for subduing the power of corruption Heb. 10.22 which proves a continual feast to them that have it Prov. 15.15 and so makes them chearful under their hardest sufferings 2 Cor. 1.12 for this is the Apostle's sixth direction for attaining to a right frame of spirit and carriage under suffering having a good conscience 2. Even those who have attained to a good conscience within and an honest conversation without may resolve not only to meet with hard sufferings but as a principal ingredient embittering the same to have many false and grievous crimes laid to their charge and those not only forged and spread in a private way for their disgrace but as the word here translated to speak evil signifieth given-in judicially against them that so they may be the liker to their Lord Mark 15.3 and may learn to die to their credit before men while they are honoured to suffer for Him 1 Cor. 15.31 for this the Apostle suppones to be the lot of those who have both a good conscience and a good conversation that they shall be evil spoken of as evil doers and have their good conversation falsly accused 3. It is the Lo◠〈…〉 way to bring the shame and confusion of wicke◠〈◊〉 out of the integrity and uprightnesse of his suffering peâ—ple and the endeavours of their enemies to disgrace then 〈◊〉 by drawing a testimony of his Peoples innocency froâ— some of their adversaries to the shame of the rest Act. 2â— 29. and 26.31 by enabling his suffering Servants to maintain his Truth and their own innocency with such clearnesse and power as sometimes confounds their opposers Tit. 2.8 by making use of enemies fury and his Peoples constancy to disappoint wicked designs and directly to promove the cause which enemies intend to crush Philip. 1.12 that so they may either be reclaimed from their opposition to his Truth and People or have everlasting shame poured upon them Psal 83.16 17. for this is the result which God bringeth out of all the wickeds slander and persecution of the Godly that they may be ashamed who falsly accuse their good conversation in Christ 4. The consideration of the disappointment and shame which the Lord doth sometimes make wicked men to meet with here for their persecuting and slandering of his People should be a strong motive to the Godly to constancy in following their duty whatever they may suffer for this is given to them here for their encouragement that whereas they speak evil of the Godly as evil doers they may be ashamed who falsly accuse their good conversation in Christ 5. To the end that the conversation of a Christian may be good in God's sight and so may serve to make their slanderers and persecutors ashamed it must flow from a good conscience within and must be a conversation in Christ the person being by Faith united to Him and enabled to draw vertue from Him for walking unto wel-pleasing Joh. 15.5 and to aim at conformity in the conversation to His carriage 1 Joh. 2.6 for both these are necessary for that conversation of a Christian which may make persecutors ashamed and which deserveth to be called a good conversation Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil c. they may be ashamed who falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ Vers 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing than for evil doing The fourth motive to presse the former directions and to encourage against suffering is That in their suffering for Christ and their duty to Him they should find much more comfort and spiritual advantage than if they did procure sufferings to themselves by their miscarriage And this fourth motive or encouragement hath a fifth in the bosom of it That they should not be put to a necessity of suffering except it were the good will of the Lord so to dispose Hence Learn 1. Christians have a great deal of more spiritual advantage honour and sweetnesse in suffering for Christ and duty to Him than they could have in suffering for their faults though they had obtained mercy for them from the Lord and had peace in their spirits while they did stoop to the stroak of humane justice inflicted for these faults the former sort of sufferings being more conform to Christ's and having ordinarily a larger allowance of peace and chearfulnesse than useth to be letten forth to them who suffer for their faults though they were never so sure of God's mercy for in this sense must the Apostle be understood here to compare suffering for well doing and for evil doing and to prefer the one to the other because suffering from men for evil doing without obtaining mercy from God hath no goodnesse in it at all and so cannot be compared in that with suffering for
the service of their lusts but imploy the same wholly in obedience to the Lord that they had spent so much thereof in the slavery of sin already and had been at so great a height in wickednesse For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts c. 3. Jesus Christ hath suffered for and conferred his saving grace upon some of the vilest of the children of men that He may proclaim his grace and love to be most free by bestowing it upon them who have nothing in them but what is loathsom in his sight and most powerful in coming over and doing away so much vilenesse and adorning the soul where it was with his beautiful grace for the Apostle clearly supposeth here himself and other Converts for whom Christ had suffered in the flesh to have been really such as are here described working the will of the Gentiles walking in lasciviousness lusts excesse of wine c. 4. It doth much concern all true Converts to entertain in their hearts the lively apprehension of the several steps of their former vilenesse wherein they have wallowed themselves before their conversion that they may be still vile in their own eyes considering how dishonourable to God they have sometimes been and may have their hearts frequently raised in the praises of Him who hath graciously pardoned and powerfully changed them 1 Tim. 1.13 c. and may manifest much compassion and meeknesse in their carriage toward those who yet remain in that condition wherein themselves once were Tit. 2.2 3. for here the Apostle representeth to his own heart and the hearts of other Converts the several branches of that profane disposition and course wherein they had lived before their conversion to wit that they had wrought the will of the Gentiles walked in lasciviousness lusts excesse of wine c. 5. True penitents will not stand to proclaim and aggreage their own vilenesse when it may serve for the glory of Christ's free grace in pardoning and changing of them and may provoke others to mortification and holinesse for here the Apostle puts himself in the catalogue of these who had walked in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine c. 6. They who would reflect aright upon their disposition and carriage before their conversion should not only make their more grosse practices but the very inward motions and lusts of their hearts toward those sins which possibly they have never committed and consider with what strong bensell of spirit they have been inclined to or did commit those iniquities and call to mind the several sorts of their sins against both Tables of the Law such as their abusing of God's good creatures to be fewel to their lusts their following the example of others their serving of others or hardening of them in their sins by evil example their forsaking or corrupting of the right Worship of God and the like that by the distinct and clear up-taking of all they may be the more humble and the more provoked to praise God and to be diligent in their duty for such a representation is here given to Converts of their former disposition and carriage that they had in time past wrought with great intention and bensel of spirit as the word signifieth the will of the Gentiles by following their examples serving and encouraging them in their sins walking in outward vileness and inward lusts in excesse of wine and such other grosse sins against the second Table and in abominable idolatries against the first Table 7. Where the love of sin is entertained in the heart and profanity given way to in the practice contrary to the second Table there is ordinarily joyned therewith a forsaking or corrupting of the right Worship of God contrary to the first A spirit of strong delusion in the matters of Religion and God's Worship being the ordinary and just plague of God upon those who frame not their heart and manners according to the Rule of the Word 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. for this is the last instance of their profane course and may be taken for the consequent of the rest that having walked in lusts excesse of wine c. they did also walk in abominable idolatries 8. As every sin is hateful to the Lord Psal 45.7 and should for that cause be so to all his People Zech. 8.17 So he hath a special detestation of the sin of idolatry whether that more grosse kind of it whereby that external Worship which is due to God is any way given to a creature Exod. 32.5 Psal 106.19 20. or that which is more spiritual whereby the affections of the heart are powred out excessively upon any thing beside God were it never so lawful in it self Col. 3.5 Therefore is this Epithet expresly added to the last step of their wicked course here mentioned abominable idolatries Vers 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excesse of riot speaking evil of you 5. Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead Followeth a third argument whereby the Apostle presseth the study of holinesse upon Believers and removeth a great discouragement out of their way The sum whereof is That however they who had now changed their course and company might expect to be made a wonder to the profane and disgraced by them so far as they could for not joyning with them in their profane courses formerly described Yet this ought to be no discouragement to the Godly in the way of holinesse in regard that these their mockers and persecutors behoved shortly to give a strict and sad account of their way to the Judge of all Hence Learn 1. Men that are left of God to live in any sinful course are very unwilling that any should part company with them in their way and are strongly desirous to have others infected with their sins that so there might be none to make them ashamed and many to encourage them in their evil way Psal 64.5 for so much is imported in this that they think strange that others run not with them to the same excesse of riot 2. Were the course of profane men never so vile and even such as Nature's light cannot but condemn yet it is to them matter of great admiration that any should abandon the course which they follow because they apprehend a paradise in the satisfaction of their lusts 2 Pet. 2.13 and the true sweetnesse which is in Christ's service is wholly hid from them Prov. 14.10 Therefore they think it strange that others run not with them to the same excesse of riot 3. It doth not satisfie gracelesse persons to go at leisure in the way to their own destruction but being acted by that violent spirit of Satan they make all the hast they can toward their own ruine as men in a race do for a great prize as the word here signifies
hath given a proof of His power and good-will to bear His own through all their trials Secondly That their troubles from wicked men can reach no further than their flesh or outward man and the concernments thereof Thirdly That those troubles can continue no longer than their dwelling in the flesh And fourthly That all their hard exercises are carved out not by the lusts of men but by the holy and wise providence of God for these considerations are here presented to the Godly for their encouragement against the mockery and persecution of the profane that the same had been the lot of the Saints now departed that it was measured out by the Lord that it could only reach their flesh and them only while they were in frail flesh as is imported in these words For for this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh 4. Gods great end in sending and keeping up the Gospel among His own is That they being quickened by His Spirit which He communicates to them through the preaching of the Gospel Gal. 3.2 may be enabled to live the life of faith Joh. 20.31 and holinesse 2 Cor. 3.18 and may have also a life of consolation here 1 Joh. 1.4 and a life of glory hereafter 1 Joh. 5.13 All which is imported in this great end of preaching of the Gospel to the Lords People That they might live according to God in the spirit 5. The life of grace and of consolation could not thrive so well in the hearts of the Godly not could they be fitted for the life of glory except they met with trials and opposition from the wicked of the world to stir them up to the exercise of their grace Rom. 5.3 and to cry for a further measure of it Psal 119.25 to loose their hearts from this life and make them long for a better 2 Cor. 5.2 For for this cause the Gospel was preached to the Saints departed that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but by the blessing of God upon the Gospel and upon their hard exercise from the wicked might live according to God in the spirit Vers 7. But the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer The fifth argument to the study of holinesse notwithstanding of discouragements in the way thereof is That wicked mens opposition and the Godlies sufferings and all things of that nature would shortly be at an end from which together with the former arguments the Apostle inferreth seven directions for attaining to a right carriage in duty under so much opposition from wicked men whereof three are comprehended in this Verse The first is That they should manifest moderation and prudence in their disposition and carriage The second is That they should be much with God in prayer The third is That they should carefully watch against every thing that might mar their intercourse with God in that duty Hence Learn 1. It cannot now be long to the end of time and all things in it whether we compare the remainder of time with that which is already past or the whole of it with eternity or whether we consider how near the end of time and all things in it is to every particular person in all which respects the Apostle expresly asserts here that the end of all things is at hand 2. The Lord's People could not faint in their duty nor be discouraged because of opposition in the way of it if they did entertain the believing consideration of the nearnesse of the end of wicked mens persecution and of their pains in duty and sufferings for it for this is here given as an encouraging argument to constancy in duty notwithstanding of opposition in the way thereof That the end of all things is at hand 3. They that would carry themselves aright under much discouraging opposition in the wayes of the Lord and would keep themselves in a fit disposition for meeting with Him at the end of all things must study sobriety which consists in a mean esteem of our selves for our gifts or graces Rom. 1â— 3 in the exercise of right reason and Christian prudence in compassing our affairs Mark 5.15 and in a spare-modling with such earthly delights as may indispose us for our christian warfare 1 Thes 5.8 for this is the first particular direction which the Apostle gives for a right carriage in duty under opposition and which he inferreth upon the nearnesse of the end of all things as the way to be prepared for the same Be ye therefore sober 4. None can hold out in their duty when they meet with discouragement in the way of it nor can keep themselves in a right disposition for the end of all things but those only who keep much correspondency with God by prayer in which exercise His People receive from Him light and strength to carry themselves aright and encouragment against all that might discourage them in His way for this is the second thing recommended to them that would persevere in their duty even under opposition and be sit for the end of all things that they should watch unto prayer 5. None can expect acceptance or successe of their prayers except they joyn therewith watchfulnesse that so they may furnish themselves beforehand with matter for prayer Psal 5.1 that they may discern and make use of the fittest opportunities for the discharge of that duty Psal 55.17 that they may eschew in their ordinary carriage what may mar their accesse to God in prayer and the return of the same 1 Pet. 3.7 and may carefully observe what answers of their former prayers they have from God Hab. 2.1 for in order to this duty and as a necessary pre-requisite of it watchfulnesse is here pressed Watch unto prayer Vers 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins The fourth direction to the Lord's People for attaining to a right carriage under so much opposition from the profane which the Apostle inferreth from the former arguments to the study of holinesse especially that taken from Christ's love to His own manifested in his sufferings is That they would labour for fervency of affection one towards another and this the Apostle presseth with great earnestnesse as the sum and chief of all the duties we owe to our neighbour and bears it in by this argument That love will prevent and passe many mutual wrongs which cannot but mar comfortable society among the Lord's People Hence Learn 1. Next unto our love to the Lord Jesus which is the first and great Command in the Law Mat. 22.38 Love to His People ought to be studied above all other things it being the main evidence of our love to Him 1 Joh. 5.1 and of His love to us 1 Joh. 3.14 and that which makes way for every other duty to our neighbour 1 Cor. 13.4 for the
