A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3, Exposition of chapter 2 · Exposition of verse 14
Verse 14.
Or unto governours, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill doers, and for the praise of them that doe well.
THe Apostle in this verse and the next confirmeth the exhortation, partly by reasons, and partly by answearing an Objection: the reasons are in this verse and the next, and the prolepsis, verse 16.
The reasons may be referred to two heads; the one taken from the calling of Magistrates, verse 14. and the other from the will of God, verse 15. The calling of Magistrates is considered two wayes: First, either in the author of it, and so they are sent of God. Secondly, or in respect of the end of it, which is partly the punishment of the wicked, and partly the praise of them that doe well.
As they that are sent of him.]
Of him, either may be referred to the King, or to the Lord: If it be referred to the King, then it shewes that all inferiour Magistrates receive all their authority from the King; they have no more authority than other subjects, but as it is bestowed upon them by the King: and withall it shewes a secret in all well governed Monarchies, which is, that the King reserves the giving of honours and offices to himselfe, which more obligeth the Under-officers and Magistrates to him; and he is thereby the better acquainted with the State of the Kingdome. But I am rather of the minde of those Interpreters that refer it to the Lord. And so the sense and doctrine is, That both the Kings and the Governours are sent of God: it is God that prefers them, whatsoever the second causes be. Though election or succession seem to make a King, and Kings make Governours, yet have wee beene taught that none of these come to their places without the providence of God, Prov. 8.15. Now God keepes this businesse in his owne hands to see to the calling of Magistrates, because of the service by them he can execute: For a great part of his Kingdome is managed by their deputation. By them God scourgeth the sins of the wicked, yea of the whole world, either by suffering them to bee publike miseries, or by guiding them to punish offenders by the sword of justice: and by them he many times brings many common blessings upon worlds of people, as the next words shew.
Uses. The uses are divers, some particular, some generall: In particular it should teach us,
First, by prayer to seeke Magistrates of God: subjects might get great blessings of this kinde, if they would pray hard for them. For God it is that sends Magistrates.
Secondly, with patience to beare the wrongs of evill Magistrates, seeing there is a hand of God in it.
Thirdly, with thankfulnesse to give the praise to God for good Magistrates, seeing it was he that sent them as a common blessing.
Fourth…y, in all suits about the lives, or duties, or successions of Magistrates to trust unto God: For though we know not where to be provided in earth, yet God can send one from heaven as it were. The word sent imports, that God can raise him up beyond expectation.
In generall it should stirre us up in all things done by outward meanes in this world, to strive for the skill to finde out, and acknowledge Gods hand and providence in it, seeing in these things which are apparently done by meanes for the most part, yet Gods providence is in it.
Thus of the Author of their calling: the end followes.
For the punishment of evill doers.]
Divers things may be noted from hence.
First, that in all Common-wealths in the world there will bee evill doers: though there bee a King and Governours, and Gods Commandements lye hard upon mens consciences, yet there will bee evill doers. And the point shewes the horrible strength of the poison of naturall corruption, which no Lawes of God nor man, nor experience of evill, nor example can restraine or dry up: and withall it shewes their solly and weaknesse that will forsake Christian assemblies for the wickeds sakes; whereas the Apostle improves, that even in Christian Common-wealths there will bee this part of a Magistrates vertue to punish the evill doers, such as are knowne to be so: and therefore such curious persons must goe out of the world, if they will goe from evill doers. And withall it should breed in men a greater care to looke to themselves, that they bee not infected by them: since there is no society of men in which this plague-fore of sinne runneth not, we must redeeme the time, because the dayes are evill. And further, it should breed in us a loathing of this wicked world, of this present evill world, and a desire of heaven; since we shall never live in a place where the people will be all righteous, till we come to heaven. And finally, it confutes their folly, that from the vitiousnesse of some men, conclude the faultinesse either of the doctrine, lawes, or government.
