A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3, Exposition of chapter 1 · Exposition of verse 14
Verse 15.
But as he which called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation.
HItherto of the first branch of the description of Gods image in us, as his children: viz. our conformity to God in holinesse, and so the image of God in us is our endevour to be like God in all things in holinesse.
There are three great considerations in this verse, 1. whom we must imitate, viz. him that hath called us. 2. In what we must imitate him, viz. in holinesse, 3. how, viz in all manner of conversation.
Ingenerall and from the coherence we must note,
Of the … of Gods ….1. That it is not enough that we approve our selves to be Gods children, that we avoid sin, but we must also be employed in doing good. Hence we are compared to trees, in which barrennesse is as gr…at a fault, as ill fruit.
2. That the patterne of all holinesse is God himselfe, or Christ, or rather God in Christ. For whither else should we goe for example? If to the dumbe creatures, they have not natures capable of holinesse. If to Angels, they are invisible, and so we cannot behold them, and in Scripture little is recorded of them; and besides, we know many of them fell away. If to man, they are all fallen in Adam, and there is none that doth good, and good men have their both errors and sins. Therefore we may say, whom have wee in heaven but God,Vse. and there is none in earth with him. Vse. Therefore wee should labour, 1. To know God. 2. To observe the specialty of his prais…s, that are imitable both in his word and works. 3. Wee must carry our selves with that humility and piety, that we may walke with God, else we cannot set him a… a patterne before us.
3. That there are two pictur…s as it were presented to the soule, and for both there is gre…t pleading for entertainment and liking: The one is the picture of sinne, even of sinnes repented of, which are n…w varnished, and with many plausible motives commended by b…th the world and the devill, not without the good liking of the flesh. The other is the picture as it were of the most holy God, pourtraied out in the Gospell, especially in the glory o… hi… holinesse. Now here we are taught what to avoid and what to follow, a…d the rather, because here we are put in minde of the experience we have of Gods goodn…sse: for it is he that ha… called us. Now of the former lusts, t…ere can be assigned no good that we …ave gotten by them: The devill may lyingly tell us of some good to come, but wee know, that for the time past, we got no…hing but shame and sorrow by them.
Thus of the generall.
As he that hath called you.
The first thing i… whom we must imitate, a…d that is here exprest by …, to be he, that hath called us, viz. God; and the Lord doth of purp… … o… descriptions of himselfe for divers rea…ons.
1. … our disability to c…ceive of God, as he is fully; and there…re he … his knowledg into us by drops or spar…les as it were; so far is our nature swarved from the knowledge of God, that the doctrine o… God in the whole i… a doctrin… too transcendent for us. 2. This God d…th to excite affection in us toward him, as taking no delight in a dull c…templation of him, and therefore by such p…riphrases he doth with some … consideration either gore us (if it be a phrase of terror or sudd…nly … with some divine spa…les, that like lightning force our att…d…. 3. The …ord doth use such descriptions out of choice of … which is most pertinent to the question in hand: The Lord thr…ugh…ut the whole Scripture is every where respective of the names he giveth …: therein shewing us, what care we should have in taking up the name or title of God. 4. It is a most forcible kind of speaking; for compendiously it importeth abundance of matter, usually more then the bare title it selfe would import: as here thi… phrase (He that called you) doth not onelyonly shew, that it is God that is to be imitated, but it also gives an excellent reason why; taken from his free grace in calling us: and it expresseth also the manner of imitation, viz ch…efly to follow God, as he is revealed in the Gospell in our calling, or when we come truely to see him in the state of grace. It is out of question, the Lord mentions our calling as one of the chiefest and excellentest benefits bestowed upon us, as that which should much stir us, & inflame, and hath great force to prevaile upon us.
In generall from hence we may note,
1. That the consideration of our calling and election out of the world, should be put to this use, to fire us so much the more to holinesse of life and conformity to God.