Apostle supposing love to Christ to be in the hearts of those to whom he writes Chap. 1.8 doth presse this love to others of His People in the next room as that which should have the precedency of any other duty Above all things have fervent charity among your selves 2. They that love Christ should not only entertain love in their own hearts to others of His People what-ever their estate or condition be but should likewise labour to procure and cherish hearty love in and among all the rest of God's People for this direction as it presseth upon every one of the Lord's People love towards one another so it presseth upon every one of them the entertaining and promoting of mutual love among others Have fervent charity among your selves 3. The more hatred and opposition the Children of the Lord meet with from the profane world the more warmnesse of affection should they entertain and expresse towards one another that so the comfort they have in one anothers affection may make up to them the discouragement they have from their wicked enemies for while this People were exposed to many discouragements from the profane as is clear from the former words the Apostle with great earnestnesse presseth them to this as that which would sweeten their sad lot Above all things have fervent charity among your selves 4. It is not enough that the Lord's People keep themselves free of malice and hatred one of another neither yet that they have such a measure of affection toward one another as they ought to have toward all men Tit. 3.2 Yea even their very enemies Mat. 5.44 but they must beware of all cold-rifenesse of affection one toward another and labour for such a hight of love as may keep them alwayes in a bensel to do one another good and such as may not be interrupted by the failings one of another for such a measure of affection is here pressed by the Apostle in these words wherein there is a metaphor from a Bow that is bended Have fervent charity among your selves 5. None of the Children of the Lord have ground to expect such a society of His People to converse with in this life in whom they may not discern many failings and wrongs and those often reiterated both against God and against one another which cannot but mar the benefit and comfort of their society unlesse one of them can pardon and passe-by a multitude of such in others for this argument doth import that there will be among the Saints a multitude of sins to be covered 6. Although the Lord's People ought not to justifie or connive at the faults one of another Lev. 19.17 but with zeal and meeknesse to point them out to them and reprove them Gal. 2.11 which should be much desired and well taken by one of them from another Psal 141.5 Yet where true love is it will not be interrupted by the discerning of these but will cover them by pardoning the wrong done to the person that hath love Eph. 4.32 interceding with God for pardon of the wrong done against Him Jam. 5.16 hiding from the party injuring our knowledge of such wrongs as we may in charity think they will challenge themselves for Prov. 12.23 and all of them so far as may be from the profane Prov. 11.13 who can make no better use of their knowledge of them than to take occasion from them to loath and disgrace Religion 2 Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2.24 and especially by furthering the repentance of the guilty person and their use-making of the bloud of Christ Jam. 5.20 whereby alone sin is covered from God's justice Psal 32.1 2. for the covering of sin here spoken of is not attributed to love as if it could either justifie our selves or others But because it is a grace that pardoneth and hideth wrongs done against them that have it and furthereth others what it can to seek the Lord's forgiving of these wrongs also Love covereth a multitude of sins 7. The consideration of the many wrongs and sinful infirmities that one of the Lord's People may discern in another should be so far from weakening the affections of one of them toward another and so marring their comfortable society that by the contrary it should move them to study the greater fervency of affection that thereby they may cover these infirmities and by their so doing be the liker to their Lord whose love kythes in covering a multitude of sins in every one of His own Eph. 4.32 for it is here brought in as a reason encouraging to the study of fervent charity that thereby they should cover a multitude of sins Vers 9. Use hospitality one to another without grudging The fifth direction is That they should prove the fervency of their love one to another by their kindly entertainment of such Christians as wanted those outward accommodations which others had and this duty the Apostle qualifieth that it ought to be made conscience of without any fretting or male-contentment Hence Learn 1. It may be the lot of the Lord 's dear People to be without house or harbour or any such worldly accommodations of their own and to be put to live upon the charity of others for in such a case are several of the Lord's People here supposed to be while the Apostle commandeth them to use hospitality one towards another 2. The Lord doth not ordinarily bring all of His People in a like hard condition at once but in hardest times useth to keep some of them in a capacity to be helpfull and comfortable to others for while there are some that want lodging and accommodation of their own there are others of His People that have these things to give to such as want them as is supposed in this exhortation Use hospitality one to another 3. Although humane Laws do not bind Christians to the duties of charity nor punish them for the neglect thereof yet the supream Law-giver hath enjoyned these duties as strictly as any other and therefore no question will be as terrible to the neglecters of these duties as of any other duties Mat. 25.44 for this Text is the poors right to a share of the accommodations and society of the rich and the Lords order to the rich for giving the same to the poor Use hospitality one to another 4. Duties of charity to the Lord's People in necessity ought to be done without fretting or male-contentment either at the poor as being burthensom or at God's providence for casting so many objects of charity in our way and consequently they ought to be gone about willingly and pleasantly considering that the Lord esteemeth of them as done to Himself Prov. 19.17 and that He delighteth exceedingly in our chearfull performance of such duties as are expensive to us 2 Cor. 9.7 for thus doth the Apostle qualifie the right manner of performing this duty of hospitality that it be used without grudging Vers 10. As every man hath received the gift even so minister
as hot Heb. 12.1 2 3. and especially that they are assured of one with them in the hottest furnace of affliction they can be put in who will quench the violence of the fire that it shall not consume them Isa 43.2 5. Therefore they should not think it strange concerning the fiery trial as though some strange thing had happened unto them 5. One main end for which the Lord exerciseth His People with fiery trials is That they may have proof of the strength of His grace in them for their comfort Rom. 5.3 and a discovery of the weaknesse thereof also and of the much drosse of corruption which is with it for their humiliation and purging Isa 27.9 for this the Apostle affirmeth of the hottest sufferings of the Godly That they are only to try them 6. The consideration of those excellent advantages which the Lord's People have by trials should guard their hearts against offence thereat for this that afflictions are but to try them is here held forth as a special reason why they should not take uncouth with them Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you Vers 13. But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings that when His glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy The second direction for a right disposition and carriage under the crosse for Christ which the Apostle propoundeth positively is That they should count it great matter of joy to be honoured to suffer for Christ And this together with the former direction the Apostle beareth in by two further arguments The one iâ— That by their sufferings for Christ they were made conform to Him in His suffering and did partake of the fruits of His sufferings for them The other is That their sufferings for Christ were to them sure pledges and forerunners of their sharing with Him of His glory at His second appearance Hence Learn 1. It is not enough for the Lord's People to have their hearts kept free of discouragement under the crosse or amazement at it as a strange lot but they ought also to rejoyce in their sufferings for Christ as the matter of their great honour and happinesse which frame of spirit may be attained unto under the hottest trials wherewith the Lord's People can be exercised for after the Apostle hath exhorted them not to think it strange concerning the fiery trial he addeth this second direction But rejoyce c. 2. Those who are honoured to suffer for Christ do in a special manner partake of His sufferings in regard they have a special measure of that wisdom and strength which he purchased by his death communicated to them under their trials Rev. 12.11 are then brought to a nearer conformity with Him in his estate of humiliation Rom. 8.29 do undergo what He esteems done to Himself Act. 9.4 and do fill up their share of these sufferings which divine providence hath carved out for Christ mystical Col. 1.24 In all which respects sufferers may be said to partake of the sufferings of Christ every one whereof ought to be a strong motive to chearfulnesse and constancy under sufferings for Him for to this end doth the Apostle give this reason comprehending all these priviledges In as much as ye are partakers of the sufferings of Christ 3. Although Christ's essential glory be alwayes one and the same Heb. 13.8 Yet His declarative or manifested glory is sometimes much hid and vailed as it was in a special way during the time of His personal humiliation Joh. 17.5 and will be so in a great measure till all His suffering-Members share of His glory at the last day at which time He shall be clearly manifested to be fully glorious as is imported in this other reason of joy in suffering for Christ That when His glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also c. 4. The Lord hath reserved the fulnesse of the joy of His People till the time of the full manifestation of His own glory at His last appearing that His own may long much for that day and may not take it ill to suspend their joy while His glory is under a vail for when His glory shall be revealed they shall be glad with exceeding joy 5. As Christ's second coming will be a glad day to all that believe in Him 2 Thess 1.10 So there is a special measure of joy and gladnesse reserved for them who get grace to go chearfully through a sad suffering-lot in the world for His sake in the consideration whereof He doth allow them to comfort themselves against their sufferings and doth not esteem it a mercenary disposition in them so to do for to sufferers is this consolation given as especially verified in them That when His glory shall be revealed they shall be glad with exceeding joy Vers 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part He is evil spoken of but on your part He is glorified The Apostle addeth to the former three arguments several others to encourage them against their sufferings The fourth is That even their induring disgracefull speeches for Christ should prove a mean and evidence of their happinesse and therefore much more their greater sufferings The fifth which explains their happinesse is That the glorious Spirit of the Lord delighteth to reside in the hearts of sufferers which must be understood of some special operations of His seing He dwelleth or resteth in the hearts of all His own whether they be put to suffering or not The sixth is That the reproaching of the Godly is taken as done against that glorious Spirit of God residing in them And the seventh is That their constant enduring of that and other degrees of their sufferings is esteemed much glory to that glorious Spirit Hence Learn 1. Although even those of the Lord's People who do not decline suffering for Him are very strongly desirous to suffer with credit before men Psal 119.22 Yet they ought to expect reproach as a main ingredient in their trials whereby their reputation will be stâ—â—ned in the minds of many and foul crimes to make them detestable laid to their charge as the word here signifies for this is supposed to be a part of their trial against which the Apostle here guardeth and comforteth theâ— If ye be reproached c. happy are ye 2. As there are several kinds of trials where with the Lord's People are exercised and every one are not tried with the same kind So the Lord takes notice of all the degrees and kinds of their trials were it but an envious look 1 Sam. 18.9 or the least disdainful gesture Psal 22.7 Isa 58.9 and will not suffer the lesser sort of their sufferings to 〈◊〉 their own consolation and reward and particularly He taketh notice of all disgraceful expressions against His People
which is the particular trial here spoken of for having comforted them against fiery trials in the former Verse he here comforteth them against reproach If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye 3. Even those who are not put to the hottest kind of sufferings are ready to miscarry and be discouraged under the lesser because the best are not easily brought to deny their own strength till they be under some extremity 2 Cor. 1.9 for this is imported in the Apostle's guarding and comforting against reproach If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye 4. The consideration of the greatness of the reward which the Lord graciously bestoweth upon the least degree of suffering for Him should make His People joyfully undergo the greatest and most fiery of their trials If it be a happinesse to be reproached for His sake it must be a great happinesse to be killed for his sake for the Apostle makes this a reason why they should rejoyce under fiery trials that to be reproached for Him was a happy thing If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye 5. It is not the sufferings of Christians but the cause for which they do suffer which makes them happy to wit their suffering for the profession of the Name of Christ for adhering to His Truth and their duty to Him and out of respect to His glory for this is the qualification of a right sufferer who may count himself happy in his sufferings If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye 9. The third Person of the blessed Trinity is glorious in Himself being God equal with the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 5 7. and worketh glorious effects in the hearts where He dwelleth such as the bestowing and encreasing of grace which is begun glory 1 Cor. 3.18 giving clear fore-sights of glory Eph. 1.17 and sometimes sweet fore-tasts thereof Rom. 8.23 In which respects He is here called The Spirit of glory and of God 7. As the Spirit of the Lord doth constantly abide in the hearts of all Believers in regard of some of His operations Joh. 14. â—6 especially in regard of His preserving the seeds and habits of grace and keeping the Saints from final apostasie 1 Joh. 3.9 So He hath ordinarily a more glorious and more constant residence in regard of His comfortable and supporting operations in the hearts of sufferers than of others and though he have not tied Himself to fill the hearts of his suffering-people alwayes with sense and comfort but may withhold the same from the dearest of them under their sharpest sufferings and put them to live by Faith as it was with David and Christ himself Psal 22.1 2 c. Yet oftentimes their allowance of comfort is larger and their enjoyment of sensible presence longer than what others have who are not put to suffer and sweeter than what themselves have had before suffering for this is here held forth as an encouragement made out in a special way to sufferers The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you 8. The true happinesse of Believers standeth in their enjoyment of the presence of Christ's Spirit residing in their hearts and proving Himself to be there by His gracious operations which may be had in the midst of sharpest sufferings the consideration whereof ought to make great joy in the hearts of sufferers for the Apostle having pronounced such happy he doth explain their happinisse which is the reason of their joy under their sufferings That the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them 9. The more glorious and constant the residence of Christ's Spirit in the hearts of His suffering-people appeareth to be the more inraged will their profane persecutors be to speak evil of that Spirit that dwelleth in them which they will be esteemed to do though they do not expresly blaspheme the Spirit when they father the operations of the Spirit upon Satan Mat. 12.24.28 or when they wilfully resist and oppose His known mind delivered to them by His suffering-people Act. 7.51 for though the Spirit of glory and of God rest upon these persecuted Saints Yet upon the part of their persecutors He is evil spoken of 10. It may allay to the Godly the bitternesse of reproaches and disgraceful expressions against them to consider that by those the Spirit of the Lord counteth Himself evil spoken of and taketh as done directly against Himself those wrongs which are done to His People who are His Temple and His workmanship and will punish wicked men accordingly for this may be taken as a particular encouragement against reproach that even the Spirit of God was upon the part of them that did reproach His Followers evil spoken of 11. The Lord doth esteem Himself much glorified by His Peoples constancy in suffering for Him while His terror sweetnesse power and other properties are proclaimed and commended by that practice of His People in choosing of affliction rather than sin against Him and His esteeming so of it should be a strong motive to chearfulnesse and constancy in suffering for Him for this the Apostle expresly asserteth as an argument to constancy and chearfulnesse under suffering On your part He is glorified Vers 15. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters Here is a third direction for attaining to a right carriage in a time of persecution the sum whereof is That as they desire to find the sweetnesse of the former consolations which the Apostle had held forth to sufferers they would keep themselves free of those evils which even Heathen Magistrates under whose power they lived would readily punish such as wronging the persons or estates of their neighbours medling with things without the bounds of their calling and other wickednesses of that sort So should they be the lesse moved with their sufferings Hence Learn 1. It is the duty of those who have power and authority over others to prove themselves keepers of both the Tables of the Law of God by punishing without respect of persons not only the grosser sorts of transgressions such as murder and theft whereby men injure the persons or estates of their neighbours but also those more subtil and specious sins such as invading the rights of others going beyond the bounds of folks calling which often are vailed with the pretences of zeal for God and the publick good Numb 16.3 which kind of sins the Apostle understands here by being busie in other mens matters Yea all other known iniquities whether against the first Table such as idolatry Job 31.26 27 28. blasphemie Lev. 24.11 Sabbath-breaking Numb 15.32 Or against the second such as disobedience to parents Deut. 21.18 c. adultery Job 31.11 All which and the like are iniquities to be punished by the Judge and are comprehended here under this general clause evil doers for the Apostle supposeth here that
