Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 11
Verses 14, 15, 16.
14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye, for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you, on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busie body in other Mens matters.
16. Yet if any Man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed, but let him glorifie God on this behalf.
THE Word is the Christians magazine both of instructions, and encouragements for doing, or suffering, and this Epistle is rich in both: here what the Apostle said in suffering, he specifies in particular, suffering of reproaches, but this seems not to come up to the height of that expression he hath used; he spoke of fiery trial, but that of reproach seems rather fit to be called an airy trial, the blast of vanishing words. Yet upon trial, it will be found to be, as here it is accounted, a very sharp, a fiery trial, first then of this particular kind of suffering. 2. Of the comfort and advice furnisht against it.
If we consider both the nature of the thing, and the strain of the Scriptures we will find, that reproaches, are amongst the sharpest sort of sufferings, and are indeed fiery trials, the tongue is a fire, says St. Iames, and reproaches are the flashes of that fire, they are a a subtile kind of flame, like that lightening, that they say crusheth the bones, and yet breaks not the flesh, they wound not the body, as tortures and whips: but through a whole skin, they reach the spirit of a Man, and cut it. so Psal. 42. 10. The fire of reproaches preys upon, and dryes up the precious oyntment of a good name, as Solomon compares it. A good name is in it self a good, a prime outward good, and take us according to our natural temper and apprehensions (according to which we feel things) most Men are, and some more excessively, too tender and delicate in it. Although truly I take this rather to be a weakness than true greatness of spirit, as they fancy it, to depend much on the opinion of others, and feel it deep, yet I say, considering it to be commonly thus with Men, and the rem…ins of this, as other frailties in the Children of God, it cannot well be, but reproaches will ordinarily much afflict Men, and to some kind of Spirits possibly, be more grievous than some bodily pain or suffering.
And as they are thus, the Scripture accounts them so, and very usually reckons them amongst sufferings, and readily names them more than any other kind of suffering, and that … good reason, not only for their piercing nature (as its …id) but withal for their frequency, and multitude, and some things we suffer, do (as flies) more trouble by their number than by their weight.
Now there is no … kind of suffering of such constancy, and commonness, and abundance as reproaches are. When other periecutions cease, yet those continue when all other Martyr fires are put out, these burn still; in all times and places the malignant World ready to revile Religion, not only avowed enemies of it, but the greatest part even of those that make a vulgar profession of it, they that outwardly receive the form of Religion, yet are many of them inwardly haters of the power of it; and Christians so called will scorn and reproach these that are so indeed.
And this is done with such ease by every one, that these arrows fly thick; every one that hath a tongue can shoot them, even base Abjects, Psal. 35. And the drunkards make songs, as Ieremy complains, the meanest sort can reach this point of persecution, and be active in it against the Children of God; they that cannot, or dare not offer them any other injury, will not fear, nor spare to let fly a taunt, or bitter word, so that whereas other sufferings are rarer, these meet them daily, Psalm. 42 10. While they say daily unto me where is thy God.
We see how justly reproaches are often mentioned amongst, and beyond other trials; and accounted persecution, Matth. 5. 10, 11. Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly, for my sake, Gal. 4. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so is it now. And in the History all we find is, he mockt him. And thus are they amongst the sufferings of Christ in the Gospel, and not as the least, the raylings and mockings darted at him, fixed to the cross, more than the very nails that fixed him. And Heb. 12. 2. The shame of the cross though he was above it and despised it, yet that shame of it, was much of the burden, so ver. 3. Contradiction of sinners.
Now the other thing is, that this is the lot of Christians, as it was of Christ, and why should they they look for more kindness, and better usage, and think to find acclamations, and applauses from the World, that so vilisy'd their Lord. Oh no; The vain heart must be weaned from these to follow Christ, if we will indeed follow him; it must be tamed to share with him in this point of suffering, not only mistakes and misconstructions, but bitter scoffings, and reproaches. Why should not our minds ply and fold to this upon that very reason, he so reasonably presses again and again, on his Disciples. The servant is not greater than his master, and in this very thing, if they called the Master Beelzebub, how much more will they speak so of the servants.
