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
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
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
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 will not spare to spend their bodies and spirits and wast their means in the service of their lusts and cannot be satisfied with any that will not do the like as is imported in the signification of these words They think iâ— strange that ye run not with them to the same excesse of riot 4. Profane men cannot abide that the Godly should be in credit and reputation beside them partly because of their natural enmity against them Gal. 4.29 and partly because their way is a shame and reproof to theirs as Christ's was to his enemies Joh. 7.7 therfore they devise and spread false calumnies to hurt the credit as the word here signifies of the Godly speaking evil of you 5. Even the Godly are so little mortified to their credit before the world and do so little prize esteem with God and his People that the mockery and slanders even of profane men are ready to prove great discouragement to them in the wayes of the Lord for the Spirit of God finds it necessary here to guard against this discouragement by discovering of it and threatning the slanderers They think strange that ye run not with them c. speaking evil of you who shall give account c. 6. Although the saving grace of Christ doth not loose those upon whom it is vouchsafed from the relations they may have to gracelesse persons nor from the duties of those relations neither yet from fellowship with them in necessary commanded duties 1 Cor. 5.9 10. and 7.12 13. 1 Sam. 11.6 7. 2 Cor. 11.20 c. Yet it will make them separate from their sinfull fashions and loath their company in their sinful courses even though they should be wondred at and evil spoken of for so doing for the Apostle importeth clearly that those Converts to whom he speaks would not now keep fellowship with their former companions in their sinfull courses what-ever they might suffer at their hands while he saith They think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excesse of riot 7. Although a long-suffering God may let wicked men have a long time of prospering in their sinful wayes and persecuting of his beloved People yea and may defer his reckoning with them the whole length of their time Yet of necessity they must all of them at last appear before Him as their Judge at the great day when both those of them that have died before that time and such as shall then be found living must be present to give account to Him that judgeth quick and dead 8. The delay of the last reckoning with wicked men is not because the Lord is not ready for that work but because there is yet a number of the Elect to be gathered Rev. 6.11 their faith and patience is to be tried Rev. 14.12 and the wicked to be more ripened for judgment Rev. 14 15. So that there is nothing upon the Lord's part that hindereth the day of account for He is ready to judge the quick and the dead 9. So dear are the Lord's People to Him and so exact is He in his justice that there is not a thought in wicked mens hearts nor a word in their mouthes contrary to Him or his People but He takes notice of it and will exact a strict account thereof from them for here the Spirit of God signifieth His notice-taking of their admiring thoughts of the Godly and their ill speeches of them and assureth His own that for these they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead 10. Although the Children of the Lord should not desire a wofull day upon the most wicked for any personal injury they have received from them Jer. 17.16 nor rejoyce when it comes upon them because they are their enemies Prov. 24.17 but rather should pray for their conversion and salvation Mat. 5.44 Yet it is both lawful and necessary for the Lord 's suffering People to consider how glorious the Lord will be in his justice upon so many of them as are irrecoverable and without the compasse of his electing love and thereby ought to comfort their hearts against their bitter flanders and other injuries of that kind for this is here given as an encouraging motive to the study of holinesse notwithstanding of any discouragement from such that they shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead Vers 6. For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit The fourth argument to constancy in holinesse notwithstanding of any discouragement from the profane world is That seing the Gospel had been preached to the Saints who are now at their rest for this very end that they being exercised in their external condition with the hard censures and persecution of the profane might have the life of grace promoted in their hearts and so be fitted for life eternal there was therefore no reason why the Lord's People should be discouraged in that way because of such a lot as all the Saints departed had met with Doct. 1. All that believe the Gospel and give up themselves to the obedience of it may resolve to have many hard censures past upon them by those that do not profit by it to be judged by them a deceived and accursed people Joh. 7.47 49. a proud and precise company who will not do as neighbour and others do Mark 7.2 5. to have many false calumnies raised and spread of them Rom. 3.8 and to be condemned to the worst usage that wicked men can bring upon them Jam. 5.6 for this is here set down as the lot of the Saints departed and the consequent of their imbracing the Gospel For for this cause the Gospel was preached to them that are dead that they may be judged according to men in the flesh 2. Although the Gospel of it self tend to the making of peace both with God and amongst those that hear it Rom. 10.14 Luke 19.42 and the Lord doth no wayes approve profane mens censuring or condemning them that imbrace it Luke 10.6 Yet doth the Lord send the Gospel among men for this very end that upon occasion of his Peoples imbracing of it wicked men may vent their natural enmity against Him by their persecuting of His People that so they may be justly punished for that and other of their sins and His own People may be exercised by their opposition for their good which are just and holy ends upon God's part For for this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men c. 3. It giveth much encouragement to the Lords People in the way of their duty against all discouragements from the profane to consider first That they are not singular in a suffering lot seing the same hath fallen to the Saints before in whose person God
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
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
blessedness which Faith closeth with in the promise which is the exercise of the grace of hope and to live so as they may never mar that confidence whether by security or discouragement knowing that when we lose our confidence we do therewith lose our strength for all duties Lam. 3.18 for oven those for whom the heavenly inheritance is made sure ver 4. whose perseverance is also sure ver 5. and whose comfort in the believâ—â—â— of both is very great ver 6. are here exhorted to hope to the end 8. That which strengthens the Believers hope of Glory and keeps it in life and exercise is the believing consideration of that compleat ransom paid by Christ for them that fly to him his undertaking to cause them persevere and their own frequent reflecting upon the evidences of his grace in themselves for upon these grounds held forth in the former part of the Chapter doth the Apostle infer this exhortation Wherefore gird â—p c. and hope to the end 9. The largest manifestation of the favour of God and the highest degree of holinesse which any attain to in time is but small being compared with that measure of both which Believers have good ground to hope for when Christ and they shall meet for these who had a good measure of both are here exhorted to look for a further Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought 10. Christ is now under a vail to Believers his bodily presence being necessarily withdrawn from them Job 16.7 and his spiritual glory but seen in a glasse darkly by them who could not endure a clear sight of either but at his second coming the vail shall be taken off and we made able to behold and enjoy Him visibly conversant with us in our flesh for ever for that day is here called the revelâ—tion of Christ Vers 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance Here is the second motive to the study of holinesse taken from that sweet priviledge of adoption by the consideration whereof the Apostle excites them as children to give themselves up to their fathers obedience and to keep themselves free of the slavery of their lusts wherein they had lived before they knew Christ savingly Hence Learn 1. Although the best that ever lived have reason to judge themselves unworthy to be in the rank of Servants to the Lord Mat. 3.11 Yet it pleases Him to advance the meanest that receive Christ by Faith to the dignity and priviledges of His Children for the Apostle designs all Believers even the meanest by this stile Obedient Children 2. Whenever the Children of the Lord do consider their dignity of sonship they should be thereby strongly moved to the study of obedience to their Father which consists in a sincere endeavour after conformity to all his Commands without exception of any Psal 119.6 in their kindly submission to all his corrections Heb. 12.5 and both these out of love to Him a now become their Father in Christ So shall their sonship be clearly evidenced to them when they devote themselves wholly to their Fathers obedience and go about every part of it as obedient children 3. The faith of this blessed relation to God as our Father in Christ is that frame of spirit wherewith we should labour to go about every duty of new obedience so will we be confident that our infirmities shall be pitied and our weak endeavours to obey accepted Psal 103.13 and that our wants shall be supplied as shall be necessary Mat. 6.32 for as these words contain a motive to obedience taken from our adoption so they hold forth the right manner of Childrens going about every duty to wit As obedient Children in obedience and out of love to their Father 4. Before that saving change which the Lord makes upon sinners in Regeneration they are not only void of the saving knowledge of God in Christ but they are also as the word here doth signifie incapable and without a mind to know any thing of that sort for this is one part and the first part of that misery wherein these who are now Children of God are supponed to have been in ignorance 5. Ignorance is the fountain and root of profanity and of folks serving of their lusts they who know not the terror and sweetnesse of the Lord can never be deterred nor drawn from delighting in the slavery of their sins for the Apostle makes their ignorance the rise of their profanity while he dehorts them from fashioning themselves according to their former lusts in ignorance 6. Not only are the unregenerate in ignorance and therefore slaves to their lusts but they are voluntary slaves giving themselves wholly away to the satisfaction of their sinful desires and shaping or moulding as the word here signifies their endeavours and undertakings according to the sinfull motions of their corrupt nature for so were those once who are now Children not only living in ignorance and following their lusts but fashioning themselves according to their lusts 7. It is necessary for the Children of the Lord to have a clear representation of the wofull case wherein they were before Christ did change them that they may be kept still humble and careful to testifie their thankfulness to Him for making a change upon them in all the duties of new obedience whereby He is honoured for while the Apostle is pressing these duties he giveth this clear representation of that woful condition wherein they had been formerly fashioning themselves according to their former lusts in their ignorance 8. Although there be no hazard that any of the Regenerate shall ever lose their new nature which is the seed of God abiding in them 1 Joh. 3.9 Yet in regard their former lusts are but in part subdued and therefore old love to them is soon kindled there is a great hazard that they should become for their present disposition and carriage very like unto what they were before they got a new nature the consideration whereof should stir them up to diligence and progresse in the study of mortification for this hazard is insinuated by the Apostle while he presseth upon the Regenerate that they should not fashion themselves according to their former lusts in their ignorance 9. Diligence in new obedience flowing from the faith and sense of our spiritual priviledges especially of our adoption iâ— that which keeps the Children of the Lord from the wonted slavery of their lusts for these words may be taken as a remedy against the prevailing of them As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance Vers 15. But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 16. Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy The Apostle having in the former Verse pressed the study of holiness negatively from that great priviledge of adoption doth here presse the same positively by two
further motives The one is That since the Lord had vouchsafed to call them from an estate of sin and wrath to a state of holinesse and happiness they ought therefore to walk answerably to their holy calling The other is That there should be a conformity between the Holy Lord and all His Children and therefore holiness which is His property ought to be studied by them and manifested in all the particular passages of their christian course And this last argument the Apostle confirms from the Scripture whereof though there be no particular place here cited yet the substance of the words are to be found in several places Lev. 11.44.19.2 and 20.7 Mat. 5.17 Hence Learn 1. They that would prove themselves to be truly holy and so to be the Children of the Lord must not satisfie themselves with the negative part of holiness which consists in abstenance from what is unsuitable to the relation of Children but they must also labour for the positive part of it which consists in some measure of conformity to their heavenly Father in His holinesse for after the Apostle hath prest that study negatively that they should not conform themselves to their former lusts in their ignorance he urgeth here the positive part thereof But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy 2. They who have found the Lord powerfully calling them from that estate of sin and wrath wherein they are naturally to a blessed condition of grace and happiness should think themselves thereby strongly obliged to the study of holiness whereby Christians in heart and practise are alienated and drawn from things earthly and are set apart for the use of their Lord and so do evidence to themselves their effectual calling 2 Pet. 1.10 for as a motive to the study of holiness the Apostle here suggests to Believers their calling But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy 3. Although it be altogether impossible for any Man or Angel to be conform in holinesse unto God who is essentially immutable and infinitly holy 1 Sam. 2.2 Yet there is no absolute unerring patern lower than the holy One to be set before the eyes of the Children of the Lord who ought not to make the holiest on earth a sufficient copie to them but being still ashamed of their defects in holiness and unsatisfied with their present measure thereof must still be aiming at a nearer conformity with Christ the Lord and daily making use of Him who is their sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 to cover their defects and to sanctifie them more fully for this is the example and patern of that holinesse to which all the called Children of God should aspire As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy 4. Although internal holinesse be mainly lovely to the Lord Psal 51.6 and the external without it be loathsom to Him Mat. 23.27 Yet none should satisfie themselves with that holinesse which they imagine to have within but should labour to manifest holiness in their external conversation by shewing themselves in their visible actings mindful and respective of all the Commands of God Lev. 20.7 8. Psal 119.6 whereby they glorifie Him before others and evidence themselves to have true holinesse Joh. 15.8 for this conformity to our Father in holinesse must be manifested in the conversation 5. There is no part of a Christian's conversation which ought not to favour of holiness