even Christians being found guilty of any of those iniquities ought to be put to suffer for them while he giveth them this caution But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters 2. Even natures light will speak against the toleration of several sorts of evils and will not suffer men that have power and have not put out that light by frequent sinning against it to passe them without punishment What a shame then is it for these within the Church to commit such things or tolerate them in others For the Apostle supposeth here that Christians who lived under Heathen Magistrates would certainly be put to suffer by them if they were found murderers thieves evil-doers or busie-bodies in other mens matters 3. As it is the duty of every one who by their miscarriage have deserved the stroak of humane justice willingly to submit to the same Luke 23.41 So it should be the great care of the Lord's people to eschew those sins which may draw them under that stroak it being a great reproach to Christianity when the professors of it are found guilty of those things which even Heathens or such as are no better cannot but punish and a great hardening of wicked men in their evil ways for which and the like causes the Apostle giveth this third direction But let none of you suffer as a murderer c. 4. Except Christians imploy Christ's Spirit to apply that vertue which He hath purchased by His death for the changing of their nature and mortifying of the love of sin in their hearts and study watchfulnesse in their carriage they will readily break out in those abominations for which even Heathens would justly put them to suffer for this direction of the Apostle's doth import that except Christians did watch and pray and make use of Christ's death for mortification of sin within to which duties he had stirred them up before they were in hazard to break out in the sins here mentioned and so be put to suffer as murderers thieves evil-doers and busie-bodies in other mens matters Vers 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf The Apostle giveth some further directions for attaining the fore-mentioned end The fourth in number is implied in the beginning of this Verse That they should cleave to the profession of the Name and Truth of Christ carrying themselves under their sufferings as His anointed ones upon which he inferreth the fifth That if they did so suffer they ought not to be ashamed of their sufferings But on the contrary which is a sixth direction they should take occasion from such sufferings of giving much glory to God for honouring and enabling them so to suffer Hence Learn 1. They that would have true comfort under their sufferings for Christ must first study to be real Christians taught of Christ to know Him and His will Act. 11.26 to have from Him the anointing of His Spirit 1 Joh. 2.20 whereby they are made in some measure to resemble Him in His nature and disposition 1 Cor. 3.18 2 Pet. 1.4 and in His Offices to which He is anointed by having power over their lusts and in His strength overcoming all opposition in the way of their duty 1 Joh. 5.4 as anointed Kings to God by offering up themselves in a sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 and their service through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 as a spiritual Priesthood by communicating the knowledge of Christ to others especially those under their charge Gen. 18.19 whereby they do resemble Him in the exercise of his Prophetical Office and especially to be conform to Him in suffering for Him and shewing forth that meeknesse and constancy and other of His communicable perfections which shined in Him under his sufferings avowing his Name and Offices to which He is anointed upon all hazards for this is to suffer as a Christian whose name is an anointed one which the Apostle here implies as necessary for all that would tast the sweetnesse of the former consolations But if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 2. Profane Christians who may be justly put to suffer for their faults are very ready to entitle themselves to the honour of suffering for Christ and therefore it concerneth Christ's Ministers to clear the cause of suffering in which Christians may comfort themselves and the right manner of suffering for a right cause for the Apostle in this and the preceding Verse setteth a guard about the former consolations given to sufferers for Christ lest they might be usurped by profane professors justly put to suffer for their miscarriage Let none of you suffer as a murderer c. but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 3. There is no shame or contempt that the world can pour upon sufferers for Christ whereof they ought to be ashamed but rather to despise shame for Him as He did for us Heb. 12.2 as they would not have Him dealing with them as if He were ashamed of them another day Mark 8.38 for this is the fifth direction If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 4. When the Lord by His providence brings a necessity upon Christians of suffering for Him and his Truth and by his grace enableth them to carry themselves christianly under the same they owe much praise and glory to Him for putting that honour upon them especially considering that His grace alone hath prevented their falling in those sins which might justly have brought them to no lesse suffering and with far lesse credit and comfort than now while they are put to suffer for Christ and their duty to Him for this is the sixth direction Let him glorifie God on this behalf to wit that he is put to suffer not as a thief or a murderer but as a Christian Vers 17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God Here are two further arguments to move the Godly to courage and constancy under their sufferings the one is That now God's appointed and fit opportunity was come wherein he would have his just displeasure against the sins of men beginning first to kyth in his own family the Church under the New Testament by trouble and persecution for the correction and trial of his own and therefore they had no reason to faint under these trials seing the time of them was of God's appointment and that the Godly were only to endure the beginning of that which would make an end of their persecutors The other argument is That seing God's just displeasure against sin was first manifested toward his own People the end of their wicked enemies behoved to be unspeakably terrible and therefore they had no reason to
as the metaphor of a Crown of glory signifieth and such as shall never fade or wax old but unto all eternity shall remain still in its primitive vigour as if a flower should still keep its fairest lustre and sweetest smell which metaphor is also in the words and this may comfort them against the fading of their reputation among men which is incident to the best Joh. 5. 35. Gal. 4.16 for this is here given to the Church-guides as their great encouragement that they are to receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away Vers 5. Likewise ye younger submit your selves unto the elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble The Apostle having in the former part of the Chapter exhorted the Officers of the Church to their duty In the second part he pointeth out the duties of the flock whom he designeth by the name of younger not only because the most part of them are ordinarily younger in years than their Officers but mainly because in their disposition and carriage toward their Overseers they should shew some resemblance of that reverence and obedience which is suitable in young ones toward the aged And their duty he holdeth forth in six directions The first which belongeth to them considered only as they are under the charge of their Officers is subjection to them in the Lord which importeth obedience to their message and respect to their persons The second which concerns them mainly as fellow-members of the Church is mutual subjection of one to another in all the duties of love The third which holdeth forth the special mean of attaining to the former two is that they should adorn themselves with a mean esteem of themselves and this the Apostle presseth by two arguments The one is that the Lord opposeth himself to them that lift up themselves And the other is that he giveth his favour and grace to them that abase themselves Hence Learn 1. It is the duty of the Lord's People to be subject to their Rulers whom he hath set over them in his Church by submitting to the duties which they presse upon them from the Word Heb. 13.22 and to the censures they inflict according to the Word 2 Cor. 2.9 by affording them some means of outward subsistance Gal. 6.6 and by giving some respect to their persons because of their Office 1 Cor. 4.1 in respect whereof they are lifted up by the Lord above his People as the word here signifies for the substance of the duty of the flock to their Church Officers is here by the Apostle comprehended in this one word Be subject 2. Whether the Members of the Church be younger or elder in years they should in reference to their Overseers resemble that disposition and carriage which beseemeth young ones toward the elder in their earnest desire of the Word and means of salvation administred by them chap. 2.3 by depending upon them as instruments for counsel in their difficult cases Mal. 2.7 calling for their help and assistance under their crosses Jam. 5.14 and by their meek submission to censures from them Heb. 13.17 for it is mainly in respect of the resemblance that should be betwixt the disposition of the Flock in reference to their Pastors and Overseers and that of Children toward their Parents or such as have the charge of them that the Apostle thus designeth them Ye younger be subject to the elder 3. The obligation of the Lord's People to their duty toward their Overseers is no lesse strait than that of their Overseers to their duty toward them and therefore their hazard in neglecting their duty can be no lesse than theirs for the Apostle beareth in their duty upon them toward their Overseers by such a word as importeth an equality in the strictnesse of the tye Likewise ye younger be subject to the elder 4. There is a mutual subjection due by every one of the Lord's People toward another which consists in their condescendency to reprove one another in love for their faults Lev. 19.17 their instructing and admonishing one another concerning their duty Col. 3.16 in their taking well with reproofs and admonitions one from another Psal 141.5 and in their stooping to all the duties of charity one toward another Gal. 5. 13. and the like All which is comprehended in this second direction given to the Members of the Church in reference to their fellow-members Yea all of you be subject one to another 5. However men appointed for destruction do glory in their pride and violence wherewith they think themselves adorned Psal 73.6 18 19. Yet the grace of humility whereby a Christian hath a mean esteem of himself flowing from the sense of his own sinfulnesse 1 Cor. 15.9 and of the undeserved goodnesse of God 2 Sam. 7.18 20 whereby he is inclined to prefer others to himself Rom. 12.10 not desiring more esteem from others than God alloweth him to have 1 Cor. 3.5 and 4.6 and taketh well with all chastisements from God as lesse than his deserving Ezr. 9.13 is the prime ornament of Christians which they should tye about them and delight to wear as the word here signifies and be no lesse ashamed to appear without than without their clothing Be clothed with humility 6. There can be no right discharge of any duty that the Lord's People owe to Superiours inferiours or equals until they get from God that humble frame of spirit formerly described for this exhortation may be taken for a mean of attaining to the former duties And be clothed with humility 7. Although the Lord may suffer proud sinners to prosper in their sins for a time Psal 73.4 5. Yet he doth still stand in battel array as the word here translated to resist signifieth against them and will take his fittest opportunity to bear down all that live in that sin of pride which doth manifest it self in the slighting of the study of reconciliation with God through Christ Psal 10.4 the neglect of clear duties prest by the Word Neh. 9.16 17 29. and in unthankfulnesse to God for his mercies 2 Chron. 32.25 26. The consideration of which opposition from God should make the study of humility lovely and pride hateful to the Lord's People as they would not have God for their party for this is a reason to presse humility God resisteth the proud 8. The sweet proofs of God's favour and the increase of the graces of his Spirit is that which every humble sinner may expect which should commend the grace of humilitie to them and make them study the exercise of it for both these are comprehended in this second argument pressing them to put on this ornament God giveth grace to the humble Vers 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time The Apostle doth here again urge his former exhortation to the study of humility especially under the
crosse by two further arguments The one taken from the omnipotency of God which is able to crush the proud and carry the humble through all their straits The other from the certainâ—y of the humble person's deliverance which is promised in the season fittest for it Hence Learn 1. Humility is a lesson so hard to be learned that Christ's Ministers had need to presse the same frequently upon his People and study many arguments to bear it in upon them for the Apostle having in the former verse by very strong reasons perswaded them to clothe themselves with that ornament he doth here again by other arguments presse the same in substance Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God c. 2. The consideration of the mighty power of God which is sufficiently able to protect and bear through all his Followers Joh. 10.28 and to find out and punish all that oppose him or them Psal 21.8 9. should move the Lord's people humbly to submit to their duty and to the hardest dispensation in following thereof for his Almighty Power here signified by his Hand is mentioned as a further reason of his Peoples humbling of themselves Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God 3. Although the Lord's People who have attained to some approven measure of the exercise of this grace of humility under their straits may not expect a present deliverance out of them Hab. 2.1 3. Yet their delivery is made sure for them and they are certified by his faithfull Word that they shall be carried through till they meet with it for though he do not promise here to the humble that they shall be presently exalted Yet he maketh them sure of this that if they humble themselves under his mighty hand they shall be exalted 4. The deliverance of the Lord 's humble People cometh alwayes to them in the fittest time which is when the Lord hath perfected his work intended by their affliction Isa 10.12 particularly when they are brought to that measure of humiliation to which by their straits the Lord intends to bring them Lev. 26.41 when they are prepared by their straits to put a due price upon a delivery Psal 102.13 14. and when the cup of their enemies iniquity is full Gen. 15.16 for this word signifieth both the opportunity fixed and fittest for the exaltation of the humble He shall exalt you in due time Vers 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you The fourth direction which is brought in as a special mean of attaining to the former is that Believers should by faith commit unto the Lord their thorow-bearing in their duty the event thereof and all their anxiety about these and that because the Lord's loving providence doth not suffer him to neglect them or any of their concernments Hence Learn 1. The Children of the Lord are subject to much sinfull anxiety in following of their duty which appeareth when they are hindered from their duty by looking more to their own weaknesse and the difficulties in the way of duty than to the sufficiency promised by him that calleth them to it Exod. 3.11 or when they are discouraged in their duty by the apprehension of probable hazards in the way of it Isa 51.12 13. of which evil the Spirit of the Lord would have them sensible while he findeth it necessary thus to exhort them Casting all your care on him 2. Although it be most commendable in Christians to entertain such a care of discharging their duty aright and of eschewing what may provoke the Lord in their way of going about it as stirreth them up to much diligence and employing of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 7.11 Yet such a care whether anent the manner of their going about their duty or the successe and event thereof as doth distract their heart in duty and indispose them for it is sinful and to be shaken off by all that would discharge their duty acceptably for so doth the Apostle here direct Casting all your care upon him 3. The way to be liberated of anxiety and heart-dividing cares which indispose for duty is by prayer to commend the successe and event of our duty and our thorow-bearing therein to the Lord Philip. 4.6 and by faith to commit both to him Prov. 16.3 for this is here the direction of the Spirit of the Lord for attaining to freedom from sinfull anxiety Casting all your care upon him 4. The Lord alloweth his Children to cast upon him all their anxieties both such as they have about their souls and matters of highest concernment and those about their bodies and lesser matters how small soever the thing be where-about their heart becometh anxious he alloweth them to commit the same to him for he knoweth that a very small matter is ready to occasion much vexation of spirit to his own Jona 4.8 Therefore doth he thus direct them to cast all their care upon him 5. It is not only the priviledge of Believers that they may disburden themselves of their distrustful heart-dividing cares by casting them over upon the Lord but it is also the very great desire of our God that we should not sink under the insupportable burden of our own needlesse cares and fears Yea it is his peremptory command to put these off our selves upon him which his People may not disobey except they would incur his displeasure and destroy themselves for this hath the force of a command Casting all your care upon him 6. As no duty can be rightly discharged by us while the Lord is not trusted with our thorow-bearing in it and with the event and successe thereof or while the heart is distracted with misbelieving anxiety about these So the trusting of God with these is the best way to come speed in every duty for the Apostle having exhorted before to duties toward their Overseers to one another and to God he brings in this as a mean of attaining to all these without which none of them could be attained unto Casting all your care upon him 7. Misbelieving anxiety whereby Christians break themselves with the burden of these cares which God requireth to be cast upon him is one of the greatest signs of pride in the world and to trust God with the weight of these in following our duty is a prime evidence of true humility for this is brought in as a special way how they should prove themselves to be humbled under God's mighty hand and as that without which they could not but declare their pride as both the construction of the words and their connexion with the former do import Humble your selves c. casting all your care upon him 8. Although the Lord be altogether free of such passions as care sorrow and the like which are in men Numb 23.19 Yet those of his People that cast their care upon him shall find no lesse proofs of his love both in warding off hazards so far as is necessary and providing every thing needful for
