Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 12
Verse 17.
17. For the time is come, that Iudgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel.
THere is not only perfect equity, but withal a comely proportion and beauty in all the ways of God, had we opened eyes to discern particularly in this point of the sufferings and afflictions of the Church. The Apostle here sets it before his brethren, for the time is come, &c.
Where is first a paralel of the Lords dealing with his own and with the wicked, ver 17. 18, (2.) A perswasion of due compliance and confidence in his own upon that consideration.
The paralel is in the order, and the measure of punishing; and it is so, that for the order, it begins at the house of God, ends upon the ungodly, and that carries in it the great difference in the measure, that it passes from the one on whom it begins, and rests on the other on whom it ends; the full weight of it lies on for ever. Its so exprest, What shall be the end, &c. Which imports not only, that Judgement shall overtake them in the end, but that it shall be their end, they shall end in it, and it shall be endless upon them.
The time is.] Indeed the whole time of this present life is so, its the time of suffering and purging for the Church, compassed with enemies that will afflict her, and subject to these impurities that need affliction. The Children of God are in their under age here, all their time they are Children, and have their frailties and childish follies; and therefore though they are not always under the stroke of the rod, for that they were not able to endure, yet they are under the discipline and use of the rod, all their time: and whereas the Wicked escape, till their day of full payment, the Children of God are in this life chastised with frequent afflictions, and so the time [foreign] may here be taken according as the Apostle St. Paul uses the same word, Rom. 8. 18. foreign. The sufferings of this present time,
But withal it is true, and appears to be here implyed, that there be particular set times, that the Lord chuses for the correcting of his Church, he hath the days prefixt and written in his Ephemerides, hath his days of correcting, wherein he goes round, from one Church to another, we thought it would never come to us, but we have now found the smart of it.
And here the Apostle may likely mean, the times of these hot persecutions that were begun and continued, though with some intervalls, for two or three Ages. Thus Apoc. 6. after the white Horse, immediately follows at his heels the red, and the black, and the pale Horse. And as it was upon the first publishing of the Gospel, so us ally upon the restoring of it, or upon remarkable reforms of the Church, and revivings of Religion, follow sharp and searching trials. As the lower cause of this is the rage, and malice of Satan, and the ungodly World, acted and s…irred by him, against the purity and prevalency of Religion, so it is from a higher hand for better ends. The Lord will discover the multitudes of hypocrites, and empty professors, that will at such a time readily abound when Religion is upon an advancing way, and the stream of it runs strong. Now by the counter current of troubles, such fall back and are carried away. And the truth of grace in the hearts of Believers is advantaged by these hazards, and sufferings, they are put to lasten their hold the better on Christ, to seek more experience of the real and sweet consolations of the Gospel, that may uphold them against the counterblasts of suffering. Thus is Religion made a more real and solid thing in the hearts of true Believers; they are entered to that way of receiving Christ, and his Cross together, that they may see their bargain, and not think it a surprize.
Iudgement.] Though all sufferings are not such, yet commonly there is that unsuitable and unwary walking amongst Christians, that even their sufferings for the cause of God, though unjust from Men, yet are from God just punishments of their miscarriages towards him, in their former ways, their self pleasing and earthliness, taking too much relish in the delights of this World, forgetting their inheritance and home, and conforming themselves to the World, walking too like it.
Begin.] The Church of God punisht, while the wicked are free and flourish in the World, possibly all their days, or if Judgement here reach them, yet it is later; it begins at the House of God. (1.) This holds in them that profess his name, and are of the visible Church, compared with them that are without the pale of it, and are its avowed enemies. (2.) Those that profess a desire of more religious, and holy course of life within the Church compared with the profane multitude. (3.) They that are indeed more Spiritual, and holy, and come nearer unto God, compared with others that fall short of that measure, in all it holds that the Lord doth more readily exercise them with afflictions, and correct their wandrings than any other.