and true piety not only his religious but even his common and civil actions ought to be done in the Lord and for his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 And under all the various dispensations of God with him he ought still to prove himself a hater of sin and a lover of what the Lord approves which is the thing here pressed to be holy in all manner of conversation 6. The strictest of moral precepts in the Old Testament are binding to Believers under the New the substance of all of them which is That reasonable creatures should love their Maker and their fellow-creatures being of perpetual equity obliging both Angels and Men and nothing being required of us in any of them to be done by vertue of our own strength or that we may be justified thereby but only what the Regenerate are enabled to aim at and to attain to such a measure of as through Christ shall be accepted as if they had attained to what is required Col. 2.10 for here one of the strictest of moral precepts that are in the Old Testament is pressed upon Believers As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy for it is written Be ye holy for I am holy 7. The Ministers of Jesus Christ ought to have His Word so richly dwelling in them that they may be able to confirm what they deliver to the Lords People from clear and expresse testimonies thereof especially when they presse such Truths as natural hearts are most averse from for even this extraordinary Minister the Apostle whom people had lesse reason to suspect than any ordinary Minister while he presseth this high pitch of holinesse to wit the study of conformity to the Holy One he thus confirms his doctrine by Scripture Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy 8. Although it be the duty of Ministers sometimes to point out to people the particular place of Scripture whereby they do confirm their doctrine Act. 13.33 yet ought the Lords People to be so well acquainted with the written Word that upon the hearing of any sentence of it they may acknowledge it to be the Lords mind that so there may be no necessity for Ministers to spend time and burthen peoples memories with multiplied citations for every Truth they deliver especially where the words of Scripture are remarkable and frequently to be found for so the Apostle citing this remarkable Scripture which is frequently to be found in the Old Testament doth not name any particular place but only saith It is written Be ye holy for I am holy Vers 17. And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Follows the fifth and sixth motives to the study of holiness The one is That even those who take the Lord for their Father and themselves for his Children will find Him an exact and impartial Judge of them and all their actions The other is That His Children are but strangers and sojourners and so living in the midst of many hazards and temptations both which should move them to study holiness whereof this is a special part to carry along in their hearts through their pilgrimage some fear of offending their heavenly Father who is to be their Judge Hence Learn 1. The more acquaintance with the Lord and confidence of His fatherly affection Christians attain unto the more are they obliged to the study of holiness and particularly to walk in fear of offending Him who will
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
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
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
would have them looking upon those that were Heathens and speaking against them as evil doers as such whom God might visit in mercy and in whose conversion they might be made instrumental 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 Vers 13. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream 14. Or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well In this second part of the Chapter the Apostle exhorteth to those particular duties whereby Christians do shew forth the praises of God and commend Religion in their several relations And his first exhortation in order to these ends is That they should carry themselves with respect and submission to any form of lawful Government established in the several Countries where they were scattered whether the same were exercised by the supream Magistrate or by the inferiour which several forms of Civil Government he calleth a Humane Ordinance mainly because the Lord hath not determined in his Word what particular kind of Government every place in the World should have whether Monarchy or some other form but hath left the determination thereof to humane prudence walking by the general rules of his Word And this exhortation the Apostle inferreth upon the former wherewith the first part of the Chapter is closed as a special mean of gaining wicked men to glorifie God and presseth the same by two reasons The first is taken from the respect which Christians owe to the Command of God who is the Author of Magistracy The second is taken from the good ends for which Magistracy is ordained To wit 1. for the punishing and suppressing of wickedness And 2. for the promoving and encouraging of piety and vertue Hence Learn 1. The Lord is graciously pleased to call for respect at the hands of his People toward those who carry no respect to him that thereby he may either gain such to his obedience or heap coals of fire upon their heads for unto Heathen Magistrates he is here calling for submission and obedience at the hands of his People Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man 2. Although Civil Magistracy be a Divine Ordinance in regard it is of Gods appointment Prov. 8.15 Yet it is here called a humane Ordinance in regard it is mainly exercised about humane affairs and for the good of humane societies as such in regard the particular forms thereof are left to be determined by men as was touched in the Exposition and in some cases may be altered by them In all which respects it differeth from that spiritual Government which Christ hath established in his House this being wholly about spiritual affairs 2 Cor. 10.8 the particular form thereof determined by Jesus Christ in his Word and never to be altered in any place of the world Eph. 4.11 12 13. for Civil Government for the fore-mentioned respects as also to difference it from the Ecclesiastick is here called an Ordinance of man 3. Not only private Christians but also the publick Ministers of Christ and all ranks of professors of his Name are bound to give submission and obedience in things lawfull unto lawfull Magistrates though they prove enemies unto Religion under whose Dominion Gods Providence hath cast their lot which submission doth consist in a reverend esteem of the persons of Magistrates because of their Office Eccles 10.2 in the maintaining of their Authority and respect before others especially their Subjects Exod. 22.27 in giving of our worldly substance for that end Rom. 13.7 in our earnestness with God in prayer for his blessing upon their Government 1 Tim. 2.1 2. and in suffering patiently and with due respect to their Persons and Office what they do unjustly inflict for disobedience to their unlawful commands Act. 23.5 for this exhortation is given both to the Officers and Members of the Church scattered through those Nations who had only Heathen Kings and Governours Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man 4. This dutiful and submissive carriage of Christians toward wicked Magistrates is a special mean of commending Religion to the profane and gaining of them to glorifie God who use most unjustly to represent Christ's Subjects as enemies to Civil Magistrates Act. 24.5 for this exhortation may be conceived to be pressed as a special mean of attaining to that honest conversation among the Gentiles who spoke against Christians as evil doers especially in the matter of their loyalty whereunto the Apostle did exhort in the former Verse Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man 5. It is agreeable to the mind of God that there be plurality of Magistrates set over every Country or Incorporation of people it being impossible for any one or a few by reason of the imperfection of their wit and strength to administer Justice aright to many Exod. 18.18 21. which ought to be brought near to poor people to prevent their toil and expences so far as may be 1 Sam. 7.16 And likewise that there be some order among these Magistrates some of them in greater eminency and power than others for so the Apostle supponeth here while he mentioneth many Magistrateâ— and some of them more eminent than others whether it be to the King as supream or unto Governours 6. Although the supream Magistrate may be a prime instrument in appointing and protecting inferiour Magistrates in the exercise of their Office 2 Chron. 19.5 in which respect the inferiour may be said to be sent by him to wit the Supream Yet are the Lord's People no lesse straitly bound to obey and submit to the inferiour acting in his station than to the Supream acting in his the one being essentially Judges and in God's place to the people as well as the other 2 Chron. 19.6 Prov. 8.15 for the Apostle doth presse equally and upon the same grounds submission to both whether it be to the King as supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him 7. This submission and obedience which Christians owe to lawfull Magistrates ought to slow from their respect to God's Command enjoyning the same and from love to Him who hath established that order among men and would have his People commending Religion to heathen or profane Magistrates by their respect to his Ordinance in the persons of such so that whosoever have not a hearty respect to God and his Commands and love to Him and his Honour they want the principle of true loyalty to Magistrates whose great care therefore should be to advance true piety and respect to God and his Commands in the hearts of their Subjects as they love to find true loyalty in them to themselves for this is here made the principle or motive of Christians subjection to Magistracy Submit c. for the
Lords sake 8. Magistrates should be so far from giving toleration let be encouragement to any wicked doers under their power whether godless and profane liveâ— Psal 101.4 5 7 8. or Hereticks and false Teachers though never so seemingly pious who are no lesse evil doers than the other Philip. 3.2 That they should esteem it the great end of their advancement to their Office and a principal part of their Duty to restrain and punish all such for this is here made one end of Magistracy comprehending one chief part of the Duty of Magistrates for the punishment of evil doers 9. It is the Duty of Magistrates to put most honour upon and give most encouragement and respect to those that live most subject to the will of Christ those being the best friends of Magistrates and the disgracing or wronging of them being in a special way resented by Christ the Supream Magistrate for this is another end of their Office and branch of their Duty that they are for the praise of them that do well Vers 15. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men The Apostle repeateth in substance his first argument whereby he did presse upon Professors of Christianity subjection to lawfull Magistrates to wit that this was now plainly revealed to be the will of Him who is above all Magistrates and withall he addeth a third That Christians respective carriage toward Magistrates should prove an effectual mean of confuting the calumnies of unreasonable men who being inraged against the Lord's People did represent them as enemies to Civil Government that so they might raise persecution against them Hence Learn 1. It is not so much the fear of hazard for neglect of duty or the apprehension of advantage by the performance of it as the consideration of the will of the Lord which should be the prime and mâ—st prevalent motive of Christians to their duty coâ—â—â—â—ring that his will though never so far above our natural reason and contrary to our natural inclination 〈◊〉 is the rule of Righteousness Rom. 12.2 in our obedience whereof our welfare doth consist Mark 3.35 for the Apostle having suggested this before ver 13. as a motive to this same duty holdeth it forth here again more expresly for so is the will of God 2. Disaffection to Civil Government and Magistracy is an old slander which hath been ordinarily given in against the Godly by wicked men who hate to the death those who by their holy walking do reprove and shame their profanity and therefore labour to engage those in power against them as their enemies Prov. 29.10 for as it was ordinarily charged upon the Servants and People of God of old Jer. 37.13 Ezra 4.12 13. So the Apostle prescribing a way to these Christian Hebrews how to silence such slanders importeth that it was in his time the ordinary tryal of the Godly to whom he writeth That with well doing ye may put to silence c. 3. Although it be fitting sometimes for the Lord's People to use verbal apologies for their own clearing and other lawful means of defence against false aspersions Act. 24.10 c. and 25.8 Yet a holy and christian carriage is the most powerful mean though it be more seldom made use of than any to confute the calumnies of wicked men and to bind up their mouthes were they never so enraged from speaking against the Godly for the Apostle having recommended this mean for this end before ver 12. prescribeth it here again importing the fitnesse of it for the end for which he presseth it and likewise some unwillingness in people to make use of it That with well doing ye may put to silence in which word there is a metaphor taken from the putting of a musle upon the mouth of some wild beast or mad-dog such as the malicious slanderers of God's People are the ignorance of foolish men 4. The ground of wicked mens malice which vents it self against the Godly in slanders and in mis-representations of them especially to men in power is that they are grosly ignorant to wit of the terror of that God who resents the least wrong done to his Servants as done to himself Zech. 2.8 and of the due subordination of men in Authority to Him by reason whereof His People may disobey their sinful commands without any wrong to their Office or disrespect to their Persons Act. 4.19 for here the Apostle leads the Lord's People to take the malicious calumnies of wicked men for the language of their ignorance that so they might rather pity and pray for them than study to requite them as their Lord did upon the same consideration Luke 23.34 while he thus directs with well doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 5. They who imploy their wit to make the Lord's People odious and bring them under hazard from those that are in power over them although they may have as much use of it as may get them the car and favour of them that are in power and may prevail by their calumnies to bring trouble upon the Godly Yet are they really and in Gods esteem mad and demented as the word here signifieth seing by their so doing they run the hazard of the wrath of Him who is a jealous and a terrible God against his Peoples enemies Isa 49.14 17. for the Apostle's scope and strain here doth import that malicious slanders of the Godly given-in to those in Authority had such acceptance and weight with them as to occasion the rise of persecution from them against the Godly and yet those who gave in these slanders are here represented by the Spirit of God as ignorant and foolish men Vers 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousnesse but as the Servants of God The Apostle in answer to an objection which hath been in the hearts of some professors against that subjection which he had prest upon them to Civil Magistrates to wit that their christian liberty did exempt them from it especially those Magistrates being wicked and pagans bringeth in a fourth argument to presse the same The sum whereof is That however Believers be brought by Jesus Christ to a state of true and spiritual freedom Yet the Lord doth not allow them to make their christian liberty a pretence or vail to cover any wickednesse and consequently not that wickedesse of despising and rejecting his Ordinance of Magistracy but on the contrary doth enjoyn them all to use their liberty purchased by Christ wholly as an engagement and motive to his service Hence Learn 1. Believers in Jesus Christ are by him advanced to a state of true liberty and freedom which doth not consist in a liberty to sin against God which is Satans slavery 2 Tim. 2.26 nor in freedom from the sweet yoke of his service whether it be in attending his Ordinances to which he hath tied us till his second coming Mat.
