Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 1, Chapter 2 · Verse 12
Verse. 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, glorify God in the day of visitation.
THese two things that a Natural Man makes least account of, are of all things in highest regard with a Christian, his own Soul, and Gods glory. So that there be no stronger persuasives to him in any thing than the interest of these two, and by these the Apostle urgeth his present Exhortation to holiness and blamelesness of life, for the substance of his advice or request in this, and the former Verse, is the same, a truely honest conversation, is only that which is Spiritual, not defil'd with the carnal lusts and polutions of the world.
The abstaining from those lusts doth indeed Comprehend, not only the rule of outward carriage, but the inward temper of the mind, whereas this honest conversation doth more expressely concerne our external deportment amongst Men, as 'tis added, honest among the Gentiles. And so tending to the glory of God: So that these two are inseparably to be regarded the inward disposition of our hearts, and the outward conversation and course of our lives.
I shall speak to the former first as the spring of the latter, Keep thine heart with all diligence. For all depends upon that for from thence are the issues of Life. Prov. 4.23. And if so, then the regulating of the tongue, and eyes, and feet and all will follow. As there it followes, Ver. 24. That the impure streams, may cease from running, the corrupt spring must be dried up. Men may convey them closely to run under ground as it were, as they do vaults and ditches, Sentinas & cloacas; but till the heart be renewed and purg'd from base lusts, it will still be sending forth some way or other the streams of iniquity, as a fountain Swelleth out, or casteth forth her waters uncessantly, so she casteth out her wickedness, sayes the Prophet, of that very People, and City that was called holy by reason of the ordinances of God, and profession of the true Religion that was amongst them. And therefore tis the same prophet's advice from the Lord. Wash thine heart O Ierusalem how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee. Ier. 4.14.
This is the true Method, according to our Saviours Doctrine Make the tree good, and than the fruits will be good, not till then: for Who can gather grapes of thornes, or figs of Thistles. Some good outward actions avail nothing, the Soul being unrenewed. As you may stick some figs or hang some clusters of grapes upon a thorne bush, but they cannot grow upon it.
In this Men deceive themselves, even such as have some thoughts of amendment, when they fall into sin, and are reprov'd for it, they say and possibly think so too, I will take heed to my self, I will be guilty of this no more, and because they go no deeper, they are many of them ensnared in the same kind again: But however, if they do never commit that same sin, they do but change it for some other; as a current of waters, if you stop their passage one way, they rest not till they find another. The conversation can never be uniformly, and entirely good till the fram of the heart, the affections and desires that lodge in it be changed. It is naturally an evil treasure of impure lusts and must in some kind vent, and spend what it hath within. 'Tis to begin with the wrong end of your work to rectify the outside first, to smooth the conversation, and not first of all purge the heart. Evil affections are the source of evil speeches and actions. Whence are strifes and fightings (sayes St. Iames) are they not from your lusts which war in your members: Unquiet unruly lusts within are the cause of the unquietnesses and contentions abroad in the world. One Man will have his corrupt will, and another his, and thus they chock and justle one another, and by the cross encounters of their purposes as flints meeting, they strike out these Sparkes that set all on fire.
So then according to the order of the Apostles Exhortation, the only true principle of all good and Christian conversation in the world, is the mortifing of all earthly, and sinfull lusts in the heart while they have possession of the heart, they do clog, it and straiten it towards God and his wayes, it cannot walk constantly in them, but when the heart is freed from them 'tis enlarg'd and so (as David speaks) fits a Man not only to walk but to run the way of Gods commandements: And without this freeing of the heart a Man will be at the best very uneven, and incongruous in his ways, one step like a Christian and another like a worldling, which is an unpleasant and an unprofitable way, not according to that word Psa. 18. Thou hast set my feet as hindes feet, set them even, as the word is, not only swift but straight and even, and that is the thing here requir'd the whole course and revolution of a Christian's life to be like himself, and that it may be so, the whole body of sin, and all the member… of it, all the deceitful lusts, must be crucified.
