through the knowledge of Christ So here he saith it is given at first through the knowledge of Him 6. Then Christ is savingly known and so saving grace wrought when the heart consenteth to Him calling in His Word to eternal life by grace and holinesse the way to it They may quit their part of glory who come not to Christ to be made vertuous or gracious and holy for He hath called us to glory and vertue Vers 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Both the means of working and the nature of this saving work i◠here further cleared The means are the promises of the new Covenant containing such worthy and dear-bought blessings as the pardon of sin taking away the stony-heart c. the fulfilling of which Promises to sinners by the divine power of God doth make them partakers not of the infinit Essence of God which can neither be divided nor communicated to any creature but of such heavenly qualities as make them in some weak measure like their heavenly Father and so doth free them from the disposition fashions and estate wherein unregenerate men live and perish Hence Learn 1. As the Promises of the new Covenant are beyond all expression great and precious because of the spiritual and eternal riches which they do contain and will be therefore highly esteemed and commended by all that have faith to imbrace the gift of them So the way how the Lord worketh saving grace at first is by making out these Promises enabling the guilty gracelesse and cursed sinner to believe and apply the pardon grace and blessednesse freely offered in them for so the Apostle expresly affirmeth that by the divine power of God these Promises are given to us that by them we may be changed 2. The receiving of these Promises by faith maketh a wonderfull change upon sinners for so soon as a sinner getteth grace to believe and apply the free promises of the Covenant as soon doth the Lord begin to make out upon his heart the things promised so stamping it with His own Image that the sinner receiving these Promises beginneth presently to look like God his Father and in some weak measure to resemble Him in heavenly wisdom holinesse uprightnesse and other of His communicable properties especially in humility self-denial love and pity toward other miserable sinners zeal for the Lords honour and such other perfections as were eminent in the Man Christ and this is to partake of the divine nature This change kythes also in abhorring and flying from the filthie fashions which flow from the unmortified corruption of these that are yet living in nature and so eschewing the wrath and ruine which such are liable to both which may be understood by escaping the corruption which is in the world through lust and is here made the effect of receiving the Promises and where this work is it proveth a right to the Covenant and giveth ground of confidence that that work shall grow The study of the growth whereof the Apostle presseth in the next place Vers 5. And besides this giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge 6. And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse 7. And to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity To the end that this saving work of grace described in the preface may thrive The Apostle doth here seriously exhort gracious 〈◊〉 not to satisfie themselves with the sight of one or some few graces in themselves but to give more than ordinary diligence that they may see every grace drawn forth to exercise and kything in fruits for which cause he reckoneth forth a number of these graces in the exercise whereof a Christians growth doth consist Hence Learn 1. Even they who discern in themselves a saving work of grace and know the priviledges spoken of before to be theirs are not now to sit down idle and satisfied but to be the more active and diligent in the exercise of grace and holy duties for so saith the Apostle Besides this that ye have precious faith and promises and do partake of the divine nature give all diligence 2. As it is not that ordinary diligence wherewith most Professors satisfie themselves that will be blest to make a thriving Christian but such as goeth through all means and waiteth upon all opportunities of profiting that their ability and calling will permit them to follow and gets the flower of a Christians wit affections and time which is here called all diligence So a Christian's end in being thus diligent must not be his own credit before others or the satisfaction of his conscience only But that the exercise and fruits of one grace may be still added to another and so Christ may be honoured in him and by him Giving all diligence adde to your faith c. 3. Saving faith which gripeth Christ for pardon and strength and daily flyeth to Him for both must be holden fast and renewed in the exercise of it by all that would thrive in any other grace or be fit for any duty if either we loose the grips of faith or do not frequently renew them we can thrive in nothing therefore is faith here made the first stone in this spiritual building to which all the rest are to be added Add to your faith c. 4. With the maintaining and renewing the acts of saving faith a Christian that would grow must so mind his duty as that he keep himself in the nearest disposition for it for no lesse is signified by vertue than the working habit of every grace which keepeth a Christian in such a fitnesse for doing or suffering that when he is called to them either of them are lovely to him and he is in some measure ready for them which the Scripture calleth elsewhere the having of the heart at the right-hand Eccl. 10.2 and standing with the loyns girt Eph. 6.14 and here is called Adding to faith vertue 5. There is more than this readinesse of disposition for duty requisit to make a growing Christian even the use of holy reason to time and mannage duties wisely that as the heart lieth to duty there may be skill to go about it with prudence and circumspection as the word knowledge here signifieth which is to be added to vertue 6. Because there remaineth in the best many immoderate and unruly affections and passions which as they are ready to exceed bounds even about lawfull objects so the excesse of them doth darken reason indispose the heart for duty mar the exercise of faith and so hinder all the former three Therefore a Christian that would grow must labour to have by the power of God's grace in him such a command over his passions of anger fear grief c. and over his affections of love joy and the like