them than if he were as solicitous for their wel-being as they can be for themselves the consideration whereof should liberate their hearts of their distrustful cares for this is here asserted as a reason inforcing the fourth direction He careth for you 9. While the Lord's People take upon themselves the weight of their matters and have their hearts distracted with cares about their thorow-bearing in and the event of their duties they do not then believe the fatherly providence of God watching over them for their good the faith whereof could not but banish their anxieties as is imported in the connexion of this reason with the direction Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Vers 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour The fifth direction is That Christians should prepare themselves for the spiritual warfare against their great enemy Satan And for this end he sheweth what frame of spirit and carriage becometh a Souldier of Christ in two directions preparatory to this warfare The one is That they should meddle sparingly with the delights of this present life The other is That they should still be upon their watch lest they be surprised by their spiritual enemies and to move them hereunto he describeth their prime enemy Satan from his great enimity unwearied activity and insatiable cruelty as so many arguments to sobriety and vigilancy Hence Learn 1. They that are most conscionable in their duty and have come nearest to the right manner of going about it have reason to make them for the hottest battel and forest assaults from Satan to hinder or discourage them therein for the Apostle having directed the Flock of Christ in the former words to their several duties and to the right manner of going about them with humility and confidence doth here exhort them to prepare for a battel in that way and for this end thus instructeth them for it Be sober be vigilant because your adversary c. 2. Every one that would be a good Souldier in this holy War against Satan must labour for a sober frame of spirit whereby Christians esteem meanly of their own abilities Rom. 12.3 they keep down the kything of their passions against those that injure them Act. 26.25 and meddle sparingly even with lawful delights the excesse whereof becomes fewel to Satan's temptations and overchargeth the heart so as it cannot foresee and guard against hazard from him Luk. 21.34 for this is the first preparatory direction given to Souldiers in this spiritual warfare Be sober 3. Holy watchfulnesse whereby a Christian forecasteth hazards and guardeth against them is also required in a Christian Warriour without which he cannot but be surprised and made a slave to his adversary the Devil for to prepare Believers for this battel the Apostle gives this second direction Be vigilant 4. Satan is such an enemy as in opposing the Lord's People pleadeth Law and Equity upon his side and by Law would carry his point against all that are come of Adam were it not Christ hath freed Law-breakers who believe in him from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 for this stile of Satan's Your adversary imports an adversary in some suit of Law 5. Of all the enemies of the People of God whereof they have many both within 1 Pet. 2.11 and without Psal 3.1 Satan is the chief acting in and by all the rest and far exceeding them all in power and policy and therefore to be especially watched against and opposed for he is here called That adversary the Devil 6. Satan watcheth all possible advantages of prevailing against the Children of the Lord by his temptations compassing them round about that he may espy where they are weakest or least afraid of hazard that there he may assault them for he is an adversary that goeth about 7. There is no outwearying of Satan in this warfare by never so much opposition or frequent disappointments he is still in action against the Lord's People which should provoke them to constant watchfulnesse and imployment of Jesus Christ for strength against him for his constant activity is here set forth by a word in the present time as a motive to sobriety and vigilancy Your adversary goeth about 8. Satan is a very powerful enemy and a terrible and so cruel that no lesse than the utter destruction of souls can satisfie him for he is here described by the similitude of one of the most powerful terrible and cruelest of beasts A roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour 9. All the activity power terror and cruelty of the Devil should be so far from discouraging the Lord's People in the battel against him that the consideration thereof should animate and hearten them to the same considering that he is an enemy spoiled by Jesus Christ Col. 2.15 that there is more power to be imployed for Believers than is against them 2 King 6.16 and that victory over Satan is sure and near to all Beleivers Rom. 16.20 for as an argument to sobriety vigilancy and the exercise of other graces and duties formerly pressed upon Believers their adversary is thus described he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom be may devour Vers 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world Here is the sixth and last direction wherein the Apostle presseth the great duty of spiritual Warriours to wit resistance of their great enemy Satan and withall holds forth the right way of maintaining that holy warfare against him which is by constant adhering to the truths of the Gospel and resting by faith upon the promises thereof notwithstanding of all afflictions in that way to which the Apostle giveth this encouragement That they had all the rest of the Lord's People in the world for their fellow-souldiers each of them filling up their own measure of hardship in this battel Hence Learn 1. Although the power and policy of our spiritual adversary be exceeding great as was shown from the former verse yet none of Christ's Souldiers must think of flying from him or yeelding to him in the least But must make them for a stout and peremptory resistance of him in all his temptations considering that the more place be yeelded unto him he tyrannizeth the more Mat. 12.49 c. and the more stoutly he be opposed the more ground he loseth Jam. 4.7 for this is the order which Christ's Souldiers have received from their General Jesus Christ concerning Satan and his temptations Whom resist c. 2. The principal mean whereby Believers beat back Satan and his temptations is their constant adhering to the truth of the Gospel whatever they may suffer for their so doing and their maintaining of their interest in Christ and the promises both which are comprehended in this direction holding forth the right manner of opposing Satan Whom resist stedfast in the faith 3.
The strongest of Satan's temptations are conveyed to the Godly through afflictions under which his temptations are ordinarily most prevalent with them to make them quit the Truth or their duty or else to ding them from their confidence in adhering to these Therefore the Apostle giving an encouragement to oppose Satan's temptations he suiteth the same for an afflicted condition importing that through affliction the greatest temptations are ordinarily conveyed to the Godly Whom resist c. knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren 4. It is an ordinary and strong temptation which Satan suggests to the hearts of the Godly That they are singular and matchlesse in their sufferings that so he may make them question their Fathers affection and put themselves out of the number of his Children because of their afflictions for this is the temptation which the Apostle mainly guards the hearts of sufferers against while he saith Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world 5. It ought to be a great encouragement to sufferers in that battel against their temptations which accompany their afflictions to consider that their lot is no harder than the rest of the Saints of God through the world from whom they may expect sympathy and the help of their prayers for this is here given as an encouragement to the battel against Satan's temptations notwithstanding of afflictions in the way of their duty That the same afflictions were accomplished in their Brethren that are in the world Vers 10. But the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Followeth the last part of the Chapter which is the Conclusion of the whole Epistle containing several articles In the first the Apostle betakes himself to God by prayer for these suffering Christians that the begun work of grace in them might be carried on to perfection and for that end that they might be established in what they had already attained that their spiritual strength for all their duties and difficulties might be renewed and increased and their union with Christ the foundation made more and more firm which is the signification of these several expressions in the Apostle's petition and for the strengthening of his faith and theirs concerning the hearing of this prayer he takes hold of the alsufficiency of grace which is in God and makes use of the sweet proof thereof which they had already received in the Lord 's calling of them by the Gospel to the possession of his everlasting blessednesse through the Mediatour after they had wrestled a little while through a few difficulties in the way to it Hence Learn 1. The Ministers of Christ ought not to satisfie themselves with the pressing of pertinent duties upon the Lord's People and holding forth fitting encouragements to be made use of by them that thereby people may come to the knowledge and approbation of their doctrine but they must also by prayer and faith put over upon the Lord to work in the people what they have pressed and must go before them to the Fountain of furniture that so the people may apprehend a necessity of divine influence to concur with mens best gifts in order to their profiting without which neither Ministers pains nor peoples resolutions or endeavours can have successe Rom. 9. â—6 for so doth the Apostle here put over upon the Lord by prayer to work in the people that which was his main scope in preaching and writing to them But the God of all grace c. make you perfect c. 2. It may be a great comfort to the Lord's People and encouragement in their duty when the Lord sends them such Messengers as have not only ability to clear their duty and hold forth their encouragements to them but such as have also skill of wrestling in prayer with God for them to draw down the blessing upon their doctrine and by their practice of that duty of prayer before the Lord's People to direct them in the right manner of going about it for this may be taken for a sweeet encouragement to them to study the duties he had prest upon them that they had the Apostle so earnest and skilful a wrestler with God for them putting up as it were in their hearing such pertinent petitions on their behalf and making use of such strong grounds of confidence as was fitting for the strengthening of their faith and his that he should be heard The God of all grace who hath called us to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ after ye have suffered a while make you perfect c. 3. Even those of the Lord's People who are furthest advanced in grace are far short of that measure of perfection which is attainable they are oftentimes like a member out of joynt as the first expression here in the Apostle's prayer signifies both in regard of their own inward distempers Psal 22.14 and of their divisions among themselves for healing whereof Paul useth the same word in his exhortation to the Corinthians 2 Ep. 13.11 they are not so hardened against nor resolute as they ought to be to meet with further difficulties as the next expression in his prayer imports They are far from that vigour and ability for their duties and crosses and from that close adherence to Christ the Foundation-stone as the two last expressions import that they might be at Of all which defects every one that desires to thrive in grace would labour to be sensible that so they may be humble and stirred up to greater progresse for which cause the Apostle maketh use of such expressions in his petitions as might represent to the minds of the people of whose progresse he had spoken much before their several defects The God of all grace make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you 4. It ought to be the great aim and design of Ministers in all their labours with God and with the people That those who have attained to some good measure of grace may not rest satisfied with the same But may be stirred up to aim at progresse and perfection therein and for that end may have their inward distempers and mutual divisions healed as a broken member is set in joynt again that they may be made able for their duties and hardened against their trials and that they may be better built upon the Foundation Christ by a more hearty imbracing of his offered Grace and firm adherance to his Truth for these are the things which the Apostle hath aimed at in his writing this Epistle to these persecuted Hebrews and in his prayer to God for them as is clear by the signification of the words in the Original The God of all grace make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you 5. There is in God an Alsufficiency of every grace and withall a strong propension to communicate the same freely
stayed there after the expiring of the seventy years captivity whom this Apostle being a Minister of the Circumcision Gal. 2.7 hath gone to visit and planted in a visible Church And next he delivers commendations from Mark who was a publick Minister of the Gospel Col. 4.10 11. and being one of this Apostle's old acquaintance Act. 12.12 hath been instructed by him in the Gospel for which he is here called his son as Timothy is called Paul's for the same reason 1 Tim. 1.2 Hence Learn 1. It is the duty of the Lord's People especially in a suffering time though never so far distant in place to love and remember one another as if they were present and embracing one another as the word of saluting in the Original imports to signifie their desires to know one anothers condition their sympathy with one anothers suffering and joy for one anothers welfare all which is imported in the salutation common among the Hebrews 1 Sam. 25.25 1 Chron. 18.10 And it is likewise the duty of those who are intrusted with the carrying of such salutations to make conscience of the delivery of them for the Church at Babylon remembereth their dispersed Countrymen and desireth the Apostle to signifie the same to them who doth it here accordingly The Church which is at Babylon saluteth you 2. The Lord who reigneth in the midst of His enemies Psal 110.2 can erect and keep up a Church to himself even in those places of the world where His enemies are permitted to have all the external power in their hand for He hath here a Church at Babylon where we never read that the civil-power was imployed for Him 3. The Lord hath many designs of providence which will not appear for a long time after He hath begun to work in order to the execution of them for now it appears that when the Jews were carried captive to Babylon the Lord hath had a design to have a Gospel-church erected there before they should all come back again as is clear by comparing Acts 15.18 with this that there is a Church at Babylon 4. The Lord can make the sinful failings of His People subservient to His gracious purposes and yet be holy in all His wayes for the sinfull stay of some of the Jews in Babylon when they had a call and opportunity to return in Cyrus's time is made to serve the accomplishment of this holy purpose of God â—anent the having of a visible Gospel-Church at Babylon 5. The constancy of some of the Lords People who are under the power of wicked men and the appearance of the grace of Christ in them especially their love and sympathy with the rest of His People ought to move others to constancy under their sufferings and make them confident of the same thorow-bearing strength for that the Apostle may encourage these suffering-Believers to whom he writeth he sendeth them here commendations from their Bretheen in Babylon in testimony of their love to and sympathy with them The Church which is at Babylon saluteth you 6. No journey never so long or hazardous ought to be shunned by any Servant of Christ to do service to Him who hath engaged Himself to be with them go whither they will Mat. 28.20 In the faith whereof Peter hath undertaken this long and hazardous journey from Judea to Babylon from whence he sendeth this Epistle to the rest of the Christian Jews 7. Because all the Members of the visible Church are chosen out of the world to professe Christ and to have the offers of His grace made to them and so many of them as do really imbrace these offers have doubtlesse been from eternity chosen to be equal sharers of spiritual and eternal mercies Therefore they may be all spoken of and dealt with by Christ's Ministers as the Elect of God for so doth the Apostle here speak of the whole visible Churches at Babylon and other places Elected together 8. It is a special comfort to suffering-Christians to know themselves remembred and respected by more eminent Christians than themselves by whom they are apt to apprehend themselves forgotten and slighted for which cause we may safely conceive the Apostle here to mention commendations particularly from Marcus his son 9. Those who have been instrumental in the conversion or spiritual edification of others ought to entertain a special measure of tender affection toward them and should have from them a special measure of reverence and love such as children owe to their parents for because Mark was instructed by this Apostle in the knowledge of Christ and the Gospel and did resemble him in faith and conversation he is here called his son 10. A penitent's former failings ought not to hinder his esteem with any of the Lords People for Mark who by his separating from the Apostles while they were about the Work of the Lord did occasion a sinful separation of one of them from another Act. 15.37 38 39. is here particularly mentioned as one dear to this Apostle and whose love and remembrance should be a comfort to sufferers And Marcus my son 11. So careful should the Ministers of Christ be to entertain love among the Lords People and particularly to beget and cherish in their hearts a good esteem of other Ministers though inferiour to themselves that they should willingly condescend to be servants in the meanest offices of love that may conduce for that end Therefore doth this great Apostle registrate in his Epistle the commendations of the Church at Babylon and Marcus his son Vers 14. Greet ye one another with a kisse of charity Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus Amen In this last article of the Conclusion the Apostle exhorteth these to whom he writeth to expresse mutually their hearty affection one to another by such signs as were ordinary in those times and confidently wisheth unto them all sort of happinesse Hence Learn 1. It doth much contribute for the successe of the Gospel among a people that there be mutual love amongst them and expressions thereof Therefore the Apostles do ordinarily close their Epistles with exhortations to mutual love and unity as that without which the fruit of their pains in these Writings would be much hindered and so doth the Apostle here Greet ye one another with a kisse of charity 2. Whatever decent expressions of mutual respect and love be the ordinary custom of the times and places where the Lord's People live they ought not to be scrupled at but rather made conscience of by them in obedience to Him who commandeth love and respect and consequently the expressions thereof to be among His People Greet one another with a kisse of charity 3. All the mutual expressions of love and respect among the Lord's People ought to flow from an inward affection of christian love in the heart of one of them towards another and ought not to be performed as fashional and flattering compliments which are hateful to God Psal 12.2 3.