And this truly is most reasonable, and the reason lies in the very name given the Church, The House of God.
1. The sins of the Church have their peculiar aggravations, that fall not upon others, that, which is simply a sin in strangers to God, is in his people the breach of a known and received law, and a law daily unfolded, and set before them, yea its against their Oath of Allegiance, 'tis perfidie and breach of Covenant, committed both against the clearest light, and strictest bo…ds, and highest mercies, and still the more particular profession of his name, and testimonies of his love, make sin the more sinful, and the punishment of it the more reasonable. The sins of the Church are all twice dipt Dibapha, Isa. 1. Have a double die, they are once breach of the law, and they are again, ungrate and disloyall breach of promise.
2. As there is unquestionable equity, so there is an evident congruity in it. God is ruler of all the World, but particularly of his Church, therefore here called his House, wherein he hath a special residence and presence. And therefore most suitable, that there he be specially observed and obey'd, and if disobey'd that he take notice of it and punish it, that he suffer not himself to be dishonour'd to his face by those of his own House; and therefore whosoever escape, his own shall not Amos 3. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth: therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities. He that righteously judges and rules all Nations, it is fit he make his Justice most evident and exemplary in his own House, where it may best be remarkt, and where it will best appear how impartial he is in punishing sin; so a King, as the Psalmist, Psal. 101. that he may rule the Land well, makes his own House exemplary. It is you know one special qualification of a Bishop and Pastor, 1 Tim. 3. 4. One that ruleth well his own House, having his Children in subjection. For if a Man know not how to rule his own House, how shall he take care of the Church of God? Now this therefore more eminently appears in the Supream Lord of the Church, as his own House; and therefore when he finds disobedience there, he will first punish that: so he clears himself; and the wicked World being afterward punisht, their mouths are stopt with the preceding punishment of the Church; he will not spare his own; yea, they shall be first scourged? what then shall be the end, &c.
And indeed the purity of his Nature, if it be every where contrary to all sinful impurity, it cannot but most appear in his peculiar dwelling House, that he will have neat and clean. If he hate sin all the World over, where its nearest him he hates it most, and testifies his hatred of it; will not endure it in his presence: as cleanly neat persons, cannot well look upon any thing that is nasty, much less will they suffer it come near them, or touch them, and to continue in their presence in the House where they dwell; the Lord that is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, will not abide it within his own doors; and the nearer any comes to him, the less can he endure any unholiness or sinful pollution in them, he will be sanctified in all that come nigh him, Lev. 10. so in his Ministers; Oh! how pure ought they to be, and how provoking and hateful to him are their impurities: therefore in that commission to the Destroyers, Ezek 9. 20. to which place the Apostle may here have some eye; Go, says he, slay the old and young, and begin at my sanctuary. They were they that had polluted his worship, and there the first stroke lighted. And in a Spiritual Sense, because all his People are his only elect Priesthood, and should be holiness to the Lord; and when they are not really so; do not sanctifie him in their walking; he sanctifies himself, declares his holiness in his Judgments on them.
3. Mercy, in this, even under the habit of Judgment, love walks secretly and works; so loving and so wise a Father will not undo his Children by sparing the rod; but because he loves, rebukes and chastens, Heb. 12. Prov. 3. 11. Apoc. 3. His Church, his House, therefore that he may delight in it, and take pleasure to dwell in it, and make it happy with his presence, he will have it often washed, and made clean, and the filth and rubbish scoured and purged out of it: this argues his gracious purpose of abiding in it.
And as he doth it, that he may delight in his People, so that they may delight in him, and in him alone, imbiters the World's Breast to wean them; makes the World hate them, that they may the more easily hate it; suffers them not to settle upon it, and fall into a complacency with it; makes it unpleasant to them by many and sharp afflictions, that they with the more willingness may come off, and be united; and that they may remember home the more, and seek their comforts above, finding so little below, may turn in to him, and delight themselves in communion with him. That their prayers may ascend the more thick, that sweet incense, he kindles these fires of trial to them; for though it should not be so, yet so it is, that in times of ease they would grow readily remiss and formal that way.
