Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 8
Verse 10.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Iesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect; stablish, strengthen, settle you.
HIS Divine Doctrine and Exhortations the Apostle closes with Prayer, as we follow this rule in publick after the Word preached: so St. Paul frequently, so Christ himself, Iohn 17. after that Sermon in the preceding Chapters: it were well if both Ministers and People would follow forth the same way more in private, each for themselves, and each for the other: and the want of this is mainly the thing that makes our preaching and hearing so barren and fruitless; the Ministers of the Gospel should indeed be as the Angels of God, going betwixt him and his People, not only bringing down useful Instructions from God to them, but putting up earnest supplications to God for them. In the 10th. of St. Luke, the Disciples are sent forth and appointed to preach: and in the 11th. we have them desiring to be taught to pray; Lord teachus to pray, and without this there can be little answer or success in the other, little springing up of this Seed, though Ministers sow it plentifully in preaching, unless they secretly water it with their prayers and tears.
And People truly should keep some correspondence in this duty, and that if other engagement will not perswade, even for their own advantage, for it returns unto them gainfully; if much of the Spirit be poured forth on Ministers are they not the more able to unfold the Spiritual Mysteries of the Gospel, and build up their People in the knowledge of them; Oh! that both of us were more abundant in this rich and sweet exercise.
But the God.] The Prayer suits the Apostle St. Paul's word in his direction to the Philippians, Chapter 4. 6. 'tis supplication with thanksgiving, prayer with praise. In the prayer or petition, consider the Matter, the Stile. The Matter or thing requested in divers brief words, which though they be much of the same sense, yet are not superfluously multiplied, for they both carry the great importance of the thing, and the earnest desire in suiting it: and though it be a little light and unsolid to frame a different sense to each of them, nor are any of the ways that such kind of Interpreters have taken in it very satisfactory to any discerning judgment, yet I conceive they are not altogether without some profitable difference, as the first [perfect] carries more clear than the rest, their advance in victory over their remaining corruptions and infirmities, carrying them on towards perfection. Stablish hath more express reference to both the inward lightness and inconstancy that is natural to us, the counterblasts of persecutions, and tentations; and to outward oppositions, and imports the curing of the one, and support against the other. Strengthen the growth of their graces, especially gaining of further measures of those graces, wherein they are weakest and lowest. And settle, though it seems the same, and in substance is with the other word stablish; yet it adds somewhat to it very considerable, for it signifies to found or fix upon a sure foundation; and so indeed may have an aspect to him who is the foundation and strength of Believers, on whom they build by faith, Iesus Christ, in whom we have all, both victory over Sin, and increase of Grace, and establishment of Spirit, power to persevere against all difficulties and assaults; he is that corner foundation stone laid in Sion, that they that build upon him, may not be ashamed, that Rock that upholds the House founded on it in the midst of all winds and storms.
First, Obs. These have in them that which is so primely to be sought after by every Christian, perseverance and progress in Grace. These two here interwoven, for there be two words importing the one and two the other, and are interchangeably plac'd: this is often exhorted them as their duty, and accordingly ought they to apply themselves to't, and use their highest diligence in it, not to take the beginning of Christianity for the end of it, to think it enough they are entered into the way of it, and sit down upon the entry, but to walk on, to go from strength to strength, and even through the greatest difficulties and discouragments, to pass forward with unmoved stability and fixedness of mind. To be aiming at perfection, this we shall still fall exceedingly short of, but the more we study it, the nearer to it shall we come, the higher we aim, the higher shall we shoot, though we shoot not so high as we aim,
Inf. It is an excellent life,S…avissima … est indies sentire … mei… …rem. and it is the proper life of a Christian, to be daily outstripping himself, to be spiritually wiser, holier, more heavenly minded to day than yesterday, and to morrow (if it be added to his life) than to day, every day loving the World less, and Christ more than the former, and gaining every day some further victory over his secret corruptions, his passions more subdued and mortified, his desires in all temporal things more cool and indifferent, and in Spiritual things more ardent, that miserable lightness of Spirit cured, and his heart more solided and fixed upon God, aspiring to more near Communion with him, particular graces made more lively and strong by often acting and stiring them up, faith more confirmed and stayed, love more enflamed, composed meekness making more deep humility. Oh! this were a worthy ambition indeed, you would have your Estates growing, and your credit growing; how much rather should you seek to have your graces growing, and not be content with any thing you have attained to.
