Exposition of the Two Epistles of Peter, Epistle and exposition 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse and commentary 4, 5
Verſ. 4. To whom coming, as unto a living ſtone, diſallowed indeed of men, but choſen of God, and precious,
5. Ye alſo as lively ſtones, are built up a ſpiritual houſe, a holy Prieſthood, to offer up ſpiritual ſacrifices, acceptable unto God by Jeſus Christ.
Here is the fifth motive to the hearty receiving of the Word, taken from the great advantage of daily cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt offered therein: and this advantage the Apoſtle ſets forth in ſeveral branches; as firſt, That Chriſt ſhould prove Himſelf a living; and, ſecondly, a ſolid foundation, to ſuch as by Faith build themſelves upon Him. Thirdly, That however the moſt part of men reject Him as unworthy to be their choice, yet is He the Father's choice, and, as our Mediatour, in high eſteem with Him, and therefore worthy to be our choice, and daily to be made uſe of, ver. 4. Fourthly, That they who do cloſe with Him, as the Goſpel offers Him, ſhall be made in ſome meaſure conform to Him in ſpiritual life and ſtability. Fifthly, That their union with Chriſt, and the reſt of the Saints, ſhould be growing more and more ſtrait. Sixthly, That ſo they ſhould be made fit for entertaining communion with Himſelf, dwelling in them by his Spirit, as in his ſpiritual Temple. And ſeventhly, That by their ſo doing, they ſhould prove themſelves to be a People conſecrated to the Lord (as the Prieſts were of old) to offer up their prayers, praiſes, and other parts of their Worſhip, which Chriſt, to whom they are dayly coming, doth make well-pleaſing to the Father, ver. 5. From ver. 4. Learn, 1. With how much greater deſire we do receive the Truths of the Goſpel, by ſo much the more do we come nearer to Jeſus Chriſt offered therein, to enjoy a comfortable communion with Him, and to partake of the benefits purchaſed by Him: for, if we obſerve the current of the Apoſtle's ſpeech, we may ſee that in ſtead of ſhewing the advantages of receiving the Goſpel, he ſhews the advantages of cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt, offered therein, importing theſe two to be one; To whom coming, as unto a living ſtone. 2. It is not enough that ſinners once come to Chriſt for life, and do cloſe with Him, as the Word offers Him to them; but they muſt make a trade, and a life of coming to Him, daily renewing and ſtrengthening the acts of their Faith in Him, for pardon and furniture for every thing they have to do, there being much diſtance ſtill remaining betwixt Him and the beſt while they are here, 2 Cor. 5.8. Pſ. 73.28. and ſtill a nearer communion with Him attainable, Philip. 3.13. for, coming to Chriſt, which in Scripture is believing in Him, Joh. 6.35. is here preſt upon thoſe who had believed in Him before, and that by ſuch a word in the preſent time, as ſignifies the continuation and renewing of the acts of Faith: To whom coming, &c. 3. There is no growth in grace or holineſs, nor in ability to oppoſe our corruptions, except we be thus coming frequently to Jeſus Chriſt, in whom the fulneſs of grace is, Col. 1.19. and who is both our righteouſneſs, and our ſtrength for all we have to do, Iſa. 45.24. for, this coming to Chriſt here preſt, may be looked upon as the mean of growth in mortification and every grace, as is clear by comparing this, to whom coming, &c. with what goeth before, and follows after. 4. All that come to Jeſus Chriſt ſhall find Him a ſolid foundation to reſt upon, able to bear them and all their burdens, conſtant in His love to them, and in the fulfilling of all His undertakings; and as ſuch, He is daily to be cloſed with: for, for theſe and the like cauſes, He is here ſet forth, as the object of Faith, under the ſimilitude of a ſtone, 5. Chriſt is a living foundation for ſinners to build themſelves upon, having life in Himſelf eſſentially, Joh. 5.26. and communicating life ſpiritual and eternal, to every ſoul that cloſes with Him, 1 Joh. 5.12. for, ſo alſo is he here propoſed, as the object of ſaving Faith, to whom coming, as unto a living ſtone. 