Secondly, that evill doers must be punished, Rom. 15. and great reason: for first, evill doers in any society are infectious: many may be defiled by them. Secondly, they work much disquietnesse, and trouble humane societies. Thirdly, if they escape without punishment, they may bring downe the judgements of God upon the place where they live.
Uses. Which may serve for terrour to other offenders. First, the very sight of Magistrates should affright them, considering that God sent those very Magistrates to punish them. It importeth that though they escape the hands of men, they shall not escape the hands of God. Secondly, it should teach men if they would live out of the danger of the Magistrates punishment, to take heed they be not evill doers.
Quest. Now if you aske who are evill doers:
Who are branded for evill doers.Ans. I answer: Such as live in notorious offences, such as are swearers, drunkards, whore-mongers, railers, theeves, idle persons, murtherers, Sabbath-breakers, sowers of discord, and the like. The originall word doth point at some speciall sort of offendours: For, naming evill doers, such especially must not escape, as
1. Invent evill where it is not.
2. Or sinne not out of ignorance, but wilfully.
3. Or are leaders of other men to evill.
4. Or make a trade of offending by custome in sinne.
5. Or study how to doe mischief, gathering together, as things might further their evill courses.
All this may be included in the word foreign.
3. Thirdly, there are from hence many to be blamed, that speake evill of such as take any course to reforme abuses.
4. Fourthly, Magistrates must looke to their calling and Gods Commandement, to see abuses amended, or else they must account to God for it.
3. The third doctrine which may be noted from hence is, That all evill doers are to be punished without respect of persons; they are to looke upon mens works, and not on their persons: great men must be punished if they be evill doers as well as poore men, many men as well as one man: yea, if good men doe evill, they must beare the punishment of their sinne, Christians as well as Pagans.
4. That evill doers are not accounted safe members of any society, and therefore are distinguished from good subjects, as not fit to be of that order.
5. That such as transgresse the lawes of men are accounted by the Apostle evill doers, as well as such as transgresse the Lawes of God: for hee here speakes especially of such as are evill doers in respect of humane ordinances, which may be a warning to such as securely live in the transgression of the commandements of Christian Magistrates: and withall, it may impaire the honour of their condition that live in the breach of the Lawes of God without repentance: For if it be so hatefull a thing to bee a breaker of the lawes of men; in what case are they in that have so grossely broken the Lawes of God?
6. That punishment of evill doers is in the power of the Magistrate: private men cannot reforme publike abuses, they may pray for reformation, they are not to execute it but by authority.
7. That there are divers evils which men cannot punish: for the Magistrate can onelyonly punish evill doers, that is, such as offend in word or deed: evill thinkers they cannot meddle withall. Which may warne Magistrates to bee wary how they punish men onelyonly upon suspition, or presumption, without proofe that they are evill doers: and withall, it shewes that God hath reserved th… judgement of mens works also to himselfe. For God hares the sinnes of the heart as well as the sinnes of life: and therefore since for these evils men answer not to men, they must provide to answer before God.
8. That a Magistrate that punisheth sinnes doth but execute the commission he received from God: hee was sent of God to that end, and therefore may comfort himselfe in the Lord, how ill soever his execution of justice bee spoken of among men.
Thus of the punishment of evill doers.
The second end of the sending of Magistrates is for the praise of them that doewell.
For the praise of them that doe well.]
By such as doe well, hee meanes such as in publike societies live without offence, and carry themselves honestly in their places; especially such as are profitable, and doe good to others, whether it be to the mindes of men, by instructing or reproving; or to the bodies or estates of men, by works of merciemercy or righteousnesse: and among these he meaneth especially such as
1. Are Inventers of good, the first Authors of the publike good.
2. That doe good daily and frequently.
3. That study how they may doe all the good they can, and doe imploy all the helps and furtherances of good they can.
Here may many things be noted from hence.