2. Obs. But all our endeavours and diligence in this will be vain unless we look for our perfecting and establishing from the right hand, without which we do nothing, thither the Apostle moves his desires for his Brethren, and so teaches them the same addr…ss for themselves, the God of all Grace, &c.
This prayer is grounded (as all prayer of faith must be) on the promise and covenant of God. He is our Rock, and his work is perfect; he doth not begin a building, and then leave it off, none of his designs break in the middle, or fall short of their end, he will perfect that good work, which he hath begun, to the day of Iesus Christ, Phil. 1. And how often is he called the strength of those that trust on him, Psal. 18. 30. Their Buckler, and his way perfect.
Hence is the stability of grace and perseverance of the Saints, 'tis founded upon his unchangeableness, not that they are so, though truly sanctified, if they and their graces were left to their own manage. No, 'tis he, that not only gives that rich portion to those he adopts to be his Children, but keeps it for them, and them in the possession of it, he maintains the lot of our Inheritance. And to build that perswasion of perseverance upon his truth and power engag'd in it, is no presumption, yea, 'tis high dishonour to him to question.
But when Nature is set to Judge of Grace, it must speak according to it self, and therefore very unsuitably to that which it speaks of. Natural wits apprehend not the spiritual tenour of the Covenant of Grace, but model it to their own principles, and quite disguise it, and they think of nothing but their resolves and moral purposes, or if they take a Notion of Grace confused, they imagine it put into their own hands to keep or lose it, and will not stoop to a continual dependance on the strength of another, rather chuse that game of hazard, and it is certain loss and undoing to do for themselves.
But the humble Believer is otherwise school…d, he hath not so learned Christ, he sees himself … with enemies without, and buckled to a treacherous heart within, that will betray him to them, and he dare no more trust himself to himself, than to his most p…o…essed enemies. Thus it ought to be, and the more the heart is brought to this humble suiting of that ability, and strengthning, and per…ecting from God, the more shall it find both stability and peace from the assurance of that stability.
Inf. Certainly the more the Christian is acquainted with himself, the more will he go out of himself for his perfecting and establishing; finds that when he thinks to go forward, he is driven backward▪ and … gets hold of him, oftentimes when he thought to have smitten it, and finds that miserable inconstancy of his heart in spiritual things, the vanishing of his purposes and breaking off of his thoughts, that they usuall… die …re they be brought forth, that when he hath thought I will pray more reverently, and set my self to behold God, when I speak to him, and watch more over my heart, that it fly not out and leave me, possibly the first time he sets to it, thinking to be … of his intention, he finds himself more scatter…d, and disorder'd, and dead, than at any time before; when he hath conceived thoughts of humility and self abusement▪ and thinks, now I am down and laid low within my self, to rise and look big no more, yet some vain fancy creeps in anon, and encourages him and raises him up to his old estate, so that in this plight had he not higher strength to look at, he would sit down and give over all, as a thing wholly hopeless ever to attain his jo…rneys end.
But when he considers whose work that is within him, even these small beginings of desires, he is encouraged by the greatness of the Work not to despise and despair of the small appearance of the work in its beginning, the day of small things; and knows that it is not by any power nor might, but by his Spirit that it shall be accomplisht, lavs hold on that word, though thy beginning be small, yet thy latter end shall greatly increase.