Ins. 1. Seeing its thus, I shall first press upon the followers of Christ, the Apostles rule here, to keep their sufferings spotless, that it may not be comfortless, resolve for it, but that it be innocent suffering; suffer not as evil doers, ver. 15. Besides that ways of wickedness are most unsuiting our holy calling, look to the enmity about you, and gain even out of that evil this great good, of the more circumspect and holy walking, know who you are, and where you are, your own weakness, and the Worlds wickedness. This our Saviour represents, and upon it gives that sutable rule;Prudens simplicitas. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye therefore wise as Serpents, and harmless as Doves. Know you not what exact eyes of others are upon you; will you not thence learn exactly to eye your selves, and all your ways, and seek of God with David, to be led in righteousness, because of your enemies, your observers.
This is the rule here ver. 16. su…er as Christians holily, and blamelessly, that the enemy may not know where to fasten his hold; as the wrestlers anointed their bodies, that the hands of their party might not fasten thus truly they that walk, and suffer as Christians anointed with the Spirit of Christ, their enemies cannot well fasten hold.
I recommend therefore to you that love the Lord Jesus, this especially, to be careful, that all your reproaches may be indeed for Christ, and not for any thing in you unlike to Christ, that there be nothing save the matter of your rod; keep the quarrel as clean and unmixt as you can, and this will advantage you much both within, and without, in the peace and firmness of your minds, and in the refute of your enemies. This will make you as a brazen wall, as the Lord speaks to the Prophet, they shall fight against you, but shall not prevail.
Keep far off from all impure unholy ways; suffer not as evil doers, no nor as busie bodies, be much at home, setting things at rights within your own breast, where there is so much work, and such daily need of diligence, and then you will be vacant to unnecessary idle pryings into the wayes and affairs of others, and further then your calling and the rules of Christian charity engage you, you will not iuterpose in any matters without you, nor be found proud and sensorious as they are ready to call you.
2. Shun the appearances of evil; walk warily and prudently in all things; be not heady nor sel… will'd, no not in the best thing; walk not upon the utter brink and hedge of your liberty, for then you shall readily overpass it; things that are lawful may be inexpedient and in case our fear of scandal ought either to be wholly spared, or used with much prudence and circumspection. Oh! study in all to adorn the Gospel, and in sense of your own unskillfullness and folly, beg wisdom from above, that annointing, that will teach you all things, much of that Holy Spirit, that will lead you in the way of all truth; and then in that way, whatsoever be, suffer it, and however indignified and reproached, happy are you, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.
Inf. 2. But if to be thus reproached be happy, then certainly their reproachers are no less unhappy, if on those rest the spirit of glory and of God; what Spirit in those, but the Spirit of Satan, and of shame, and vileness. Who is the basest, most contemptible kind of person in the world? truly, I think, an avowed contemner and mocker of holiness. Shall any such be fou…d amongst us?
I charge all you in this name of Christ, that you do not entertain godless prejudices against the people of God. Let not your ears be open to, nor your hearts close with the calumnies and lies, that may be flying abroad of them and their practises, much less open your mouths against them, or let any disgraceful word be heard from you: and when you meet with undeniable real frailties, know the law of love and practise it: Think this is blameworthy, yet let me not turn it to the reproach of those persons, who notwithstanding may be sincere, much less to the reproach of other persons professing Religion, and then cast it upon Religion it self.
My Brethren, beware of sharing with the ungodly in this tongue persecution of Christians. There is a Day at hand wherein the Lord will make enquiry after those things, if we shall be made accountable for idle words (as we are warned) how much more for bitter malicious words uttered against any, especially against the Saints of God, whom however the World reckon, he esteems his precious ones, his treasure. You that now can look on them with a scornful eye, which way shall you look when they shall be beautitiful and glorious, and all the ungodly cloathed with shame? Oh! do not reproach them, but rather come in and share with them in the way of holiness, and in all the sufferings and reproaches that follow it: for if you partake of their disgraces with them, you shall share of glory with them, in the Day of their Lords appearing.