for so the Apostle exhorteth Greet ye one another with a kisse of charity 4. The occasion of frequent converse and correspondence among the Lords People ought not to diminish their love or hinder the expressions thereof but rather to encrease the same they who live together being more ready to offend or mistake one another and so to be mutually jealous of the alienation of one anothers affection than those who are at a greater distance whose love should provoke those that are nearer for the Apostle having signified the love of those that were at Babylon to their dispersed Brethren doth here exhort them that had more frequent occasion of meeting and correspondence to greet one another with a kiss of charity 5. As it is the duty of Christ's Ministers heartily to wish all sort of true peace upon all the Members of the visible Church who in regard of their external profession and participation of common gifts and benefits from Christ may be said to be in Him Joh. 15.2 So true spiritual peace which is the calmnesse and contentment of the soul arising from the faith of acceptation with God through Christ when fears of His wrath and jealousies of His love are in some measure banished Rom. 5.1 together with as much outward peace and prosperity as shall be for their true good is the Lords allowance only to real Believers and to all of them whether weaker or stronger and may be in a good measure attained unto in the midst of many troubles by those who are chased out of themselves and by faith planted in the living Vine Christ Jesus for as this Apostolick-benediction may be understood of the Apostle's wish to all the Members of the visible Church So it doth especially respect true Believers therein Peace be to all them that are in Christ Jesus 6. As it is the duty of Christ's Ministers to presse duties upon all Professors So it is their part to guard promises and priviledges by qualifying the persons to whom they do belong for the Apostle having prest the duties of love and expressions thereof upon all indefinitly to whom he writeth in the first part of this Verse he doth in the latter part restrict his wish of Peace qualifying the persons to whom it doth especially belong Peace be to all them that are in Christ Jesus 7. As the Ministers of Jesus Christ ought to enter upon every part of their Imployment with the faith of their Calling and Commission from Him as was observed upon the first words of this Epistle So they ought to close the same with some confidence in their hearts of the blessing of God upon their labours and of His granting their desires for that end for here the Apostle closeth his exhortations and prayers in this Epistle with this word of confidence Amen A BRIEF EXPOSITION Of the second Epistle General of PETER The ARGUMENT THis Epistle may be called the latter Will of a dying Apostle and Martyr of Jesus Christ for when Peter wrote it he knew that he was shortly to seal the Truth in it with his bloud as will be clear by comparing the 14. Verse of this Chap. with Christ's prediction concerning his death Joh. 21.18 It is not directed to any particular Church but to all Believers especially believing Jews scattered at that time through many Nations as appeareth by comparing 1 Pet. 1.1 with the first Verse of this and of the third Chapter The principal heads of Doctrine contained in it make clear the scope and parts of it And they are three The first is concerning a Christians growth in grace and diligence in holy duties which is cleared and pressed chap. 1. The second is concerning error the way of working and hazard whereof is handled chap. 2. The third is concerning the last coming of Christ some errors about it being confuted and the right preparation for it held forth chap. 3. What can be more necessary than to study growth and diligence in so declining and secure a time as this is to guard against error when it so prevaileth and to prepare for the last coming of our Lord when now it is so near and so much forgotten CHAP. 1. THe parts of this Chapter are three In the first which is the preface to the whole Epistle is contained a description of the Apostle and those to whom he writeth in the Inscription ver 1. An Apostolick wish for the best blessings of God to them to wit the growing sense of His love and the fruits thereof in the Salutation ver 2. Grounds of encouragement that it should be according to his wish to wit that there was a saving work of grace already begun in them which he describeth from the cause nature parts and way of working of it ver 3 4. In the second which is the first principal part of the Epistle he exhorteth to diligence and the study of growth in grace reckoning out several steps of their progresse ver 5 6 7. with many moving arguments thereto ver 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. And because there is no growth but by the knowledge and use-making of Christ and Christ is only revealed in the Word preached and written Therefore In the third part of the Chapter there is a commendation of the preaching of the Gospel ver 16. of Christ himself the chief subject thereof ver 17 18. and of the whole written Word from the certainty and usefulnesse thereof ver 19. and from the divine authority thereof ver 20 21. Vers 1. Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ THe Apostle describeth himself 1. from two names which design his person Simon his old name when he was a fisher Peter his new surname given him when Christ called him Mark 1.16 and 3.16 The one minding him of his former ignorant and mean condition the other of the honour Christ put upon him when He made him a lively stone in the Church and a Believer and Preacher of that Truth upon which as a Rock He buildeth His Church which is Christ's own exposition of the name Peter Mat. 16.18 Hence Learn It is very necessary to carry to the end of our time with us the sensible remembrance of what we were before Christ did manifest himself to us and of what His grace hath made us that we may go to Heaven both humble and thankful Therefore the Apostle setteth down these two names here in the beginning of his Testament Simon Peter Next he describeth himself from two stiles which design his office the one common to all the Officers of the Church the other proper to those who had immediate Commission and extraordinary Assistance from Christ to publish the Gospel and work Miracles Hence Learn 1. It is honour enough for the highest Office-bearer in the Church to be a Servant of Christ so doth this Apostle esteem it who never
eye-witnesses of the Son of God's personal presence in our flesh and of much glory breaking through it in His Miracles and Transfiguration Hence Learn 1. There is as much atheism and unbelief natural to all as to look upon the mysterie of Salvation through Christ incarnate as upon a fable invented to kyth the quicknesse of mens wit and please the ears of people so much is imported in this negative part of the commendation of the Apostles preaching We have not followed cunningly devised fables 2. The main subject of the preaching of the Gospel is to point out Christ's coming in our flesh such an errand as to Redeem and Save and his furniture for that work which is encouragement enough for every lost sinner that hears it to fly to Him for salvation since He is come to seek and save such and hath power to save to the utmost all that come to God through Him for this is here made the substance of the Apostle's preaching To make known the power and coming of Christ 3. As Jesus Christ doth not use all His Servants alike familiarly in everything but oftentimes those most whom He mindes to try most So any special honour any of them getteth should never be forgotten but minded especially when trials are near and brought forth only to commend Christ and His Truth and encourage against suffering So doth the Apostle here near death mention that special honour put upon him and other two upon the Mount and maketh it an argument to commend the Doctrine and prove the certainty of it We were eye-witnesses of His Majesty 4. The Lord hath used all means that can be expected to make us look upon the businesse of our Redemption and Salvation through His Son incarnate as the most certain and real businesse of any other therefore though He might have only imployed men to write the Gospel who had never seen Christ in the flesh and commanded us to believe Yet hath He condescended for our further satisfaction to make use of such men to write the most part of the New Testament as saw with their bodily eyes Christ glorious in flesh and so were eye-witnesses of His Majesty Vers 17. For He received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to Him from the Excellent Glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 18. And this voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with Him in the holy Mount In the next place the Apostle commendeth Christ as our Cautioner and Mediatour from the high esteem He hath with the Father and from the full satisfaction the Father hath with the price of Redemption paid by Him of both which the Father gave a publick Declaration from His glorious residence in Heaven before three witnesses who were with Christ upon a Hill where He did manifest Himself to be God glorious in holinesse Hence Learn 1. The Glory of the Son of God incarnate was so obscured for our sake that He needed a Declaration from Heaven to shew the Father's esteem of Him and to beget a high esteem of Him in the hearts of His own This is imported in Christ's receiving from the Father honour and glory which was not an addition of any glory to Christ which as God He had not but a manifestation of the glory which He had but obscured under the vail of our infirm flesh 2. As Glory is so excellent a thing that they that get but a little glimpse of it cannot but remember it and commend it as worthy to be contended and suffered for as here the Apostle doth So Christ as our Mediatour hath not only much Glory given Him as the fruit of His obedience to the death for sinners and a pledge to His Members that they shall share of the Glory of their Head whereof this upon the Mount was a little fore-sight and tast given Him for His and His Followers encouragement under suffering But also He is in such power and credit with God the Father that He can do in Heaven and Earth what He pleaseth for the good of His Redeemed Ones and nothing can be done without Him All which is imported in Christ receiving from the Father honour and glory by a voice from that Excellent Glory 3. God the Father is so fully satisfied and compleatly paid by the Mediatour Christ for all that flie to Him for refuge that He seeketh no further mends for all their wrongs nor further price for what they need only that they do receive Him freely as He is freely offered and that as the Father speaketh down this of Christ to sinners He is my beloved Son in Him I am well pleased Hear Him So sinners should answer back again with their hearts Christ is our beloved Redeemer in whom we are well pleased Let the Father hear Him for us 4. It is not easie for wakened sinners who are oftentimes much unsatisfied with themselves to believe and take comfort from this That God is well satisfied with Christ for them Therefore though Isaiah preached and wrote this Truth the Father spoke it down from Heaven twice before witnesses three Evangelists have recorded it and some of them have set it down thrice Isa 42.1 Mat. 3.17 and 12.18 and 17.5 Mar. 1.11 Luk. 3.22 and 9.35 Yet the Apostle setteth it down here and to make it take impression saith again This voice we heard when we were with Him 5. It is no sin nor superstition to esteem and speak of things that can have no inherent holinesse and may have no religious worship so as may most testifie our respect to His Holinesse who doth manifest Himself in or by these things for which cause the very Ground and House where He manifesteth Himself is called Holy Exod. 3.5 Isu 64.11 though they can have no more than a relative holinesse And several other things such as the Day for His Service the written Word c. and here the Hill where the Lord who is glorious in Holinesse did shew much of His Glory is called The Holy Mount Vers 19. We have also a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts In the third place the Apostle commendeth the whole written Word 1. from the certainty of it He calleth it A Word of Prophesie giving to the whole the name of one principal part most of the Old Testament being a fore-telling of these things concerning the Messiah and His Kingdom which the New cleareth to have their accomplishment in Him that was born of the Virgin Mary and calleth it A more sure Word comparing it with the Voice from Heaven whereof he spoke immediatly before not as if there could be any uncertainty in the Lord's Voice speaking from Heaven but because it is a greater matter to have fore-seen and fore-told things to come than to have seen and
related the greatest things present And because a transient Voice is more easily mistaken or forgotten than a standing authentick Record therefore the written Word is a more sure ground for sinners faith to rest upon than a Voice from Heaven could be Next he commendeth the written Word from the usefulnesse thereof that it should prove to sinners who make it the rule of their faith and manners a comfortable Directory through this dark state of ignorance and misery until they get such a measure of the promised Spirit and nearness to the Son of righteousness that they shall not need a prospect of Glasse of the Word and Ordinances which will not be till death and the dawning of the day of eternity Hence Learn 1. The written Word believed to be the Lord's mind is the surest ground for faith to rest upon of any that ever hath been or can be given to sinners subject to forgetfulnesse jealousies and mistakes the general offers of Christ and free promises of His grace excluding none who will not exclude themselves give more solid encouragement to self-judging sinners than they could have by a Voice from Heaven calling them by their names for that would readily be suspected to be another than the Lord's or spoken to another of that name Therefore the Apostle comparing the written Word with the Voice from Heaven calleth it to sinners A more sure Word 2. As this world is so dark a place that our own reason the counsel or example of others will often leave us comfortlesse to wander and fall in snares except we look to the light of the Word which shineth in this dark place So they have the Lord's approbation and commendation who do apply their hearts to and satisfie themselves with this Word as the only and sufficient ground of their faith and rule of their manners to keep them from erring in judgment or practice for so saith the Apostle VVhereunto ye do well to take heed as to a light that shineth in a dark place 3. Although the light be now clear in comparison of what was before Christ came Yet being compared with that light we shall have in Heaven it is but dark Like the light that shineth out of a room where a candle is in a room where the candle is not seen So much doth this similitude of a light shining in a dark place import 4. Though it be so Yet shall the Word give comfortable direction to all that follow the light of it under all their crosses confusions and difficulties and these who make it a lamp to their feet and a light to their path may be sure to get at last such a clear and satisfactory sight of Christ as shall banish all darknesse and doubts and such a near union and fellowship with Him the bright Morning-Star gloriously present by His Spirit in their hearts and personally also in humane nature conversing with them for ever that they shall have no more need of Word or Ordinances which is the condition here described by the Apostle only to be expected in Heaven till which time we will never be above the direction of the Word and use of the Ordinances Eph. 4.13 Cant. 4.12 Vers 20. Knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation 21. For the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Last of all the Apostle commendeth the written Word from the Divine Authority of it the interpretation or true meaning whereof cannot be found out by the wit or proper invention of any whereof the Apostle giveth a reason Because these truly gracious men who were consecrated and set a part by the Lord for receiving and registring His mind in Scriptures could neither speak nor write when nor what things they pleased but as they were immediatly moved and infallibly furnished by the Lord's Spirit whose mind it is Therefore the Scriptures are of Divine Authority and this the Apostle saith must be known first to wit as a principle of saving knowledge without which Christians cannot profit by the Scriptures Hence Learn 1. As the Scriptures do not hold forth to us the device of their heads who wrote it but the publick mind of God So none can attain to the right meaning nor be able to hold forth the true interpretation thereof by their own proper skill or invention there being in it such knots as the word interpretation importeth as cannot be loosed but by humble imploring the help of the Spirit whose mind it is as the Pen-men of it themselves did that they might know what was revealed to themselves Psa 119.18 Dan. 2.22 Zech. 4.4 5. and by comparing one place with another Act. 17.11 and making use of other helps that God hath given Dan. 9.2 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. by which means through the Lords blessing we may come to some saving measure of the knowledge of God's mind in His Word and may have the common or publick consent of both Prophets and Apostles to every saving Truth made known 〈◊〉 us therein for no Prophesie or part of Scripture is of any private interpretation 2. As it is the duty of all the Lord's People to fix in their minds as an unquestionable Truth this principle That the Scriptures being the Lord's mind none can of themselves attain to the true meaning of them So till this principle be known at least so far as that it be not questioned there can be no light or comfort expected from the Word for the Apostle having exhorted in the former Verse to look to the Word for direction and comfort doth adde here that as they would find these they must know this first that it is not of any private interpretation And though only the Spirit of the Lord the Author of the Scriptures can fully perswade hearts that they are His mind Yet if men would consider that a great many of these truths that are revealed in Scripture are not only agreeable to Natures-light but may be in some measure known by it The one to wit the light of Nature teaching That there is one God the first cause of all omnipotent wise righteous and good that it is reasonable He should be served and that according to His own will which therefore He being both wise and good must have some way revealed that reasonable creatures have immortal souls and so die not as the beasts that there is no true happinesse in these things wherein men do ordinarily seek it that since vice and vertue receive not suitable rewards here there must be punishment and reward after this life all which and many other things of this sort Natures-light teacheth though darkly as the Scriptures themselves Rom. 1.19 20. and the Writings of those that never knew the Scriptures do witnesse The other again to wit the Scriptures clearly revealing these same things pointing out the nature will and way of worshipping of