In the words there are 3. Things 1. One point of a Christians ordinary entertainment in the world is to be evil spokne of. 2. Their good use of that evil, to do the better for't. 3. The good end and certain effect of their so doing, The glory of God.
1. Whereas they speak against you as evil doers] This is in the general the disease of Mans corrupt nature, and argues much the baseness and depravedness of it, this propension to evil speaking one of another either blotting the best actions with misconstructions, or taking doubtful things by the left ear, not chusing the most favourable, but on the contrary the very harshest sense that can be put upon them. Some Men take more pleasure in the narrow Eying of the true and real faults of Men, and then speak of them with a kind of delight. All these kind of evil speakings are such fruits as spring from that bitter root of pride and self-love; which is naturaly deep fastened in every Mans heart: But besides this general bent to evil speaking, there is a particular malice in the world against those that are born of God which must have vent in calumnies and reproaches. If this evil speaking be the hissing that is natural to the Serpents seed, sure by reason of their natural antipathy it must be breath'd forth most against the seed of the Woman, those that are one with Jesus Christ: If the tongues of the ungodly be sharp swords even to one another, they will whet them sharper than ordinary when they are to use them against the righteous, to wound their name. The evil tongue must be alwayes burning, that is set on fire of hell as St. Iames speaks; but against the Godly it will be sure to be heated seven times hotter than 'tis for others. Reasons of this are 1. Being naturaly haters of God and yet unable to reach him, what wonder if their malice act it self against His Image in His Children, and labour to blot and stain that all they can with the foulest calumnies.
2. Because they are neither able nor willing themselves to attain unto the Spotless holy life of Christians they bemire them, and would make them like themselves by false aspersions, they cannot rise to the Estate of the Godly, and therefore they endeavour to draw them down to theirs by detraction.
3. The Reproaches they cast upon the Professors of Pure Religion, they mean mainly against Religion it self, and intend them to reflect upon it.
These evil speakings of the World against pious Men professing Religion, are partly gross falshoods invented without the least ground or appearance of truth, for the World being ever credulous of evil, especially upon so deep a prejudice as it hath against the Godly, the falsest and absurdest calumnies will alwayes find so much belief as to make them odious or very suspected at least, to such as know them not; this is the Worlds Maxime, Lye confidently and it will alwayes do something. As a Stone taken out of the Mire and thrown against a white Wall, tho it stick not there but rebound presently back again, yet it leaves a spot behind it.
And with those kind of evil speakings, were the Primitive Christians surcharg'd, even with gross and horrible falshoods, as all know that know any thing of the History of those times, even such things were reported of them, as the worst of wicked Men would scarce be guilty of, The Devil for as witty as he is, makes use again and again of his old inventions, and makes them serve in several ages, for so were the Waldenses accused of inhumane banquetings and beastly promiscuous uncleanness, and divers things not once to be named amongst Christians, much less to be practised by them; so that it is no new thing to meet with the Impurest vilest slanders as the Worlds reward of Holiness, and the practice of pure Religion.