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
doing 4. The lively and frequent exercise of Faith draweth vertue from Christ to make the Believer resemble Him in those communicable perfections of His wherewith the Scripture holds Him forth adorned and to be closed with by sinners so that under whatsoever consideration of Christ held forth in Scripture sinners do close with Him they are thereby in some measure changed to some likeness with Him in that consideration if the unclean soul close with Him offered under the consideration of a fountain it becomes in some measure like Him in purity and holinesse if the dead sinner receive Him offered as life he becomes to live like Him if the unstable soul come to Him as the foundation-stone it grows stable as a stone and so of every consideration under which Christ offered in the Word is closed with for He being before proposed under the consideration of a living stone as the object of Faith to be closed with the Apostle here affirms that they who did so close with Him should find that by their so doing they also as lively stones should be built up 5. Those souls who may expect that the Lord will keep communion with them and dwell familiarly in them as in His House must labour to be made spiritual in their minds enlightened and elevated to discern things spiritual which the natural man cannot do 1 Cor. 2.14 15. Pro. 8.12 in their affections humbled in the sense of their unworthiness and sinfulness Isa 57.15 confident of their acceptation with God through Christ Heb. 6.3 chearfull in Him as reconciled to them Psal 22.3 loathing sin and loving holiness 2 Cor. 6.16 c. and all persons that are holy 1 Joh. 4.16 All which the Scriptures cited make clear to be parts of a spiritual frame which is to be studied by all those who may expect the Lord to dwell in them as in His House for Believers in order to their enjoying of fellowship with Christ are here said to be built up a spiritual house 6. The more heartily and frequently sinners flee to and make use of Jesus Christ as the Gospel offers Him the more fit are they to be an habitation for Him to dwell in and the more familiarly will He converse with them and that because the only way to attain to and grow in a spiritual frame which makes sinners a fit habitation for the Lord to dwell in is to be daily flying to and making use of Jesus Christ who gives the Spirit for working of that frame 2 Cor. 3.18 for Believers by coming to Him ver 4. are here said to be built up a spiritual house 7. Near union with Jesus Christ and daily use-making of Him by Faith is the best way to make the Saints one among themselves the division difference of judgment and alienation of affection among them proves one or other or all of them to be at a distance from Him for while the Apostle saith To whom coming c. Ye are built up a spiritual house he doth import That Believers by their closing with and use-making of Jesus Christ are as closely united one of them to another as the stones of a building are 3. Every particular Believer should esteem himself a part of the Church universal which maketh up one house to God 1 Tim. 3.15 and so should seek the good thereof Psal 122.9 and sympathize with the sufferings of the whole or any member thereof 1 Cor. 12.25 26. seing they are built up to wit in the universal Church with the rest of the members thereof a spiritual house 9. Although the most eminent Believers may not take upon them any part of the Ministerial Office without a lawful and orderly calling thereunto Rom. 10.15 Heb. 5 4. yet all Professours of Christianity do in some respects resemble the Priests under the Law in so far as they are separated by the Lord from all the rest of the world and true Believers among them do receive that unction from the Lord to wit His holy Spirit 1 Joh. 2.20 which was signified by that oyl wherewith the Priests were anointed Exod. 28.41 and have their service accepted while others are rejected Prov. 15.8 in which respects they are here called An holy Priesthood 10. Although internal or real holiness be not the necessary qualification which maketh one a member of the visible Church Act. 8.13 Joh. 15.2 Yet is it the duty of all to study that holiness and the mark of all the true and lively members of the Church to be endued therewith therefore they are here called A holy Priesthood 11. The great imployment of Believers in Jesus Christ is to offer sacrifices to God not typical which are now abolished by Christ Heb. 10.1 c. nor expiatory which Christ alone hath once offered never to be repeated Heb. 7.27 but gratulatory in testimony of their thankfulness to Him for that sacrifice of Himself for them such as the sacrifice of themselves for His service Rom. 12.1 their penitent and humble supplications Psal 51.17 and 141.2 their praises Heb. 13.15 and their charity to his Saints Philip. 4.18 These and the like are they to ofter who are a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices 12. What ever sacrifices of this sort Believers offer up to God they must be spiritual done from a spiritual principle a new nature Ezek. 36.26 27. upon spiritual furniture the strength of Christ Philip. 4.13 and for a spiritual end the glory of Christ 1 Cor. 10.31 In which and the like respects they are here called spiritual sacrifices 13. Such spiritual sacrifices as Believers offer up to God are well-pleasing to Him not for any worth that is in them Isa 64.6 or advantage they can be to Him Psal 16.2 Act. 17.25 But because they are presented to God by Jesus Christ who taketh away the iniquity of their holy things Exod. 28.38 and doth perfume their service with the incense of his merits Rev. 8.3 Therefore are their sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Vers 6. Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect precious and be that believeth on Him shall not he confounded The Apostle doth confirm his former Doctrine concerning the usefulness and excellency of Jesus Christ for the Church and Believers in Him by a testimony of Scripture which though no particular place be here cited is to be found Isa 28.16 And withall he adds two further arguments to move them to that hearty receiving of the Gospel and use-making of Christ offered in it which he hath prest in the former words The one is That we have Jesus Christ who is the Father's choice and highly esteemed by Him with the Father's great good will laid in the Church as the foundation and chief corner-stone thereof for every soul to flee to and rest upon The other is That whosoever betake themselves to Him by Faith shall never need to be ashamed of their so doing Hence Learn 1. The Ministers of Christ
so in a spiritual sense by the vertue of Christ's death to sin might live unto righteousnesse 11. As every man in his natural state before the application of the vertue of Christ's bloud to his soul is in no lesse dangerous and deadly a condition than a man that is wounded and bleeding to death Luke 10.30 which is not to be understood as if such had any spiritual life at all but that while they live naturally they are altogether dead spiritually and posting toward eternal death as a man bleeding in his wounds is to his natural death So it is only the vertue purchased by Christ's sufferings that brings true health to sinners which consisteth in the pardoning of their sins Isa 33.24 the curing of their spiritual distempers Psal 103.3 and enabling them like healthy men to go about spiritual performances Isa 35.6 for it is here supponed that sinners are naturally in a deadly condition and that there is no health for them but from Christ's sufferings by whose stripes ye were healed 12. Although we ought to conceive nothing of Christ's body now glorified that may any way in our apprehension stain the incomprehensible glory and beauty thereof Philip. 3.11 Yet so deep were the wounds that Christ received from the Father's justice that we may safely conceive the impression of them to be no lesse biding in his heart for the entertaining of sympathy with his Redeemed Ones who are wounded in their consciences with the sense of sin and fear of wrath or in their bodies by stripes from men for their faithfulnesse to Him than if He had yet in his body the print of those wounds to move his sympathy towards them for the word here signifieth the biding print or skar of a wound after it is healed By whose stripes ye were healed 13. None can with patience and chearfulness suffer wrongs for Christ but they that do by faith apply the vertue of his suffering for them to their own souls for the pardoning and subduing of sin quickening of their hearts in holinesse and healing of their spiritual distempers which effects of his death are so sweet to them that partake of them that they cannot but chearfully endure the worst that men can do against them rather than do the least thing that may be offensive to Him Who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead unto sin might live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed All which the Apostle sets down as so many motives to constancy in well-doing notwithstanding of hardest sufferings Vers 25. For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls The last argument to press upon Believers patient suffering of wrongs for Christ and their duty to Him is taken from that blessed change which by the vertue of his death is made upon them and this the Apostle sets forth in two branches The one containing the woful case they were in before Conversion to wit That they were then wandering in their ignorance and sinful wayes to their own destruction like straying sheep The other holds forth the blessed state they are now brought to to wit That by the powerful grace of Christ put forth in their conversion they are brought back to Him the good Shepherd and Overseer of their souls and therefore they ought to follow Him and their duty notwithstanding of any hardship they can meet with in that way Hence Learn 1. Before conversion the Elect as well as others are wandering toward their own destruction unable to bring themselves into the right way and in hazard to be preyed upon by the roaring Lion which condition is fitly set out by this similitude which the Apostle here makes use of from Isa 53.6 Ye were as sheep going astray 2. True conversion is that change which Christ worketh upon sinners whereby they are made not only to turn their back upon their former sinful courses but also to betake themselves to Jesus Christ seeking to enjoy his favour and fellowship submitting to Him as their Ruler and Guide and resigning themselves to be at his disposal for so the Apostle here describes it Ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd 3. This blessed change which is made upon sinners in conversion is that which doth evidence to them that they have received the healing vertue which flows from the wounds of Christ to his Redeemed Ones None else can esteem themselves healed by his stripes but those that find themselves brought back from their former sinfull courses and made to follow Him as their Leader for after the Apostle had said by his stripes ye were healed he addeth this as the evidence thereof for ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd 4. Those whom Christ's powerfull grace hath thus turned toward Him shall find Him prove himself to them a good and faithful Shepherd and Ruler as the word also signifieth reclaiming them from their wanderings not only before their conversion Luke 15.4 but likewise after it Psal 119.176 providing plenty of wholsom food for them as his flock Psal 23.1 c. tenderly leading and bearing them in his bosom in their sick and weak conditions Isa 40.6 and so protecting and defending them that none can pluck them out of his hand Joh. 10.28 for He to whom they are returned is the Shepherd of their souls 5. It is not any one relation among the creatures that can sufficiently set out what Jesus Christ will prove himself to be unto true Converts all the usefulnesse and sweetness which is but scattered among all the relations which one creature hath to another being but shadows of what he is to them that are truly turned to Him for the Apostle saith they are returned to Him who is not only their Shepherd but their Bishop or Overseer who foresees and guards them against hazards so far as is fitting and furnisheth them with all necessary provision in his service and so proves himself the Bishop or Overseer of their souls 6. As the Believers outward man and the least thing that doth concern the same is cared for and respected by Jesus Christ Mat. 10.30 So He loveth to commend his respect and oversight to them mainly in reference to their souls which are their better part the welfare whereof necessarily bringeth along with it the welfare of the body and their souls being beyond peril That may make them chearfully adventure upon bodily hazards in following Him who is the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls 7 That which engageth the hearts of sinners to love Jesus Christ and out of love to Him to follow their duty through hardest sufferings is the frequently renewed sense of their woful condition wherein sometimes they were and of the blessednesse and priviledges of that state whereunto his grace hath brought them for after the Apostle had represented this change to them ver 9 10. as
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
them many encouragements against suffering in that way which are the two principal parts of the Chapter The sum of the first is That Believers should renounce the slavery of their sins first Because they were esteemed judicially to have suffered for sin in their Cautioner Christ ver 1 2. Secondly Because they had already followed too long the filthy fashions of the profane ver 3. Thirdly Because those who did wonder at and slander them for changing their course and company behoved to give a sad accompt thereof to their Judge ver 4 5. Fourthly Because censure and opposition from the profane had been the lot of the Saints departed ver 6. And fifthly Because time was now near an end Therefore they should keep themselves in a praying disposition ver 7. make conscience of love ver 8. and of hospitality toward the Saints ver 9. and imploy their talents and gifts in their several places for the glory of Christ ver 10 11. The sum of the second part is That hardest sufferings should not seem strange to Believers considering first that they were sent to try their graces ver 12. Secondly that by them they were made conform to their Master And thirdly should share of his glory ver 13. Fourthly that even reproach for faithfulnesse to Christ should prove them happy Fifthly that they should be sure of the presence of His Spirit with them Sixthly that He did resent their wrongs as done against Himself Seventhly that He did esteem Himself glorified by their sufferings ver 14. providing they did not procure these sufferings by their miscarriage ver 15. but endured them with courage and chearfulnesse for the Truth of Christ ver 16. Eightly that God's appointed time was now come for purging of his Church by such hot persecution that even the Godly could not come to Heaven but with great difficulty And lastly that the end of their ungodly persecutors behoved to be unspeakably terrible ver 17 18. It was therefore their best to commit themselves to Him whose power and faithfulnesse is engaged to bear them through all their trials ver 19. Vers 1. Forasmuch them as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same minde for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin THe Apostle's scope in the first part of this Chapter being to stir up the Redeemed of the Lord to fight against sin and to give themselves wholly away to the obedience of their Redeemer as appears from ver 2. and 7 c. he brings his first and principal argument for that purpose from Christ's sufferings for them and their interest in these sufferings The sum whereof is That seing Jesus Christ had in their name and nature suffered the wrath due to them for their sins they ought to put on this very same consideration as a compleat armor against all temptations and that because Believers being esteemed judicially to have suffered in their Cautioner they are therby strongly obliged to desist from those sins for which Christ hath suffered and for which they are reckoned to have suffered in Him So that the last clause of this verse cannot be understood of Christ who never sinned but of the Believer who is reckoned a sufferer in Christ and to have ceased from sin in regard of Christ's undertaking to make him cease from it and of the obligation that Christ's suffering in his room putteth upon him to mortifie it which makes the matter as certain as if it were done and therefore the Apostle speaketh of it in the by-past time as if it were already done Doct. 1. They that would make use of Christs sufferings for them as a motive to suffer for him must learn to make use of them for mortifying of their lusts by faith drawing vertue out of his death for weakening the love of sin in their hearts the strength and vigor whereof is the main thing that makes Christians shift a crosse for Christ and indisposes them for carrying it aright Mat. 16.24 for the Apostle having taught Believers in the last part of the former Chapter to make use of Christ's sufferings for them as a motive and encouragement to suffer for Him he doth here teach them to make a further use of His sufferings as necessary to be joyned with the former if so be they would attain unto it to wit that by faith they should draw vertue from his sufferings for mortification of their corruptions Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered arm your selves c. 2. Christ our Mediator hath taken true flesh upon Him and in it hath suffered all that wrath which was due to the Elect for their sins So that His sufferings were not to be a patern only to Christians of a right way of suffering but they were in the room and place of the Elect as is clearly imported in this ground which the Apostle layeth down in the beginning of this Chapter from whence he is to infer and presse upon Believers the study of mortification Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh 3. As those for whom Christ hath suffered in the flesh and who cannot therefore be overcome by their spiritual enemies Col. 2.15 must notwithstanding make them for a battel and a fighting-life with those enemies So they are of themselves naked and without armor for this spiritual warfare till they receive the same from Jesus Christ and not only so but they are often found secure and forgetful of their warfare and therefore have need to be roused up to lay hold upon their spiritual armor and to accept of the same from Jesus Christ as is imported in this military exhortation Arm your selves 4. The Believer's best armor against his spiritual enemies especially temptations to sin is the believing consideration of Christ's suffering in his name and nature which cannot but give him courage and strength in the battel seing by these sufferings of Christ for him his spiritual enemies are spoiled of all power of overcoming though not of molesting and so he may be sure of victory 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. for with this same very consideration or notion as the word signifieth that Christ hath suffered in our room and nature the Apostle exhorteth Believers to arm themselves against all temptations Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves also with the same mind 5. What-ever sufferings were inflicted upon Christ the same are judicially reckoned to be inflicted upon Believers in Him He being their Surety Heb. 7.22 and a common person representing them all Rom. 5.18 19. for the Apostle having in the first part of the verse asserted Christ's sufferings for Believers in the close of it he designs the Believer as if he had suffered in his own person He that hath suffered in the flesh 6. None that do truly believe their union with and interest in suffering Christ Jesus can continue in the slavery and servitude of sin they being by their believing
of their union with Him who suffered for them certified of the mortification of sin Rom. 6.6 and so encouraged in the battel against it and by His love manifested in his suffering powerfully constrained never to take pleasure in that which put Him to so much pain and doth so much grieve his holy Spirit 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Therefore the Apostle speaketh of their câ—asing from sin as a thing already done in regard of the certainty of it and their obligation to it it being ordinary in Scripture to affirm the duty of Believers as already done by them thereby to assure them that it shall be done and to oblige them the more strongly to the study of it Col 3.9 10. He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin Vers 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God In this Verse the Apostle expresseth the end of Christ's sufferings and of Believers interest therein the attaining whereof should be their constant aim to wit that no more of their time in this mortal state should be spent in the service of those lusts whereunto corrupt nature leadeth unregenerate men but that their life and time should be wholly spent in conforming themselves to the will of God who gave Christ to suffer for them whereby it appears that the ceasing from sin spoken of in the former Verse must be understood of the Believers obligation to the study of mortification of it and of Christ's undertaking to make him cease from it as the original word there used signifieth Hence Learn 1. Whoever believes that Christ hath suffered for them should think themselves thereby obliged not to give the least part of