2. That he that hath true grace, is as much stirred with the consideration of his calling, as any one thing whatsoever ordinarily: It cannot but affect us to thi…ke in how sinfull a case God found us, and how freely he loved us; how great m…rcy he called us unto, and how unexpected it was either for matter or m…anes▪ and how ready he was to forgive, and how he passed by others worthier and likelier then we, &c.
3. That of all the benefits bestowed upon us by God, the works of grace are the best. It is more that God hath called us, then that he hath given us treasures, or honor, or pleasure, or whatsoever of outward things; yea and every true Christian doth in his affections so account it.
4. That the works of grace in God doe excell the works of nature. The Lord thinks himselfe that he hath done more for us, in that he called us, then that he made us of nothing.
5. That … of God it is sufficient (through Gods acceptation) to …, a… he reveales himselfe to our understanding in our calling, acco…ding … the revelation of his grace in our conversion, so as wee are wil…i… … knowledge for so to conceive of God, as he that called … to acceptation. Thus of the generall.
… the Lord singles out this work of our calling to quicke… …, it will not be much amisle to consider of it particularly, es… as it … …ere propounded.
Foure thing… m…y be here noted: What, Who, Whom, and When. What, or the w…rk it selfe, He called us. Who was the author of this calling, viz. He, a… God. Whom, or the persons called, you. When, or the time, hath.
… may understand more distinctly what our ca…ng fr…m God …, it will not be amisse to consider,
1. … God calls us.
2. What our effe…tuall calling is.
3. Why our conv…rsion is termed by the name of calling.
4. How … can know, that God calls me in particular, seeing he doth not name me.
5. Why did G…d call us.
6. To what he calls us.
7. The ….
For the first: the …lling of God is either particular or generall. The particular is to se…ve G…d in some set function of outward life,…. How many … God cals men. and so is the …. The generall calling is to the service of … with promise of eternall reward through the … Christ. This generall calling is likewise of three sorts. 1. Externall. 2. Internall: or both 3. externall and internall. 1. The externall alone is called common and ineffectuall: the 2. and 3. is called singular and effectuall. 1. The outward calling is the worke of Gods grace in his word, offering Christ, and calling upon all sorts of men to reforme their waies, and receive Christ, and yeeld obedience to Gods holy will to their salvation, if they will obey. 2. The inward calling is the worke of Gods Spirit, effectually stirring up and perswading the Elect to heare, and obey, and receive Christ unto salvation. 3. The calling that is both inward and outward is the action of God both by his Word and Spirit,What our effectual: calling is. calling out his Elect by name particularly, and perswading them to separate from the world, and receive the covenant of Gods grace in Christ, and to devote themselves to holinesse of life; and this last is the calling here meant: and by this definition of it, the second thing is answered, viz. what our effectuall calling is.
Now for the third point: This marvellous thing wrought by Gods wonderfull mercy by his Word and Spirit,Why our …onversion is t…rmed our call…ng. is tearmed by the name of a calling, and that fitly for divers reasons.
1. Because the meanes by which God worketh upon us, ordinarily is his Word, or the voice of his servants, calling upon us for amendment, &c.
2. Because through the mighty working of the Spirit of Christ, the voice of Gods servants speaking out of the word, is directed to us in particular with such power and life, and our dead hearts are so revived, that the doctrine is, as if God did speak to us in particular, we receiving the words of the Minister, as the very voice or word of Christ: Thus the dead heare the voice of the Son of God, and live.
3. Because God would hereby note unto us the easinesse of the worke, he can doe it with a word, as he made the world, and calleth up the generations of men, as the Prophet speaketh, so can he in an instant with a word convert a si…ner. He said, let there be light, and there was light: so if hee say, let there be true grace, there is presently true grace.
Quest. But how may a true calling be discerned, seeing wicked men may be affected by the word, and see, that it concerneth them?
How a true ca…ling may be dis….Answ. It may be discerned by divers effects that follow upon it, some immediately, others appeare some longer time after in the exercise of godlinesse.