numerous party to back them in their soul-destroying courses 2. That they and their followers should prevail to bring saving Truth in disgrace among many Doct. 1. It is not strange to see the most dangerous Hereticks have many followers every error being a friend to some lust 2 Tim. 4.3 and having often more of prosperity and applause attending it than Truth 1 Cor. 4.8 10. and because of the activity and fair pretences of them that vent it Mat. 23.15 Rom. 16.18 for these and the like causes many shall follow their pernicious wayes 2. They that are loft of God to the leading of the spirit of error do not only enslave their judgments to their seducers But do also give up themselves to back them in all the courses they take to propagate their errors and increase their faction even although these courses no lesse than their errors be destructive to the honour of Christ and welfare of souls for the Apostle saith Many shall follow not only their errors which he called damnable before but their wayes which are called pernicious 3. As error is received Truth goeth out of request the lovers thereof bending all their wit to disgrace those Truths that discover the vilenesse of their errors Rom. 3.8 and to raise and keep up hot contests among the Professors of the Gospel Gal. 1.7 thereby giving occasion to a third party who resolve to side with none but to slander or as the word is blaspheme the whole profession of Christianity Rom. 2.24 for the Apostle here makes the slander of Truth the consequence of embracing error and doth point at a third party who would take occasion from Hereticks prevailing to slander the Truth By reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of Vers 3. And through covetousnesse shall they with fained words make merchandise of you whose judgment now of a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not Followeth the way how these false teachers came to have so great successe held forth in two branches 1. Their immoderate desire of gain and glory made them very industrious And 2. their figurative or plaistered language as the word signifieth made them easily gain a number of poor souls to be compleatly at their disposal as wares are under the power of the Merchant that hath bought them for which dealing he doth forewarn that God's watchfull providence was framing His decreed judgments for them Hence Learn 1. However they that seduce fouls by error may seem to be the most mortified men in the world Col. 2.23 and most desirous of the good of souls Gal. 4.17 Yet is the rise of all their pains with people from some unmortified lust such as the immoderate desire of gain or applause for the Spirit of the Lord is in this to be believed what ever they pretend that through covetousnesse make merchandise of His People 2. False teachers are in their way of dealing with souls very like unto cheating Merchants 1. in their using of much fair and plaistred language to commend their errors 2. In their activity and stirring from place to place as the word in the Original of making merchandise doth signifie to vent them And 3. in their unsatisfiableness till their followers become their compleat slaves both in judgment and practice All which is held forth as clear resemblances betwixt them and cheating Merchants in these words With fained words shall they make merchandise of you 3. However the judgment of such men be hardly believed because of their successe and fair pretences and may be long suspended for the exercise of the Godly and punishment of those who receive not the love of the Truth with strong delusion Yet it is most certain according to the foreknowledge and decree of God it is swiftly approaching and shall light upon them by way of surprizal for their judgment now of a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not Vers 4. For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse to be reserved unto judgment The Apostle proveth the certainty of the judgment threatned against these false teachers by a threefold instance in this and the following Verses The substance of the first which is in this Verse is That if the holy Lord did not spare the Angels His most glorious Creatures when they sinned against Him but did presently imprison them in the pit of Hell reserving them for further judgment These false teachers and their followers have no reason to dream of exemption Which conclusion flowing from this and the following instances the Apostle findeth not necessary to expresse but leaveth to their own conscience to infer Doct. 1. Although it be ordinary for sinners to harden themselves against threatnings because of their excellencies and priviledges conferred upon them by the Lord Rev. 18.7 Yet nothing of that kind can shelter them from the wrath of a provoked God but the more of these gifts there be and be abused the greater measure of wrath may be expected Therefore is the judgment of God upon these excellent and priviledged Creatures the Angels brought to prove the certainty of the like wrath to come upon false teachers who by reason of their excellent enducments and esteem in the Church were ready to make light of the Apostle's threatnings If God spared not the Angels c. 2. It ought to be esteemed marvelous mercy in God that He doth not presently thrust sinners down to Hell when they provoke Him and much more that He hath provided a remedy and offers pardon to them Every moments sparing after the comission of sin should be thought wonderfull indulgence in God who spared not the Angels but as the words in the Original will bear imprisoned them while they were sinning secluding them from all possibility or hopes of recovery for ever He spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into chains c. 3. The fallen Angels who are the Devils are under such a powerfull restraint of Divine Providence that they cannot move or act any thing but in so far as the Lord 's holy Justice and Wisdom permitteth and ordereth them for the punishment of the wicked or exercise of the Godly for they are reserved in chains of darknesse which are nothing else but God's irresistible Power and terrible Justice over-ruling tormenting and restraining them 4. Although the Devils when they are permitted can appear visibly as if they were at their own liberty and can seem jovial as if they were free of torment 1 Sam. 28.13 that so they may the more effectually prevail with such poorslaves as have provoked God to give them up to their delusion Yet go where they will their Hell is alwayes with them they live in the constant feeling of the wrath of the Almighty as their being delivered in chains of darkness doth import and in the dreadful expectation of a more high measure of
wrath which they shall get at the day of judgment when they together with all that serve them and follow their counsel shall have nothing else to do but endure torment and shall torment one another for ever for they are delivered in chains of darknesse to be reserved unto judgment Vers 5. and spared not the old World but saved Noah the eighth person a Preacher of righteousnesse bringing in the floud upon the world of the ungodly Followeth the second instance to prove the certainty of God's judgment to come upon these soul-deceivers whereof the sum is That if the old World notwithstanding of their multitude and their long and great prosperity were all excepting a few swept away with the sloud because of their wickednesse those false teachers notwithstanding their multitude of followers and long successe in propagating their errors have no reason to imagine to themselves an escape from the wrath of God with which instance the Apostle doth intermix the example of Noah's preservation as a pledge of the Lord's respect to all who keep the way of Truth and Holinesse in an evil time as is clear by comparing this and the 9. Verse Although there were seven preserved from the sloud beside Noah who is therefore called the eight Yet he only is named because he was mainly respected in that deliverance and the rest for his cause He is called a Preacher of Righteousnesse because even in that time he did hold forth to the people the way of free justification by the Righteousnesse of Christ and the duties of holinesse wherein justified persons ought to walk with both which Noah hath been well acquainted as is clear by comparing Heb. 11.7 with Gen. 6.9 Hence Learn 〈◊〉 Theâ—e are not a few shifts in the hearts of wicked men prospering in their sinful courses whereby 〈◊〉 harden themselves against the threatnings of the Word of the Lord and put the thoughts of His wrath far away from them for after the Apostle hath by the former instance of God's judgment upon the fallen Angels cutted off the hopes of false teachers evading the wrath of God because of any pretended or real excellency they had he doth by this instance prove that neither their multitude of followers not former successe could avail them since God spared not the old World 2. As the Lord useth in times of greatest defection to profanity or error to preserve a few who will bear testimony for His Truth and against the dishonour done to Him by others So He is never so terrible to the wicked but that He will remember to manifest His respect to His own few amongst them who labour to keep themselves free of and mourn for these abominations which provoke Him to let forth His terror For Noah in this instance and Lot in the following are brought in as pledges of a few whom the Lord minded to preserve from that universal infection of error and vilenesse which was to prevail in the Church of the New Testament and whom He minded also to deliver from the plagues to follow thereupon as appears from ver 9. But saved Noah the eighth c. 3. Even in the very infancy of the Church under the Old Testament the way of justification by Christ's Righteousnesse hath been publickly preached and the duties of holinesse prest upon justified persons the study of both which ought alwayes to be much prest upon people by the Ministers of Christ especially in a time of abounding of iniquity and approaching of judgment as the only way to be hid from wrath and enjoy communion with God for Noah in such a time was a Preacher of Righteousnesse both imputed and inherent as was cleared in the Exposition of this Verse 4. The Lord in the dispensation of His Justice is not bound to keep the ordinary course of nature but for the illustration thereof 〈◊〉 may and sometimes doth make the creatures moâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their nature there being in them all a stronger â—â—â—pension so to do for their Maker's service than to move according to their ordinary course in serving their fellow-creatures to His dishonour for here in this instance the Sea cometh out of its channel at His Command to drown a profane World and in the following instance the Fire cometh down out of its region to burn up filthy Cities Bringing in the floud upon the world of the ungodly Vers 6. And turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra into ashes condemned them with an overthrow making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly Here is the third instance confirming the certainty of God's dreadful reckoning with false teachers and their followers The sum whereof is That if Sodom and Gomorra with other flourishing Cities beside them were for their vilenesse totally and terribly destroyed and so made lasting Copies of Divine wrath to come upon all ungodly persons these soul-deceivers who were guilty of as high provocations and had drawn in their guilt a great number of the Lord's People could not think in reason to escape Hence Learn 1. The judgments of God upon sinful Cities and Incorporations use to be most terrible and exemplary there being in them a confluence of many mercies and so of many provocations powerful examples to sin and bold despising of warnings which provoketh God to make them ensamples of much wrath Turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra into ashes condemned with a total and singular overthrow as the word signifieth making them ensamples c. 2. The sins of reasonable creatures provoke the Lord to write His displeasure not only upon the persons of the sinners but also upon the sinlesse and unreasonable creatures which they abuse to His dishonour for here the Cities comprehending both the persons of the sinners and all the plantation store and pleasant things of Sodom are burnt to ashes and condemned with an overthâ—â—â— 3. However error or heresie be often looked upon with more charity and lesse abhorrency than profane practices Yet shall not the judgment of Hereticks and their followers be inferiour to the judgment of the vilest of men that ever lived for God's judgment upon Sodom is here brought in as an ensample and pledge of His wrath to come upon all the ungodly amongst whom false teachers and their followers are mainly eyed as is clear by considering the connexion betwixt the third Verse and this 4. However sins and judgments in respect of their special nature and circumstance may vary in several times Yet the desert of every sin and the exactnesse of Divine Justice remaining still thâ— same former judgments of what sort soever executed upon any kind of sinners are certain pledges of the same wrath or the like for substance to come upon all that walk contrary to the Truth and Will of God though they were never so free of these special sins that formerly did procure that wrath Therfore is this instance of Gods judgment upon the Sodomites as also the two former brought in here as