He is gracious and wise, knows what he does with them, and the thoughts he thinks towards them is all for their advantage, purging their iniquities, Isa. 27. purges out impatience, and earthliness, and self-will, and carnal security, and thus refines them for Vessels of Honour; we see in a Jewellers Shop, that as there are Pearls and Diamonds, and other precious Stones; there are Files, cutting Instruments, and many sharp Tools for their polishing: and while they are in the Work-house they are continual Neighbours to them, and come often under them. The Church is God's Jewelry, his Work house, where his Jewels are a polishing for his Palace, and House, and those he especially esteems and means to make most resplendent, he hath oftenest his Tools upon them.
Thus observe it, as the Church to other Societies, so in it a Congregation or Family, one more diligently seeking after God than the rest, they shall readily meet with more trials, and be oftener under affliction than any of the Company; either under contempt and scorn, or poverty and sickness, or some one pressure or other, outward or inward, and those inward trials are the nearest and sharpest that the World sees least, and yet the Soul feels most: And yet all these both outward and inward have love, unspeakable love in them all, to purge and polish them by increasing of Grace to fit them for Glory.
Inf. 1. We will not be so foolish as to promise our selves impunity by our relation to God, as his Church in covenant with him; if once we thought so, sure our experience hath undeceived us, and let not what we have suffered harden us, as if the worst were past, we may rather fear its but a pledge and beginning of sharper Judgment? why do we not consider our unhumbled and unpurged condition, and tremble before the Lord? would we save him a labour, he would take it well, purge our Souls, that he may not be put to further purging by new Judgments; were we busie reading our present condition, we would see very legible foresigns of further Judgments, the Lord taking away his eminent and worthy Servants, that are as the very Pillars of the Publick Peace and Welfare, and taking away Counsel, and Courage, and Union from the rest; forsaking us in our meetings, and leaving us in the dark to grop and to rush one upon another.
2. The dissentions and jarrings in the State and Church are likely upon imagination to bring it to a reality; these unnatural burnings threaten new fires of publick Judgments to be kindled amongst us.
3. That general despising of the Gospel, and abounding of prophaneness throughout the Land, not yet purged, but our great sin remaining in us, calls for more fire and more boiling.
4. The general coldness and deadness of Spirit, want of that zeal for God, that communion of Saints; that mutual stirring up one another to Holiness, and which is to all, the restoring of Prayer, that frozen benummedness in that so necessary Work; that preventer of Judgments; that binder of the hands of God from punishments, and opener of them unto them, pouring forth of mercies; Oh! this is a sad condition in itself, though it portended no further Judgment, the Lord hiding himself, and the Spirit of Zeal and Prayer withdrawn, and scarce any lamenting it, or so much as perceiving it: where our days either of solemn Prayer or Praises, as if cause of neither, and yet clear cause of both. Truly M. B. we have need if ever to bestir our selves; are not the Kingdoms at this present brought to the extream point of their highest hazard, and yet who lays it to heart.
Inf. 2. Learn to give God right construction in all his dealings with his Church, and with thy Soul; for his Church, there may be a time wherein thou shall see it not only tossed; but, to thy thinking, covered and swallowed up with tears; but wait a little it shall arrive safe. This common stumbling stone, walk by the light of the Word, and the eye of Faith looking on it, and thou shalt pass by, and not stumble at it, the Church mourns, and Babylon sings, sits as a Queen, but for how long; she shall come down and sit in the dust, and Zion shall be glorious, and put on her beautiful Garments, and Babylon shall not look for another revelation to raise her again, no, she shall never rise. The Angel took up a Stone like a great Milstone, and cast it into the Sea, saying, Thus with violence shall the great City Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
Be not sudden, take God's work together, do not judge of it by parcels; it is indeed all Wisdom and Righteousness; but we shall best discern the beauty of it when we look on it in the frame, and when it shall be fully compleated and finisht, and our eyes enlightned to take a fuller and clearer view of it, than we can have here; Oh! what wonder? what endless wondering will it command?