First, that all that are members of publike societies, are bound to be carefull to doe good to others; and to live so that the Church and Commonwealth may be the better for them. Which should much humble such Christians as live and doe little or no good, and should quicken in all sorts of good Christians a desire to serve the publike: wee are not set here to doe good to our selves onelyonly, but also to others.
Secondly, that in this world it is not to be expected from men, that all that doe well or deserve well should bee rewarded by them: hee saith, For the praise, not, For the reward; as importing, that many a man may deserve well, that shall never have recompence from men. And this ariseth partly from the corruption of Magistrates, that are not carefull to dispose preferments or recompence to such as are worthy, and partly from the insufficiencie of any earthly greatnesse to doe it. For great men can reward all their servants or friends: but no King can give the honour or preferment that is due to all his subjects that deserve well. Which should teach us partly to doe good without hope of reward from men, and partly to quicken our hearts to the admiration of the reward that God gives in heaven: wee should provide to be his subjects, and then wee are sure to have a full reward of well-doing in heaven.
Thirdly, that to be praised, or to have a good report among men is a great blessing of God: and therefore in the Old Testament, blessing and praise i… expressed by one word, Prov. 28.20. And this may appeare to be so,
1. Because God himselfe seekes praise from his creatures, and accounts himselfe honoured by it, Psal. 50.23. Ephes. 1.6, 12, 14.
2. Because praise is a part of the glory of God shining upon a man.
3. Because it is in Scripture preferred before things of great price, as great riches, Prov. 22.1. and pretious ointment, Eccles. 7, &c.
4. Because it so much refresheth a mans heart, it makes his bones full, Prov. 15.35.
5. Because an ill name is noted as an extreme curse, Iob 18.17. and in many other places.
Uses. The use is, first, to comfort godly men, and to make them thankful if God give them a good report here: but especially it should comfort them to thinke of the praise they shall have at the last day. For if it be a blessing to be praised of men, what is it to be praised of God? If it be such a comfort to be praised by a Magistrate before the Countrey, what is it to bee praised of Christ before all the world at the greatest and last Assises? If praises be good in this world, where there is mutuall vaunting, and they may bee blemished; what is it to have praise in that day that shall last for ever unstained? If it be such a comfort to be praised of a Magistrate for some one good deed, what shall it be to be praised of Christ for all that ever was good in thoughts, words, or works?
Secondly, it should teach men to seeke a good report, and to doe all things that might have a good report, Phil. 4.9. As a man may seeke riches, so hee may seeke and desire a good name, Prov. 22….
But the praise of men is then unlawfull and unlawfully sought,
Wherein it is unlawfull to seeke the praise of men.First, when men doe things onelyonly to be seene of men, and have no better respects than applause, Mat. 6. 1 Thess. 2.6.
Secondly, when a man praiseth himselfe with his owne mouth, Prov. 27.2.
Thirdly, when it is challenged of others, and men will not stay till God give them a good report, Ioh. 8.49,50.
Fourthly, when men seeke praise onelyonly for the shew of goodnesse, and are not good in deed.
Fifthly, when men seeke praise of men, but seeke not the praise of God, or the praise that comes from God onelyonly, which is tried in this, that they will not doe duties that God onelyonly cares for, or that are disgraced in the world, Rom. 2.28. Ioh. 5.44 and 12.42, 43.
Otherwise it is lawfull to seeke praise: and there is an infallible signe to know whether praise be not ill for …s, and that is, if praise make us more humble and more carefull of sound holinesse, and doe refine us: then praise is lawfull and a great blessing, when it is like the refining pot, it melts us and makes us better, Prov. 27.21.
Further, if praise be so great a blessing, then an evill name must needs be a great curse, when it is for evill doing: and if it be so evill to be dispraised of men, what shall it be to be dispraised of God, not for one, but many sinnes; not before a few,but before all the world; when it shall bee not to mend a …n (as the Magistrates reproofe may be) but to his eternall confusion?
