Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 7
Verse 9.
9. Use Hospitality one to another without grudging.
THE particular of Hospitality or kindness to strangers, being in those times, and places in much use in travel, and particulary needful often among Christians one to another then, by reason of hot and general persecutions; but under the name of this, are compris'd, I conceive, all other supply of the wants of our Brethren in outward things.
Now for this, the way and measure indeed must receive its proportion from the estate and ability of persons. But certainly the great straitning of hands in these things is more from the straitness of hearts than of means: a large heart with a little estate, will do with much cheerfulness, and little noise; while hearts glewed to the poor riches they possess, or rather are possest by, can scarce part with any thing, till they be pull'd from all.
Now for supply of our brethrens necessities, one good help is, the retrenching of our own superfluities, turn the stream into that channel where it will refresh thy brethren, and enrich thy self; and let it not run into the dead Sea; Thy vain excessive entertainments, thy gaudy variety of dresses, these thou dost not challenge, thinking its of thine own, but know as follows, thou art but Steward of it, and this is not faithful laying out, canst not answer it, yea its robbery thou robbest thy poor brethren that want necessaries, whilst thou lavishest thus on unnecessaries; such a feast, such a suit of apparel, direct robbry in the Lords eye, and the poor may cry, that is mine that you cast away so vainly, by which both I and you might be profited. Prov. 3. 27. 28.
Without grudging.] Some look to the actions, but few to the intention and posture of mind in them; and yet that is the main, 'tis all indeed, even with Men so far as they can perceive it, much more with thy Lord, who always perceives it to be full. He delights in the good he does his creatures: he would have them so to one another, especially his Children to have this tract of his likeness. See then, when thou givest alms or entertainest a stranger, that there be nothing either of under grumbling, or crooked self seeking in it. Let the left hand have no hand in it, not so much as know of it, as our Saviour directs, not to please Men, or to please thy self, or simply out of a natural pity or consideration of thy own possible incidency into the like case, which many think very well, if they be so moved: but here a higher principle moving thee, love to God, and to thy Brother, in, and for him; this will make it cheerful, and pleasant to thy self, and well pleasing to him, for whom thou dost it. We lose much in actions of themselves good, both of piety and charity, through disregard of our hearts in them: and nothing will prevail with us, to be more intent this way, to look more on our hearts, but this, to look more on him, that looks on them, and Judges, and accepts all according to them.
Though all the sins of former Ages gather, and fall into the latter times, this is pointed out as the grand evil, uncharity. The Apostle St. Paul, 2. Timoth. 3. 2. tells that in the last days, Men shall be covetous, slanderers, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God: But how, from whence all this confluence of evils. The spring of all set first, and that is the direct opposite of Christian love, they shall be [foreign] lovers of themselves. This is it, that kills the love of God, and the love of our Brethren, and kindles that infernal fire of love to please themselves, riches make Men voluptuous, and covetous, &c. Truly whatsoever become of Mens curious compute of times; this wretched selfness, and decay of love may save us this labour of much Chronological debate in this, and the certain character of them conclude, these to be the latter times, in a very strict sense. All other sins are come down along, and run combined now, but truly uncharity is the main one, as old age is a rendevouze or meeting place of maladies, but especially subject to cold diseases; thus is it, in the old Age of the World many sins, but especially coldness of love, as our Saviour foretells it, that in the last days the love of many shall wax cold, as the diseases of the youth of the World, was the abounding of last, Gen. 6. so of its Age, decay of love, and as that heat called for a total deluge of waters, so this coldness for fire to the kindling an universal fire,[Aquae propter ardorem libidinis, ignis propter teporem charitatis.] that shall make an end of it, and the World together.
But they … are the happy Men, and have the advantage of all the World, in whom the World is burnt up before hand, by another fire, that Divine Fire of the love of God, kindled in their hearts, by which they ascend up to him, and are reflected from him upon their Brethren with a benign heat and influence for their good. Oh! be unsatisfied with your selves, and re…dess till you find it thus, your hearts possest with this excellent grace of love, that you may have it, and use it, and it may grow by using, and acting. I could, methinks, heartily study on this, and weary you with the iterated pressing this one thing, if there were hopes in so wearying you, to weary you out of these evils that are contrary to it, and in pressing this grace, to make any real impression of it upon your hearts: besides all the further good that follows it, there is in this love it self, so much peace, and sweetness, that aboundantly pays it self, and all the labour of it; whereas pride, and malice do fill the heart with continual vexations, and disquietness, and eat out the very bowels wherein they breed. Aspire to this to be wholy bent, not only to procure, or desire hurt to none; but to wish, and seek the good of all and for those that are in Christ, sure that will unite thy heart to them, and stir thee up, according to thy opportunities and power to do them good, as parts of Christ, of the same body with thy self.