6. Felt deadneſs ſhould not keep any ſoul back from Jeſus Chriſt, who ſee need of life from Him, and hazard of eternal death without Him, it being impoſſible to attain to ſpiritual or eternal life but by cloſing with Him, Joh. 6.51. for, coming to Him, as to a living ſtone, imports, that the deſire of life, ſhould draw ſouls that do find much deadneſs ſpiritual, and do fear death eternal to Him; To whom coming, as to a living ſtone. 7. There is not another rock or foundation-ſtone, whereupon the Church or any true Member thereof, can be built, but Jeſus Chriſt himſelf. The Prophets and Apoſtles, are only called the foundation, Eph. 2.20. in ſo far as they hold out, in their Doctrine, this living foundation: and this Apoſtle, by that Rock, whereupon Chriſt ſaid He would build His Church, Mat. 16.18. did not underſtand himſelf, or his ſucceſſours, (though never ſo faithfull Miniſters) but Jeſus Chriſt Himſelf, whom he had a little before confeſſed to be this living ſtone: and therefore he thus holds Him forth here; To whom coming, as unto a living ſtone. 8. Though Chriſt be a ſolid and living foundation for ſinners to reſt upon, Yet is He rejected by the moſt part of men, as unworthy to be their choice, He having little outward glory to draw hearts toward Him, Iſa. 53.2. and all men being naturally blind concerning His ſpiritual excellency, 2 Cor. 4.4. and their own need of Him, Rev. 3.17. and there being but a very few, in compariſon of the reſt, that are given unto Him, to be ſaved by Him, Job. 12.39. therefore is it that He is diſallowed indeed of men. 9. Others rejecting of Chriſt, ſhould be ſo far from diſcouraging His own to cloſe with Him, and make uſe of Him, that by the contrary, it ſhould move them to a more hearty and frequent cloſing with Him, being confident that He ſhall deal the better with them, that they are not hindered or diſcouraged by the example of rejecters, from cloſing with Him: for, even this may be alſo looked upon, as having the ſtrength of an argument to move thoſe who have hitherto been ſtrangers to Chriſt, to come now to Him; and thoſe who are near, to come yet nearer, that He is diſallowed indeed of men. 10. Chriſt is diſallowed, when he is not fled to, and made uſe of, for that life and reſt, and other advantages to be had in Him: for, in oppoſition to Believers coming to Him, and uſe-making of Him, He is ſaid to be diſallowed indeed of men. 11. Jeſus Chriſt, not only as He is God, but as He is our Mediatour, is, and hath been from eternity, Prov. 8.30. the Father's choice and delight, in higheſt eſteem with Him; which is evidenced by the Father's giving all things into His hand for our good, Mat. 11.27. and all for that very end, that He may be honourable in our eſteem, Joh. 5.23. by His hearing of Him as our Interceſſour in all His petitions, Joh. 11.42. and hearing all our lawfull deſires for His ſake, Joh. 16.23. and by the unſpeakable terrour which He will manifeſt againſt rejecters of Him, beyond what other ſinners ſhall find, Heb. 10.28, 29. All which do prove, that as our Mediatour, He is moſt dear and precious to the Father, and worthy is He to be ſo, there being none in heaven or in earth fit for that work of Redemption but He, Rev. 5.4, 5. Therefore is He choſen of God, and precious. 12. The Father's high eſteem of, and delighting in, the Mediatour Chriſt, ſhould move ſinners to come to Him, to chooſe Him for their portion, and to delight in Him, being confident that their ſo doing cannot but be well-pleaſing to the Father, who hath choſen Him that He may welcom ſinners, and hath fitted Him to be all things to them that may contribute for their bleſſedneſs, 1 Cor. 1.30. for, this is a motive of coming to Him, that He is choſen of God, and precious.