Looks to Jesus, foreign, Heb. 12. 2. looks oft from all oppositions and difficulties, looks above them to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Author and therefore Finisher; this that royal dignity interested in the maintenance and compleating of what he hath wrought, notwithstanding of all thy imperfections, and the strength of sin, he can and will subdue it, notwithstanding thy loose light condition, that wer't easily blown away with the least wind of tentation, yet he shall hold thee in his right hand, and there thou shall be firm as the Earth, that is so settled by his hand, that though it hangs on nothing, yet nothing can remove it: though thou art weak, he is strong, and he that strengthens thee, and renews thy strength, when it seems to be gone and out spent, he makes it fresh and greater than ever before. The word Isa 40. renew; change; they shall have for their own his strength, a weak Believer, and his strong Saviour, too hard for all that can rise against them: Hominem cum …asi metiri is here fit, no taking right measure of a Christian but that way.
And though thou art indeed expos'd to great Storms and Tempests, yet he builds thee on himself, makes thee by believing to found on him; and so though the winds blow and the rain fall, yet thou standest being built on him thy rock. And this indeed is our safety, the more we cleave to our rock and fasten on him; this is the only thing establishes us, and perfects and strengthens us; therefore well is that word added foreign, found you, or settle you on your foundation. This is the firmness of the Church against the Gates of Hell; he is a strong foundation for establishment, and a living foundation, having influence into the building for perfecting it, for 'tis a living House, and the foundation is a root sending life to the stones, that they grow up, as this Apostle speaks, 1 Epistle 2. chap.
It is the unactiveness of Faith on Jesus, that keeps us so imperfect, and wrestling still with our corruptions without any advance, we wrestle in our own strength too often, and are justly then necessarily foiled, it cannot be otherwise till we make him our strength, this we are still forgetting, and had need to be remembred, and to remember our selves frequently of it, we would be at doing for our selves, and insensibly fall into this folly after much smart for it, if we be not watchful against it. There is this wretched natural Independency in us, that is so hard to beat out; all our projectings are but castles in the air, imaginary buildings without a foundation, till once laid on him. But never shall we find heart peace, sweet peace and progress in holiness, till we be driven from it, to make him all our strength, to do nothing, to attempt nothing, to hope nor expect nothing, but in him, and then shall we indeed find his fullness and all-sufficiency, and be more than conquerors through him, who hath loved us.
But the God of all Grace.] Our many wants and great weakness had need to have a very full hand, and a very strong hand to go to for our supplies and support, and such we have indeed, our Father is the God of all Grace, a Spring that cannot be drawn dry, no, nor so much as any whit diminisht.
Of all Grace.] The God of imputed Grace, of infused and increased Grace, of furnished and assisting Grace. The Work of Salvation all Grace from beginning to end, free Grace in the plot of it laid in the Counsel of God, and performed by his own hand all of it: his Son sent in the flesh, and his Spirit sent into the hearts of his chosen, to apply Christ. All Grace in him, the living Spring of it, and flows from him, all the various actings, and all the several degrees of Grace; he the God of pardoning Grace, that blots out the transgressions of his own Children for his own name's sake, that takes up all quarrels, and makes one act of oblivion serve for all reckonings betwixt him and them; and as the God of pardoning Grace, so withal the God of sanctifying Grace, that resines and purifies all these he means to make up into Vessels of Glory, and hath in his hand, all the sit means and ways of doing this, purges them by afflictions and outward trials, by the reproaches and hatreds of the world: little known of the prophane world, how serviceable they are to the Graces and Comforts of a Christian, when they indignifie and persecute him, yea, little doth a Christian himself sometimes, think how great his advantage is by those things, till he find it, and wonders at his Father's Wisdom and Love▪ but most powerfully are the Children of God sanctified by the Spirit within them, without which indeed no other thing could any whit advantage them in this, that divine fire kindled within them is daily resining and sublimating them, that Spirit of Christ conquering sin, and by the mighty flame of his love consuming the earth and dross that is in them, making their affections more spiritual and di…ingag'd from all creature delights: and thus as they receive the beginnings of Grace freely, so all the advances and increases of it, life from their Lord still flowing and causing them grow, abating sins power, strengthning a fainting Faith, quickning a languishing Love, teaching the Soul the ways of wounding strong corruptions, and fortifying its weak Graces: yea, in wonderful ways advancing the good of his Children by things not only harsh to them, as afflictions and tentations, but by that which is directly opposite in its nature, sin it self, raising them by their falls, and strengthning them by their very troubles, working them to humility and vigilance, and sending them to Christ for sterngth by the experience of their weaknesses and failings.
