Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 7
Verse 8, 9.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
9. Whom resist, stedfast in the Faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the World.
THE Children of God if they rightly take their Father's mind, are always disburden'd of perplexing carefulness: But never exempted from diligent watchfulness. Thus we find here they are allowed, yea, enjoyned to cast all their care upon their wise and loving Father, and are secured by his care, he takes it well they lay all over on him, yea, he takes it not well they forbear him and burden themselves. He hath provided a sweet quiet life for them, could they improve and use it, a calm and firm condition in all the storms and troubles that are about them. However things go, to find content, and be careful for nothing.
Now upon this a carnal heart would imagine streight according to its sense and inclinement, as it desires to have it, so would it dream, that it is, that then a man devolving his care on God, may give up all watch and ward, and need not apply himself to any kind of duty, but this is the ignorance and perverse mistake, the reasonless reasoning of the flesh; you see these are here joyned not only as agreeable, but indeed inseparable. Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you: And withal be sober, be vigilant.
And this is the Scripture Logick,Phil. 2. it is he that worketh in you to will and to do: Then would you possibly think I need not work at all, or if I do, it may be very easily and surely; no, Therefore, says the Apostle, because he worketh in you to will and to do, work you …ut your salvation, yea, and do it with fear and trembling; work you in humble obedience to his command, and in dependance on him that worketh all in you.
Thus here, cast your care on him, not that you may be the more free to take your own pleasure and sloathful ease, but on the contrary that you may be the more active and apt to watch, being freed from the burden of vexing carefulness that would press and incumber you; you are the more nimble, as one eased of a load, to walk, and work, and watch as becomes a Christian, and for that purpose is that burden taken oft from you, that you may be more able and disposed for every duty that is laid upon you.
Observe those two connexed, and thence gather. First, There is no right believing without diligence and watchfulness joyned with it, that slothful reliance of most souls on blind thoughts of mercy, shall undo them, their faith is a dead faith, and a deadly faith, they are perishing and will not consider it, do not duely cast their care on God for their Souls, for indeed they have no such care. Secondly, The other thing is, that there is no right diligence without believing.
There is, as in other affairs, so even in Spiritual things, an anxious perplexing care, which is a distemper and disturbance to the Soul; seems to have a heat of zeal and affection in it: but is indeed not the natural right heat that is healthful, and enables for action, but a diseas'd feverish heat, that puts all out of frame, and unfits for duty, it seems to stir and further, but indeed it hinders, and does not hasten us, but so as to make us stumble, as if there were one behind a man driving and thrusting him forward, and not suffering him to set and order his steps in his course; this were the ready way instead of advancing him to weary him, and possibly give him a fall.
Such is the distrustful care that many have in their Spiritual course, a hundred questions about the way of their performances, and their acceptance, and their estate, and the issue of their endeavours: indeed we should endeavour to do all by our rule, and to walk exactly, and examine our ways especially in holy things, to seek some insight and faculty in their performance suiting their nature and end, and his greatness and purity whom we worship. This would be minded diligently, and yet calmly and composedly; for diffident doubtings do retard and disorder all, but quiet stayedness of heart on God, dependance on him and his strength for performance, and his free love in Christ for acceptance, this makes the work go kindly and sweetly on, makes it pleasing to God and refreshing to thy Soul.
Inf. Certainly thou art a vexation to thy self, and displeasest thy Lord, when thou art questioning whether thou shalt go on or no, finding in thy service so much deadness and hardness, thinking therefore that it were as good do nothing, that thou doest but dishonour him in all, now thou considerest not, that in these very thoughts, thou doest more wrong and dishonour him, than in thy worst services, callest in question his lenity and goodness, takest him for a rigorous exacter, yea, representest to thy self as a hard master, him that is the most gentle and gracious of all masters; do not use him so: indeed thou oughtest to take heed to thy foot; see how thy heart is affected in his worship, keep and watch it as thou canst; but doing so, or endeavouring to do so, however thou find it, do not think he will use rigours with thee; but the more thou observest thine own miscarriages towards him, the less he will, and to think otherwise, and fret, and repine, that thy heart is not to his mind, nor indeed to thine own, to go on in a malecontent impatience, this is certainly not this commanded watchfulness, but that forbidden carefulness.
