Exposition of the Two Epistles of Peter, Epistle and exposition 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse and commentary 16
Verſ. 16. As free, and not uſing your liberty for a cloak of maliciouſneſſe, but as the Servants of God.
The Apoſtle, in anſwer to an objection, which hath been in the hearts of ſome profeſſors, againſt that ſubjection, which he had preſt upon them, to Civil Magiſtrates, to wit, that their chriſtian liberty did exempt them from it; eſpecially, thoſe Magiſtrates being wicked, and pagans, bringeth in a fourth argument to preſſe the ſame: The ſum whereof is, That however Believers be brought by Jeſus Chriſt to a ſtate of true and ſpiritual freedom; Yet the Lord doth not allow them to make their chriſtian liberty a pretence or vail to cover any wickedneſſe; and conſequently, not that wickedeſſe of deſpiſing and rejecting his Ordinance of Magiſtracy; but on the contrary, doth enjoyn them all to uſe their liberty, purchaſed by Chriſt, wholly, as an engagement and motive to his ſervice. Hence Learn, 1. Believers in Jeſus Chriſt, are by him advanced to a ſtate of true liberty and freedom, which doth not conſiſt in a liberty to ſin againſt God, which is Satans ſlavery, 2 Tim. 2.26. nor in freedom from the ſweet yoke of his ſervice, whether it be in attending his Ordinances, to which he hath tied us till his ſecond coming, Mat. 28.19, 20. 1 Cor. 11.26. or the duties we owe to others of his People, Gal. 5.13. But it doth conſiſt in our freedom from the Law as a Covenant of works, by which we are not to ſeek Juſtification or Salvation, Gal. 3.18. Rom. 3.21, 22. we are free from the guilt of ſin, Tit. 2.14 from the dominion thereof, Rom. 6.22. and the curſe due thereunto, Rom. 8.1, 2. and from the yoke of Moſaical Ceremonies, Gal. 5.1. and, eſpecially, in this we are free, that we are honoured and enabled to do God acceptable ſervice, Pſa. 119.45. In all which reſpects, Believers are preſuppoſed truly, free according to the Apoſtle's conceſſion here, As free. 2. Even the Redeemed Ones by Chriſt have as much corruption remaining unmortified in their hearts after Regeneration as makes them in hazard, not only to commit wickedneſſe, and excuſe the ſame; but to make the priviledges they have through Chriſt, and particularly their chriſtian liberty, a cloak to hide it, as if ſin were no ſin in them, or as if Chriſt had purchaſed to them liberty to ſin: for, ſo much is imported in the Apoſtle's diſſwading Chriſtians here not only from refuſing ſubjection to Magiſtrates, but from defending the ſame, and uſing their liberty as a cloak of that wickedneſſe; As free, and not uſing your liberty for a cloak of maliciouſneſſe. 3. When Chriſtians ſhake off any duty preſt in the Moral Law, under a pretence that their chriſtian liberty gives them warrant ſo to do, they are then come to ſuch a height of wickedneſſe, as hath much of malice in it; eſpecially, againſt any that would oppoſe them in that courſe, and ſuch as will ſpread to more and more wickedneſſe: for, the Apoſtle ſets forth here, Chriſtians, defending their exemption from obedience to Magiſtrates, with the pretext of their chriſtian liberty, by ſuch a word as doth comprehend in the ſignification of it, all wickedneſſe; and points eſpecially, at that particular ſin of malice, or envie; Not uſing your liberty for a cloak of maliciouſneſſe. 4. Theſe iniquities which are unjuſtly charged upon all the Godly by wicked men, may be juſtly charged by the Godly themſelves upon their own hearts, as inclinable to thoſe iniquities, which do break forth in ſome: for, the Apoſtle, having in the former Verſe, called them ignorant and fooliſh men, who did ſlander all Profeſſors of Chriſtianity, as enemies to Magiſtracy, doth here warn all to beware to make their chriſtian liberty a cloak of it, while he ſaith, Not uſing your liberty as a cloak of maliciouſneſſe. 5. The right uſe which Believers ought to make of that liberty, which Chriſt hath purchaſed for them, is to be thereby the more ſtrictly engaged to his ſervice; our ſerving of Him being a great part of true chriſtian liberty, Pſal. 119.45. and one great end of God's giving a Redeemer for us, Luke 1.74. for, here the Apoſtle diſcovers wherein the right uſe of chriſtian liberty did conſiſt, to wit, that Chriſtians who are truly free, ſhould carry themſelves as the ſervants of God.