And as the God of pardoning Grace, and sanctifying Grace in the beginning and growth of it, so the God of supporting Grace, that supervenient influence, without which the Graces plac'd within us would lie dead, and fail us in the time of greatest need. This is the immediate assisting power that bears up the Soul under the greatest services, and backs it in the hardest conflicts, fresh auxiliary strength, when we and and all the grace we have within, dwelling in us is surchar'd, then he steps in, and opposes his strength to a prevailing and confident enemy, that is at point of insulting and triumph; when tentations have made breach and enter with full force and violence, he lets in so much present help on a sudden, as makes them give back, and beats them out, when the enemy comes in as a flood, Isa… 59. 1….the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him; and no siege so close as to keep out this ai…, for it comes from above.
And by this a Christian learns that his strength is in God; whereas if his received Grace were always party enough, and able to make it self good against all incursions; though we know we have received it, yet being within us, we woubld possibly sometimes forget the receit of it, and look on it more as ours, than his, more as being within us, than as …lowing from him, but when all the forces we have, the standing Garison is by far overmatcht, and yet we find the a…ailants beaten …, then we must acknowledge him, that sends sue▪ … asc…ble relief, to be, as the Psalmist speaks, a present help in time of need.
All St. Pauls constant strength of Grace inher…nt in him, could not s…nce him so well as to award the peircing point of that sharp tentation, (whatsoever it was that he records;) and the redoubled by …fettings that he felt came so thick upon him, he was driven to his knees by it, to cry for help to be sent down, without which he found he could not hold out, and he had an answer assuring him of help, a secret support that should maintain him, my grace is sufficient for thee, though thine own be not, that is, that which I have given thee, yet mine is, that is, it is that which is in me, and which I will put forth for thy assistance.
And this is the great advantage and comfort, that we have a Protector who is Almighty, and is always at hand, who can and will hear us whensoever we are beset and straitned. That Captain had reason, who being required to keep Millan for the King of France, went up to the highest turret and cry'd three times King of France, and refused the Service, because the King heard him not, nor no body answered for him, meaning the great distance, and so the difficulty of sending aid, when need should require: but we may be confident of our supplies in the suddenest surprizes, our King can, and will hear us when we call, and will send relief in due season, we may be in apparent hazards, but we shall not be wholly vanquisht, 'tis but crying to him in our greatest streights, and help appears the Host of Enemies possibly we see first, and that so great that there is no likely escape, but then praying we espy the fiery Chariots and Horsemen, and may say, there are more with us then with them.
The Apostle St. Paul calls our God, the God of all Consolation, as here he is stil'd the God of all Grace, and this is our rejoycing, that in his hand is all good, our Sanctification Consolation, Assistance and Assurance, Grace and Glory: and this stile suits most fitly with the present sute, that for our perfecting, and stablishing, and strengthning in Grace, we have recourse to the God of all Grace, whose former gifts do not discharge us from seeking more, but indeed both encourages us, and engages him for the perfecting of it. It is his will that we have constant recourse to him for all we want; he is so rich, and withal so liberal, that he delights that we seek and draw much from him, and 'tis by believing and praying that we do draw from him; were these plyed we would soon grow richer; but remember all this grace, that we would receive from the God of all grace, it must be from God in Christ, there it flows for us, thither we are directed, it was the Fathers good pleasure that in him should all fulness dwell, and that for us, that we might know whether to go to.