Thus of the third Doctrine.
Doct. 4. It may hence be noted, that the best men need praise, and therefore God provides that they shall be praised: even such as doe well need to be commended.2 Cor. 12.11. And this may appeare both by the comfort they take, if they be commended, Prov. 15.30. and by their earnest desires to cleere themselves if they be dispraised, as we see in David, Christ himselfe, and the Apostles, especially the Apostle Paul.
Use. And therfore the use should be to teach men to acknowledge the good things done by others, and to give them praises, especially if they bee godly and humble men: it may doe them much good, and greatly both comfort them and incourage them. This made the Apostle Paul so rejoyce in the Philippines, Phil. 3. ult. It was no flattery. It is flattery in some other men, if they doe commend others for their owne ends, or with selfe-praises, or without daring to reprove their faults, or to get praise to themselves, or for any other corrupt end, especially when our praises are to such as are publike instruments of good in Church or Common-wealth. And it is a course of singular use to be held in private families, if such as doe well might have praise, as well as such as doe evill dispraise.
Use. 2. Secondly, it may much condemne the corruption of heart, which appeares in many men in this point in sinning against the just praises of others, either by speaking evill of them, and blemishing their good names (which is to steale their riches from them): or by withholding due praise (which is to withhold the good from the owner thereof.) It should much affright such as are guilty of this fault, that our Saviour Christ measures our love to God, by our readinesse to praise for the works of God done by another, Ioh. 5.41, 42. It is a signe that men love not God, when they love not goodnesse in others, which sure they doe not if they commend it not.
Doct. 5. Well doing ought to be esteemed wheresoever it is found, in a subject as well as a Prince, in a servant as well as a Master; in all estates and conditions of men. For God doth so, as may appeare, Ephes. 6.7, 8. and grace and goodnesse is alike precious, wheresoever it is in the like degree: which serves to rebuke that secret corruption in the natures of men, that are apt to observe and praise good things in greater persons, but withhold the incouragement is due to other men, onelyonly because they are poore, and because they are worser, Iam. 2.1, 2, 3. You may now by this doctrine try whether they be good themselves: For it is a signe of goodnesse, to observe and love goodnesse wheresoever he seeth it, in a servant as well as in a friend, and in a poore Christian as well as a rich.
Doct. 6. It may bee yet further observed, that if men would bee praised they must doe well: praise is onelyonly due to well-doing, Rom. 2.10. 2 Tim. 2. 20, 21. 1 Thess. 4.4.Rom. 13.5. And therefore it is a poore praise that men raise to themselves for other things: all that same which is raised for any thing but well-doing, is externall and vaine: and therefore they are greatly deceived, that rest in the report that is raised from their wit, or beautie, or birth, or preferment, or sumptuous buildings, or the like. Those may cause a great fame, but onelyonly well-doing can cause a good fame. Secondly, it shewes that hypocrites, that have gotten reputation onelyonly because they are thought to be good, have but built in the sands.Ioh. 5.36, 37. For when in time it shall appeare that their owne works doe not praise them, they shall finde that the praise of men will not last. It is not saying well that works a durable good name, but doing well. It is but complementing at the best, to professe and promise great care of practice and praising,and yet be barren and unfruitfull.
Use. 3. Thirdly, this shewes the great corruption of their nature, that so unquietly seeke after praise, and complaine how much they be neglected, and yet their owne consciences know how idle and unprofitable they are, and which is worse, that they not onelyonly doe not well, but manifestly doe evill, and sin daily in pride and envie, in passion and wilfulnesse, or other open transgressions. This thirst after respect above others, is a signe of a great strength of hypocrisie, when they are more desirous to be thought good than indeed to be so, and more carefull of the praise of men than of God.