Be sober.] This we have formerly spoke of; the Apostle having formerly exhorted it once and again in this Epistle. It were easie to entertain mens minds with new discourse, if our task were rather to please, than profit, for there be many things that with little labour might be brought forth as new and strange to ordinary hearers. But there be a few things that chiefly concern us to know and practise, and these are to … frequently represented and prest. This Apostle and other Divine Penners drew from too full a spring to be ebb of matter, but they rather chuse profitable iterations, than unprofitable variety, and so ought we.
This Sobriety is not only Temperance in meat and drink, but in all things that are of the fleshes concernment, even that of diet is, though not all, yet a very considerable part of it, and that not only hath in it, that one exceed not in the quantity or quality; but even requires a regulating our selves in the manner of using our repast: as we make not careful and studious provision, do not take up our thoughts how to please our palate; so even in the use of sober mean diet, we indeavour the mortifying of our flesh, not to eat and drink to please our selves, or satisfie our natural desire, but for God, even to propound this in our …itting down to it, in obedience to him; to use these helps of life, and the life it self to be spent in his obedience, and endeavour of advancing his glory.
It is a most shameful Idol, a Dunghill-God indeed, to serve the belly, and to delight in feastings, or in our ordinary repast, laying the reins loose on our appetite to take its own carreer: And yet in this, the most commonly offend, even persons that are not notably intemperate, neither gluttinous nor drunken and yet I say, have not that holy retained bridled way of using their repast with an eye upon an higher end.
But this Sobriety in its ample sense binds not only that sense of lust, but all the rest in the use of their several delights, yea, and in the whole man, all the affections of the Soul in relation to this World, and the things of it, to be in it as weaned from it, and raised above it in the bent of our minds, to use it as if we used it not.
This we speak and hear of, but do not apply our selves really to this rule, each hath some trifle or earthly vanity, one or more, but especially some choice one, that they cannot be taken off from, as Children readily have some toy that they set more by than the rest: We have childish hearts cleaving to vanity, one some Preferment, another some Estate, Lands, or Houses, or Money, and drunk in the pursuit of these, that when our hearts should be fixed on Divine Exercises they cannot stand, but reel too and fro, or stumble down and fall asleep▪ roving after these thoughts of it, which we affect, staggering ever and anon, or else so implunged in them all the time, that we are as asleep in them.
Therefore these two are here, and ordinarily, joyned be sober and watchful. Glutting our selves either with the delight or with the desires and cares of earth makes us sleepy, the fumes that arise from them surcharge us, and cast us into a deep sleep, a secure unminding of God and of our selves, the interest of our immortal Souls.
The pleasures of sense too gross for the Divine Soul, for so it is by original, but we abase it and make it flesh by those gross earthly things, and make it unfit to rise heavenwards; as insobriety, intemperance in dyet prejudices the very natural Spirits, making them dull, clogs their passage, and makes them move as a Coach in a miry way, thus doth all inordinate use and love of inferiour things, make the Soul of a low heavy constitution that it cannot move freely in any thing that is spiritual, yea where there is some truth of grace, yet is it obstructed and dull'd by taking in too much of the World, and feeding on it, which is no more proper for the finest of it, for the Soul, than the course plowmans dyet is for delicate tender bodies of higher breeding, yea the disproportion is far greater.