another under their necessities Gal. 6.10 But also to love the society one of another both in the exercise of publick Ordinances to which Christ hath promised his special presence Mat. 18.20 and in the more private duties of mutual edification which are very pleasant to the Lord Mal. 3.16 and profitable to themselves Heb. 3.12 13. for the Apostle having exhorted to honour all men subjoyneth this as a further degree of respect not only to the Saints themselves But as the word signifies to their society Love the Brotherhood 5. It should be the great care of the Children of God to carry along in the discharge of every duty the fear of God in their hearts which is a frame of spirit that he worketh in all that are in Covenant with him Jer. 32.40 whereby they hate every known sin Prov. 8.13 and in obedience to him aim at every commanded duty especially those of their particular relations 2 Chron. 19.7 and is entertained by the believing consideration of the terror of the Lord Psa 119.119 120. his excellency Job 13.11 his goodness Hos 3.5 and his pronenesse to pardon sin Psal 130.4 All which is comprehended under this duty which seasoneth all the rest here pressed Fear God 6. There is a special measure of honour and respect due by the Lords People unto those whom God hath set in Lawfull Authority over them beyond what is due to any others on earth by reason of their place wherein they resemble the Majesty of God to his People Psal 82.6 for the Apostle having exhorted in the beginning of this Verse to honour all men as if that honour which is due to all were not sufficient for Magistrates he closeth the Verse with this Honour the King 7. The Lord's People are so to honour Magistrates as that they forget not the fear of the Lord and the duties comprehended under it in the first place without which no duty can be faithfully discharged to any man Luke 18.2 for this is not only the order of the words here but of the purpose it self Fear God Honour the King 8. These duties against which the hearts of the Godly have some prejudice and the neglect whereof proveth most offensive to the profane had need to be frequently and earnestly prest upon the Lord's People for this duty was unpleasant to many Professors and the profane apprehending it to be so to all were incensed against Christians Therefore the Apostle having pressed it before ver 14. reneweth his exhortation to it here again Honour the King Vers 18. Servants be subject to your masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward The second exhortation to the study of holinesse for shewing forth the praises of God is directed to Christian Servants in which rank the greatest number of Believers then were who seem to have been in hazard under pretence of their christian liberty not only to shake off subjection to Magistrates as was shewen before but to their particular Masters the most part whereof were also at that time Heathens unto whom the Apostle presseth Christian Servants to give subjection and obedience with all fear to wit of offending God or their Masters and that not only to the better and more equitable sort of them but even to the more austere and inhumane Hence Learn 1. As the Children of the Lord in the meanest and hardest condition wherein his providence doth cast them may be instrumentall in bringing some glory to Him So He is especially glorified by them in their conscionable discharge of the particular duties of that relation wherein they are fixed for the Apostle having shewen the end of all Believers priviledges to be that they might shew forth the praises of God ver 9. holdeth forth this to persecuted Christian Servants as one principal way of shewing forth His praises Servants be subject to your Masters 2. One wrong principle being admitted in the minds of Christians concerning the matters of God may be the occasion and rise of manifold disorders in their practice for it is clear from the former purpose that the mistake of Christians concerning the nature of their christian liberty did make them apprehend themselves exempted from subjection to Magistracy and by this exhortation immediatly subjoyned compared with 1 Cor. 7.20 21 22. it doth appear that the same mistake hath prevailed to make Servants apprehend exemption from subjection to their Heathen Masters which makes the Apostle find it necessary to presse them to this duty Servants be subject to your Masters 3. Although there be some of the great ones of the earth given by the Father to Christ the Mediator who will therefore receive Him and subject themselves to Him Psal 72.10 Yet the most part of His Subjects and Servants are of the poorest and meanest in the world whom He chooses to commend the freedom of His grace and the condescendency of His love which often lights upon the Servant and passeth by the Master for it would seem there hath not been many Magistrates or Masters in those Nations where these believing Hebrews to whom the Apostle writes were scattered who have been fit to be spoken to which makes the Apostle omit them and speak to their Subjects in the former words and to their Servants here Servants be subject to your Masters 4. Christian liberty doth not exempt Christian Servants from subjection to their Masters though they were Heathens but doth consist with obeying all their lawful commands heartily and as service to God Col. 3.22 23. in giving due respect to their persons as being placed above them as the word here signifieth for this is here prest upon the chosen Generation and such as were truly free by Jesus Christ Servants be subject to your Masters 5. Not only the immediate acts of God's Worship and Service should be gone about with much fear and reverence to Him in the heart Psal 2.11 but even these outward duties which we owe to men should be seasoned therewith that so Christians even while they are employed in most common duties may be in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 for this is the qualification of that subjection which Christian Servants owe to their Masters Be subject with all fear 6. It may be the lot of the Lords dearest People not only to be in the rank of Servants which is a part of their likeness to their Lord for His outward state in the flesh Philip. 2.7 but likewise to be by divine providence put to serve Heathens and the worst of Heathens that so the Lord may make them instrumental to do good to some of these 2 King 5.2 3. or convince them that God is with their Servants Gen. 31.44 for here the Apostle suppones some of the chosen Generation and the peculiar People to be Servants to Heathens and to froward and perverse Heathens 7. Although all that are without the saving knowledge of God in Christ be in a like damnable
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
a motive to holinesse he doth here hold it forth again as a motive to constancy in holinesse notwithstanding of sufferings For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls CHAP. III. THis Chapter hath three parts In the first containing the duties of married persons the Apostle presseth upon Christian Women first That they should make conscience of duty to their Husbands though they were Pagans that so they might be gained to fall in love with Christianity ver 1. by the sight of their chast and religious carriage ver 2. Secondly That they should not be much taken up with trimming of their bodies ver 3. But thirdly That their prime care should be to have their souls adorned with grace especially meeknesse because 1. that's an ornament durable and 2. it 's in high esteem with God ver 4. So should they resemble holy Women recorded in Scripture ver 5. and prove themselves heirs of Sarah's blessednesse ver 6. Next he exhorteth Husbands to a wise and tender walking toward them by some arguments ver 7. In the second part he exhorteth all Christians whatever their relations be to the exercise of such graces and duties of holinesse as serve for keeping up a comfortable communion among themselves and with the Lord ver 8. and disswadeth them from some evils that might mar the same Because first they were all called to inherite the same blessednesse ver 9. And secondly because a holy walking with God and a peaceable carriage toward others is the only way to sweeten the lives of Christians under all their troubles ver 10 11. Thirdly that that was the way to have God's favourable providence watching over them for good Fourthly to get acceptance to their prayers And fifthly to eschew his wrath ver 12. The third part containeth several motives to constancy in holinesse and encouragements against suffering in that way As first that well-doing was the way toward off the evil of all their troubles ver 13. Secondly that no trouble for well-doing should hinder but rather promove their blessednesse to which encouragements the Apostle subjoyneth six directions for attaining a right carriage under suffering First that they should labour to banish the fear of flesh ver 14. Secondly that they should adore the holinesse of God in carving out a suffering lot for them Thirdly that they should timously enrich themselves with the knowledge of the Truth so as they might be able to give a reason of what they suffered for Fourthly that they should manifest meeknesse toward their persecutors And fifthly entertain fear of their own miscarriage ver 15. Sixthly that they should labour still to keep a good conscience under their suffering so should their carriage convince and make ashamed their very persecutors which is their third encouragement ver 16. Fourthly that their sufferings after this manner should prove much more comfortable to them than if they were procured by their own miscarriage Fifthly that the good will of God had the carving out of these sufferings ver 17. Sixthly that innocent Jesus Christ had suffered to the death for reconciling them to God and for the applying of his purchase was raised by the power of his Spirit or God-head ver 18. Seventhly that there are many souls now imprisoned in Hell for slighting such Truths as Christ's Spirit speaking through Noah and others of his Servants had prest upon them ver 19 20. Eighthly that the spiritual safety of Believers from the deluge of Gods wrath was made no lesse sure to them by their Baptism and the work of Christ's Spirit with it than the temporal safety of Noah and those few persons with him from the floud was made sure to them by the Ark ver 21. And ninthly that their Surety is now in highest power and glory that he may bear them through all their troubles and possesse them in that salvation which he hath purchased for them ver 22. All which prove that Believers ought to follow their duty to him notwithstanding of all sufferings for him Vers 1. Likewise ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives 2. While they behold your chast conversation coupled with fear THe Apostle being to point out the duties of married persons he beginneth with and insisteth most upon the duties of the Women partly because they had maniest discouragements and partly because their making conscience of their duty was the best means to provoke their Husbands to their duty Upon them he presseth subjection or dutifulnesse to their Husbands by two arguments The first is Because their obligation to their duty was no less strait than the obligation of others who stood in any of those relations mentioned in the former Chapter The second is Because their unbelieving Husbands might through Gods blessing be moved to receive the Gospel which formerly they had rejected ver 1. providing they did mark nothing but chastity and holinesse joyned with the fear of God and reverence toward themselves shining in the conversation of their Wives ver 2. And therefore Christian Women had reason to make conscience of duties even toward their Pagan-Husbands Hence Learn 1. They that would rightly divide the Word of Truth among the Lord's People must not content themselves to presse the duties of holinesse in general as they concern all Christians but must learn in their Doctrine to come down to the lowest relations that are among the Lord's People and to point out the particular duties of these it being in the discharge of such duties mainly that Religion is adorned Tit. 2.10 Therefore the Apostle after he hath spoken at large of the duties of holinesse belonging to all in general he comes among other relations to point out the duties of wives to their husbands Likewise ye wives be subject c. 2. The sum of a Womans duty to her Husband is subjection which doth consist in a reverend esteem of him as of one placed by the Lord in a degree of superiority above her which will produce reverent speaking of him and to him ver 5. and in giving obedience to his commands in things lawfull both which are in the signification of this word whereby the Apostle expresseth the whole duty of Wives to their Husbands Likewise ye wives be subject to your own husbands 3. However there be difference among those relations that are betwixt the Lord's People some of them having more of dominion and subjection in them as those last mentioned in the former Chapter betwixt Magistrates and Subjects Masters and Servants others of them having more of equality and love in them as this which is here betwixt Husband and Wife Yet the obligation to the duties of the latter sort is no lesse strict than to the duties of the former both being enjoyned by the same authoritie and so to be made conscience of upon