The words have two things. The evil of these reproaches suppos'd, and the good exprest. The evil suppos'd, that they are trials and hot trials: of this already. The good exprest: ye are happy, even in present, in the very midst of them; they do not trouble your happy estate; yea they advance it.
Thus solid indeed is the happiness of the Saints that in the lowest condition, it remains the same: disgraces caves, prisons, and chains, cast them where you will, still happy: a Diamond in the mire foyled and trampled on yet still retains its own worth.
But this is more, that the very things that seem to make them miserable, do not only not do that, but on the contrary do make them the more happy they are gainers by their losses, and attain more liberty by their thraldomes, and more honour by their disgraces, and more peace by their troubles: the World and all their enemies are exceedingly befool'd in striving with them, not only can they not undo them, but by all their enmity and practises, they do them pleasure, and raise them higher; with what weapons shall they fight? How shall they set upon a Christian, that are his enemy? where shall they hit them, seeing all the wrongs they do him, do indeed enrich and ennoble him; and the more he is deprest, he flourishes the more: certainly the blessedness of a Christian is matchless and invincible.
But how holds this, Happy in reproaches and by them, 'tis not through their nature and vertue, for they are evil, so Mat. 5. 20. But (1.) By reason of the Cause. (2.) Of the accompanying and consequent Comfort.
First the Cause. Negatively, we have it verse 15. Positively ver. 14, 16. Not as an evil doer, that stains thy holy profession, and damps thy comfort, and clouds thy happiness, disprofits thee and dishonours thy Lord.
But for the name of Christ, and what is there so rough, that that will not make pleasant, to suffer with Christ and for Christ, who suffered so much and so willingly for thee? hath he not gone through all before thee, and made all easie and lovely? hath he not sweetned poverty, and persecutions, and hatred, and disgraces, and death it self? per…um'd the grave, and turn'd it from a pit of horrour into a sweet resting bed? And thus love of Christ judgeth, thinks all lovely that is for him, is glad to meet with difficulties, and ambitious of suffering for him: scorn and contempt a thing of hard digestion; but much inward heat of love digests it easily, reproaches bitter, but the reproaches of Christ sweet. Take their true value, Heb. 11. The reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, his very worst things, better than the best of the World. A touch of Christ turns all into gold; his reproaches riches, as there, and honour, as here: Happy not only afterwards, ye shall be happy, but happy in present, and that not only in apprehension of that after happiness, as sure and as already present, which Faith doth; but even for that they possess the presence and comforts of the Spirit.
For the Spirit of Glory.] This accompanies disgraces for him; his Spirit, the Spirit of Glory and of God; with your suffering goes the name of Christ, and the Spirit of Christ: take them thus, when reproaches are cast upon you for his name, and you bear them by his Spirit, and his Spirit most fit to support you under them, yea to raise you above them; they are ignominious and inglorious, he is the Spirit of glory; they are humane reproaches, he the Divine Spirit, the Spirit of Glory and of God, that is, the glorious Spirit of God.
And this is the advantage, the less the Christian finds esteem and acceptance in the World, the more he turns inward to see what's there, and there he finds a down weight counterpoise of excellency and glory, even in this present condition, as the pledge of the glory before him. The reproaches be fiery, but the Spirit of glory resteth upon you, doth not give you a passing visit, but stays within you, and is indeed yours. And in this he can take comfort, and let the foul weather blow over, let all the scoffs, and contempts abroad pass as they come, having a glorious Spirit within, such a guest honouring him with his presence, and abode, and sweet fellowship, and is indeed one with him. So that rich Miser could say; when they scorned him in the streets,[Papulus me sib…lat, at … plaud] he went home to his bags and huggs himself there at that sight, say they what they would. How much more reasonably may the Christian say, let them revile and bark, I have riches, and honour enough, that they see not. And this is it makes the World, as they are a malicious party, so to be an incompetent Judge of the Christians estate; they see the rugged unpleasant outside only, the right inside, their eye cannot reach. We were miserable indeed, were our comforts such as they could see.