If then you would have free Spirits for Spiritual things, keep them at a spare dyet in all things temporal; let not out your hearts to any thing here below, learn to delight in God, and seek to tast of his transcendent sweetness that will perfectly disrelish all lower delights; so your sobriety in abstaining from them shall be still further recompenc'd with more enjoyment of God, and you shall not lose pleafure by denying the pleasures of earth, but change them for those that are unspeakably better and purer, in their stead; he shall communicate himself unto you, the light of whose countenance feeds and satisfies the glorified Spirits that are about his Throne.
Be vigilant.] This watchfulness joyned with it extends to all the estates and ways of a Christian being surrounded with hazards and snares. He that despiseth his way shall die, says Solomon: the most do thus, walk at a random, give attendance on publick Worship, and have some customary way of private prayer, but further do not eye how they walk, what is their carriage all the day long, what they speak, how they are in company, and how alone, which way their hearts go early and late, what it is that steals away most of their affection from God.
Oh! My beloved, knew we our continual danger, it would shake us out of this miserable dead security that possesses us, we think not on it, but there are snares laid for us all the way, in each path we walk in and each step of it, in our meat and drink, in our calling and labour, in our house at home, in our journeying abroad, yea even in Gods House and in our spiritual exercises; both there and in private, knew we, or at least considered we this, we would choose our steps more exactly, and look to our ways, to our words, our thoughts, which truly, whatsoever noise we make, we really do not; ponder the path of thy feet, says Solomon, and before that, let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye lids look straight before thee, Prov. 425, 26. And further, put away away a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. But first of all as the main reason and spring of all, Keep thy Heart with all diligence, or above all keeping▪ for out of it are the issues of life.
Because your adversary the Devil.] An allarm to watch fulness is here given from the watchfulness of our grand adversary, there be other two usually ranked with him, as the leading enemies of our Souls, the World and our own Flesh, but here is he expresly named that commands in chief, and orders, and manages the War, uses the service of the other two against us, as prime Officers under which most of the forces of particular tentations are ranked, some others there be that he immediately commands and leads on himself, a Regiment of his own, some spiritual tentations.
And we have need to be put in mind of the hostility and practises of Satan against us, for if the most were po…'d cut, they would be forc't to confess that they very seldom think on their spiritual danger from this hand. As we keep loose guard against the allurements of the World and of our own corruption, we watch not against the devices of Satan, but go on by guess and suspect nothing, and so are readily a prey to all.
The least enemy being despised and neglected, as Men observe, proves often too great, the smallest appearances of evil, the least things that may prejudge our spiritual good, while we make no reckoning of them, may do us great mischief; our not considering them makes them become considerable, especially being under the command of a vigilant and skillful leader, that knows how to improve advantages. Therefore in things, that we many times account petty and not worthy our notice, as having any evil in them, we should learn to suspect the address of this adversary, who usually hides himself and couches under some covert, till he may appear irresistable, seize on us, and then indeed he roars.
And this seeking the destruction of Souls is (you see) mark… as all his work, the prey he hunts is Souls, that they may be as miserable as himself. Therefore justly called our adversary, the enemy of holiness and of our Souls, tempting to sin, and then accusing for sin, as his name here imports, appearing against us upon the advantages he hath gained; studies our nature and fits his tentations, knows the prevalency of lust, or earthliness, or that great and most general evil of pride, so like himself, and that is his Throne in the Heart, sometimes he boweth down, as it is said of the Lyon, Ps. 10. He waits his opportunity crastily, and then assaults fiercely, and the Children of God find sometimes so much violence of his tentations, that they surprize them, and such horrid thoughts cast in, as poysoned arrows or fiery darts, as the Apostle speaks; and this his enmity, though it is against Man generally, yet is most enrag'd against the Children of God, goes about and spies where we are weakest, and amongst them most, against those that are most advanc'd in holiness and nearest unto God
They were once under his power, and now being escaped from him he pursues, as Pharoah with all his forces, as a prey that was once in his den, and under his paw, and now is rescu'd, he rages and roars after it.
The resemblance hath in it, his strength, his diligence, and his cruelty. His strength, a Lyon; his diligence, going about and seeking: His cruelty, roaring and seeking to devour.