inherit a blessing Vers 10. For he that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile 11. Let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it Here is a second motive to the study of the duties formerly pressed to wit That that study was the way to have a sweet life and many good dayes in communion with the Lord notwithstanding of all their troubles And this argument is taken out of Psal 34.12 13. and doth contain four several directions for clearing the way of attaining to that sweet fellowship with God and among themselves The first is that they should watch against the evils of the tongue The second is that they should set against every known sin The third is that they should set about the practise of every known duty And fourthly that they should earnestly pursue peace with others of the Lord's People So might they expect sweet communion with himself Hence Learn 1. Although the most part of men esteem their life happy and their dayes good enough if they enjoy abundance of earthly comforts Psal 4.6 7. and 49.16 18. Yet there is no life that deserves the name of a life except it be sweetned sometimes with tasts of the Lord 's special love nor are there any dayes that are worthy to be called good dayes which are not spent in fellowship with God for this life and those good dayes here spoken of are the same with tasting how gracious the Lord is as appears by comparing these words with the ninth verse of the Psalm whence they are cited 2. There is no way to live that sweet life and to see those good dayes that sinners may attain unto even here away in communion with the Lord but by the study of holinesse eschewing every thing that grieves the Spirit of God and aiming sincerely at the practise of every thing that is well-pleasing in his sight for both these are here prest as the way to have that life and to see those good dayes 3. Although men are prone to count very little of the sins of their tongue Psal 12.2 4. Yet much of that guilt which marreth sweet fellowship with God will be found in sins of that kind partly in idle and unprofitable discourses whereof men must give an accompt Mat. 12.36 foolish talking and jesting which is not convenient Eph. 5.4 rigid censuring of and bitter envâ—ighing against others which makes all that Christians do in Religion uselesse Jam. 1.26 and grieves the Spirit of God Eph. 4.29 30 31. medling with those things in discourse wherein folks are not concerned 1 Tim. 5.13 and the like which may be comprehended under that which is here called Evil and partly in equivocation Gen. 20.2 12. venting of error under fair speeches and pretences Rom. 16.17 and hypocritical or fained discourses whereby Christians do give out themselves to be what they are not which resembles that whereunto David relateth in that passage of the Psalm which is here cited as appears by comparing the words with the title of that Psalm All which and the like may be comprehended under guile and both sorts of sins of the tongue are to be abstained from by those that would enjoy communion with the Lord for in order to that this is the first direction He that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile 4. Were Christians never so innocent in their discourses and watchful over their tongue except also they make it their serious study to keep a distance in heart and practice from every known sin and that as it is evil and contrary to the holy nature and will of God they cannot expect to keep up that sweet communion with God which he allows upon his own for this is the second direction necessary for attaining to that end Let him eschew evil 5. It is not simple abstinence from sin suppose that could be attained to without further that fitteth souls for entertaining fellowship with God unlesse there be also joyned therewith a sincere and universal aim at every thing that is well-pleasing in the sight of God both in duties relating more immediately to God and his publick matters in the world 2 Chron. 24.16 and in duties toward others of his People whether those of our particular relations 1 Tim. 5.4 or others Gal. 6.10 to which these Scriptures give the name of doing good for this is the third direction for attaining and enjoying communion with God Let him do good 6. They that desire to have much peace in fellowship with God must be very serious in studying peace with others both by living peaceably with them themselves so far as is possible Rom. 12.18 without prejudice to Truth Zech. 8.19 or holinesse Heb. 12.14 and procuring and cherishing peace among others of the Lord's People Mat. 5.9 both which are comprehended in this fourth direction for attaining to and enjoying of communion with God Let him seek peace and ensue it 7. As there will be no small difficulty from Satan our own and others corruptions in the way of attaining and entertaining peace among the Lord's People So none of them must stand upon their pains in the pursuit thereof nor quit the same though upon many former essayes they have not had successe and though peace seem to be flying from them All which is imported in the signification and doubling of the word here Seek peace and ensue it Vers 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Here are three further arguments to presse the forementioned duties The first is that the watchful providence of God is exercised about them for their good who having fled to the righteousnesse of Christ do also walk in the way of righteousnesse or holinesse formerly described The second is that he doth favourably accept of their prayers And the third is that the terror and wrath of God is imployed against those that walk in the contrary way Hence Learn 1. It is the priviledge of justified persons walking in the way of holinesse to have the favourable providence of God watching over them for good which comprehends his furnishing of them with every thing necessary for their welfare Deut. 11.12 warding hazards off them as far as shall be for their good 2 Chron. 16.9 rendring ineffectual all opposition made to them while he hath service for them Ezra 5.5 supporting them under and delivering them from all their troubles in due time Psal 33.18 and making out his Covenant to them Jer. 24.6 7. All which the Scriptures cited make clear to be comprehended in this expression which holds forth their priviledges The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous 2. Although for wise reasons the prayers of the Lord's People may have no answer for
a time even after frequency and importunity in that duty 2 Cor. 12.8 Yea and to their sense may seem to be mis-regarded by the Lord Psal 22.2 Yet their requests have alwayes a favourable acceptance with Him in so far as He delights to hear them Prov. 15.8 Cant. 2.14 and during the delay is preparing them for a good answer Psal 10.17 Isa 30.18 19. Providing they be praying for things agreeable to His will 1 Joh. 5.14 not to gratifie their lusts Jam. 4.3 but for his glory and building their confidence of acceptance upon Christ's merits and intercession Joh. 14.13 for this must be some special notice he takes of their prayers since he hears also the prayers of the wicked though with detestation Prov. 28.9 His ears are open to their prayers 3. Only those who in the sense of their own unrighteousnesse are fled to the righteousnesse of Christ that so their persons may be accepted with God and have obtained grace to be sincere students of true holinesse may lay claim to these priviledges the Lord 's favourable providence exercised about them for good and his acceptance of their prayers for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers 4. That which makes the life of Believers a life indeed and their dayes good dayes to them in the midst of many troubles is this favourable providence of God watching over them for their good and his gracious acceptance of their prayers through his Son for these priviledges are brought in to clear wherein that life and those good days spoken of in the former words do stand even in this that the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers 5. However the Lord may long spare wicked men in their sinful courses from which indulgency of his they take occasion to do more and more wickedly Eccles 8.11 Yet His constant purpose is to destroy all of them who make a constant trade of provoking Him Psal 68.21 and that without any battel or reluctancy in their heart Ezek. 11.21 and at last He will imploy his power and terror for their ruine as is imported in this The face of the Lord is against them that do evil 6. It is both lawful and necessary for the Lord's People to encourage their own hearts in the duties of holinesse by the consideration of that sweetnesse which the Lord useth to let out to them while they hold that way and to deter their hearts from those sins whereunto they do strongly incline by the consideration of the hazard abiding them that continue in sin for both the gain of godlinesse and the hazard of sinful courses is here proposed to be considered by them for these ends for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous c. But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Vers 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good Followeth the last part of the Chapter which is full of encouragement against sufferings and motives to the duties of holinesse notwithstanding thereof together with several directions for attaining to a right carriage under the same The first encouragement is That the following of duty notwithstanding of suffering would prove the best way of any to eschew the hurt of all trouble from wicked men with whom the Lord would assuredly reckon for molesting of his People while they were following their duty to him Hence Learn 1. Although the Godly may expect the hardest usage in following their duty that wicked men can devise or inflict upon them Heb. 11.34 Yet properly there can be no harm or evil done unto them in regard the nature of all afflictions especially for well-doing is charged to them Rom. 8.28 their persecutors cannot at all reach their better part Luke 12.4 and all their losses by suffering for Truth are more than sufficiently made up to them Mat. 19.29 for this question may be safely conceived to have the force of a denial None shall be able to harm you if ye be followers of that which is good 2. The best way to eschew at least to mitigate trouble even from wicked men is close adherance to that which is right in the sight of God not because wicked men favour the way of well-doing but because the Lord doth sometimes allay their fury against those that follow it by putting convictions upon their conscience of the equity of the cause which they persecute 1 Sam. 24.17 c. and doth sometimes work in their heart some reverence toward it and them that follow it Mark 6.20 for here the Apostle mentioneth the following of that which is good as the best way of eschewing trouble from wicked men who would be glad to see the miscarriage of the Godly that they might thence have occasion to trouble them And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good 3. Whoever shal enterprise to harm or evil intreat as the word here signifieth the Children of the Lord for their dutifulnesse to him the Lord shall enquire after them he shall find them out and reckon with them be who they will for this question may be taken for the Lord's chalenge of them and his enquiry for them to judge them Who is he that will harm you 4. The Children of the Lord are not only to go about their duty in obedience to his Commands but likewise in imitation both of Christ himself as their prime patern Eph. 5.1 and of the rest of his Saints who have walked in that way before them Heb. 6.11 for this is the description of those to whom this encouragement is given that they are followers or as the word is imitators of that which is good Vers 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour neither be troubled The second encouragement to constancy in duty notwithstanding of sufferings is That if Christians be put to suffer for adhering to the way of free justification by Christ's imputed righteousnesse which legalists did then persecute or for any duty of holinesse which Libertines opposed those sufferings should evidence and promote their true blessednesse from which encouragements the Apostle doth infer in the following words several directions for attaining to a right carriage under suffering whereof the first is in this verse to wit That they should labour to banish the fear of what flesh could do unto them and not suffer their hearts to be terrified or perturbed by the terror or hard usage of wicked men while they suffered for so honourable a cause Hence Learn 1. Were the cause which the Lord's People maintain never 〈◊〉 â—ood and their carriage in following of it never so innocent it is in vain for them to dream of exemption from trouble at the hands of wicked men who are oftentimes the more incensed against them that their â—ause be
offers of forgivenesse of sin and eternal life through the Messiah invitations to repentance and holy walking and some motions of his Spirit working with his Words and yet though they were guilty of many grosse and filthy sins as appeareth by the sixth and seventh Chapters of Genesis their disobedience to the Gospel or unwillingnesse to be perswaded thereby as the word signifieth is here set down as the chief cause of their perpetual imprisonment in Hell those spirits are in prison who sometimes were disobedient 7. The Lord doth not at the first give over dealing with despisers of his saving counsels and rejecters of his blessed offers but doth defer their deserved punishment and draw out his patience in length toward them as the word here signifieth that they may be the more inexcusable and he may have the glory of long-suffering and patience after it is expired for upon those who are now in prison the long-suffering of God once waited in the dayes of Noah 8. 〈◊〉 length of time can make the Lord forget his 〈◊〉 which in penitent sinners have abused even when 〈◊〉 are in Hell he will remember them and make 〈…〉 remember their for the increase of their 〈…〉 torment and vexation Luke 16.25 for here the Spirit of the Lord speaking by this Apostle declareth to the world that he is mindful of the despising of his patience and pains manifested many thousand years ago toward them that are now in Hell Once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah c. 9. Even those who may have good hope through grace that they are delivered from the pit of destruction ought to consider the woful case of them that are there as a mean to keep them from provoking the Lord by those sins which bring souls to that prison and as a motive unto thankfulnesse to Jesus Christ and constancy in duty to him notwithstanding of temporary sufferings who hath delivered them from the same for here the case of the damned for disobedience to the Gospel is presented by the Apostle to the consideration of those who as he supposeth in the former words might comfort themselves in their exemption from wrath by Christ's sufferings as an argument to constancy in holinesse notwithstanding of hardest usage from men which is the Apostle's scope to presse 10. When the Lord vouchsafes to send his Word unto a People he useth also with it to frame his workings and dispensations so as may be most fitting for bearing-in his Word upon them that if they reject and slight both their stripes may be double for beside that Christ went and preached to the old world he made a work to be wrought before their eyes which was a visible preaching of wrath to come upon them except they did repent and a real invitation of them to repentance that they seeing such a small vessel in comparison of the great multitude that were upon the face of the earth every one might have studied to be one of those who might have had entry into it He went and preached and his long-suffering waited while the Ark was a preparing 11. Whensoever the Lord hath judgments to bring upon the generality of a People it is his way to provide sufficient means of safety for his own that are among them sometimes from the outward judgment as here and alwayes from the evil of it Psal 91.10 for while judgment was approaching upon the old world the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved 12. Though there never were nor will be at any time wanting some true Believers in Jesus Christ in regard of his standing relation of a Husband and Head to the Church Yet so far may profanity or error overspread the face of the Church that the number of visible Professors may be very few and therefore the multitude of such can be no real mark of the true Church for here in all the world there are but a few and of those a great part wicked for what may be gathered from the Scripture history that is eight souls saved by water 13. It may fare the better with the wicked in this life though nothing in that which is to come that they have been in society with the Godly and have outward relations to them partly for the more satisfaction and encouragement of the Godly who are tied to them by natural bonds or affection and partly that they may be some way serviceable to the Godly in the Work of the Lord for which causes among others there are here eight souls whereof some were of a wicked disposition and cursed Gen. 9.22 25. saved by water 14. The Lord can make that which is the mean of destruction to the wicked a mean of safety to his own for the water which drowned the rest of the world beareth up the Ark and so proveth a mean of the safety of there eight who were saved by water Vers 21. The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ The eight encouragement to constancy in suffering for Christ and his Truth is That since Believers have a spiritual priviledge answerable to the Ark sealing their safety from the â—â—ludge of God's wrath to wit their Baptism not the external part of it alone which can only remove the filth of the body But the internal to wit the application of Christs bloud to the conscience of Believers which the Apostle expresseth here by the effect thereof that thereby Believers may challenge all Christ's purchase as theirs and answer all challenges to the contrary and that upon this ground that their Cautioner is absolved from their Debt whereof his Resurrection is the evidence Therefore they have no reason to faint in following their duty or fear to be lost in the midst of their sufferings Hence Learn 1. Whatever outward priviledge any of the Lord's People had of old when he was working in a more extraordinary way than now every ordinary Believer may find in Jesus Christ a spiritual privileage answerable to it Faith can seed upon Christ the bread from Heaven Joh. 6.32 35. as the Israelites did upon the Manna it can draw spiritual life and health from him as the stung Israelites had health to their bodies by looking to the brazen Serpent Joh. 3.15 16. and can find spiritual and eternal safety in Him through his own means as in an Ark when others are perishing in the deludge of his wrath for though Believers in the Apostle's time had not such an extraordinary way of preservation from persecution as Noah and the few with him had from the flood Yet they have a spiritual priviledge answerable to it and of a far better nature The like figure whereunto Baptism doth also now save us 2. Baptism doth in a spiritual sense resemble the Ark in so far as few in comparison of