Then again Consider, How much more will the wicked insult upon the least real blemishes that they can espy amongst the Professors of Godliness. And in this there is a threefold injury very ordinary. 1. Strictly to pry into, and maliciously to object against Christians the smallest imperfections and frailties of their Lives, as if they pretended and promis'd absolute perfection. They do indeed exercise themselves (such as are Christians indeed) with St. Paul, to keep a good Conscience in all things towards God and Men, they have a regard unto all Gods Commandments, as David speaks, they have a sincere love to God which makes them study the exactest obedience they can reach, and this is an imperfect kind of perfection, 'tis Evangelical, but not Angelical. 2. To impute the scandalous falls of some particular Persons to the whole number: 'Tis a very short incompetent rule, to make judgement of any one Man himself by one action, much more to measure all the rest of the same Profession by it; and they yet proceed further in this way of misjudging. 3. That they impute the personal failings of Men to their Religion, and disadvantage it by the faults of those that profess it, which as the Ancients plead well, is the greatest injustice, and such as they would not be guilty of against their own Philosophers. They could well distinguish betwixt their Doctrine and the manners of some of their followers, and thus ought they to have dealt with Christians too. Consider their Religion in it self, and the Doctrine that it teaches, and if it were vitious the blame were just, but if it taught nothing but Holiness and righteousness, then the blame of any unholiness or unrighteousness found amongst Christians was to rest upon the Persons themselves, that were guilty of it, and not to be stretch'd to the whole number of Professors, much less to the Relion that they profess: And yet this is still the custom of the World upon the least failing they can espy in the Godly, or such as seem to be so, much more with open mouth upon any gross sin in any of them.
But seeing this is the very Character of a profane mind, and the badge of the Enemies of Religion, beware of sharing at all with them in it, give not easy entertainment to the reports of profane, or of mere civil Men, against the professors of Religion, they are undoubtedly partial, and their testimony justly suspected, Lend them not a ready ear to receive their evil speakings, much less your tongue to divulge them, and set them further going: Yea, take heed that you take not pleasure in any the least kind of scoffs, against the sincerity and power of Religion. And all of you that desire your selves to walk as Christians, be very wary, that ye wrong not one another, and help not the wicked against you, by your mutual misconstructions and miscensures one of another, far be it from you to take pleasure in hearing others evil spoken of, whether unjustly, or though it be some way deservedly, yet let it be alway grievous to you, and no way pleasing to hear such things, much less to speak of them It is the Devils delight to be pleas'd with evil speakings, The Syrian calls him an Akal Kartza eater of slaunders or Calumnies. They are a dish that please his pallate, and Men are naturally of his Diet. In the 35. Psal. V.6. There is a word that is rendered mockers at Feasts, or feasting-mockers, that feasted Mens ears at their meetings with speaking of the faults of others scoffingly, and therefore shared with them of their cakes, or feasts as the word is; but to a renewed Christian mind, that hath a new taste, and all new senses, there is nothing more unsavoury, than to hear the defaming of others, especially of such as profess Religion, did the Law of Love possess our hearts it would regulate our Ear and Tongue, and make them most tender of the name of our Brethren, it would teach us the faculty of covering their infirmities, and judging favourably, taking alwayes the best side and most charitable sense of their actions, and to blunt the fire-edge of our censures upon our selves, our own hard hearts and rebellious wills within, that they might remain no more sharp against others, then is needful for their good.
And this would cut short those that are without, from a great deal of Provisions of evil speaking against Christians that they many times are furnish'd withal by themselves, through their uncharitable carriage one towards another. However this being the hard measure that they alwayes find in the World, it is their wisdom to consider it aright, and to study that good which according to the Apostles advice, may be extracted out of it, and that is the second thing to be spoken to.
2. Your Conversation] As the Soveraign power of drawing good out of evil resides in God, and argues his primitive goodness, so he teacheth his own Children some faculty this way, that they may resemble Him in it, he teacheth them to draw sweetness out of their bitterest afflictions, and increase of inward peace from their outward troubles. And as these buffetings of the tongue are no small part of their sufferings, so they reap no small benefit by them many wayes, particularly in this one, that they order their Coversation the better, and walk the more exactly for it.
And this no doubt in Divine Providence is intended and ordered for their good, and all their other trials. The sharp censures and evil speakings that a Christian is incompassed withal in the World is no other but a hedge of thornes set on every side, that he go not out of his way, but keep straight on in it betwixt them, not declining to the right hand nor to the left; whereas if they found nothing, but the favour and good opinion of the world, they might as in a way unhedged be subject to expatiate, and wander out into the Meadowes of Carnal Pleasures that are about them, that would call and allure them, and often amuse them from their journey.