We read of Ioseph hated, and sold, and imprison'd, and all most unjustly; but because within a leaf or two, we find him freed and exalted, and his Brethren coming Supplicants to him, we are satisfied: but the things that are for the present cloudy and dark, our short hasty Spirits cannot learn to wait a little till we see the other side, and what end the Lord makes; we see Iudgment beginning at the House of God, and this perplexes us, while we consider not the rest, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel? God begins the Judgment on his Church for a little time, that it may end and rest upon his enemies for ever. And indeed he leaves the wicked last in the punishment; so as he makes use of them for the punishing of his Church, they are his rod, Isa. 10. But then when he hath done that work with them, they are broken and burnt, v. 16. and that when they are at the height of insolency and boasting, not knowing what hand moves them, and smites his People with them for a while, till the da, of their consuming come, v. 24, 25. let the vile enemy that hath shed our blood, and insulted over us rejoyce in their present sparing, and in mens procuring of it, and pleading for it; there is another hand whence we may look for Justice, and though it may be the Judgment begun at us, is not yet ended, and that we may yet further (and that justly) find them our scourge, yet certainly we may, and ought to look beyond that unto the end of the Lord's work, which shall be the ruin of his Enemies, and the peace of his People, and the glory of his Name
Of them that obey not the Gospel] The end of all the Ungodly is terrible; but especially of such as heard the Gospel, and have not received and obey'd it.
The Word hath in it both Unbelief and Disobedience, and these are inseparable, Unbelief is the grand point of Disobedience in it self, and the spring of all other disobedience: and the pity is, men will not believe it to be thus.
They think it an easie, and a common thing to believe, who doth not believe? Oh! but rather, who does? who hath believed our report? were our own misery and the happiness that is in Christ believed, were the riches of Christ, and the love of Christ believed, would not this perswade men to forsake their sins, and the World to embrace him?
But men run away with an extraordinary fancy of believing, and do not deeply consider what news the Gospel brings, and how much it concerns them: sometimes it may be they have a sudden thought of it, and they think, I will think on it better at some other time; but when comes that time; one business steps in after another and shuffles it out: Men are not at leasure to be saved.
The Gospel of God.] His embassy of Peace of Men, the riches of his mercy and free love opened up and set forth, not simply to be lookt on, but laid hold on. The glorious holy God declaring his mind of agreement with Man in his own Son; his blood streaming forth in it to wash away uncleanness, and yet this Gospel not obeyed. Sure the conditions of it very hard, and the commands must be grievous, that they are not hearkened to; why, judge you if they be. The great command is that, to receive that Salvation; and the other is this, to love that Saviour, and there is no more; perfect obedience is not now the thing, and the obedience that is required, that love makes it sweet and easie to us, and acceptable to him. This is proclaimed to all that hear the Gospel, and the greatest part refuse it, they love themselves, and their lusts, and this present World, and will not change, and so they perish.
They perish? what's that? what is their end? I will answer that but as the Apostle doth, and that is even asking the question over again, what shall be their end?
There is no speaking of it▪ a Curtain drawn; silent wonder expresses it best, telling it cannot be exprest; how then shall it be endured? It is true, that there be resemblances used in Scripture, giving us some glance of it; we hear of a burning Lake, a Fire that goes not out, and a Worm that dies not; but these are but shadows to the real misery of them that obey not the Gospel; Oh! to be filled with the wrath of God, the ever living God for ever. What words or thoughts can reach it? Oh! Eternity, Eternity; Oh! that we did believe it.
This same paralel is continued in the following Verse in other terms, for the clearer expression, and deeper impression of it.