From ver. 5. Learn, 1. Chriſt's way of engaging the hearts of His own to a daily uſe-making of Him, is by propoſing to them, in His Word, the ſweet advantages, and rich priviledges, which they ſhall have by their ſo doing: with the conſideration whereof, he allows them to move their own hearts to perſeverance in that exerciſe: for, this Verſe doth contain a bundle of advantages and priviledges, that ſouls have by daily uſe-making of Chriſt, branched out to move them thereunto, to wit, That by their coming to Him, as to a living ſtone, they alſo as lively ſtones are built up a ſpiritual houſe, &c. 2. Every renewed act of Faith, cloſing with Chriſt, as the Scripture holds Him forth, doth draw from Chriſt ſome new increaſe of ſpiritual life, whereby the ſoul is made more ſenſible of ſin, hath more appetite after Chriſt and His Truth, and more activity in duties that may honour Him; all which, are effects of ſpiritual life, and reſemblances betwixt it and the natural life: for, this is here made a prevailing motive to that coming to Chriſt, which is recommended to ſinners in the former Verſe, that they who did ſo, ſhould be made lively ſtones, which muſt be underſtood of an increaſe of ſpiritual life, it being ſpoken to them, who are ſuppoſed before to have been born again. 3. Even as Believers are holden throng in daily employing, and uſe-making of Chriſt, ſo do they make progreſs in grace and holineſs, ſo do they alſo become ſolid, and fixed in their underſtanding of the Truth, that they may not be carried about with every wind of doctrine, conſtant in their love to Chriſt, and in their believing of His love to them, and eſtabliſhed in their walking like unto His Truths: for, in oppoſition to the unſetledneſs of miſ-believers, and of them who do not live in the daily imploying of Chriſt, but reſt upon their meaſures received, thoſe that are daily coming to Him, are here ſaid to be lively ſtones, built up, &c. importing, beſide their progreſs, a ſtate of ſtability and fixedneſs, which they attain to by their ſo doing. 4. The lively and frequent exerciſe of Faith, draweth vertue from Chriſt to make the Believer reſemble Him in thoſe communicable perfections of His, wherewith the Scripture holds Him forth adorned, and to be cloſed with by ſinners, ſo that under whatſoever conſideration of Chriſt held forth in Scripture, ſinners do cloſe with Him, they are thereby in ſome meaſure changed to ſome likeneſs with Him in that conſideration: if the unclean ſoul cloſe with Him, offered under the conſideration of a fountain, it becomes in ſome meaſure like Him in purity and holineſſe; if the dead ſinner receive Him, offered as life, he becomes to live like Him; if the unſtable ſoul come to Him, as the foundation-ſtone, it grows ſtable as a ſtone: and ſo of every conſideration, under which Chriſt offered in the Word is cloſed with: for, He being before propoſed under the conſideration of a living ſtone, as the object of Faith to be cloſed with, the Apoſtle here affirms, that they who did ſo cloſe with Him, ſhould find that by their ſo doing, they alſo as lively ſtones ſhould be built up. 5. Thoſe ſouls, who may expect that the Lord will keep communion with them, and dwell familiarly in them, as in His Houſe, muſt labour to be made ſpiritual, in their minds enlightened, and elevated to diſcern things ſpiritual, which the natural man cannot do, 1 Cor. 2.14, 15. Pro. 8.12. in their affections humbled in the ſenſe of their unworthineſs and ſinfulneſs, Iſa. 57.15. confident of their acceptation with God through Chriſt, Heb. 6.3. chearfull in Him as reconciled to them, Pſal. 22.3. loathing ſin, and loving holineſs, 2 Cor. 6.16. &c. and all perſons that are holy, 1 Joh. 4.16. All which the Scriptures cited make clear to be parts of a ſpiritual frame, which is to be ſtudied by all thoſe who may expect the Lord to dwell in them, as in His Houſe: for, Believers, in order to their enjoying of fellowſhip with Chriſt, are here ſaid to be built up a ſpiritual houſe. 