The effects are,
1. An inward sight, and willing confession of our sin-guiltinesse, joyned with a detestation of all sin, and confusion in our selves for our waies that are not good: so Christ came to call sinners, not the righteous.
2. A willing separation from the world, both inward in letting goe the love of earthly things, even those most before beloved, and outward in forsaking the needlesse society with wicked men. This the definition imports.
3. An unfained purpose to forsake all sin, never to returne to it again, desiring righteousnesse both imputed, and inherent with daily desires.
4. A love of God and his glory above all things. The called of God are described by that periphras…s, of such as love God, Rom. 8.28.
5. The exercise of daily and constant prayer: a spirit of prayer, Ioel 2.32.
6. Teachablenesse, or willingnesse to be ruled by the word in all things, which may be gathered by the contrary, Ier. 7.27.
7. The called of the Lord are such, as Isay 44.5.
8. The unfained hatred of Popery, and kingdome of Antichrist: this is made a signe in these last ages, Revel. 17.14. This is so faire a signe, that it is found in all the chosen of God.
Now for the fift thing, wee must know, that this calling or choise doth not come from any preceding merits of ours, but from the onelyonly admirable free grace of God, as it appeares, 2 Tim. 1.9. Rom. 9.12.
Sixtly, Gods wonderfull mercy in calling us doth appeare by the consideration of the things unto which we are called. We are called,What we are called to.
1. To his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9.
2. To the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1.9.
3. To liberty, and a wonderfull free estate from the servitude of sinne, Satan, the world, the ceremonies of Moses, &c. Gal. 5.13.
4. To the grace of Christ, Gal. 1.6. even to a holinesse better then that in Adam, Rom. 1.7.
5. To an estate of immunity and free pardon, Rom. 5.31.
6. To all safety, Esay 41.1, 2, 3. Rom. 8.28.
7. To the glorious kingdome of Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 2.14. 1 Thes. 2.12. 2 Pet. 1.3. and 1 Pet. 5.10.
The consideration of this wonderfull grace of God in calling us, may imply the misery of such as have not imbraced Gods calling, as it is set out,Vse. Prov. 1. Luke 14. with Mat. 22. Esay 50.2. & 61.4. Ier. 7.13, 14, 15. & 35.17. Let such then as have the meanes, and are somewhat touched looke to it seriously, that they turne to God with their whole hearts, lest, as Mat. 20.16.
2. It should enflame every one of us to make our calling sure, 2 Pet. 1.10.
3. We should stir up our selves to live as may become the called of God, as these Scriptures shew, 1 Pet. 2.9. &c. 3.9. 2 Tim. 6.11, 12. 1 Thes. 2.…2. Eph. 4.1, 4. Gal. 5.13. as also the use of this consideration in this text shews.
Lastly, considering our daily trespasses, let us still goe to God as to a Father, and cry with humility, we are no more worthy to be called thy sons, &c.
Thus of the first point, or what, viz. calling. The second is, who calleth u…: It is here said, He, that is, God. We must understand, that our calling is the work of the whole Trinitie: for it is given to the Father, Gal. 1.6. to the Sonne, Rom. 1 2. 1 Pet. 5. 10. to the holy Ghost, 1 Ioh. 2.7. so that this He, is the G…d of all grace, the whole Trinitie. There is a rule among Divines, that the works of God which are without are undivided. The are two sorts of works … God, inward a…d outward: The inward are proper to each person, as to beget proper to the Father, to proceed to the holy Ghost, &c. Now the outward works, such as decrees before time, and Creation, Providence, Calling, &c. in time, are common to all three persons; not that every particula… a…t is the act of all three persons, for that cannot be true; for onelyonly the Sonne was incarnate: But the meaning is, that in the generall wor k, each worketh in his owne order and nature: as in Redemption, the Father worketh by willing and sending: the Son by assuming our nature, and suffering, &c. the holy Ghost by applying and confirming. Now calling is one of the work… in common.