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
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
fear sufferings from them nor to joyn with them in their evil wayes to eschew the same Hence Learn 1. Trouble and persecution cannot arise in the Church when wicked men please to plot it or set a time to the beginning of it were their power policy and malice never so great but only when that fit and prefixed opportunity as the word here signifieth is come which hath been condescended upon in the eternal councel of God who hath also determined how long the troubles of the Church shall continue Hab. 2.3 and at what period of time they shall end Psal 10â— 13 The consideration whereof should quiet and comfort the hearts of the Godly under their sufferings for it is here held forth as a ground of chearfull submission to a suffering lot that the time prefixed and fittest for that businesse as the word signifieth â—s come 2. The Church is the House of God whereof himself is both the Builder Psal 147.2 and the Foundation and chief corner-stone Isa 28.16 wherein he delighteth to dwell Psal 132.14 and which he will therefore protect and defend Zech. 2.5 wherein there should be every thing belonging to a well-ordered family 1 Tim. 3.15 especially holinesse in the members thereof Psal 93.5 for so the Church is here called The House of God 3. As the Lord is pleased sometimes to begin his judgments at the sins of men without the Church that thereby his own may take warning Zeph. 3.6 7. So he seeth it fitting at some other times to take another method and to begin at his own Church with sore corrections while his enemies who must drink the dregs of that cup whereof his own tast but a little Psal 75.8 Jer. 25.29 and 17.18 are spared that he may make use of them as a rod wherewith to scourge his Children Isa 10.5.12 that he may prove himself impartially just in correcting the sins of his own which are oftentimes more dishonourable to him than the sins of others Amos 3.2 for which and the like causes it is that judgment must begin at the House of God 4. Although there be no vindictive wrath in any of the troubles and sufferings of the Godly since Christ hath born that to the full Rom. 5.9 and so all his paths toward his own and consequently even persecution it self must be mercy and truth Psal 25.10 Yet those calamities wherewith the Lord exerciseth his visible Church may be called judgments not only because they are properly such to many wicked and profane with whom God dealeth by these calamities as a just Judge punishing unpardoned iâ—â—â—ities and because that same calamity which â—s a merciful trial to the Godly will be turned in a judgment to their persecutors as the Apostle importeth in the latter part of this Verse but also because even persecution it self and suffering for Christ and his Truth in reference to the Godly as they are alwayes acts of the Lord's love to them Heb. 12.6 So they may be also acts of his holy justice correcting and humbling them for those iniquities which he hath pardoned Psal 99.8 so that those same sufferings which the Godly endure for Christ and his Truth may be to them also fatherly chastisements for their faults which in Scripture are called judgments even upon the Godly Psal 119.75 for here the Apostle speaking of the trials and sufferings of the Godly saith Judgment must begin at the House of God 5. The trials and hard exercises of the Church are certain forerunners of a wofull end abiding the instruments thereof when the Lord hath done his work by them the consideration whereof should keep the Lord's People from fainting under their sufferings from wicked men and from inclining to joyn with them in their evil wayes for present case for if judgment first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel 6. As the end of all wicked men even of these who have not heard the Gospel shall be everlasting destruction because they have not made use of those natural impressions of God and his Will that are left in them Psal 9.17 So the judgment abiding those who have heard the Gospel and would not suffer themselves to be perswaded to imbrace the blessed offers made therein nor give up themselves to Christ's obedience which is the description the Apostle giveth of those whom he here threatneth supposing them to have been hearers of the Gospel shall be so terrible as no words can expresse Therefore the Apostle useth this question which none can answer What shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel Vers 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear Here the Apostle cleareth his former argument to this purpose That if even justified persons and holy walkers had such a hard lot in the world that they could not but with great difficulty and through many fiery tryals win to the Kingdom of Heaven Those who did cast off all Religion and gave themselves up to all wickednesse might expect in the day of God's reckoning with them to find no place to shelter themselves from his everlasting wrath and therefore there was no reason why the Godly should fear them or joyn with them in their evil wayes to shun sufferings from them seing their end should be so terrible Hence Learn 1. Although the salvation of all that flie to Christ and take themselves to the study of holinesse be most sure in regard of Christ's undertaking to cause them persevere till they come to it Joh. 10.28 and the way to that salvation be in it self sweet Prov. 3.17 and in regard of Christ's large allowance of strength and comfort easie to the renewed man Mat. 11.30 Yet considering the many fiery trials that are in the way and the Believers own weaknesse it is no easie matter for them to win through to the possession thereof The consideration of which difficulty should be so far from discouraging them in the way that it should provoke them to put on much resolution to hold on that way in Christs strength notwithstanding all difficulties for not the possibility of the Elects losing salvation but the difficulty of attaining it by reason of many trials and their own weaknesse is imported in this expression as a motive to constancy If the righteous scarcely be saved c. 2. While the Lord's People are suffering and wicked persons prospering they should put their hearts frequently to consider how wofull and unspeakably terrible the end of these wicked enemies must be when they shall be forced to appear before their Judge and shall find no place to shelter them from his fierce wrath which shall pursue them to Hell and torment them there for ever that by such thoughts the suffering-Children of God may be moved neither to envie them for their present prosperity nor incline to joyn with them in their sinful courses for eschewing trouble from them Psal 37.1 2 c. and
the Church-guides as arguments to bear-in his following exhortations upon them thereby importing some difficulty of prevailing with them and is very humbly earnest with them thereby casting a copie to one Minister how to deal with another as is imported in the signification of these words The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder 9. It pleased our Redeemer to suffer before witnesses both in his agony in the Garden Mat. 26.37 and upon the Crosse Mat. 27.39 and likewise to imploy some of these Witnesses to preach Him crucified to the Church thereby condescending to beget the greater certainty in the hearts of Believers that God's justice is satisfied for them Act. 5.30 31. to give us the more lively description of his sufferings Act. 3.15 and to let us know that he hath born shame for us as a part of the punishment due to our sins Heb. 12.2 for which and the like causes the Apostle calleth himself here A Witnesse of the sufferings of Christ 10. However these whom the Lord makes most instrumental to gain others to himself may expect a special reward from him Dan. 12.3 Yet everlasting blessednesse or glory is not a thing proper to them alone but is the common portion of all faithful Ministers and Believers in Jesus Christ for the Apostle only calleth himself a partaker or as the word signifieth a sharer together with others to wit the flock of Christ to whom his speech is directed and their Officers whose duty he presseth of the glory that shall be revealed 11. Although the Saints in this mortal state could not well endure the least glimpse of glory much lesse partake of it as they shall do afterward Mark 9.6 Yet even while they are in the midst of much outward misery and in the expectation of more they have a right and may attain unto some real participation of glory while they are by faith united with Christ the Lord of glory Col. 1.27 and do sometimes tast of the first fruits of that whereupon glorified spirits do live Rev. 2.17 for the Apostle a persecuted man and looking for martyrdom 2 Pet. 1.14 calleth himself a partaker or sharer with other Believers of the glory that shall be revealed 12. Although Christ's Ministers should detest the seeking of their own glory before the world as they desire to resemble their Master Joh. 8.50 and the best of his Servants 1 Thess 2.6 Yet may they humbly assert any special honour that Christ hath put upon them when it is manifest that their so doing may tend to his glory and the advantage of the message they carry for that the Apostle may make way for the receiving of the message which he hath to the Church-guides he doth commend himself from the honour Christ had put upon him to be a personal witnesse of his sufferings and a partaker of the glory to be revealed 13. The greater certainty of the Truth and comfort by it appear to be in them that deliver it and the more charity they may expresse concerning the good estate of those to whom they do deliver it the better acceptance and successe of their message may they expect for the Apostle that his message might be the better taken representeth himself as one to whom the truth of the Gospel was most certain he being a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ as one that had much courage and comfort in adhering to it and much charity toward those with whom he dealeth as being a co-partner with them of the glory to be revealed Vers 2. Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind 3. Neither as being lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock The Apostle having insinuated himself in the former Verse upon the Officers of the Church that so his counsel here might have the better acceptance with them he doth in the next place branch out particularly their duty exhorting them to feed the Lord's People with his Truth and rule them by his Discipline both which are in the signification of the first word and that these might be the better done he presseth them to take diligent inspection of the manners and several conditions of the people which duties he beareth-in by an argument taken from the relation that the People of their charge had to the Lord as being his Flock and withall pointeth out the right manner of going about these duties in six several directions one whereof is still negative disswading from some evil incident to men of that calling and another positive perswading to the study of some necessary qualification requisit in such to wit first That they should not go about their duty as if they were forced unto it But secondly from an inward inclination to serve their Master and profit his People Thirdly not from so base an end as their outward gain But fourthly from a heart fitted by Jesu-Christ for their duty Fifthly that they should not affect any dominion over the Lord's People But sixthly in their whole carriage cast them a copie of holy and humble walking Hence Learn 1. Every Minister of Christ ought both to be able to feed his People with his saving Truth Jer. 3.15 rightly divided and applied 2 Tim. 2.15 to every one of them according to their several conditions Mat. 24.45 which is no lesse necessary for cherishing and encreasing their spiritual life than their ordinary food in season is for their bodi s Job 23.12 And likewise they ought to have wisdom authority and equity for ruling of the Lord's People by the right exercise of discipline and application of censures for both feeding and ruling is exprest by one word in both the original languages to signifie that they are joyntly requisite in every Minister whose duty here is mainly held forth Feed the Flock c. 2. It is not enough for the Ministers of Christ to hold forth sound and saving Truths to his People in their doctrine and to rule them by the application of censures and discipline unlesse they also take diligent inspection of their manners and of their several conditions and necessities by frequent conversing with and visiting of them as this other word holding forth their duty signifieth without which they can neither apply the Truth nor censures to the People as they ought for this is the second principal part of Church-officers duty especially Ministers toward the Flock of God taking the oversight thereof 3. It should provoke Ministers to fidelity and diligence in their Calling to consider that the People of their Charge are the Flock of God who therefore will provide for them Isa 40.11 and will be very terrible to them that have the charge of them in case they slight or wrong them Ezek. 34.2 10. c. for to move the Church-officers to faithfulnesse and painfulnesse in their duty the Apostle thus designeth the People of their
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.
