Exposition of the Two Epistles of Peter, Epistle and exposition 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse and commentary 18
Verſ. 18. Servants be ſubject to your maſters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alſo to the froward.
The ſecond exhortation to the ſtudy of holineſſe, for ſhewing forth the praiſes of God, is directed to Chriſtian Servants, in which rank the greateſt number of Believers then were, who ſeem to have been in hazard, under pretence of their chriſtian liberty, not only to ſhake off ſubjection to Magiſtrates, (as was ſhewen before) but to their particular Maſters (the moſt part whereof were alſo at that time Heathens) unto whom, the Apoſtle preſſeth Chriſtian Servants to give ſubjection and obedience, with all fear, to wit, of offending God, or their Maſters; and that not only to the better and more equitable ſort of them, but even to the more auſtere and inhumane. Hence Learn, 1. As the Children of the Lord in the meaneſt and hardeſt condition wherein his providence doth caſt them, may be inſtrumentall in bringing ſome glory to Him; So, He is eſpecially glorified by them in their conſcionable diſcharge of the particular duties of that relation wherein they are fixed: for, the Apoſtle (having ſhewen the end of all Believers priviledges, to be, that they might ſhew forth the praiſes of God, ver. 9.) holdeth forth this to perſecuted Chriſtian Servants, as one principal way of ſhewing forth His praiſes; Servants be ſubject to your Maſters. 2. One wrong principle, being admitted in the minds of Chriſtians, concerning the matters of God, may be the occaſion and riſe of manifold diſorders in their practice: for, it is clear from the former purpoſe, that the miſtake of Chriſtians, concerning the nature of their chriſtian liberty, did make them apprehend themſelves exempted from ſubjection to Magiſtracy; and by this exhortation immediatly ſubjoyned, compared with 1 Cor. 7.20, 21, 22. it doth appear that the ſame miſtake hath prevailed, to make Servants apprehend exemption from ſubjection to their Heathen Maſters, which makes the Apoſtle find it neceſſary to preſſe them to this duty, Servants be ſubject to your Masters. 3. Although there be ſome of the great ones of the earth, given by the Father to Chriſt the Mediator, who will therefore receive Him, and ſubject themſelves to Him, Pſal. 72.10. Yet the moſt part of. His Subjects and Servants are of the pooreſt and meaneſt in the world, whom He chooſes, to commend the freedom of His grace, and the condeſcendency of His love, which often lights upon the Servant, and paſſeth by the Maſter: for, it would ſeem, there hath not been many Magiſtrates or Maſters in thoſe Nations where theſe believing Hebrews, to whom the Apoſtle writes, were ſcattered, who have been fit to be ſpoken to, which makes the Apoſtle omit them, and ſpeak to their Subjects in the former words, and to their Servants here, Servants be ſubject to your Maſters. 4. Chriſtian liberty, doth not exempt Chriſtian Servants from ſubjection to their Maſters, though they were Heathens, but doth conſiſt with obeying all their lawful commands heartily, and as ſervice to God, Col. 3.22, 23. in giving due reſpect to their perſons, as being placed above them, as the word here ſignifieth: for, this is here preſt upon the choſen Generation, and ſuch as were truly free by Jeſus Chriſt; Servants be ſubject to your Maſters, 5. Not only the immediate acts of God's Worſhip and Service, ſhould be gone about with much fear and reverence to Him in the heart, Pſal. 2.11. but even theſe outward duties, which we owe to men, ſhould be ſeaſoned therewith, that ſo Chriſtians, even while they are employed in moſt common duties, may be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. for, this is the qualification of that ſubjection, which Chriſtian Servants owe to their Maſters, Be ſubject with all fear. 6. It may be the lot of the Lords deareſt People, not only to be in the rank of Servants, which is a part of their likeneſs to their Lord for His outward ſtate in the fleſh, Philip. 2.7. but likewiſe to be, by divine providence, put to ſerve Heathens, and the worſt of Heathens, that ſo the Lord may make them inſtrumental to do good to ſome of theſe, 2 King. 5.2, 3. or convince them that God is with their Servants, Gen. 31.44. for, here the Apoſtle ſuppones ſome of the choſen Generation, and the peculiar People, to be Servants to Heathens, and to froward and perverſe Heathens. 7. Although all that are without the ſaving knowledge of God in Chriſt, be in a like damnable and curſed eſtate, Eph. 2.3. Yet there may be amongſt them much difference of diſpoſition, ſome of them being of a more bountiful and liberal temper, as the word, here rendered good, may ſignifie, Mat. 20.15. and leſſe rigid in exacting all that in ſtrict juſtice they might, as the word, tranſlated gentle, doth import; others of them more perverſe and harder to have dealing with, according to the ſignification of this word froward: which difference, doth mainly flow from the Lord's various diſpenſation of the gifts of nature, and his common influences for improving the ſame, according to His Soveraign pleaſure: for, here among wicked and heathen Maſters, there are ſome good and equitable, or moderate, to wit, in compariſon of ſome others of them, and there are others who are more perverſe or froward. 8. The wickedneſſe of thoſe, to whom in God's providence Chriſtians are tied by any relation, doth not exempt them from making conſcience of the duties of that relation toward thoſe to whom they are tied; the ground of our duty, not being the qualification of the perſon to whom we owe it, but the Command of God obliging us to it: Servants be ſubject to your Maſters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alſo to the froward.