Now for the further opening up of his riches, exprest in this title, the God of all grace, is added one great act of grace, which doth indeed involve all the rest; for we have in it the beginning and end of the work linkt together. The first effect of grace upon us, in effectual calling, and the last accomplishment of, it in Eternal Glory. Who hath called us to his Eternal Glory.
For that calling, I conceive, doth not simply mean the design of the Gospel wherein the outward call lies, that it holds forth and sets before us that Glory as the result of Grace. But the calling is the real bringing of a Christian to Christ, and uniting him with him, and so giving him real and firm title to Glory, such a call as powerfully works Grace in the Soul, and secures Glory to the Soul, gives it right to that Inheritance, and fits it for it, and sometimes gives it even the evident and sweet assurance of it, this indeed all the heirs of Glory have not ordinarily within them, and scarce any at all times equally clear, some travel on in a covert cloudy Day, and get home by it, having so much light as to know their way, and yet do not at all clearly see the Sun shine of clear assurance, others have it breaking forth at sometimes, and anon under a Cloud, and some more constantly. But as all meet in the end, so all agree in this in the beginning, that is, the reality of the thing, they are made unalterably sure heirs of it, in their effectual calling.
And by this the Apostle advances his suit for their support, and establishment, and advancement in the way of Grace: the way of our calling to so high and happy an Estate, did we apply our thoughts more to't, it would work on us and perswade us to a more sutable temper of Mind, and course of Life, would give us more Noble sublime thoughts and ways above the World: and the stronger were our perswasion of it, the stronger would be in us such perswasions by it. And as thus it would prevail with us, so might we use it to prevail with God for all needful Grace.
All you that hear the Gospel are generally called to this Glory; thus it is told you where and how you may lay hold on't, you are told, that if you will let go your sins and embrace Jesus Christ, this Glory shall be yours; it is his purchase, and the rights of it sics in him, and are not elswhere, and right to him is the receiving him for a Saviour, and withal for Lord and King, to become his Subjects, and so be made Kings; and this is our message to you, and you will not receive it, you give it a hearing, it may be, but do not indeed hearken to the motion, and this of necessity must be unbelief: were you indeed perswaded that in coming unto Christ, you were presently not only set free from a Sentence of Death, that is still standing above your head while you are o…t of him; but with all intitled to a Crown, made heirs of a Kingdom, an Eternal Kingdom, I say if this were believed, were it possible to slight him as the most do, and turn back the bargain, and bestow their money elswhere upon trifles of no value, Childrens Commodities, rattles and paintted toys? such are your greatest projects, were it even for Earthly Kingdoms, in respect of Christ and this Glory provided in him. What a wonder is it, that, where this happiness is daily proclaimed, and not only you are informed of it, but intreated to receive it, not only is it offered you, but prest and urg'd on you, and you say you believe the matter; and yet the false glory and other vanities of this World, amuse and entangle you, that you close not with this rich offer of Eternal Glory?
But they who do, it is indeed by a call that goes deeper than the Ear, a word spoken home to within, a touch of the Spirit of God upon the heart, which hath a magnetick vertue to draw it, so that it cannot chuse but follow, and yet freely and sweetly chuses to follow; doth most gladly open to let in Jesus Christ and his sweet Government upon his own terms, takes him and all the reproaches and troubles that can come with him, and well it may, seeing beyond a little passing trouble, abiding Eternal Glory.
The State a Christian is called to, 'tis not a poor and sad Estate, as the World judges, it is to no less than Eternal Glory, the World thinks strange to see the believer abridge himself the delights of sin, their pursuits and graspings of the common World after gains, or honours, or pleasures of sense, and they know not the Infinite gain that he hath made, that he hath exchanged this Dross for down weight of pure Gold. The World sees what the Chrihian leaves, but they see not what he comes to, what his new purchase is, in another place; they see what he suffers, but not what he expects, and shall attain as the end of these sufferings, which will shortly end. But he knowing well upon what conditions all these things run, he may well say, how small is that I forsake, how great that which I follow after.[Non magna relinquo, magna sequor.]