And thus it might fall out that Christians would deserve censure and evil speakings the more, if they did not usually suffer them undeserved. This then turnes into a great advantage to them, making them more answerable to those two things that our Saviour joynes, to Watch and Pray, to be the more vigilent over themselves, and the more earnest with God for his watching over them, and conducting of them, Make my wayes straight, sayes David, because of mine enemies. the word is My Observers, or those that scand my wayes every foot of them that examine them as a Verse, or as a Song of Musick, if there be but a wrong measure in them, they will not let it slip, but will be sure to mark it.
And if they that are the Godly's enemies wait for their halting, shall not they themselves scand them that they may not halt, and examin them to order them, as the wicked do to censure them, and withal depend wholly upon the Spirit of God as their guide to lead them into all truth, and to teach them how to order their Coversation aright that it may be all of one piece holy, and blameless and still like it selfe.
Honest] Fair, or Beautiful, the same word doth fitly signifie goodness and beauty. For that, that is the truest and lastingest beauty growes fresher in Old age as the Psalmist speaks of the Righteous Psal. 92. as trees planted in the house of God. Could the Beauty of Vertue be seen, said he, it would draw all to love it. A Christian holy Conversation hath such a beauty, as when they that are Strangers to it begin to discern it any thing right, they cannot chuse but love it, and where it begets not love, yet it silences Calumny, or at least convinces its falshood.
The goodness, or beauty of a Christian's Conversation consisting in that Symmetry and Conformity to the word of God, as its rule▪ he ought diligently to study that rule, and to square his wayes by it, not to walk at random, but to apply that rule to every step at home, and abroad, and to be as careful of the beauty of his wayes, to keep that unspotted, as those Women are of their faces and attire, that are most Studious of comliness.
But so far are we that call our selves Christians from this exact regard of our Conversation, the most part not only have many four spots, but they themselves, and all their wayes nothing but defilement▪ all one spot, as our Apostle calls them, blots are they and spots ▪ 2 Pet. 2.13. and even they that are Christians indeed, yet not so watchful, and accurate in all their wayes as becomes; … staining their holy Profession either with Pride, or Coveteousness, or contentions, or some other such like uncomeliness.
Let us therefore resolve all, more to study this good and comely conversation the Apostle …ere exhorts to, that it may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ, as St. Paul desires his Philippians.
And if you live amongst profane Persons, that will be to you as the unbelieving Gentiles were to these believing Jewes, that lived amongst them, traducers of you, and given to speak evil of you, and of Religion in you, trouble not your selves with many apologies, and clearings, when you are evil spoke of, but let the …act of your life answer for you: your honest and blameless conversation: that will be the shortest and realest way of confuting all obloquies, as when one in the Schools was proving by a sophistical Argument that there could be no …; the Philosopher answered it fully, and shortly by rising up and walking. If thou would'st pay them home, this is a kind of revenge not only allowed thee, but recommended to thee, be aveng'd on evil speakings, by well doing, shame them from it. It was a King that said, it was Kingly to do well and be ill spoke of. Well may Christians acknowledge it to be true, when they consider, that it was the lot of their King Iesus Christ, And well may they be content, seeing he hath made them likewise Kings, as we heard V. 9.) to be conform to him in this too, this Kingly way of suffering to be unjustly evil spoken of, and still to go on in doing the more good, alwayes aiming in so doing (as our Lord did) at the glory of our Heavenly Father. that is the 3d. thing.
