Exposition of the Two Epistles of Peter, Epistle and exposition 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse and commentary 15
Verſ. 15. For ſo is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men.
The Apoſtle repeateth in ſubſtance, his firſt argument, whereby he did preſſe upon Profeſſors of Chriſtianity, ſubjection to lawfull Magiſtrates, to wit, that this was now plainly revealed to be the will of Him, who is above all Magiſtrates: and withall, he addeth a third, That Chriſtians reſpective carriage toward Magiſtrates ſhould prove an effectual mean of confuting the calumnies of unreaſonable men; who, being inraged againſt the Lord's People, did repreſent them as enemies to Civil Government, that ſo they might raiſe perſecution againſt them. Hence Learn, 1. It is not ſo much the fear of hazard, for neglect of duty, or the apprehenſion of advantage by the performance of it as the conſideration of the will of the Lord, which ſhould be the prime and m…ſt prevalent motive of Chriſtians to their duty; co…ring, that his will (though never ſo far above our natural reaſon, and contrary to our natural inclination … is the rule of Righteouſneſs, Rom. 12.2. in our obedience whereof our welfare doth conſiſt, Mark 3.35. for, the Apoſtle having ſuggeſted this before, ver. 13. as a motive to this ſame duty, holdeth it forth here again more expreſly; for ſo is the will of God. 2. Diſaffection to Civil Government and Magiſtracy, is an old ſlander which hath been ordinarily given in againſt the Godly by wicked men, who hate to the death thoſe, who, by their holy walking do reprove and ſhame their profanity; and therefore labour to engage thoſe in power againſt them, as their enemies, Prov. 29.10. for, as it was ordinarily charged upon the Servants and People of God of old, Jer. 37.13. Ezra 4.12, 13. So the Apoſtle, preſcribing a way to theſe Chriſtian Hebrews how to ſilence ſuch ſlanders, importeth, that it was, in his time, the ordinary tryal of the Godly to whom he writeth, That with well doing ye may put to ſilence, &c. 3. Although it be fitting ſometimes for the Lord's People, to uſe verbal apologies for their own clearing, and other lawful means of defence againſt falſe aſperſions, Act. 24.10, &c. and 25.8. Yet a holy and chriſtian carriage, is the moſt powerful mean (though it be more ſeldom made uſe of than any) to confute the calumnies of wicked men; and to bind up their mouthes (were they never ſo enraged) from ſpeaking againſt the Godly? for, the Apoſtle, having recommended this mean for this end before, ver. 12. preſcribeth it here again, importing the fitneſſe of it for the end for which he preſſeth it, and likewiſe ſome unwillingneſs in people to make uſe of it; That with well doing ye may put to ſilence (in which word, there is a metaphor taken from the putting of a muſle upon the mouth of ſome wild beaſt, or mad-dog, ſuch as the malicious ſlanderers of God's People are) the ignorance of fooliſh men. 4. The ground of wicked mens malice, which vents it ſelf againſt the Godly in ſlanders, and in miſ-repreſentations of them, eſpecially to men in power, is, that they are groſly ignorant, to wit, of the terror of that God who reſents the leaſt wrong done to his Servants, as done to himſelf, Zech. 2.8. and of the due ſubordination of men in Authority to Him, by reaſon whereof, His People may diſobey their ſinful commands, without any wrong to their Office, or diſreſpect to their Perſons, Act. 4.19. for, here the Apoſtle leads the Lord's People, to take the malicious calumnies of wicked men, for the language of their ignorance, that ſo they might rather pity and pray for them, than ſtudy to requite them, as their Lord did upon the ſame conſideration, Luke 23.34. while he thus directs, with well doing put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men. 5. They who imploy their wit to make the Lord's People odious, and bring them under hazard from thoſe that are in power over them, although they may have as much uſe of it as may get them the car and favour of them that are in power, and may prevail by their calumnies to bring trouble upon the Godly; Yet, are they really and in Gods eſteem, mad and demented, as the word here ſignifieth, ſeing by their ſo doing they run the hazard of the wrath of Him, who is a jealous and a terrible God againſt his Peoples enemies, Iſa. 49.14, 17. for, the Apoſtle's ſcope and ſtrain here, doth import, that malicious ſlanders of the Godly, given-in to thoſe in Authority, had ſuch acceptance and weight with them, as to occaſion the riſe of perſecution from them againſt the Godly: and yet thoſe who gave in theſe ſlanders, are here repreſented by the Spirit of God as ignorant and fooliſh men.