It is Glory, Eternal Glory, his Eternal Glory, Glory, true real glory, All that here is so named is no more but a name a Shadow of Glory, cannot endure the ballance, is found too light: a great Monarch and so,Dan: 5▪ many Principalities and Provinces put in one after another …till no weight, yea possibly, as a late politick Writer wittily observes of a certain Monarch, the more Kingdoms you cast in, the scale is still the lighter Men are naturally desirous of Glory and gape after it, but they are naturally ignorant of the true nature and place of it, they seek it where it is not, and as Solomon says of riches, set their hearts on that which is not, hath no subsistence nor reality. But the Glory above is true real Glory, and bears weight, and so bears aright the name of Glory, which in the Hebrew signifies weight, and the Apostles Expression seems to allude to that sense, speaking of this same Glory to come, calls it a far more excellent weight of glory; it weighs down all labour and sufferings in the way, so far as they are not once worth the speaking of in respect of it, it is the hyperbole, other Glory is overspoke, but this Glory over glorious to be duly spoke, exceeds and rises above all that can be spoke of it.
Eternal.] Oh! that adds much: the glory here such as it is, yet were it lasting, Men would presume upon some more reason so to affect and think, if it stayed with them when they have caught it, and they stay'd with it to enjoy it: but how soon do they part, they pass away, and the glory passes away both as smoak… as a vapour, our life and all the pomp and magnificence of those that have the greatest outward glory, and make the fairest shew, it is but a shew, a pageant, goes thro… the Street, and is seen no more. But this hath length of days with it, Eternal Glory. Oh! a thought of that swallows up all the grandeur of the World, and the noise of reckoning years and ages; had one Man continued from the Creation to the end of the World, and in the top of Earthly Dignity and glory admired by all, yet at the end everlasting oblivion being the close, how nothing were it to Eternal Glory; but alas we cannot be brought to believe and deeply take the impression of Eternity, and that is our undoing.
By Iesus Christ.] Your portion out of him, eternal shame and misery; but by him, even all Glory, and this hath likewise an evidence of the greatness of this glory; it can be no small estate; that the blood of the Son of God was let out to purchase.
His.] That which he gives, and gives, as his choice of all, to his chosen, his Children, and if there is any thing here that hath delight or worth in it, which he gives in common even to his enemies; if such a World and variety of good things for them that hate him, Oh! how excellent must those things be he hath reserved for his friends for those he loves, and causes to love him.
As 'tis his gift, it is indeed himself, the beholding and enjoying of himself. Now this we cannot conceive. Oh! that blessed Day, when the Soul shall be full of God, shall be satisfy'd and ravisht with full vision should we not admire that such a condition is provided for Man, wretched sinful Man, Lord what is Man, &c. and for me, as wretched as any that are left, and fallen short of this Glory, a base worm taken out of the mire, and washt in the Blood of Christ, and within a while set to shine in Glory without sin? Oh! the wonder of this, how would it stir to praise, when we think of such an one there, who will bring us up in the way to this Crown, how will this hope sweeten the short sufferings of this Life, and Death it self, which is otherwise the bitterest in it self, most of all sweetned by this, as being nearest it, and setting us unto it; what though thou art poor and diseased, and despised here? Oh! consider what is there, how worthy the affection, worthy the earnest eye look of an heir of this Glory; what can he either desire or fear whose heart is thus deeply fixed? Who would refuse this other clause to suffer a while, a little while, any thing outward, inward, he thinks fit; how soon shall all this be overpast, and then overpayed in the very entry, the beginning of this Glory that shall never end.