certain pledges of God's wrath to come upon false teachers and their followers yea upon all ungodly persons making them ensamples not only to those who should be found guilty of such unnatural uncleannesse as the Sodomites were but also to all that after should live ungodly whatever their particular sins should be 5. However they that live in sin under the light of the Word be neither willing to hear threatnings nor to apply them to themselves Isa 13.10 Yet is the Lord's Justice against impenitent sinners so clear in the examples thereof recorded in Scripture and the vvitnesse and deputy conscience which God hath in every man's bosom so impartial that if upon serious consideration of what God's holy Justice hath done to sinners before it were put to speak what men continuing in their sinful courses have to expect now they could not but be made to apply wrath to themselves and certainly to expect it while they compare their own sins with those for which others have been punished and do consider how impartially and immutably just He is with whom they as well as others have to do Therefore the Apostle doth not expresse the inference which he clearly intendeth should be drawn from the three forenamed instances But leaveth it to the consciences of these whom he hath been threatning as that which they might easily conclude from thence Vers 7. And delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 8. For that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and bearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds For the comfort of all that mourn for the prevailing of iniquity in those among whom they live the Apostle subjoyneth to the former instance the example of Lot's preservation whom the Spirit of the Lord that indited this Scripture doth commend by several expressions of great respect for His deep resentment of and sympathy with the Lord 's suffering honour and for these vile Sodomites amongst whom Providence had cast his lot for a time Hence Learn 1. The dearest of the Children of the Lord may be put by His providence to have their residence among the worst of men the Lord thereby correcting and humbling them for their too low esteem and little use-making of better society while they had it of which fault it seems Lot was not altogether free Gen. 13. and thereby also giving them occasion to do good to the souls of their godlesse neighbours and bear witnesse against their wickednesse both which Lot endeavoured Gen. 19.7 who for these and other reasons had his lot among the Sodomites for a time 2. It is not impossible for the Children of the Lord living among the most profane to retain their integrity and have the Lord's approbation for their disposition and carriage there being much more power in the grace of Christ and his indwelling Spirit in them than there is in the temptations of Satan or the example of the wicked notwithstanding all their terrors and allurements for Lot among the Sodomites is approven and commended as a just and righteous man 3. It is the kindly disposition of a true penitent to be so far from taking pleasure in the sins of others as the wicked do Rom. 1.32 that he will be vexed in soul and will account it his duty to put himself to much greif as the words here signifie while he doth ponder and is a witnesse of His dishonour that hath forgiven him for so was it with penitent and pardoned Lot he was vexed which is a passive word and did vex which is an active his righteous soul with the filthy conversation and unjust deeds of the Sodomites 4. This sympathizing frame of spirit with the Lords suffering honour is much taken notice of by Him both to reward it graciously and to punish them that occasion that grief to His People Therefore both the expressions of Lot's vexation and of the Lord's respect to him are frequently repeated here Just Lot was vexed and did vex his righteous soul 5. It is the priviledge of a true penitent to be in no lesse esteem with a merciful God and to find no lesse expressions of respect from Him than if he had never sinned against Him for though Lot not without guiltinesse did separate from Abraham choosing Sodom to live in for better worldly accommodation for which he met with much oppression and soul-vexation both which the word in the Original doth signifie Yet the Lord did not only preserve him from Sodom's judgment but He doth yet preserve his memory in esteem by these manifold expressions of His respect to him He delivered just Lot that righteous man who vexed his righteous soul 6. When men are left of God to follow the inclination of their corrupt nature they will go to such a height of wickednesse as ought not to be mentioned without abhorrency they will not be restrained by any Law they will cast aside all modesty and avow their vilenesse in their outward conversation unnatural sins will become the very element wherein they will not weary to wast themselves daily all which is signified by these words here in the Original whereby the carriage of the Sodomites is set forth and by the Apostle's speaking of it with so great detestation while he saith Lot was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked and did vex his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds Vers 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished This Verse containeth the application of all the former instances in a conclusion drawn from them especially for the comfort of the Godly as also for the terror of the wicked who ought both to draw the inference which is here from the former examples Hence Learn 1. Although there be now no ordinary warrant to expect such an extraordinary way of preservation from common calamities as some of the Saints have found before Yet that same wisdom power and love in God which wrought deliverance for them being engaged in the Covenant of Grace to be forth-coming for all His own in the way that may be most for His honour and their good All who imitate these Saints in fearing threatned judgments in mourning for and keeping themselves free of the causes procuring them and in the use of commanded means for their preservation may take their extraordinary deliverances recorded in Scripture for pledges to them either of exemption from the outward calamity if that be for their good or of the equivalent thereof or rather that which will be better for them to wit such a measure of the Lord's presence under it as changeth the nature of it to them or their full deliverance both from sin and trouble by it for Noah and Lot's preservation which were extraordinary are here held forth as usefull for ordinary Believers whence they might draw this comfortable conclusion The Lord knoweth how
to deliver the Godly out of temptation 2. It is the lot of the truly godly to be brought into many and great straits not only by outward troubles but by inward temptations both which come ordinarily together upon the Children of the Lord that so their manifold corruptions may be born down the several graces of God's Spirit in them may be tried and increased by exercise and the power faithfulnesse and love of Christ manifested and commended in their thorow-bearing and deliverance for they from whose case this inference is drawn were in both these exercises at once and the word temptation here doth ordinarily in Scripture signifie both afflictions and temptations to sin 3. While the Children of the Lord are exercised with outward afflictions and inward temptations they are also oftentimes both ignorant of a way of delivery and anxious concerning it as if their straits and the way of their out-gate were hid from the Lord as it is Isa 40.27 for this consolation The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly is fitted for such a case and so doth suppose it to be ordinary 4. The Lord 's taking notice of the straits of the Godly and His knowledge of the way of their deliverance should be to them a sufficient ground of comfort both against their straits and their ignorance of a way of out-gate His love having engaged His power and faithfulnesse to make forth-coming for them every thing His infinit Wisdom seeth to be most for their good for for this very end is this consolation given to the Godly The Lord knoweth how to deliver them out of temptation that they may be comforted both against their straits and their ignorance of a way of delivery 5. Whether the Lord spare wicked men or let out the earnest of His wrath upon them in this life yet is the fu l measure thereof keeping to the fore for them against the day of judgment when they shall be made able to endure that wrath a sparkle whereof would now undo them Therefore for their terror is this conclusion also drawn from the former examples The Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement to be punished Vers 10. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the last of uncleanness and despise government presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities The former threatnings and examples of God's judgments which do concern all ungodly men are here particularly applied to some who did in a special maner incense the wrath of God against themselves amongst whom false teachers and their followers are mainly eyed and who are described from this that they follow their unmortified corruption as their ordinary leader making a trade of sins against the second Table particularly the seventh and fifth Commandments thereof wherein they were so bold and self-pleasing that they did not fear openly to disgrace any lawful Authority that might oppose them in their wickednesse Hence Learn 1. Whatever be the fair pretences of singular holinesse that false teachers use to have 2 Cor. 11.13 Yet really and in effect they are nothing else but profane slaves to their lusts in so far as Truth is forsaken and error received profanity must needs have place and holinesse be forsaken the same Spirit of Christ being the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of Holinesse for these Seducers who drew so many after them by their fair pretences are mainly intended here while the Apostle saith They walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse 2. Although any one act of sin yea the least sinful motion of the heart doth deserve God's everlasting wrath Rom. 6.33 Yet there is a singular measure of wrath abiding some sinners beyond others particularly those who are not only through infirmity overtaken in sin as the best of the Saints have been but do also make their corrupt inclination their ordinary guide and rule and their following and satisfying thereof their common trade for the threatning formerly given out against all the ungodly is here particularly applied to some chiefly those that walk after the flesh 3. The wrath of a holy God is in a special way incensed against the sin of uncleannesse and that not only against the outward acts of that sin such as fornication adultery c. but against the very inward motions of the heart toward it for there is a special measure of wrath here denounced against them who walk in the lust or as the word signifieth the desire of uncleannesse 4. Lawful Magistracy is a Divine Ordinance so precious in God's account that He will let out a special measure of His wrath upon men for want of inward respect to it in their hearts yea for any expressions that may weaken the due esteem thereof in the hearts of others even though they were Heathens that were invested with that Office for though Magistrates were generally such at this time Yet there is a special degree of wrath threatned against them who either undervalue in their hearts or disgrace by their expressions that Ordinance Especially those who despise Government and are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities 5. Men that are slaves to their own lusts are ordinarily un-friends to lawful Magistrates pretend what they will they who live in rebellion against God can never be truly loyal to any Vicegerent of His and therefore ought not to be preferred or countenanced by such or any that give our themselves to be such for they that walk after the flesh do also despise Government 6. The more stout-hearted men are in their sinful courses out-facing all challenges and the more wedded to their own inclination not fearing to disgrace any that have a calling to oppose them in their wickednesse the more wrath have they to expect from God for thus is the sin of these men aggreged who are here threatned with a special measure of wrath Presumptuous are they self-willed 7. Although sedition and disloyalty to lawful Magistracie be the ordinary charge which false teachers give in against he faithful Servants of Christ Act. 24.1 5. and 17.6 7. as they did also against the Lord himself Luke 23.1 2. Yet these false teachers themselves will be found to be the greatest unfriends of lawful Magistrates either denying or weakning their Authority if so be they imploy their power any way for opposing their errors or wicked practices for false teachers are mainly intended here and charged by the Spirit of the Lord with this guilt They despise Government and are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities Vers 11. Whereas Angels which are greater in power and might bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. The Apostle doth aggrege their sin of despising and disgracing lawful Authority from the carriage of the good Angels who though they be far above the greatest on Earth in power and other perfections Yet do they esteem so highly of Magistracy that they are loth to do any thing that
nothing of the wrath due to those who count it their heaven to exceed in all carnal delights notwithstanding of the light of the Gospel thereby disgracing their holy profession and making but a sport of deceiving their own souls since they can in the mean time deceive others insinuating themselves in the esteem and society of the Godly whether in their religious or ordinary feasts ver 13. who are so under the power of their unclean lusts that they cannot but manifest their filthy disposition being altogether impotent to resist temptations themselves and ensnaring with their errors and vile practices such others as are not well setled in knowledge and grace And who are so sold to the love of their gain that they make it their heart-exercise to attain thereto for all which he pronounceth them heirs of God's fearful curse Doct. 1. The wrath of God against sin had need to be oft inculcated to the guilty and knit unto the several branches of their sin that so they may have the more lively apprehensions of that wrath and may have their hearts accustomed to think upon it whensoever they think upon their sins that so they may be either stopped in the course of their sin and hastened to repentance or left the more inexcusable Therefore the Apostle in branching out the sin of false teachers and their followers doth so frequently intermix threatnings or some new representation of that wrath they have to expect They shall utterly perish in the former Verse and here they shall receive the reward of unrighteousness and they are cursed children 2. When God reckoneth with the wicked they shall not want a grain weight of the wrath due to them for since they have slighted the use-making of Christ's righteousnesse which makes sinners righteous and the study of holinesse which proveth them righteous they shall receive the reward of unrighteousness which in the Original doth signifie a due proportion of wrath to their sin 3. That which doth ripen wicked men for wrath is not their sins only simply considered but mainly the several aggravations ordinarily attending their sins whereof there may be seen here nine in number As 1. This doth exceedingly aggrege mens sin when they count it their very paradise to satisfie their lusts for so the word in the Original They count it their Eden to riot The more Heaven men apprehend in their sins the more Hell they will find 2. When men become so impudently bent upon their lusts that neither the light of the worlds knowledge of their sin nor thâ— light of the Word discovering the evil and hazard thereof doth restrain them both which may be comprehended in this other aggravation of their sin They count it pleasure to riot in the day time 3. When men by their sins do stain a holy profession that they have made before the world for if these men had not had a fair profession and high esteem in the Church they could not have been spots and blemishes while they feasted with the Lords people which is here made another aggravation of their guilt 4. When men do not only live in sin but do make a sport of it beguiling their own hearts with groundlesse apprehensions that there is neither such evil nor hazard therein as the Word holdeth forth and their own conscience sometimes suggesteth for this is another aggravation They sport themselves in their own deceivings 5. When in the mean time of their living in the slavery of their lusts they are carefull to keep up their esteem with the Godly and attend all occasions of converse with them that so they may cloak their sins for it is here made another aggravation of their guilt that all this wickednesse is committed while they feast with the Lord's People 6. When mens lusts are so vigorous within that they manifest their predominancy in their very outward carriage for this is a further aggravation of their sin They have eyes full of adultery 7. When men become so impotent to resist their lusts that the satisfying thereof becometh their very element out of which they cannot rest as the word here signifieth They cannot cease from sin which is also another aggravation of their guilt 8. When sinners become infectious and insnaring with the bait as the word beguiling in the Original signifies of fair pretences many others to swallow down their foul errors and profane practices this also is a high aggravation of their guilt 9. When men make it their heart-exercise whereabout they spend their wit and affections to fulfill their fleshly desires for this is here the last aggravation of their sin An heart they have exercised with covetous practices Doct. 4. Although it be possible that the Lord's People may without guiltinesse admit into their ordinary and intimate society the worst of men while they do not discover themselves as is clear concerning Ahithophel and Judas Yet doth the admission of such into their society oftentimes prove a great snare especially to those that are admitted while they take occasion there-from to harden themselves in those sins and to count the lesse of that vilenesse the commission whereof doth not mar their esteem and society with the Godly for this is one thing that helped these soul-deceivers to deceive themselves and willingly to overlook the evil of their own condition that notwithstanding of all their wickednesse they were admitted to the society of the Godly and did passe among them for such While they feast with you 5. When men labour not to mortifie their inward lusts the Lord oftentimes doth justly suffer them to manifest the predominancy of these lusts over them in their outward carriage As grace which is lively within will put some beauty upon the outward man Eccl. 8.1 So corruptions vigorous within will readily bewray the person to be its slave Isa 3.9 Having eyes full of adultery or as it is in the Original of the adultress 6. So bewitching is the spirit of error where it entereth and so devoted are deluded souls unto their seducing teachers That though these teachers be judicially plagued of God as ordinarily such are with profanity of life Yet this doth not make their followers loath at them or abhor their errors for though they did riot in the day time and had eyes full of adultery Yet were they still beguiling unstable souls 7. Those who are not rooted in knowledge by clear information and frequent meditation of the Truth and have not their hearts established with Grace by the frequent exercise thereof will readily be a prey to soul-deceivers for these whom they beguile are here called Unstable souls 8. No man doth serve one idol alone but many at once he that is wedded to worldly pleasures will be also to his creditâ— the want whereof doth mar his pleasure and if pleasure and credit be two of a mans idols readily gain will be the third that so he may the more easily attain to the other two Therefore doth the Apostle