Fourthly, they sinne shamefully that praise the wicked, and justifie him that God condemneth: but Sal…mon hath set a note upon those persons, that they are naught themselves: For hee saith, that they that breake the Law praise the wicked, Prov. 28.4. and 24.25. Psal. 10.3.
Fifthly, they are yet worse that glory in their shame, that seeke praise for the excesse of wickednesse committed by them, either against God or men: as they doe that would be commended for their cost bestowed on Idols, or for their worshipping of Saints or Angels, or for their revenges and wrongs done to men, or for their mightinesse to hold out in drinking wine, or for their filthy acts of any kinde, or for their excesses in strange apparell, or for the raising of themselves by unlawfull meanes, or for their deliciousnesse in their fare, or the like. As those glory in their shame, so their end is damnation, Phil. 3.18.
Lastly, this doctrine should beget in men a great desire to live profitably, and to doe good, and in a speciall maner to apply themselves to such works as are most praise-worthy.
Quest. Here then ariseth a question, What things in particular do most advantage a mans just praises?
Answ. The answer is, that there are divers things will make a man to bee much praised: as,
Helps to get praise from men.First, to honour God: he hath promised to honour those that honour him, Prov. 8.17. Now to honour God is to seeke his Kingdome first, and to confesse his name before men, though it be in evill times.
Secondly, humility and a lowly carriage with meeknesse. For the humble shall be exalted, and the proud brought low, Luk. 1.14, 20.
Thirdly, merciemercy to the poore. This made the Macedonians famous in the Churches, especially to shew it liberally and readily, 2 Cor. 8.
Fourthly, diligence and exact carefulnesse to discharge the labours of our particular calling with all faithfulnesse: this made the good woman famous, mentioned, Prov. 31.27, 28, 29, 30, 31. especially if wisdome and providence be joyned with diligence.
Fifthly, to live in peace, and study to be quiet, and meddle with our owne businesse, and to be a peace-maker, wins a great deale of praise, 1 Thess. 4.11. Matth. 5.9.
Sixthly, to be exactly just in mens dealings, and true in his words and contracts, this will make men abound with blessings. The word is praises, as it is in other places translated, Prov. 28.20.
Seventhly, to bee courtous is to bee amiable, so as it bee done without affectation, and not directed for thy owne ends, and not done with dissimulation.
Eighthly, to doe good to our enemies, to bee not onelyonly ready to forgive, but to pray for them, and forbeare to wrong when it might be executed, and to shew all willingnesse to overcome their evill with goodnesse, Rom. 12. 20, 21.
Ninthly, a care in all things strictly to submit our selves to the just Lawes of men, avoiding transgression for conscience sake, as the coherence in this place shewes.
And thus of the sixth Doctrine.
Doct. 7. It may yet further bee observed from hence, that God doth require Magistrates in a speciall manner to looke unto it, that they doe all they can to praise and incourage godly men, and such as doe good in the countries where they live, Rom. 13.5. This is the end of their calling, Iob 29.25. This will prove heavie one day for those profane Magistrates, that in the places of their abode disgrace none more than such as are godly, and countenance none more than such as are most dissolute and lewd of life. The judgements of the Lord will be terrible against these unrighteous men.
Lastly, the Antithesis is here to be noted. For when hee saith, that such as doe well should bee praised; hee doth not say, that such as doe evill should be dispraised: and this may be considered of, either in the case of private persons, or in the case of Magistrates. For private persons, they are bound to the good behaviour, in respect of the evill of others many wayes. First, till their evils are knowne, not to mistrust or condemne others. Secondly, when their evils are knowne, if they be secret, they must not bee revealed: if they be open, and the persons be good men, they must doe what they can to cover them; and if they bee evill men, they must not speake of their dispraises without a great respect of glorifying God by it: and besides, they must not venture so far to judge of the finall estate of any man for any evils, till the end come. In the case of superiours it is true, they may use dispraise, but it must be as a medicine which must bee applied with many cautions, and the ingredients must be Gods word, and not their owne.