The c…nsideration of this, that it is God that calleth us, may
1. Comfort us in the assurance of his faithfulnesse,Vses. hee calls us that is uncha…geable, 1 Thes. 5.24. 1 Cor. 1.8, 9.
2. It should bind us the stronger to the care of a life answerable to his greatnesse that hath called us.
You.]
1. Not all men: there is a restraint and limitation of the effectuall calling: it is absurd to grant a calling out, and yet say it is universall.
2. This you) imports all sorts of men, though not every one of every sort, yet without exception of outward condition… Jewes and Gentiles, Rom. 9. 24, 25. bond and free, 1 Cor. 7.
Hath.] Our vocation is past, it is no more to be renewed; we are justified, and sanctified daily, but not called: we can be but once borne in nature, nor can we be any more called, or regenerate in grace.
Thus of the first point, viz. whom we must imitate, viz. God that called us. The second is, in what we must imitate him, viz. in holinesse.
Foure sorts of holinesse.Is holy.] There are foure sorts of holinesse: Independant and unlimited, viz. the holinesse of God. 2. Independant and limited, viz. the holinesse of Christ: for the holinesse of his divine nature is independant, and the holinesse of his humane nature is limited, for it is finite. 3. Dependant and unlimited, and such is the holinesse of the Scriptures: Dependant it is, for it is of God: Vnlimited it is, for it intreats of all kinds of holinesse whatsoever. 4. Dependant and limited, and such is the holinesse in man and Angels: it is the first kind of holinesse is here meant.
God holy three waies.There is a threefold holinesse in God, or hee is holy three waies. 1. By nature, being void of all corruption or change. 2. By administration, and so his holinesse is his justice, in distributing rewards to the good, and punishment to the evill. 3. By conception, for the Lord doth conceive the Idaea, or the patterns of the holinesse of all the reasonable creatures. The Carpenter conceives first the frame of his house in his head, and then buildeth it according to the patterne: So doth God conceive first the holinesse that is fit for the creature, and then works it in them. This Idaea or patterne of holinesse, or vertues in God, is either internall in the mind of God from eternity, or externall in the word of God.
Now the holinesse of God that we are to imitate, is both that holinesse which God hath conceived in the patterne exprest in the word, and also that which is in the nature of God, as it is described in the word. There is also a holinesse of works in God which we must imitate: I mean of particular works, as in carriage toward enemies, Mat. 5. in mercy, Luk. 6. in love, Eph. 5.1. and thus as children we should imitate the holy nature, as it were of our heavenly Father.
Now by the way we must know, that God is not holy by any legall holinesse as men are: that is, his holinesse stands: not in the observation of any law given by any other, but is himselfe the rule of all holinesse: so as things are not first holy, and then God doth them; but God doth them, and therefore they are holy. Thus of the second thing. The third followes, viz. how we must imitate God in holinesse, viz. in being holy in all manner of conversation.
So be you holy in all manner of conversation.
Doct.There are eight doctrines may be noted in these words.
1. That without holinesse we cannot be accepted with God, we have no communion with him, nothing but holinesse will serve the turn, Heb. 12.14. 1 Ioh. 1.6.
2. It must be holinesse indeed, not the picture of it will serve the turn, nor counterfeit holinesse, nor temporary holinesse, nor civill honesty.
3. If Christians want holinesse, the fault is in themselves; for he saith, be ye holy, implying, if they be not so, it is because they are carelesse, and will not labour for it; and great reason the blame should lie upon us, if wee will still neglect sanctification.
1. Having such a great recompence of reward set before us.
2. Having so matchlesse and perfect a rule, and canon of holinesse written in the word of God to direct us.
3. Having our natures by regeneration in part healed, and freedome of will in part restored; so as no…, if wee be not holy, it is because wee will not be holy.