their life or time in the flesh to the service of their lusts or to take the least part thereof from obedience to the will of God but to imploy the same intirely and wholly in the mortifying of sin wherein they should have no more pleasure than if they were dead men and in conforming themselves to the will of God in doing and suffering which should be the great businesse of their life considering that their time is short and their strength while they are in frail flesh but small which is here insinuated as a reason of this truth for this the Apostle makes the end of the Believers union with suffering-Christ and the use that he should make of this priviledge that Christ hath suffered for him and that he is esteemed to have suffered in Christ to wit that be no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 2. Christians cannot but be slaves to their own unmortified corruptions and servants to the lusts one of another making it their very trade of life so to do until they do by faith arm themselves with the consideration of Christ's undertaking to deliver them from that servitude and of his purchasing vertue by his death for that effect for while the Apostle exhorteth them thus to arm themselves that they might no longer live to the lusts of men he doth clearly import that before their so doing they had been slaves and until they did so they could not but live the rest of their time in the flesh to the lusts of men 3. Then it is made clear to the Believer that Christ hath suffered for him and that he is reckoned to have satisfied God's justice in Christ his Cautioner when by faith he draweth vertue from Christ to make him aim at the mortifying of his corruptions and at conformity to the revealed will of God in heart and practice for this may be looked upon as the clear mark of those who may conclude that Christ hath suffered for them in the flesh and who are esteemed to have suffered in him that they have now ceased from sin and do live no longer to the lusts of men but to the will of God Vers 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts and excess of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries The second argument whereby the Apostle presseth upon Believers the study of holinesse especially that part of it which consists in the mortifying of sin is That they had given too much of their time already to the service of their lusts wallowing themselves in all sorts of vilenesse against both Tables of the Law after the manner of the Heathens among whom they were scattered whereof the Apostle giveth here some instances Thâ— first is Lasciviousness whereby is meaned such open vilenesse and wantonnesse in sin as is contrary to common honesty The second he calleth Lusts which signifieth those strong and burning desires which are in unrenewed hearts after more and more wickednesse especially their sinfull pleasures The third fourth and fifth point out their excesse in drinking and belly chear with their shamelesse and unseemly carriage while they keeped up a sinful society together And the last is their idolatry or false-worship in a special way detestable to God In all which steps and others of that kind they having too long walked already they ought therefore now to think it more than time to break off that course and to consecrate the remnant of their time to the study of holinesse for His honour whom they had formerly so much dishonoured Hence Learn 1. Whenever the Lord makes a gracious change upon the hearts of sinners they will be so far from putting off and delaying the forsaking of their sins till afterward that they will with grief look back upon the time they have already given way to them as very long and too long to have been imployed that way so that they who mind to live any longer in the course of their sins have no ground to think that they have yet met with the power of converting grace seing they say in substance that they have not yet taken time enough to dishonour God and destroy their own soul for this is the sad language of every real Convert The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles 2. The longer that sinners have continued in the course of their sins and the greater height of wickednesse they have been at before their conversion the more eagerly should they set about the mortifying of sin and the more assiduous and serious should they be in the study of holinesse after their conversion that so they may so far as they can restore the Lord to his honour 1 Cor. 15.9 10. reclaim if it be possible some of those whom formerly they have hardened in their sin Gal. 1.11 and get their own hearts loosed from the love of those sins which long continuance and custom have deeply rooted in them Jer. 13.23 for the Apostle makes this a reason why Believers should give no part of their life or time to