And as this is the constant estate of a Christian, it is usually most manifested to him in the time of his greatest sufferings, then (as we said) he readily turns inward and sees it most, and accordingly finds it most. God making this happy supplement and compensation, that when they have least of the World, they have most of himself, when they are most covered with the World's disfavour, this favour shines brightest to them, as Moses in the Cloud, in nearest access and speech with God; when the Christian is most clouded with distresses and disgraces, then doth the Lord often shew himself most clearly to him.
If you be indeed Christians, you will not be so much thinking at any time, how you may be free from all sufferings and despisings; but rather how you may go strongly and cheerfully through them; so here is the way, seek real and firm interest in Christ, and participance of Christ's Spirit, and then a look to him will make all easie and delightful. Thou wilt be ashamed within thy self to start back, or give one foot at the encounter of a taunt, or reproach for him; thou wilt think for whom is it, is it not for him who for my sake hid not his face from shame and spitting? and further he died; now how would I meet death for him, that shrink at the blast of a scornful word?
If you would know whether this his Spirit is and resteth in you, it cannot be better known than by that very love, ardent love to him, and high esteem of him; and from thence a willingness, yea a gladness to suffer any thing for him. 2. This Spirit of Glory sets the heart on glory; true glory makes heavenly things excellent in our thoughts, and sets the World, the better and worse, the honour and dishonour of it, at a low rate.
The Spirit of the World is a base ignoble Spirit, even the highest pitch of it, those that are projecting for Kingdoms, these are poor designs to that of the Christian, which ascend above all things under the Sun, and above the Sun it self, and therefore he is not shaken with threats, nor taken with offers in these things. Excellent is that answer St. Basil gives in the person of those Martyrs to that Emperour, as making them (as he thought) great profers to draw them off, why, say they, doest thou bid us so low as pieces of the World, we have learnt to despise it all. This is not stupid, nor an affected stoutness of Spirit, but a humble sublimeness, that the natural Spirit of a Man cannot reach unto.
But wilt thou say still, this stops me, I do not find this Spirit in me, if I did, then I think I could be willing to suffer any thing. To this for present no more but this, d…est thou find desire that Christ may be glorified, and could… …e content it were by thy suffering in any kind for him as called to it? art thou willing to give up thine own interest, and study and follow Christ's, and that thou mightest sacrifice thine own credit, and name, to advance his? art thou unwilling to do any thing that might dishonour him, nor unwilling to suffer any thing might honour him, or wouldest thou be thus? Then be not disputing, but up and walk on in his strength.
Now i… any say, but his name is dishonoured by these reproaches; true, says the Apostle, on their part it is so, but not on yours. They that reproach you do their best to make it reflect on Christ and his cause, but thus it is only on their part: you are sufferers for his name, and so you glorifie it: your faith, and patience, and victory by these do declare the Divine power of grace, and the Gospel working; They have made torturers ashamed, and induced some beholders to share with them. Thus though the prophane World intend it as far as they could reach to dishonour the profession of Christ; yet it …cks not, but on the contrary he is glorified by your constancy.
And as the ignominy fastens not, but the glory from the endurance; so they are obliged and certainly are ready according to the Apostles zeal, verse, 16. To glorifie God on this behalf, that as he is glorified in them, so we may glorifie and bless him, that he hath dignified us so, that whereas we might have been left to a sad sinking task, to have suffered for various guilts our God hath changed the tenure and nature of our sufferings, and make them to be for the name of Christ.
Thus doth not a spiritual mind swell on a conceit of constancy and courage, which is the readiest way of self undoing; But acknowledge all gift, even suffering, To you its given not onl… to believe, but to suffer, and so to bless him on that behalf. Oh! this … grows in suffering, so Acts 5. 41. They went away rejoycing, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Consider, its but a sho… while, and the wicked, and their scoffs shall vanish, they shall not be, this shame will presently be done, and this disgrace is of short date, but the glory and Spirit of glory eternal, what though thou shouldest be poor, and defamed, and despised, and be the common mark of scorn, and all injuries, yet 'tis hard at the end. This is now thy part, the scene shall be changed. Kings here, real ones, are in deepest realty but strange Kings, but when thou comest to alter the person now thou bearest, here is the odds, thou wast as a fool in appearance for a moment, and shall be truly a King for ever.