4. Having such mighty helps, as are
1. The assistance and supply of the spirit of grace within us.Who h…lps to ….
2. Prayer, with a promise of granting whatsoever we aske.
3. Guides and spirituall Pastors to oversee and direct us.
4. A cloud of witnesses, even the examples of the godly of all sorts.
5. Such acceptation with God, if we be willing, and love to be his servants, Act. 10.36. But of this in the next point.
4. Here is implyed, how infinitely kinde God is in accepting our holy endevours, if we desire to be holy in all our conversation, he will account it to be holy as he is holy; and yet alas it comes ten thousand degrees short of the holinesse of God; yea far short of what it should be: yea, which is more, of what it might be in us.
5. The image of God is in conversation, as well as nature: we resemble God not onelyonly in the renovation of our nature, but in the renewed actions also: so then we beare Gods image, 1. In nature. 2. In action or obedience. Of this later here.
6. A Christian should be especially carefull of his outward conversation, even to shew forth the light of good works and holy carriage before men. Wee should be exceeding carefull to expresse holinesse in conversing one with another.
There are many motives.12 M…tives to holy conversation.
1. We are Gods witnesses, 2 Tim. 2.2.
2. Tis a good profession, 2 Tim. 2.2.
3. There are many witnesses to observe us, 2 Tim. 2.2.
4. Carnall men are crooked and perverse, Phil. 2.16.
5. A holy conversation will silence foolish men, 1 Pet. 2.15.
6. It will bring much glory to our heavenly Father, Mat. 5.
7. It proves our justification, and foretels our salvation.
8. To walk upright is to walk safely, Prov.
9. Tis as it were to live in heaven, Phil. 3.20.
10. It will support us in wrongs & adversity, Act. 23.1.2 Cor. 1.12.
11. It will shew our knowledge is not idle, 2 Pet. 1.8.
12. It furthers our reckoning, and provides us acceptation in the day of death and judgement, 2 Pet. 3.11. Rev. 14.13.
7. If we would be holy as God is holy, we must be holy in all conversation, that is, we must shew respect to all the commandements of God; wee must shew a care of religion, as well as vertue: of godlinesse, as well as honesty: of mercy, as well as just dealing: to enemies, as well as friends: at home as well as abroad: toward inferiors as well as superiors: in prosperity as well as adversity: in all companies as well as one, &c. Mark it in the tryall of our selves: by this doctrine we may know infallibly, whether wee be called, or beare the image of God or no: for if there be any one sinne that we will not forsake, or any one commandment we are not desirous to obey, it will prove all is n…ught in us, Heb. 13.18.
8. Lastly, we must here further observe, that if we would have comfort that we beare the image of Gods holinesse, we must be carefull of the manner of our conversation, as well as the matter. For though these words … all manner may note the extent unto the matter of all holinesse: yet there is no evident reason why a great part of the meaning of the holy Ghost, should not be restrained to the manner, as the word sounds.…. Now there are divers things in the manner of our conversation to be observed for the resembling of Gods holinesse.
1. The first is godly purenesse; we must in our conversation shew respect of God and godlinesse, and keep our selves from the impurities of the times, and watch against sin in all our waies, 2 Cor. 1.12.
2. The second is simplicity, or holy harmlesnesse, as it is opposed to fraud, and fleshly wisdome, and shews it selfe in a plaine and evident desire to doe what God requires, though it be never so much scorned in the world, 2 Cor. 11.3. & 1.12.
3. The third is precisenesse or circumspection, making conscience of lesser sins as well as greater, and avoiding the appearances and occasions of evils, as well as the evils themselves, Eph. 5.15.
4. Conversation in heaven, which is so to use the world, as to let our hearts still run upon God and his Kingdome, directing all our actions some way to further that end, Phil. 3.20.
5. Meeknesse of wisdome, which is shewed by lowlinesse, and not being wise in our selves, but doing good in a continued sense of our own vilenesse and unworthinesse, to doe any service to God or man, Iam. 3.13. This is called a conversation with feare, 1 Pet. 3.2. & ver. 16.
6. Constancy, Phil. 1.27.
7. The affections of godlinesse, or well-doing, or zeale, Tit. 2.14.