6. The more heartily and frequently ſinners flee to, and make uſe of, Jeſus Chriſt, as the Goſpel offers Him, the more fit are they to be an habitation for Him to dwell in, and the more familiarly will He converſe with them; and that becauſe the only way to attain to, and grow in, a ſpiritual frame, which makes ſinners a fit habitation for the Lord to dwell in, is to be daily flying to, and making uſe of Jeſus Chriſt, who gives the Spirit for working of that frame, 2 Cor. 3.18. for, Believers by coming to Him, ver. 4. are here ſaid to be built up a ſpiritual houſe. 7. Near union with Jeſus Chriſt and daily uſe-making of Him by Faith, is the beſt way to make the Saints one among themſelves: the diviſion, difference of judgment, and alienation of affection among them proves one or other, or all of them to be at a diſtance from Him: for, while the Apoſtle ſaith, To whom coming, &c. Ye are built up a ſpiritual houſe, he doth import, That Believers by their cloſing with, and uſe-making of Jeſus Chriſt, are as cloſely united one of them to another, as the ſtones of a building are. 3. Every particular Believer ſhould eſteem himſelf a part of the Church univerſal, which maketh up one houſe to God, 1 Tim. 3.15. and ſo ſhould ſeek the good thereof, Pſal. 122.9. and ſympathize with the ſufferings of the whole, or any member thereof, 1 Cor. 12.25, 26. ſeing they are built up, (to wit, in the univerſal Church, with the reſt of the members thereof) a ſpiritual houſe. 9. Although the moſt eminent Believers may not take upon them any part of the Miniſterial Office, without a lawful and orderly calling thereunto, Rom. 10.15. Heb. 5 4. yet all Profeſſours of Chriſtianity, do in ſome reſpects reſemble the Prieſts under the Law, in ſo far as they are ſeparated by the Lord from all the reſt of the world; and true Believers among them do receive that unction from the Lord, to wit, His holy Spirit, 1 Joh. 2.20. which was ſignified by that oyl wherewith the Prieſts were anointed, Exod. 28.41. and have their ſervice accepted, while others are rejected, Prov. 15.8. in which reſpects they are here called, An holy Prieſthood. 10. Although internal, or real holineſs be not the neceſſary qualification, which maketh one a member of the viſible Church, Act. 8.13. Joh. 15.2. Yet is it the duty of all to ſtudy that holineſs, and the mark of all the true and lively members of the Church to be endued therewith: therefore they are here called, A holy Priesthood. 11. The great imployment of Believers in Jeſus Chriſt, is, to offer ſacrifices to God, not typical, which are now aboliſhed by Chriſt, Heb. 10.1. &c. nor expiatory, which Chriſt alone hath once offered, never to be repeated, Heb. 7.27. but gratulatory, in teſtimony of their thankfulneſs to Him, for that ſacrifice of Himſelf for them, ſuch as the ſacrifice of themſelves for His ſervice, Rom. 12.1. their penitent and humble ſupplications, Pſal. 51.17. and 141.2. their praiſes, Heb. 13.15. and their charity to his Saints, Philip. 4.18. Theſe and the like are they to ofter, who are a holy Prieſthood to offer up ſpiritual ſacrifices. 12. What ever ſacrifices of this ſort Believers offer up to God, they muſt be ſpiritual, done from a ſpiritual principle, a new nature, Ezek. 36.26, 27. upon ſpiritual furniture, the ſtrength of Chriſt, Philip. 4.13. and for a ſpiritual end, the glory of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.31. In which and the like reſpects, they are here called ſpiritual ſacrifices. 13. Such ſpiritual ſacrifices as Believers offer up to God, are well-pleaſing to Him, not for any worth that is in them, Iſa. 64.6. or advantage they can be to Him, Pſal. 16.2. Act. 17.25. But becauſe they are preſented to God by Jeſus Chriſt, who taketh away the iniquity of their holy things, Exod. 28.38. and doth perfume their ſervice with the incenſe of his merits, Rev. 8.3. Therefore are their ſacrifices acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt.