Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 14
Verse 19.
19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful creator.
NOthing doth so establish the mind in the rollings, and turbulency of present things, as both a look above them, and a look beyond them; above them, to the steady and good hand by which they are ruled, and beyond them to the sweet and beautiful end, to which by that hand, they shall be brought. This the Apostle layes here as the foundation of that patience, and peace in troubles, wherewith he would have his brethren furnisht. A…d thus he closes this in these words. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful creator.
The words contain the true principle of Christian patience, and tranquility of mind in the sufferings of this life, expressing both wherein it consists, and what are the grounds of it.
1. It lies in this committing the Soul unto God, the word foreign added is a true qualification of this, that it be in well doing, according to the preceeding Doctrine which the Apostle gives clearly and largely, ver. 15, 16. If they would have inward peace amidst outward trouble, they must walk by the rule of peace, and keep strictly to it; if you would commit your Soul to the keeping of God, know he is a holy God; and an unholy Soul that walks in any way of wickedness known, or secret, is no fit commodity to put into his pure hand to keep. Therefore as ye would have this confidence to give your holy God the keeping of your Soul, and that he accept of it, and take it off your hand, beware of willing pollutions and unholy ways; walk so as you discredit not your protector and move him to be ashamed of you, and disclaim you. Shall it be said you live under his shelter and walk inordinately? as this cannot well be, you cannot well believe it to be: loose ways will loosen your hold of him and confidence in him; you will be driven to question your interest, and to think, sure I do but delude my self; can I be under his safeguard, and yet follow the course of the World, and my corrupt heart, certainly be it who will, he will not be a guardian and patron of wickedness. No, he is not a God that hath pleasure in iniquity, Ps. 5.nor shall evil dwell with him. If thou give thy Soul to him to keep upon terms of liberty to sin, he will turn it out of his Doors, and remit it back to thee to look to, as thou wilt thy self; yea, in the ways of sin, thou dost indeed steel it back and carriest it out from him; thou puttest thy self; out of the compass of his defence; goest without the trenches, and art at thine own hazard, expos'd to armies of mischiefs and miseries.
Inf. This then is primely to be lookt to, you that would have safety in God in evil times, beware of evil ways: for in these it cannot be: if you will be safe in him, you must stay with him, and in all your ways keep within him, as your fortress; now in the wayes of sin you run out from him.
Hence 'tis we have so little establisht confidence in God in times of trial, we take ways of our own, and will be gadding, and so we are surprized and taken, as they that are often venturing out into the enemies reach, and cannot stay within the walls; 'tis no idle repetition, Psal. 91. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high, shall abide under the shaddow of the Almighty. He that wanders not out but stays there, shall find himself there hid from danger. They that rove out from God in their ways, are disquieted and tossed with fears; this is the fruit of their own ways; but the Soul that is indeed given to him▪ to keep, keeps near him.
Study pure and holy walking, if you would have your confidence firm, and have boldness and joy in God: you will find it, that a little sin will shake your trust, and disturb your peace more than the greatest sufferings, yea in those your assurance and joy in God will grow and abound most, if sin be kept out, that's the trouble feast, that unquiets the Conscience, which while it continues good, is a continual feast, so much sin as gets in, so much peace will go out; afflictions cannot break in upon it to break it, but sin doth. All the winds that blow about the Earth from all points stir it not; only that within the bowels of it makes the Earthquake.
I do not mean that for infirmities a Christian ought to be discouraged; but take heed of walking in any way of sin: for that will unsettle thy confidence: innocency and holy walking makes the Soul of a sound constitution, that the counter blasts of affliction wear not out, nor alter it not; sin makes it sickly, and crazy, that it can endure nothing; therefore study to keep your Consciences pure, and they shall be peacable, yea in the worst times readily most peacable and best furnisht with spiritual confidence and comfort.
Commit the keeping of their Souls.] The Lord is an entire protectot, he keeps the bodies, yea all that belongs to the believer, and as much as is good for him; makes all safe, keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken; yea says our Saviour the very hairs of your head are numbered But that which is in the Believers account, and in Gods account, so certainly in it self most precious, is principally committed and received into keeping, their Souls.
They would gladliest be secured in that here, that shall be safe in the midst of all hazards. That whatsoever be lost, that may not, that's the Jewel, therefore the prime care of that, if it be safe all is well, 'tis riches enough? What shall it profit a man though he gain the whole World, says our Saviour, and lose his Soul? and so what shall it disprofit a Man, though he lose the whole World, if he gain his Soul. Nothing at all.
When times of trial come, Oh! what a bustle to hide this and that, to fly, and carry away, and make safe that which is but trash and rubbish to the precious Soul, but how few thoughts of that? were we in our wits, that would be all at all times, not only in trouble, but in days of peace. Oh! how shall I make sure about my Soul; let all go as it may, can I be secured and perswaded in that point, I desire no more,
Now the way is this, commit them to God, this many say, but few do, give them into his hand, lay them up there; so the word is, and they are safe and may be quiet and composed.
In patience possess your Souls, says our Saviour; impatient freting Souls are out of themselves, their owners do not possess them. Now the way to possess them our selves in patience, is thus, to commit them to him in confidence, then we only possess them, when he keeps them. They are easily disquieted and shakt in peices while they are in our hands; but in his hand they are above the reach of dangers and fears.
Inf. Now this is the proper act of Faith, rolls the Soul over on God, ventures it in his hand, and rests satisfied concerning it, being there. And there is no way but this, to be quiet within, to be impregnable, and unmoveable in all assaults and changes fixed, believing on free love; therefore be perswaded to resolve in that, not doubting and disputing, whether shall I believe or no; shall I think he will suffer me to lay my soul upon him to keep? so unworthy, so guilty a Soul, were it not presumption; Oh! what saist thou? why doest thou thus dishonour him, and disquiet thy self; if thou hast a purpose to walk in any way of wickedness, indeed thou art not for him; yea, thou comest not near him▪ to give him thy Soul; but wouldest thou have it delivered from sin, rather then from trouble, yea rather than from hell; is that the chief safety thou seekest, to be kept from iniquity, from thine iniquity, thy beloved sins; doest thou desire to dwell in him and walk with him, then whatsoever is thy guiltiness, and unworthiness come forward, and give him thy Soul to keep; if he should seem to refuse it press it on him; if he stretch not forth his hand lay it down at his foot, and leave it there, and resolve not to take it back; say, Lord thou hast made us those Souls, thou callest for them again to be committed to thee, here is one, it is unworthy, but what Soul is not so? is most unworthy, but therein will the riches of thy grace appear most in receiving it, and leave it with him; and know he will make thee a good accompt of it. Now lose goods, or credit, or friends, or life it self, it imports not; the main is sure if so be thy Soul be out of hazard; I suffer these things for the Gospel, says the Apostle,2 Tim. 1. 12. nevertheless I am not ashamed; why? for I know whom I have trusted, and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day.
Now the ground of this confidence is in these two, in him whom we trust, ability, and fidelity. There is much in perswasion of the power of God, though few think they question that, there is in us secret undiscovered unbelief, even in that point. Therefore the Lord so often makes mention of it in the Prophets, Isa. 50. 3. &c. And in this point the Apostle particulary expresses, I am perswaded that he is able to keep, &c. So this Apostle, chap. 1. 5. Kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation▪ ready to be revealed in the last time. This very needful to be considered in regard of the many and great oppositions and dangers, the powerful enemies that seek after our Souls; He is able to keep them, for he is stronger than all, and none can pluck them out of his hand, says our Saviour. This the Apostle here hath in that word (Creator,) if he was able to give them being, sure he is able to keep them from perishing. This relation of a Creator implies likewise a benign propension and good will to the works of his hands; if he gave them us at first, when once they were not, forming them of nothing, will he not give us them again, being put into his hand for safety.
And as he is powerful, he is no less faithful, a faithful Creator▪ Truth it self. They that believe on him he never deceives nor disappoints. Well might St. Paul say, I know whom… I have trusted; Oh! the advantage of faith. It engages the truth and power of God, his royal Word and honour lies upon it to preserve the Soul, that faith gives him in keeping, if he remain able and faithful to perform his Word, that Soul shall not perish.
There be in the words other two grounds of quietness of Spirit in sufferings. (1.) It is according to the will of God. The believing Soul subjected and levelled to that complying with his good pleasure in all, cannot have a more powerful perswasive than this, that all is ordered by his will. This settled in the heart would settle it much, and make it even in all things not only to know, but wisely and deeply to consider, that it is thus; That all is measured in Heaven; every dram of thy troubles weighed by that skilful hand, that doth all in weight, number, and measure.
And then consider him as thy God, and father, who hath taken special charge of thee, and thy Soul thou hast given it to him, and he hath received it.
And upon this consideration study to follow his will in all, to have no will but his. This is thy duty and thy wisdom, nothing gained by spurning and struggling but to hurt and vex thy self; but by complying all is gained, sweet peace; it is the very secret, the mystery of solid peace within, to resign to his will, to be disposed of at his pleasure without the least contrary thought. And thus as two faced pictures, those sufferings, and troubles, and whatsoever else to look to it on the one side as painful to the flesh, hath an unpleasant visage, yet go about a little, and look upon it as thy fathers will, and then it is smiling, and beautiful, and lovely. This I would recommend to you not only for temporals as easier there, but in spiritual things, your comforts and sensible enlargements, to love all he does; its the sum of Christianity, thy will crucify'd and the will of thy Lord thy alone desire, joy or sorrow, sickness or health, life or death, in all, in all thy will be done.
The other ground is in the first word, reflecting on the foregoing discourse Wherefore; what? seeing your reproaches and sufferings are not endless; yea they are short, they shall end, and quickly end, and end in glory, be not troubled about them, overlook them, the eye of faith will do it, a moment, what are they? this is the great cause of our disquietness in present troubles and griefs, we forget their end, we are affected withour condition of this present life, as if it were all, and it is nothing. Oh! how quickly shall all the enjoyments, and all the sufferings of this life pass away, and be, as if they had not been.
Tbe End of the Fourth Chapter.