Exposition of the Two Epistles of Peter, Epistle and exposition 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse and commentary 11
Verſ. 11. Dearly beloved, I beſeech you as ſtrangers and pilgrims, abſtain from fleſhly luſts, which war againſt the ſoul.
The Apoſtle repeateth, and enlargeth that which he preſſed in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter, in order to their ſpiritual growth, to wit, That they ſhould keep up the battel againſt their inward unmortified luſts; and this is preſt by three arguments. The firſt, is taken from Chriſt's affection and the Apoſtle's toward them, as being dearly beloved of both. The ſecond, from their hard lot in the world, that they were ſtrangers and pilgrims; which was verified, in a ſpecial way, of theſe ſcattered Hebrews, to whom he writes. And the third, is, from the hazard of the prevailing of theſe luſts, which is no leſſe than the eternal ruine of the ſoul. Hence Learn▪ 1. There doth remain, even in thoſe who are far advanced in mortification, ſuch ſwarms of ſinfull motions, and ſtrong inclinations to evils yet in a great part unmortified in them; and ſo prone are they to give way to them; and to fall ſlack in the battel againſt them, that they have great need of exhortation upon exhortation, and of one motive upon the back of another, to ſtir them up to that exerciſe: for, even theſe whom the Apoſtle ſupponed to have made ſome progreſs in mortification, Chap. 1. ver. 22. and whom he had exhorted to further progreſs therein, in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter, he doth here again exhort very earneſtly to the ſame by ſeveral arguments, Dearly beloved, I beſeech you abſtain from fleſhly luſts, &c. 2. True mortification of ſin, conſiſteth not only in abſtenance from the outward acts thereof, but in the weakning of the root and power of ſin within, and the inclinations and deſires of the ſoul after the acting thereof, which are here called fleſhly luſts, in regard they tend to the gratifying and pleaſing of the fleſh, and are acted by the outward man, abſtain from fleſhly luſts. 3. The beſt way for Believers to fit themſelves for the ſhewing forth of the praiſes of God in their practiſe, is, To ſet about the mortifying of thoſe motions and inclinations to ſin that remain in their heart, theſe being the cauſe of all the out-breakings which diſhonour God in their converſation, Jam. 4.1. for, this exhortation, may ſafely be taken as the mean of attaining to that which is the great end of Chriſtians calling, expreſt in the former Verſe, That they may ſhew forth his praiſe, they muſt abſtain from fleſhly luſts. 4. The love of the Lord, manifeſted toward ſinners, ſhould be a very ſtrong argument to move them to fight againſt theſe luſts which diſhonour him, and mar the ſenſe of his love, and the further manifeſtation thereof: for, this ſtile, Dearly beloved, may be taken as an argument to the duty preſt, and underſtood mainly of the love of God to his People: becauſe, the Apoſtle Paul (Rom. 9.25.) citing the place, which this Apoſtle cited immediatly before, doth find in it this ſtile in reference to God: and therefore this Apoſtle may be conceived to make uſe of it here in the ſame ſenſe, as a motive to the ſtudy of mortification. Dearly beloved, abſtain, &c. 5. Thoſe who preſſe people to the mortifying of their beloved luſts, had need not only to entertain much love to them in their hearts, that ſo they may deal earneſtly with them; but likewiſe, by ſome prudent expreſſions of their love to them, inſinuate themſelves upon their affections, that ſo the ſtirring of their paſſions (which are ready to riſe, when unmortified corruptions are touched, both in good, 2 Chron. 16.10. and bad, Mat. 14.4, 5.) may be prevented: Therfore, the Apoſtle breaths forth his affection to this People, which may be ſafely taken to be alſo comprehended in this compellation, as following after Chriſt, and moving the Apoſtle to much earneſtneſs, Dearly beloved, I beſeech you abstain, &c. 6. As it may be the lot of thoſe, who in regard of their right to the Covenant of Grace, and the benefits thereof, are no more ſtrangers and foreiners, but fellow-citizens of the Saints, and of the Houſhold of God, to be ſeparated from their native Country, as theſe Chriſtian Hebrews were, to whom this is ſpoken; So, what ever their condition in the world be, they ought to eſteem and confeſs themſelves (as the beſt of God's Saints have done, Heb. 11.13.) ſtrangers and pilgrims, who are abſent from their own Country, 2 Cor. 5.6. and may expect hard uſage in their way, Gen. 31.15. who ought to lay aſide every thing that may hinder them in their journey, Heb. 12.1. and have their hearts ſtill homward, Heb. 11.16. who ſhould take little pleaſure in the delights that offer themſelves in the courſe of their pilgrimage. Gen. 23.4. and eſteem it a great honour to get leave to do any piece of ſervice to God, while they are upon their journey, 1 Chron. 29.15. and ſhould count much of any mercifull providence they meet with, Ruth 2.10. and make their caſe an argument to God for his pity and kindneſs, Pſal. 119.19. and a motive to themſelves to abſtain from every thing that may hinder them in their journey homward: for, this is brought in by the Apoſtle, as an argument to all the duties of holineſs, and eſpecially, to the ſtudy of mortification, that they were ſtrangers and pilgrims. 7. The inward motions of unmortified corruptions, which are in the Godly, do not only fight againſt the welfare of their bodies, Prov. 14. 30. againſt that light and knowledge of God, which is in their underſtandings, Rom. 7.23. and againſt the graces and motions of God's Spirit, which are in their hearts, Gal. 5.17. But likewiſe againſt the everlaſting wel-being of their very ſouls, ſo that theſe corruptions cannot be given way to, except we would (ſo far as in us lyes) run the hazard of the loſſe of our ſouls: for, this is here a third motive to the mortifying of theſe luſts, that they war against the ſoul. 8. The Lord doth allow Chriſtians to ſtir up their hearts to the ſtudy of the mortification of their corruptions, by the conſideration of the hazard that cannot but follow upon their prevailing, which is no leſſe than the wounding of their ſouls by every advantage their corruptions do get; and the eternal loſſe and ruine of their ſouls, by the continual prevailing of them, as is imported alſo in this motive to the mortification of thoſe fleſhly luſts; They war againſt the ſoul.