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
the true God what that reward and punishment after this life is and the right way of attaining the one and eschewing the other And though some things revealed in Scripture such as the incarâ—â—tion of Christ the way of salvation by faith in his death the resurrection of the dead and other things 〈◊〉 these have not been known by natural reason Yet none of all these are contrary to such conclusions as may be drawn from principles that are naturally known concerning the power wisdom and goodnesse of God And withall if men would consider the wonderful harmony of the purpose contained in the Scripture the likenesse of the stile thereof though written by so many several men living in so far distant ages and places of the world the exact answerablenesse of so many future events to their predictions in this Word the experience of all the lovers of it who having no lesse use of their reason than any Atheist ever had have found so singular a power in it to terrifie and humble the mind of man and then to give it true peace and comfort and so fresh a sweetnesse that the more it be studied it delighteth the more which no Writing in the world besides can do The wonderful preservation of it against the malice of Satan and wicked men who would have so hated and persecuted it and the lovers of it if it had been a man's device If I say men that have the use of reason would ponder these things they could hardly except they were plagued with Atheism force their hearts to contradict this Truth which the Apostle here delivereth That the Scriptures are not the mind of man but the mind of God And the arguments that move to the receiving of this Truth are so much the more to be weighed that the Apostle makes this a Truth to be known first before Christians can get saving light or true comfort from the Scripture Knowing this first that no Prophesie of Scripture is of any private interpretation 3. Although the Lord have imployed men void of true sanctification to prophesie some things now set down by others in Scripture as His mind Numb 23 24. chapters and to preach the Gospel Mat. 10.4 and so may yet imploy such men in whose hands the Word and Ordinances may be made â—â—â—ectual for the salvation of others as the Laws of a Naâ—â—â—â— orderly published by an authorized Messenger are 〈◊〉 what-ever his personal qualifications be Yet those men whom the Lord imployed to put His mind in the publick Register of the Scripture though compassed with many sinful infirmities registred by themselves were endued with true holinesse and in that to be imitated by all especially those that handle the Scripture and were infallible in that work being consecrated and set a part by the Lord for it Therefore doth the Apostle here call them Holy men of God 4. Although these extraordinary men did find themselves bound to wait upon the ordinary duties of God's Service the means of their salvation such as Reading Prayer Hearing use of Sacraments c. even when they wanted these motions and that assistance of the Lords Spirit which they desired and sometimes found as appeareth by their fixing set times to themselves for those exercises and at them crying for the motions and influences of the Lord's Spirit Dan. 6.10 Ps 119.164 compared with ver 148 149. and Psa 63.1 2. 101.2 Yet was it otherwise with them while they were imployed in that extraordinary work of receiving and publishing the Lord's Mind which now is the Scripture for they were not bound to see Visions or to prophesie except when they were forcibly moved and had an extraordinary impulse and furniture so to do in which imployment they were so infallibly born through as that they could not erre or miscarry All which is signified by this word of the Apostle's They spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Hence it followeth also That although the Lord's Spirit be promised in the Covenant of Grace to every Believer Ezek. 36.27 and His light and assistance which He doth not vouchsafe when we will but as He pleaseth Joh. 3.8 is to be sought and is necessary in some measure for the right performance of every duty Joh. 15.5 Yet is not any ordinary Minister or Christian to stay from their duty till they find that measure of the Spirit which they desire and ought to seek after But they are to make use of the power which they have as reasonable creatureâ— Eccles 9.10 and to stir up the gifts and graces they have as Christians and Believers Isa 64.7 2 Tim. 4.6 and in the way of their duty to wait and cry for the necessary influences of the Lord's Spirit Cant. 4.16 for the Apostle speaketh of this way of the Prophets being immediatly acted by the Spirit and their not acting as Prophets till then as singular and proper to them and such as they and therefore not to be pretended to or imitated by any other except they would presume to seek out more Scripture from God after He hath closed His Book with a curse on them that adde to it Rev. 22.18 They were no ordinary men nor acted in an ordinary way who according to the sense of this place spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost CHAP. II. BEcause the prevailing of Error doth ordinarily bring with it a great decay of Grace and Holinesse Therefore the Apostle having in the first part of this Epistle Chap. 1. prest the study of growth in grace and diligence in holy duties doth in this Chapter which is the second part guard against the infection of error And for this end he doth 1. give fore-warning of the rise and prevalency of false Teachers in the Church of the New Testament especially such as under a pretence of liberty through Jesus Christ would loose the reigns to all licentiousnesse as appeareth by comparing the 1. and 19. verses 2. He doth at large describe them by such clear characters taken from their abominable doctrine and vile practices as might make them known and hateful to all the Lord's People 3. He doth threaten them with no lesse terrible judgments than ever had come upon the vilest sinners that ever lived that so all might be afraid to drink-in their errors And 4. he doth hold out to the Godly some grounds of confidence to be made use of by them for their preservation both from their errors and plagues These four are the principal parts of the Chapter which are not handled apart but often intermixed throughout the whole as will appear by a particular view of the Sum thereof The Apostle forwarneth of the rise of these soul-seducers describing them from the strain and tendency of their doctrine together with the hazard of it to themselves and their followers ver 1. from the successe they should have ver 2. from their way of prevailing and certainty of their judgment ver 3. Which last he confirmeth by
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
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
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
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
1.4 and the dominion of our own lusts Rom. 6.14 hath been and yet is much abused while it is stretched to give liberty to sin and to loose Christians from the holy Commandments of the moral Law as they are now prest in the Gospel for so doth the Apostle forewarn it should be abused along the time of the Gospel as is clear by comparing this with the 1. and 21. Verses 2. They that are much in crying up Christian liberty and little or nothing in pressing the holy Commandments of Christ upon His Redeemed Ones the obedience whereof is a great part of our Christian liberty and one main end of our liberation from our spiritual enemies Luke 1.74 75. they cannot but be slaves to their lusts and so must those be that imbrace that doctrine for while they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption 3. Although every man be bound in Law to be the servant of Christ who can make the worst thing that men can do subservient to His ends Psal 119.91 Yet he who doth voluntarily and ordinarily give-up himself to serve the Devil and his own corruption without resistance or crying to Christ for help is then in a manner a lawful captive to Satan to be detained by him till the Supream Judge execute deserved wrath upon him as one that rendereth himself to a conqueror is his bondslave according to the Law of Nations to which the Apostle alludeth while he saith Of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage Vers 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them The Apostle proveth the condition of these Apostates whom he supposeth to have attained so much of the knowledge of Christ as had power upon them to clense their outside to be much worse than it was before that change because their sin and judgment had been lesse if they had never known any thing of the way of justification revealed in the Gospel than it will be now after that hath been cleared to their understanding and yet in doctrine and practice they do cast off another part of the Gospel to wit that which presseth the duties of holinesse upon justified persons Hence Learn 1. Even those who are destitute of the saving knowledge of Christ and strangers to the mortification of heart-pollutions may find so much power of the knowledge of Him as to make them clense their external conversation the knowledge of Christ is so ravishing a subject able to divert even an unrenewed mind from many sinful speculations that even a hypocrite living in love with his secret lusts may escape the pollutions that are breaking forth in the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2. They who have not attained to a heart-outcast with sin and some inward mortification thereof will upon fit occasions and temptations be readily ensnared again and made slaves to these same sins which were externally reformed and from the outward acts whereof only they had made an escape for these here spoken of having only escaped the pollutions that are in the world through the knowledge of Christ they are again intangled and overcome 3. Before men be overcome by temptation they are first entised with the apprehension of some pleasure profit or the like to be had by their sins with which apprehension the hazard and danger of committing the sin is covered and hid as the fisher's hook is by the bait which is the metaphor in the Apostle's expression They are again intangled and overcome 4. The guilt and deserved wrath against those who after illumination by the truth and external renunciation of their sins do return back again to them is much greater than if they had never been so far enlightened and reformed their sins being now against light and some tasts of sweetnesse which is sometimes letten out even to those who do but externally renounce their sins and betake themselves to the way of Christ Heb. 6.4 c. for of such the Spirit of God saith here The latter end is worse with them than the beginning 5. Those to whom the Lord doth make known the way of free justification by the righteousnesse of Christ to them also He doth deliver His holy Commandments the obedience whereof they ought to set about in His strength for so much is imported in the Apostle's words that having known the way of righteousnesse there was a holy Commandment delivered to them 6. It is lesse difficult and more ordinary for men to adhere in their opinion and profession to the way of free justification by Christ's imputed righteousnesse when that way is once cleared to their minds than it is for them to insist in the constant practice of holy duties which Christ presseth upon them and offereth them strength for there being even in corrupt nature which is most averse from holy duties some inclination to be made blessed and that freely which is imported in the Apostle's changing of the expression for he doth not say that after they had known the way of righteousnesse they had turned from it importing that these false teachers did still professe and preach justification by His righteousnesse but after they had known that way they turned from the holy Commandment delivered to them their adhering to the one without the other made their guilt greater than if they had never known that one and no lesse than if they had turned from both Vers 22. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb The dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire In the last place the Apostle guardeth against any offence which might be occasioned by the apostasie of these false teachers and their followers in regard they had now proven themselves never to have been inwardly renewed as the true sheep of Christ are but only by their Baptism and profession to have externally renunced that vilenesse whereunto they are now returned again after the custom of dogs and swine according to that common proverb which is made use-of in Scripture Prov. 26.11 Doct. 1. Sin ought to be represented by the Lord's Ministers in its abominable vilenesse especially when men labour to palliate their filthy practices with fair pretences Therefore these vile practices which these false teachers called their christian liberty the Apostle here calleth a licking up of their vomit and a wallowing in the mire 2. They who after external reformation and great profession of holinesse do return unto and continue in their renounced sins do thereby give evidence that they were never inwardly or really
changed in their nature for these of whom the Apostle speaketh here being still dogs and swine were only washen externally and did vomit up by confession and seeming renunciation their filthy practices to which they did return again as the dog returneth to his vomit and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire and so this place can make nothing for the apostasie of the Saints Lastly It is lawfull for the Ministers of Christ to make use of common similitudes or proverbs to clear the Truth and fix it in the minds of those that are led by sense providing they do make use especially of such as are scriptural propose all their similitudes in a decent and cleanly way suitable to the majesty and purity of Truth and apposit to their present purpose and bring them forth only for illustration of Truths otherwise proven for so doth the Apostle here make use of such a similitude as he found in Scripture which though it be taken from things in themselves vile is exprest in the most honest tearms that can fitly set out the vilenesse of apostasie the evil whereof he had clearly proven before It is happened unto them according to the true proverb c. CHAP. III. BEcause the believing consideration of Christ's second coming is a special mean to make Christians thrive in grace and holinesse and to guard their hearts against temptations Therefore the Apostle having pressed growth in grace and holinesse in the first part of this Epistle Chap. 1. and guarded against the infection of error in the second part Chap. 2. He doth in this last Chapter wherein is the third part of the Epistle 1. defend and clear the doctrine of the last judgment and 2. doth shew what use Believers should make thereof In the first part of this Chapter the Apostle having put them in mind of his main scope in both the Epistles which was to keep the substance of the Gospel fresh in their minds ver 1 2. giveth forewarning of the rise of profane mockers of Christ's second coming who that they might serve their lusts with the more quietnesse would plead for an eternity of this present world because they had never observed any appearance of such a change as was foretold to be at that day ver 3 4. Which blasphemous opinion together with their seeming reason for it the Apostle confuteth by several reasons drawn from the works of Creation and Providence which prove there will be such a day as will be very terrible to profane mockers of it ver 5 6 7. and holdeth forth to the Godly satisfying reasons of the delay of that day to wit that it is very small being compared with eternity ver 8. that the delay is mainly for the gathering of the Elect ver 9. which being done that day will come suddenly and with much terror ver 10. In the second part of the Chapter the Apostle maketh use of his former Doctrine concerning Christ's second coming for the up-stirring of the Lord's People to the study of holinesse ver 11. to wait and pray for that day ver 12. when they had ground to look for so excellent an estate ver 13. as might provoke them to much diligence in making ready for it ver 14. to esteem the delay thereof to be granted for the furtherance of their salvation in which strain Paul had insisted much in his Epistles ver 15 16. And upon the consideration of all to labour for stedfastnesse and progresse in grace and in the knowledge of Christ who is worthy of eternal praise ver 17 18. Vers 1. This second Epistle Beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance 2. That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour THe Apostle doth here present to them his chief scope intended by him in both the Epistles which was the wakening and rousing of these sincere-hearted Christians to whom he writeth to an actual consideration and constant practice of known Truths that had been delivered to them by the Prophets himself and other Apostles of Jesus Christ Hence Learn 1. The Ministers of Christ ought not only to intend as their scope some particular advantage to the souls of the Lord's People by all the Messages they carry to them But also in their delivery of them frequently to make clear to the People what their main intent is that so themselves may be engaged to direct all they deliver toward that scope the People may have it the better fixed in their minds and all that they hear relating to that scope may be the better understood and have the greater weight otherwise the greatest variety of Truth and most taking expressions can have but a slender and soon evanishing impression upon that hearer who cannot be able to condescend upon the principal scope of the speaker for here the Apostle hath proposed their up-stirring as his scope and by his frequent mentioning of it in the first Chapter and this also did ty himself to speak to it and made his hearers able to judge how all he delivered did make for it This second Epistle Beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds 2. A Minister's main scope ought not to be the acquiting of himself before men in his duty so as he may be free of censure neither only the clear information of the minds of the Lord's People in the Truth neither yet the bringing forth of some new things which they that live under the Gospel have not formerly heard But more principally he must study the quickning and wakening of the affections of the Lord's People to a delight in and resolution to walk in the practice of Truths they have formerly known and remembred for it is here the Apostle's scope to stir them up a word frequently used in the New Testament of raising the dead and wakening those that are asleep by putting them in remembrance which signifieth to represent of new to the mind and memory truths formerly known and remembred 3. A Minister that would prevail with the Lord's People ought both to keep love to them that his pains may flow therefrom and in his dealing with them to expresse his love and high esteem of any measure of sincerity he hath discerned in them Therefore doth the Apostle stile these whom he intends to stir up Beloved and doth acknowledge that they had sincere and pure minds 4. Even those who for sincerity of heart and honesty of their aims and intentions may a bide the trial of Gospel-light have great need of many messages to the same purpose and of much up-stirring to the right use-making of them there being in them that have the clearest understanding much darknesse and many mistakes concerning the Truths of God and in the sincerest Believer whose heart is most lively and forward
in duties a great remnant of hypocrisie deadnesse and unwillingnesse to the practice of many known duties for the Apostle findeth it necessary to write two Epistles for the up-stirring of pure minds or as the word in the Original signifieth minds so sincere that they may be judged by the Sun 5. The Word of the Lord hath most weight with People when not only they that carry it to them are holy and so esteemed by the People but the minds of the hearers are carried above the Messengers to Jesus Christ and their hearts in hearing or reading are filled with some sense of His Soveraignity who doth imploy those Messengers and of His usefulnesse for them in all His Offices Therefore that the Word which the Apostle here exhorteth them to study may have the more weight he leadeth them not only to look upon the Messengers that carried it as holy men but to consider the soveraignity excellency and usefulnesse of Christ in His Offices to which He is anointed Be mindfull of the Words which were spoken by the holy Prophets and of the Commandments of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 6. The way to keep life in the affections of the Lord's People is to have their wit and memory actually exercised about the Truths of God both the Prophesies and Promises of good to the Church and People of God and to presse the Precepts enjoyning their duty for that the Apostle may gain his principal scope to wit the rousing up of their affections he maketh this his speech subordinate thereto That they might be mindful of the Words that were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commandments of the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 7. Although the Lord hath letten forth His mind to His Church by little and little in several Ages of the World and by several Messengers Heb. 1.1 Yet is there such a compleat harmony among all the parts of His Mind that all serve for one and the same principal scope the up-stirring of the Lord's People to a hearty receiving and use-making of Christ and His Truth for unto this scope the Apostle here affirmeth that the whole Doctrine both of the Prophets and Apostles did harmoniously tend Vers 3. Knowing this first that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts 4. And saying Where is the promise of His coming For since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation That the Apostle may attain his fore-mentioned scope he doth forewarn of the rise of profane mockers toward the end of time who that they might sin the more securely should question the second coming of Christ and plead for an eternity of this present World pretending this reason for it That since the whole frame of Nature had kept one constant tenour and course since the death of Adam Seth Enos and the rest of the first fathers it was not to them credible that ever there should be such a change as was foretold to be at the day of judgment Doct. 1. Variety of very fierce and discouraging opposition in the way of Christ and that from several sorts of enemies is the lot wherewith the Church and People of Christ may resolve to be exercised for the Apostle having forewarned of and guarded against open persecutors in the former Epistle subtil and fair pretending Hereticks in the former Chapter he doth here forewarn ofâ— and guard against a third sort to wit profane scoffers of Christ's second coming 2. The consideration of the hazard that the best are in of being drawn aside some one way or other from the Truth and Way of Christ by such variety of opposition as they ordinarily meet with ought both to stir up Ministers carefully to warn and guard People against the same and People to the use-making of their pains for after the Apostle had guarded against open persecutors and cunning deceivers he doth here bring in the forewarning of the third sort of enemies scoffers which may be taken both for a reason of his pains in writing two Epistles as also for a reason why they should be stirred up by what he had written Knowing this that besides furious persecutors and subtil deceivers they should also be exercised with profane scoffers They who have not been terrified by the first sort nor deceived by the second are in hazard to be discouraged by the third 3. The certainty and necessity of being exercised with variety of opposition in the Way of Christ is one of the principles of Christianity which ought to be held in the first place by all that resolve to adhere to any other saving Truth they who do not first know this and notwithstanding thereof resolve upon adherance to the Truth in Christ's strength will readily when they meet with such a lot be surprised therewith and either forsake the Truth or faint in their adherance to it Therefore the Apostle would have them knowing this first that after several other sorts of enemies there were also to come in the last dayes scoffers 4. There are no such pure or peaceable times to be expected by the Church and People of God within time wherein the fore-mentioned lot is not to be expected they who dream of the best times to the Church on Earth look for them toward the end of time and yet the Spirit of God here forwarneth that beside the rage of persecutors and prevailing of hereticks there shall come in the last dayes scoffers 5. It is a clear evidence that men are slaves to their lusts when they do strongly desire an eternall enjoyment of this present world and labour to banish out of their own hearts the thoughts of a day of judgment Yea their so doing is also the cause why they give up themselves to the service of their lusts the believing consideration of the terror of that day to the wicked being a special help to mortification and of the sweetnesse thereof to the Godly a special encouragement in the battel against corruption for their scoffing at the promise of Christ's second coming may be looked upon here both as the evidence and cause of their walking after their ungodly lusts 6. When men are left of God to vile opinions for not receiving the Truth in love they are then oftentimes plagued further not only with devilish wit to find out seeming reasons for the defence of them very plausible to themselves and others like themselves but also to take manifest falshoods for undeniable grounds of their errors for these mockers here lay all the weight of their blasphemous opinion upon this seeming reason That since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were c. which appeareth from the Apostle's contrary instance ver 6. to be a manifest falshood 7. Although it be a sweet mercy much to be acknowledged by the Lord's People that things in nature do ordinarily keep one constant
course and that they are not terrified with the frequent change thereof but may be thereby confirmed in the faith of the Lords constancy and faithfulnesse as David was Psal 119.90 91. Yet men that are in love with their lusts do make a wofull use of the consideration thereof hardening themselves in their conceit that there shall never be a change that so they may sin the more securely for thus did these scoffers abuse this mercy taking occasion there-from to question the promise of Christ's second coming and to walk the more boldly after their ungodly lusts since all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation Vers 5. For this they willingly are ignorant of that by the Word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water 6. Whereby the World that then was being overflowed with Water perished 7. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men Because these mockers did pretend reason for their blasphemous opinion the Apostle taketh pains to confute it by several reasons such as they did not love to understand The first taken from the work of Creation is That the whole fabrick of the Heavens was set up by a Word of God's The second taken from an ordinary and daily work of Providence is That the Earth being the lowest and heaviest of the Elements is by His Word kept from being overflowed by the Waters that go about it and cover it in many places ver 5. The third taken from an extraordinary work of Providence is That by a Word of His letting out the Waters to their natural course the whole Earth was once overflowed in the time of the floud ver 6. The conclusion drawn from these three is That His Word is a sufficient ground for us to believe that He shall come again to judgment and that this whole frame of Nature is keeping to the fore as fewel to burn up all the ungodly especially profane mockers of that day ver 7. Hence Learn 1. When vile blasphemies are not only boldly vented but maintained with some shew of reason to make them taking with people they ought then to be solidly confuted and born down with strength of reason grounded upon the Scripture Though otherwise when they are only simply or rashly asserted and are not taking with hearers it is sufficient to reject them with detestation and expressions of our abhorrency of them for because this blasphemy had a seeming reason to back it with the Apostle taketh pains to confute it by many solid reasons drawn from the Scriptures 2. They that are in love with their lusts and errors they love also to be ignorant of these Truths the knowledge whereof might disquiet them in following their lusts and maintaining their errors Yea they would willingly be ignorant of what they do know that so they might sin the more securely for these men here whom the faith of a day of judgment could not but terrifie are discovered to be willingly ignorant of these things that might have helped them to believe it 3. As the whole frame of Nature had its being and hath its subsistance by the Word of God So the believing consideration of this is sufficient to make the most unlikely thing that God hath promised to be credible to us They who look right upon what God hath already done by a Word will never think any thing He hath promised or foretold impossible for the Apostle giveth this as a sufficient confutation of their blasphemous mockery at the promised appearance of Christ That since by the Word of the Lord the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water it is not incredible that all shall be taken down with as little difficulty as it was at first set up and hath hitherto been upheld which is the force of the Apostle's reasoning here 4. It is a standing miracle of Nature that the Earth is not overflowed by the Water while one part of it is covered therewith and another not whereof though some probable natural reasons may be given Yet all will not satisfie till we look to God's Decree of Providence and His executing thereof by His Word by which the Earth is standing out of the Water and in the Water 5. However error when it is looked upon alone as the cunning craftinesse of men usually representeth it may seem to have a kind of likelihood and probability Yet when it is compared with the clear light of the Truth shining upon it it doth manifestly appear to be a lying deceit for that plausible assertion All things continue as they were from the beginning ver 4. wherewith these scoffers laboured to weaken the faith of a day of judgment is clearly discovered to be a manifest lie by this contrary instance ver 6. The World that then to wit before the floud was being overflowed with Water perished 6. Particular judgments upon some wicked men while others are spared do prove that there shall be a general judgment for seing some are justly punished here and others deserving no lesse are spared He who is immutably and impartially just must have a day for judging these afterward who are spared in time Therefore doth the Apostle bring in the instance of the floud upon the ungodly World not only as a contradiction to their assertion ver 4. but as a proof against them of a day of judgment The World being overflowed with Water perished 7. The day of Christ's second coming will be a most dreadfull and terrible day to all ungodly men who banish the thoughts of it and desire eternally to possesse this present World and the pleasures thereof when they shall see all those creatures which they have abused to serve them in their serving of their lusts burning fewel to kindle as it were that flame which shall burn them up for ever and ever and shall not be so happy as to be destroyed with the rest of the creatures but shall then enter into their never-ending torment for the Heavens and the Earth which are now are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men Vers 8. But Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day The Apostle having by strength of reason drawn from Scripture overthrown the opinion of these mockers of Christ's second coming He doth in this and the two following Verses hold forth three reasons which may satisfie the Godly concerning the delay thereof The first which is in this Verse is That the delay ought not to be judged of according to our sense or apprehension but according to the duration of God with whom that space of time which seemeth very long to us is but as one day and