Inf. Is it not most reasonable hence to press watchfulness, to keep continual watch to see what comes in and what goes out, to try what is under every offer of the World, every motion of our own natural hearts, whether there be not some treachery, some secret intelligence or no? especially after a time of some special seasons of grace, and some special new supplies of grace received in such seasons, as after the Holy Sacrament, then will he set on most eagerly, when he knows of the richest booty; the Pyrats that lets the Ships pass as they go by empty, watch them well when they return richly loaden: so doth this great Pyrate.foreign Did he not assault our Saviour straight after his Baptism?
And that we may watch to be sober, the instruction is military, a Souldier drunk is not fit to be on the watch; this most of us are with our several fancies and vanities, and so exposed to this adversary; yea, when we have gained some advantage in a conflict, or when the enemy seems to retire and be gone, yet even then to be watchful, yea then especially; how many presuming on false safeties that way, and sitting down to carouze, or lying down to sleep, have been reassaulted and cut off.Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam. Oh! beware when you think your selves most safe, that very thought makes you least safe, keep always your Spirits free of surcharges, and lavish profusion upon the World, applying your hearts to any thing in it, siting down to't. Oh! no. Gideons Army fit to follow God and be victorious in him, not lying down to drink, but taking of it only as for necessity in passing. Take our Saviours own word, Take heed lest at anytime your hearts be surcharged with surfetings, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life: those will overcharge you, and make you drunk and cast you asleep.
Oh! mind your work and your warfare always more than your ease and pleasure, seek it not here, your rest is not here, (Oh! poor short rest, if it were:) but follow the Lord Jesus through conflicts and sufferings: a little while and you shall have certain victory, and after it everlasting triumph, rest and pleasure, and a feast that shall not end, where there is neither danger of surfetting nor wearying, but pure and perpetual delight; in this perswasion you should be abstinent and watchful, and endure hardship as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle speaks, not entangling your selves with the affairs of this life, and thus be ready for encounters, stand watching, and if assaulted, resist.
Whom resist stedfast in the faith.] To watchfullness courage would be joyned, he that watches and yields seems rather to watch to receive than to resist the enemy.
And this resistance would be continued even against multiplyed assaults,foreign Plut. in Vita Mar…el. for thou hast to deal with an enemy that will not easily give over, but will try several ways, and will redouble his on sets, sometimes very thick to weary thee out, sometimes after a little forbearance interpos'd to catch thee unawares when he is not expected; but in all faint not, but be stedfast in thy resistance.
This is easie said, but how may it be, how shall I be able so to do? Thus, stedfast in the faith. The most of Men are under the power of one of these two evils, Security or Distrust; and out of the one we readily fall into the other. Therefore the Apostle frames his exhortations and the arguments of it in opposition to both these. First against Security in the former verse, Be sober and watch, and presses that by the proper argument of great and continuing danger. Here against distrust. Whom resist stedfast in the faith. And adds an encouraging consideration of the common condition of the Children of God in the World.
Stedfast, or solid, by faith. This is absolutely necessary for resistance, a Man cannot fight upon a quagmire, no standing out without a standing, some firm ground to foot upon, and this faith alone furnishes, lists the Soul up to the firm advanced ground of the Promises, and fastens it there, and there it is sure, even as Mount Sion, that cannot be removed. He says not stedfast by your own resolutions and purposes, but stedfast by faith, the power of God by faith becomes ours, for that is contain'd and engag'd in the Word of Promise; faith lays hold there, and there finds Almighty strength, and this is our victory, says the Apostle St. Iohn, whereby we overcome the World, even our faith, so it is our victory whereby we overcome the Prince of this World.
Whom resist stedfast in the faith.] And universally all difficulties, and all enemies are overcome by faith, faith sets the stronger Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah against this roaring Lyon of the bottomless pit, that delivering Lyon against this devouring Lyon.