the Lord's People and which will be comfortable to them and approven of God now and hereafter must be manifested in all the parts of their conversation both in their outward carriage and secret practice in their common affairs and religious performances in duties of Gods immediate Worship and in duties relating to their neighbour as is imported in this What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse 5. In the discharge of all the duties of holinesse Christians ought to look much to the qualification of their persons that they be reconciled with God through Christ and daily renewing the friendship by the exercise of godly sorrow for sin and a living faith in the Mediator and by keeping their hearts in frame for the particular duties of holinesse they are called to for the Apostle doth not put the question how holy ought our conversation to be but what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse 6. If the holiest on earth would put their conscience to speak to them after serious consideration of the terror and glory of the second coming of Christ they would be much unsatisfied with their present measure of holiness and would have their desires quickned and their endeavours strengthened after a further measure thereof as is imported in this question of the Apostles put to his own and others conscience What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse including himself ver 13. Vers 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat The second use of the former doctrine is That the consideration of so dreadfull and glorious a day should make all the Lord's People live in the constant expectation thereof by their prayers and pains furthering these works which must be done before it come which use together with the former the Apostle beareth-in by a new representation of the glory and terror of that day Hence Learn 1. To live in the constant expectation of Christ's glorious appearance is both the duty of all the lovers of Him and a special mean to make them grow in holinesse Therefore is this expectation prest here by a word of the present time importing that it is both a perpetual duty in it self and a special mean of attaining to what is prest before What manner of persons ought ye to be c. looking for the coming of the day of God 2. Although the time of Christ's second coming be so fixed in the decree of God as that it cannot be altered Act. 17.31 Yet ought the Lords People to be no lesse earnest in â—astning their own preparation for it and by their prayers and other means competent to them in their stations furthering these great works to be done before than if that day could be hastned by them for the word in the Original signifieth not only our hastning toward that day but also our hastning of it See Isa 16.5 Looking for and hasting the coming of the day of God 3. It is safe for the Lord's Ministers frequently to represent to His People those Truths that are much contradicted by enemies of Truth that are but little considered by His People and which have greatest influence upon their practice to restrain them from sin and provoke them to duty for such is this Truth concerning the terror and majesty of the last day which the Apostle having spoken of before repeareth here again Wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Vers 13. Neverthelesse we according to His promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Here is the third use of the former doctrine and it is for the consolation of Believers against all their pains and sufferings in Christ's service and especially against the losse that they may apprehend to be in the fore-mentioned dissolution of all things They have a more excellent state to look for a new World when the old is destroyed where only righteousnesse shall have its constant abode This promise of the new Heavens and the new Earth was first given out to the Church by Isa 65.17 and 66.22 and had some accomplishment as these places make clear at the return from Babylon which was a new World to the ruined and exiled State and Church of the Jews It is also made use-of by the Apostle Paul as having spiritual mercies in it such as conversion regeneration and the like which is as a new World to sinners for he marketh it to have accomplishment this way 2 Cor. 5.17 And yet this Apostle here leadeth Believers to expect more out of that same promise not any worldly or temporal felicity as Millenaries dream because it is a state promised after the day of judgment as fully satisfactory to Believers where no sin but only righteousnesse shall have its constant mansion which cannot agree to any earthly happinesse but must be understood of everlasting blessednesse set forth under these borrowed expressions Doct. 1. One and the same promise may contain several sorts of mercies both temporal and spiritual to be leâ—â—en-out at several times to the Lords People and yet may have its full accomplishment only in Heaven for such is this promise of new Heavens and a new Earth out of which Isaiah hath drawn temporal deliverance Paul spiritual mercies and Peter here everlasting blessednesse Many promises in Scripture are of the same nature e. g. That promise Isa 25.8 The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces was in part accomplished when the mourning Church came rejoycing home from their exile in Babylon as is clear Psal 126. That same promise hath also been often made good in the Lord 's comforting of particular persons humbly mourning for their sins as appeareth by Psal 116.8 And yet that promise is to have its full accomplishment in Heaven as is clear by Rev. 21.4 The consideration whereof may serve to direct us to a right use-making of many promises 2. The state of Believers in the other life will be wholly new their bodies will be new like Christs glorious Body Philip. 3.21 their spirits also new 1 Joh. 3.2 their duration new a constant presentnesse of enjoying the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 Their exercises shall be new to sing new songs to the Lamb Rev. 5.9 and to follow Him where-ever He goeth Rev. 14 4â— Their cloathing shall be new glory and immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 New food and refreshment to eat of the Tree of life and drink of the Water of life Rev. 22.1 2. and a new light and sun to shine upon them the glory of God and of the Lamb being the light of that new World Rev. 21.23 All which are but borrowed expressions to set forth the glory of that Estate which cannot be fully set forth for even the Apostle not having
oftentimes a burden to their corrupt nature Jer. 23.33 Yet must not the Lord's Ministers weary to repeat and inculcate one and the same Truth to them not knowing when life and power from God may accompany that Truth to their heart which hath been often told them before and as often slighted by them See Philip. 3.1 for this Apostle presses the same Truth upon the Hebrews which he knew Paul had prest before upon them and upon all others in all his Epistles which were all intended for the common good of the whole Church in all ages As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things 2. It hath pleased the Lord so to expresse some parts of His Mind in His Word that the sharpest-sighted will not at the first nor easily take up the meaning thereof that all that study the Scriptures may be made humble in the sense of their own blindness earnest in imploying Christ for His Spirit and may be quickned to pains in meditation comparing one Scripture with another and the use of other commanded means that after the use of all any insight they get in places formerly dark to them may be the more esteemed of for there is in Paul's Epistles some things hard to be understood 3. Although no man without special illumination from God can savingly take up any Truth revealed in Scripture 1 Cor. 2.14 Yet iâ— there much of the Lord's mind revealed therein in it self plain and easie to be understood by them who humbly depend upon Christ's teaching in the use of His own means So that the simplest who desire to know as much as may save and comfort their souls ought not to be hindred or discouraged in the study of the Scriptures In which the Apostle saith only there are some things hard to be understood importing that there are therein many things plain and such as may be easily understood 4. Those Truths which are most darkly propounded in Scripture are not impossible to be understood if men would seriously exercise their wit about them and humbly imploy Christ for understanding as the Saints have done Psal 119.33 34 97. for the Apostle saith only there are some things hard importing not only that there are many things plain but also that there is nothing impossible to be understood 5 Although humane learning being sanctified in the use thereof may prove a blessed mean of fitting men for the service of God Dan. 1.17 Act. 7.22 and 22.3 Yet it is not so much the want thereof nor yet any obscurity that is in the Scriptures which causeth men dangerously to mistake and wrest the Word of God as that men will not become humble Disciples of Christ renouncing their own wit and giving themselves up to Christ's teaching for the word here in the Original Unlearned is not that which is made use of in Scripture Act. 4.13 to signifie the want of humane litterature but it is a word that signifies to be undiscipled or not taught by Jesus Christ in which sense they that are unlearned do wrest the Scriptures 6. Another special cause of wresting and mistaking these things in Scripture which are hard to be understood is That men labour not to fix themselves in the knowledge love and practice of Truths that are plain but have their hearts distracted with the cares and pleasures of this present world for it is they that are unstable in this sense that wrest the Scriptures 7. To wrest the Scriptures is to endeavour to force them to speak contrary to the intent of the Spirit that endited them in defence of vile errors or profane practices for there is a metaphor in the word which is translated wrest taken from those who by tortures labour to compel the innocent to speak against their mind 8. They that wrest one plate of Scripture will readily wrest many moe there being a connexion between one error and another as there is between one Truth and another for they that wrest Paul's Epistles they wrest also other Scriptures 9. The hazard of mens forcing a sense of their own upon the Scriptures contrary to the mind of the Spirit that endited them is no lesse than the everlasting destruction of them that do it for they that wrest the Scriptures do it to their own destruction Vers 17. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse The fifth use of the Apostle's former doctrine is an exhortation to constancy The sum whereof is That since they had been clearly forewarned of their spiritual dangers and informed concerning the remedies thereof they should be the more wary lest they be drawn away from that way of Truth and Holinesse wherein they had been through the Lord's grace in some good measure established Hence Learn 1. Clear forewarnings of spiritual dangers and informations concerning the remedies thereof do lay upon the Lord's People strong obligations to watchfulnesse it being a great aggravation of their guiltinesse if after these they be insnared for the Apostle maketh the fore-knowledge they had of these things by his former doctrine a special motive to watchfulnesse Wherefore Beloved seing ye know these things before beware 2. There is no error nor temptation so grosse that hath overtaken others whereof those that are dearly beloved of God and His Saints ought not to entertain so much fear as to make them very strict in watching lest they be ensnared with the same considering that there is a friend to these in their unmortified part Beloved beware lest ye also be led away with the error of the wicked 3. Although the Lord's People can neither totally nor finally fall away from Truth or Holinesse Joh. 17.11 12. Yet those who have been in some good measure established in the knowledge of the Truth and practice of holy duties may for a time and in a great measure fall from both as is imported in this warning Beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall 4. The possibility of Believers falling for a time should provoke them to much circumspection and as the word here signifieth to keep very strict watch over themselves which exercise the Lord hath appointed to be a special mean of His Peoples preservation Beware lest ye also being let away with the error of the wicked fall 5. The Lord's People have a stedfastnesse proper to themselves which no hypocrite can attain unto whereby they do adhere to the Truth and Way of Christ not for the applause or example of others or any worldly advantage whatsoever but because their minds are enlightened to know and their hearts renewed to believe and love the Truth for its own worth and for his authority that revealeth it for the words in the Original are Beware lest ye fall from your own proper stedfastnesse Vers 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to Him be glory both now and for ever Amen The sixth and last use of the former doctrine is an exhortation to the study of a continual growth and progress in grace and knowledge and this the Apostle presseth as a special mean to attain to that which he prest in the former use to wit stedfastnesse and closeth with a song of praise to Jesus Christ Hence Learn 1. It is not enough for the Lord's People to maintain that measure of grace which they have already attained but they must labour to find the lively exercise and daily growth of every grace for the Apostle having exhorted to stedfastnesse in what they had already attained doth adde this But grow in grace 2. Growth in grace is a special preservative from apostasie there being no possibility to keep what we have attained except it be improven and be upon the growing hand Mat. 25.29 for this exhortation is added to the former as a special mean of attaining to stedfastness Grow in grace c. 3. They that would have grace to thrive in their hearts must labour for a daily increase of knowledge in their minds concerning Christs soveraignity His offices and the benefits we have by Him for as growth in grace is here prest as a special mean to stedfastness so growth in knowledge is prest as a special mean of attaining to growth in grace But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 4. It is the duty of all who have any right thoughts of Christ to break forth some way in His praise and to ascribe glory to Him who being the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth is become the Saviour of sinners and hath cloathed Himself with Offices answerable to all their necessities as is imported in the names of Christ that are here for the Apostle that knew Him well to be such a one taketh up the song which all that know Him should follow and keep up in their hearts To Him be glory 5. Praise is a duty wherewith all our other duties should be closed both for the help we find in them and for the pardon we believe to obtain for our failings upon both which grounds the Apostle closeth his Epistle with praise To Him be glory 6. Praise is an exercise for the discharge whereof not only all our time but the long age or day of eternity as the word here signifieth is little enough To Him be glory both now and for ever Amen FINIS