called himself Lord or Head of the Church but discharged it in all Ministers 1 Pet. 5.3 and here taketh a lower title to himself A Servant 2. It is necessary for Christ's Ambassadors to know and assert their Calling from Him that Truth may have weight with People and they may have courage what-ever their faithfulnesse may cost them for while the Apostle knoweth himself to be a Servant of Jesus Christ he dare avow himself by name and surname even when he 〈◊〉 publishing Truths that cost him his life Simon Peter a Servant and an Apostle of Jesus Christ 2. He describeth these to whom the Epistle is mainly directed from the worth of their faith equal to the faith of the Apostles for all saving effects and cleareth the way how they came by it to wit by the vertue of the faithfulnes of God and the merits of Christ Hence Learn 1. The Scriptures are not only given for converting sinners and working grace where it is not Psal 19.7 But also for their sake who are already converted and gracious fine places being mainly intended for them to further their growth guard them against temptations and to fit them for their last meeting with Christ which are the ends of this Epistle directed mainly to them that have obtained precious faith 2. Although some Believers are more strong in believing and so have more joy and peace than others 1 Joh. 2.13 14. Yet is the faith of them all of alike worth in so far as it uniteth them all to the same Saviour from whom the weakest faith shall never shed interesteth them all in the same spiritual promises priviledges and glorious reward and is bought for them all with the same price in all which respects the true faith of the meanest Believer is alike precious with the faith of the Apostles 3. The way how saving faith cometh to the Elect and is wrought in their hearts is by vertue of the faithfulnesse of God who promised to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption the bestowing of it upon the Elect Psal 110.3 and to the Elect in the Covenant of Grace Isa 54.13 Joh. 6.45 It being God's righteousnesse to prove himself faithfull in making all these promises and it comes also through Christ's righteousnesse which is his doing and suffering to purchase it and other saving graces for us and so although we have it freely Yet Christ bought it dear and God is righteous in giving what Himself promised and Christ paid for 1 Joh. 1.9 So the Apostle makes this precious faith to come to all that have it through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Vers 2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. In this Salutation he wisheth to them a daily growth in their hearts 1. Of the sweet sense of God's free favour making the graces of His Spirit to thrive 2. Of true spiritual peace flowing from the former and carrying with it every necessary blessing as the signification of these words grace and peace and their order doth import and all this through their growing in that knowledge of God and his Son Christ which hath faith affection and practice with it Hence Learn 1. No lesse than what is here wished for is the Lords allowance to every Believer if they get it not they have themselves to blame for His Majesty doth nothing to mar the multiplying of grace and peace upon all that have precious faith 2. They that would have this rich allowance must not only expect in this order Grace or God's free favour first and then Peace with every necessary blessing But they must study to grow daily in the knowledge of the nature and will of God the purchase fulnesse and offices of Christ so as by the use-making of all heart and life may be changed for such a knowledge is this through which grace and peace is multiplied 3. It is not formality or vain repetition to use frequently the same expressions to God or to others when they flow from new sense of the worth and need of the things for this Apostle and others do ordinarily use these same expressions in the beginnings of their Epistles Grace and peace c. Vers 3. According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and vertue Followeth the ground of his confidence which might also hearten them that it should be acording to his wish to wit That Gods powerful grâ—â—â—â—ad already begun a saving work in them by bestowing freely upon them all that is essential to a gracious frame of spirit within and a holy life without and this he had done by making them so to know Christ as to consent to Him calling them by the Gospel to glory or eternal life as the end by vertue which is grace and holinesse as the way or means Hence Learn 1. The seen beginnings of a saving work of grace are comfortable pledges and confirmations to faith that that work shall thrive it being suitable to the Lords wisdom power and constancy to carry on and perfect what He hath begun for the Apostle wisheth grace and peace to be multiplied According as His divine power had begun the work 2. To give grace to a graceless soul is a work of Gods infinit power there being so much unworthinesse guiltinesse and opposition to hinder that work in all the Elect Therefore the cause of this work is here made divine power 3. The Lord in the bestowing of saving grace worketh both irresistably and freely neither can any for whom it is appointed and purchased so oppose as to hinder the bestowing of it for it is divine power that worketh it Nor can any in nature so use their naturals as to prepare themselves for or merit the bestowing of it for divine power worketh by giving freely all things that pertain to life and so the very preparations for the new life 4. The substance of every saving grace though not the full measure and a right to what may enable for honouring God in practice is given at once in conversion As a Child when it first liveth or is new born hath all the essential parts of a man Therfore to these to whom the Apostle wisheth encrease of grace and upon whom he is to presse growth he affirmeth to be already given all things that pertain to life and godliness 5. The very first beginnings of grace is wrought in the heart by making a sinner drink-in the knowledge of Christ the Law indeed prepares for this work by discovering sin and deserved wrath and terrifying the conscience But the Gospel which holdeâ—â— out Christ the Saviour from sin and wrath having in Him the fulnesse of grace and a heart to let it out freely upon gracelesse sinners is the Spirit 's instrument of working grace for as the Apostle wished grace to thrive in the former Verse