That they may glorifie God▪ ] He sayes not they shall praise or commend you, but shall glorifie God. What way soever this time, this day of Visitation be taken, the effect it selfe is this, they shall glorifie God, 'tis this the Apostle stills holds before their eye, and that upon which a Christian doth willingly set his eye, and keep it fixed on it, in all his wayes; he doth not teach them to be sensible of their own esteem as it concerns themselves, but only as the glory of their God is interess'd in it, were it not this, a generous minded Christian could set a very light rate upon all the thoughts and speeches of Men concerning him, whether good or bad, and could easily drown all their mistakes in the Conscience of the favour and approbation of his God, 'tis a small thing for me to be judged of Man, or the day of Man, he that judgeth me is the Lord. Man hath a day of judging, but it and his judgment with it soon passes away, but God hath his day, and stand his sentence abideth for ever, as the Apostle there adds, as if he should say, I appeal to God.
But considering that the Religion he professes, and the God whom he worships in that Religion are wrong'd by those reproaches, and that the calumnies cast upon Christians reflect upon their Lord, this is the thing that makes him sensible, he feels on that side only, the reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me, sayes the Psalmist. And this makes a Christian desirous even to Men, to vindicate his Religion, and his God, without regard to himself, because he may say the reproaches of them that reproach only me have fallen upon thee.
This is his intent in the holiness and integrity of his life, that God may be glorified, this is the Axis about which all, this good conversation moves, and turnes c…n…inually.
And he that forgets this, let his conversation be never so plausible and spotless, knows not what it is to be a Christian. As they say of the Eagles who try their young ones whether they be of the right kind or no, by holding them before the Sun, and if they can look stedfastly upon it, they own them, if not they throw them away; this is the true evidence of an upright and real Christian, to have a stedfast eye on the glory of God the father of Lights. In all, Let God be glorified, sayes the Christian and that suffices, that's the summe of his desires far from glorying in himself, or seeking to raise himself, for he knows that of himself, he is nothing, but by the free grace of God he is what he is, whence any glorying to thee, rottenesse and dust? (sayes, St. Bern.) whence is it to thee if thou art holy? Is it not the holy spirit that hath sanctified thee. If thou couldest work miracles, though they were done by thy hand, yet it were not by thy power, but by the power of God.
To the end that my glory may sing praise unto thee sayes David Psa. 30. Whether his tongue, or his soul or both. What he calls his glory he shews us; and what use he hath for it, namely to give the Lord glory, to sing his praises, and that then it was truely Davids glory when 'twas so employ'd in giving glory to him whose peculiar due glory is. What have we to do in the world as his creatures? Once and again his creatures, his new creatures created unto good works, but to exerise our selves in those, and by those to advance his glory; That all may return to him, from whom all is, as the rivers run back to the Sea from whence they came; Of him and through him and therefore, for him are all things, says the Apostle: They that serve base Gods seek how to advance and agrandize them. The covetous Man studies to make his Mammon as great as he can all his thoughts and pains run upon that service, and so the voluptuous and ambitious for theirs. And shall not they that profess themselves the servants of the only great and the only true God have their hearts much more, at least, as much possess'd with desires of honouring and exalting him, should not this be their predominant design and thought: What way shall I most advance the glory of my God, how shall I that am engaged more than they all, set in with the Heavens and the earth, and the other creatures to declare his excellency his greatness, and his goodness.
In the day of Visitation] The beholding of your good works may work this in them that they may be gained to acknowledg and embrace that Religion and that God, which for the present they reject; but that it may be thus, they must be visited with that same light and grace from above which hath sanctified you. This I conceive is the sense of this word though it may be, and is taken divers other ways by Interpreters. Possibly in this day of visitation is implied the clearer preaching of the Gospel amongst those Gentiles, where the dispersed Jews dwell, and that when they should compare the light of that doctrine with the light of their lives, and find the agreement betwixt them, that might be helpfull to their effectual calling, and so they might glorify God: But to the end that they might do thus indeed, as with the word of God and the good works of his People there must be a particular visiting of their Souls by the Spirit of God: Your good conversation may be one good mean of their conversion; therefore this may be a motive to that: But to make it an effectual mean, this day of gracious visitation must dawn upon them. The day spring from on high must visit them, as it is Luke. 1.78.