When the Soul is surrounded with enemies on all hands so that there is no way of escape, faith flies above them, carries up the Soul and takes refuge in Christ, and there is safe, that's the power of faith, sets a Soul in Christ, and there it looks down upon all tentations, as at the bottom of the Rock breaking themselves into foam. When the floods of tentations rise and gather, so great and many that the Soul is even ready to be swallow'd up, then by Faith it says, Lord Jesus thou art my strength, I look to thee for deliverance, now appear for my help; and thus it overcomes, guilt of sin, that's answered by his blood, power of sin conquered by his spirit, and afflictions that arise are nothing to these, his love and gracious presence makes them sweet and easie.
We mistake if we think to do any thing, or be any thing without him; and we mistake again, if we think any thing too hard to be done or suffered with him: without me you can do nothing, says he, and I am able to do all things, or can all things, (so the Apostles word is,) through Christ that strengthens me. All things. Oh! that is a big word, yet a true word, and thus made good through Christ impowering me; that frees it both from falsehood and vanity. A humble confidence, for it is not in himself, but in Christ and this boasting is good, my Soul shall make her boast in God, says David. Oh! they have only warrant to boast and to triumph even before the victory, that do it in that stile, and may give a challenge to all the World, to all adverse powers of Earth and Hell: as the Apostle doth in his own and every Believers name, Rom. 8. 38. see the victory recorded, and in this same way, Apec. 12. 11. and they overcame him. But how? by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony; that blood, and the word of their testimony believing that word concerning that blood: these are the strength and victory of a Christian.
Inf. Although then thou seest thy self the most witless and weakest, and findest thy self nothing but a prey to the powers of darkness, yet know that by believing, the wisdom and strength of Christ is thine, thou art and oughtest to find thy self all weakness, but he is all strength, almightiness it self. Learn to apply his victory, and so it is thine, be strong, how? in him, and the power of his might. But thou wilt say I am often foiled, yea, I cannot find that I prevail at all against mine enemies, but they still against me: yet rely on him, he can turn the chase in an instant, still cleave to him, when the whole powers of thy Soul are, as it were, scatter'd and routed, rally them by believing, draw thou but into the standard of Jesus Christ, and the day shall be thine: for victory follows that standard, and cannot be severed from it, yea, though thou find the smart of divers stroaks, yet think, that often a wounded Souldier hath won the day; believe, and it shall be so with thee.
And remember that thy foiles, through the wisdom and love of thy God, may be ordered to advance the victory, to put courage and holy anger into thee against thine enemies, to humble thee and drive thee from thine own imagined strength, to make use of his real strength, and be not hasty, think not at very first to conquer, many a hard conflict must thou resolve for, and often be brought very low, almost to a desperate point, that to thy sense 'tis past recovery, then 'tis his time to step in, even in the midst of their prevailing, let God but arise, and his enemies shall be scattered: Thus the Church hath found it in her extremities, and thus likewise the believing Soul.
Knowing that the same afflictions, &c.] There is one thing much troubles the patience, and weakens the Faith of some Christians, that they are ready to think there is none, yea, there was never any beloved of God in such a condition as theirs. Thus sometimes they swell even their outward trials in imagination, but oftner their inward, which are most heavy and pressing to themselves, and the parallel of them least discernable by them in others. Therefore the Apostle St. Paul breaks this conceit, 1 Cor. 10. and here is the same truth, The same afflictions, &c.
Inf. We had rather hear of ease, and cannot, after all that is said, bring our hearts to comply with this, that tentations and troubles are the Saints portion here, and that this is the royal way to the Kingdom. Our King led in it, and all his followers go the same way, and besides the happy end of it, is it not sweet, even for this simply, because he went in it? yet this is the Truth, and, taken altogether, is a most comfortable Truth, the whole Brotherhood, all our Brethren go in it, and our eldest Brother went first.