to whom all those differences of duration which to the creatures are longer or shorter are all alike and alwayes constantly present Doct. 1. There is so great affinity betwixt the hearts of the Godly who are but in part renewed and the vilest temptations to the greatest blasphemies or errors especially such as patronize the lusts of corrupt Nature that when they are boldly vented with pretence of reason there is great hazard that there be some impression left upon their hearts inclining them to the same Therefore for the preventing or removing of this the Apostle taketh pains to satisfie the Godly concerning the causes of the delay of Christ's coming which had not been needfull except they had either received or had been in hazard to receive some bad impression from the bold assertion and seeming reason of these mockers 2. Although it hath pleased the Lord to condescend so far to our shallow capacity as to set forth to us in Scripture and to give us leave to take up His duration in our own tearms while He calleth Himself Yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Which was and is and is to come Rev. 1.4 The Ancient of dayes Dan. 7.9 Whose years have no end Psal 102.27 Yet all these differences of time which to us are longer or shorter are all alike to Him whose duration admits of no beginning succession or ending but consisteth in a constant presentness of all that which seemeth to us past or to come for one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day 3. The Servants of Christ ought to have a far different esteem of those who mock at the Truth of God and scoffingly vent their errors contrary to it and of those who through infirmity may have some inclination toward error and therefore stand in need to be guarded against it and accordingly their carriage ought to be different toward the one and the other for of the one the Apostle spoke in the former words with indignation and contempt as they deserved calling them scoffers walking after their ungodly lusts but to the other he speaketh here with love and tendernesse But Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing 4. There are some things revealed in Scripture concerning the Lord which must be understood by faith as the Apostle's expression is Heb. 11.2 although they cannot be comprehended by us to the satisfaction of our shallow reason for here the Apostle would not have them ignorant of this one thing That one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day which is a Truth that none with â— time can well comprehend only faith can assent to and make use of it in judging as he judgeth that many years delay to us of the performance of a promise is but a very little time being compared with eternity only it may foster a holy longing to be with Him when we shall partake of His duration as well as of His glory when there shall not be such a thing as any sad reflections upon by-past sweetnesse or any painful langour for sweetnesse to come but a constant present possession thereof our duration resembling His with whom one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day Vers 9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance The second ground for satisfaction of the Godly concerning the delay of Christ's second coming is That that delay doth not proceed from any such thing in God whatever men may judge as usually maketh men slow in performing their promises but only from His patience toward His Elect whose temper requireth time and pains for working grace in them that they may be fitted for glory Hence Learn 1. We ought not to frame our thoughts of God as one man useth to do of another especially when we think of the delay of performance of promises as if that delay did slow from want of foresight of possible difficulties weaknesse forgetfulnesse or ficklenesse whence delay among men doth ordinarily flowâ— all such thoughts of Him as our hearts are very apt to entertain Psal 50.21 we ought to remove far from us and to perswade our selves of the contrary that He is most mindful of His Promises Psal 111.5 and so swift in performing of them that He will not stay a moment after He hath wrought what is necessary before the performance Mal. 4.2 for such negatives as this here concerning God do in Scripture both import an aptnesse in us to imagine the contrary affirmative of Him and likewise that the contrary of what is denied is in a superlative degree His property The Lord is not slack concerning His Promise as some men count slackness 2. The true and satisfying reason of the delay of the second coming of Christ is the Lord 's long-suffering toward His own Elect who must be dealt with in order to their conversion in a way suitable to their temper which requireth time and pains to work upon each elect soul come into the world and to the years of discretion by commands threatnings promises and alluring motives every one of these being multiplied after another and by these same means every elect brought to that measure of grace which God hath determined to work in the converted that they may be fitted for glory for this is here given as the satisfying reason of the delay of Christ's second coming that the Lord is long-suffering to us-ward 3. The Lord doth not soon nor easily gain His point even with His own Elect but after many refusals of His renewed offers and slighting of His pains His patient and powerfull love doth at last overcome all opposition in them and so bringeth them to repentance for before they are brought to it He is long-suffering to us-ward 4. The Lord cannot fall short of His intention toward any upon whom He doth take pains nor doth His good-will to save reach to any sinners but those whom He doth really make partakers of Salvation for the Apostle saith here He is long-suffering to us-ward that is to us Believers and others elected as we are not as yet born or not as yet converted not willing that any such should perish but that all of that kind should come to repentance So that the Scripture All is not alwayes to be understood of all and every individual person in the world but oftentimes it is put here comprehended in Us for all the Elect only as is clear by comparing Jer. 31.34 with Joh. 6.45 and this present Scripture 5. Although the Lord do only intend the salvation of His Elect by His long-suffering and pains Yet He is pleased to expresse His desire of their salvation in the largest tearms that can be that so He may the more effectually prevail with His own and render the rest the more
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
the consideration of that work which the Lord is about during the delay how much it serveth for the advancement of our spiritual and eternal welfare for this way would the Apostle have the Lord's People to lay their reckoning that every dayes sparing of the world is given to them for making fast-work of their peace with God and fitting of them for glory that so their hearts might be quieted under the delay And account that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation 2. These Truths which have been often and by several of the Lords Ministers harmoniously prest upon the Lords people ought to have a special weight with them as being attested by many witnesses to be the mind of God more fully cleared and offered with a new relish from several hands for by this the Apostle bears-in the study of holiness and preparation for the day of judgment that both he and the Apostle Paul had agreed in substance upon the use that was to be made of the doctrine of Christ's second coming Even as our beloved brother Paul also hath written 3. All the faithfull Ministers of Christ ought to be so far from lifting up themselves above their fellow-labourers or lessening the reputation of their persons and labours among the Lords People even although their fellow-labourers be in some things inferiour to them or differing from them yea and have sharply rebuked them for their failings That by the contrary they ought to entertain and to expresse love and esteem of them and to conciliate respect to them and to their gifts and labours among the Lord's People â— for this Apostle who had the advantage of Paul in the priority of his calling to the Ministery and acquaintance with Christ in the flesh whom Paul had withstood to the face and whose failings he had registred in one of his Epistles Gal. 2.11 14. doth not lift up himself above Paul nor labour to weaken his esteem but doth write of him as his equal beloved by him and faithful according to his gifts and doth commend his Writings as useful for this people Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written 4. The Lord hath not given a like measure of gifts and qualifications for His Service to all his faithful Servants but to some moe to some fewer talents that every one may make use of another and none may expect fulnesse but in Christ Himself for that there were diverse measures even among the Apostles is imported in this that Paul according to the wisdom given unto him hath written 5. Whatever measure of gifts or graces any have more than another it is a free gift of God's and therfore ought to be humbly and thankfully possest and carefully imployed for His honour who ought to be acknowledged as author of these gifts not only by those that have them but by every one who doth discern them in others for while this Apostle speaketh of Paul's wisdom He calleth it the wisdom given him 6. It is the prime commendation of a faithfull Minister that he hath faithfully imployed his measure whether it be lesse or more in serving Christ and doing good to the souls of His People for here it is Paul's commendation that according to the wisdom given him he hath written 7. Although it be the duty of one faithful Minister to keep up the credit of another among the People Yet ought their commendations one of another to be in sobriety such as may not detract from the due esteem of those whom they do not commend and such as may lead peoples thoughts above them that are commended to God as the author and free-giver of any thing commendable in them for this Apostle doth sufficiently commend Paul his Writings while he saith of him According to the measure given him he hath written 8. Although it be both the sin and the character of false teachers to steal the words and lessen the estimation of other ministers that are more in esteem than themselves that thereby they may cloak their own lazinesse and want of God's calling Jer. 23.30 Yet it is very lawfull and the duty of the most eminent Ministers of Christ to make use of the Gifts and Writings of their Fellow-labourers for clearing of the Truth to themselves and others and sometimes to cite their testimony for gaining the greater credit to Truth with people for so doth this Apostle here who not only presseth the same Truth that Paul had prest but is not ashamed to a vow that he had perused Pauls Writings to those Hebrews as also all the rest of his Epistles wherein he had found that which did agree with his doctrine Even as our beloved brother Paul hath also written 9. Although the Apostle Paul hath not put his name to that Epistle to the Hebrews which is extant in the New Testament either because he was hatefull to the unconverted Jews or suspected by weak Converts who were too much addicted to the Levitical Law or because he was sufficiently known and of unquestioned authority with the stronger sort Yet this place of Scripture putteth it out of doubt that he is the Author thereof for it is clear that this Apostle writeth both his Epistles to the Twelve Tribes by comparing 1 Epist 1.1 and 2 Epist 1.1 with 1 Epist 2.12 and here he asserteth that Paul also had written to them which writing of Paul's can be no other than that Epistle to the Hebrews which is extant 1. Because the purpose in Paul's writing to which this Apostle here relateth is clearly held forth there in Heb. 10 35 36. 2. Because that which this Apostle speaketh in the following Verse concerning the difficulty of understanding some passages in Paul's writing doth especially agree to that Epistle And 3. because that writing of Paul's to the Hebrews whereof this Apostle here speaketh cannot be supposed to be lost except we would reflect both upon the providence of God and upon the fidelity of those to whom the Oracles of God were committed Rom. 3.2 whose faithfulnesse in that matter the Lord hath never challenged Even as our beloved brother Paul hath written unto you Vers 16. As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are somethings hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction The Apostle having confirmed his doctrine from Pauls Epistle to the Hebrews taketh occasion to commend all the rest of his Epistles as confirming the same Truth and withall removeth a prejudice which hath been at that time rife against Pauls Writings as dark and obscure showing that there were only some few things in his Writings hard to be understood which none but unhumbled and wanton spirits would pervert and mistake as they would do much more of the Scripture to their own damnation Hence Learn 1. Although the frequent pressing of necessary Truths upon People be