Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 21
Verse 21. For even hereunto were we called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.
FOr even hereunto were ye called:]God hath ordained his to undergo troubles in this world. Another Reason taken from the Ordinance and wise disposition of the Lord, who hath so ordained that all his shall suffer troubles, therefore we are to look for them, and bear them patiently:Acts 14. 22. Through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, here in this world we must undergo manifold troubles and sorrows: All Gods Servants finde the truth hereof (as the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles did in their days) less or more,Deut. 32. 15. some one way, some another: God knoweth how ill we can bear prosperity, but are ready to surfeit thereof, as Children do of sweet-meats: Who can long enjoy prosperity, and not be the worse? David, that in all his troubles spent his time so holily, and made many Psalms, in his prosperity foully forgat himself; so Solomon: Standing waters gather mud; as the Israelites in their journey to Canaan suffered much, so must we in this wilderness, before we come to Heaven; thus is God pleased to exercise us for his own glory, and our good. Therefore
1. We must not think the worse of any,Use 1. because of their afflictions, or conclude them to be bad men and hypocrites, which was the fault of Jobs friends, and of the Disciples of Christ.
2. We must not think the better of our selves,Use 2. for prosperity, God can afford the dogs the bones, the things of this world; Of hated Esau came twelve Dukes; the fatness of the Earth, and the dew of Heaven is but a Reprobates portion, the Legacy of Ishmael, nay, no worse sign then to prosper in an ill course.
3. We must not dislike our selves for our afflictions;Use 3. Its an argument of Gods love,Heb. 12. 6. and not of his hatred, Whom he loves he chastens, and they are Bastards that be without affliction; to have afflictions, and to profit thereby, is the sign of an happy man.
4. We must prepare for afflictions,Use 4. not dreaming for ease or continuance of Peace, but looking for troubles in this valley of Tears; they are the better born, when they be lookt for, and be the more grievous, when they come unexpected: In the midst of prosperity, its good to think of affliction, as in health, how we shall do if sore, or long sickness, or pain come upon us; so in wealth, of poverty, whilest we enjoy our liberties, of Imprisonment and banishment, yea, after our affliction we are to look for another: If we be spared for a while, we must take it for an advantage, and labor to be better prepared against it comes.
5. We must bear them patiently,Use 5. as being of God: They come not onelyonly from him that hath Soveraignty over us, but from the hand of a merciful father for our good: They are far less then our deserts, or then others have had, and we have many comforts mingled therewith.
6. We must bear them thankfully,Use 6. as whereby we are furthered in holiness: Hereby we are was…ed and purged; the Cross is physick, though not toothsom,Isa. 4. 4. and 27 9. yet wholsom: We thank and reward the Physitian for loathsom pills and potions, that have even for the time made us sick at the heart, as being the means of our recovery: Our fault is, that we look upon our troubles, not to the benefit that comes thereby; our greatest losses are oftentimes our greatest gains.
7. We must bear them joyfully,Use 7. in respect of the eternal happiness and immortal glory we shall be shortly brought to: Because we look not at this end, we are so unwilling to undergo troubles; as one that would go over a water without fear, must fasten his eyes on the shore over against him, so must we in affliction fix our eyes on Heaven.
8. If the children of God get not to Heaven but through many sorrows,Use 8. and are often so grievously afflicted in this life,1 Pet. 4. 18. what shall then become of the wicked and ungodly?Ier. 25. 29. & 49. 12. Have those been chastened with rods, and shall not these be tormented with scourges? Those have been afflicted for a time, that they might live for ever, and not dye eternally; These shall perish eternally in Hell torments; If they that serve God night and day with all carefulness, and are zealous in his service, and yet are grieved that they can do no better, nor as they would, what shall become of those that blaspheme him daily without ceasing, and their grief is, that they cannot dishonor him more, and rejoyce when they most despite him.
More particularly and most specially in this place the Apostle meaneth of sufferings that are for well-doing,In this world the godly suffer for well-doing. and for a good conscience, of the men of this world: Hereunto hath God called us; He that will be his Disciple, Luke 9.must take up his cross; 2 Tim. 3. 12.All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, Iohn 19. 33.must suffer persecution; They shall be hated of all men for his name sake: In the world we shall have trouble; If we be not of the world, the world will hate us: This way hath the Lord sanctified, as the way to glory, and herein have the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs gone before us.Reasons hereof. Its impossible it should be otherwise, considering the implacable malice of Satan, and of the seed of the Serpent; God also will have it so, 1. That his true servants may be distinguished from hypocrites and time servers: Every body will serve God in prosperity, a man is not tryed till affliction comes; as a Soldier in the battel, a Mariner in a tempest, a friend in adversity, so are the godly known in adversity: As the Apostle speaks of Heresie, so may I of afflictions, They must needs be, 1 Cor. 11. 19.that they which are approved, may be made manifest among us. 2. To confirm his Truth, not in respect of it self, but of men, and to whet on others, as the seed of the Church is the blood of the Martyrs. 3. To make a way for his judgements on his enemies, and persecuters of his Saints, whereof though the perfection be to come, yet even here God suffers them not to escape his hand in a notable maner, which doth not a little strengthen his servants. 4. To prove the faith and patience of his own children, and to encrease the same: Spices smell best when they are bruised, and graces appears most when most tryed. 5. To scour off their soyl that they gather in the world,Isa. 26. 16. and make them bright. 6. To stir them up to every duty the more fervently. 7. That they may be like to their head Christ Jesus, who by suffering entred into glory.Rom. 8. 29.
1. When we enter into the profession of Religion,Use 1. we must beforehand sit down and cast up our accounts, what the same may cost us▪ which if many had done, they had escaped the horrible sin and foul shame of Apostacy: Most profess Religion in the time of peace, but when trouble comes, they will be gone; one would sit at Christs right hand, another at his left in his Kingdom, but will not be batized with the baptism wherewith he is baptized, neither with him will drink of the bitter cup of affliction: They will save themselves from any hurt, yea, they think themselves wise persons that can shift off sufferings, and them fools that suffer for the Truth; but they will prove fools in the winding up.
2. When troubles come, bear we the same patiently and joyfully;Use 2. we have the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and all the troop of Saints for our companions:Phil. 1. 28. To us its a sign of salvation,Mat. 5. 12. and great is our reward in Heaven; 2 Thess. 1. 6.Its a righteous thing with God, to recompence tribulation to them that trouble us; 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8.And to us that are troubled, rest with him; When we have fought the good fight, we shall enjoy a Crown of Glory.
Because Christ also suffered for us.] Another forcible Reason from Christs example,Christs sufferings an incitement for us to suffer. which was done also for our imitation: If Christ hath suffered, why should not we? If he that was God suffered at the hands of wretched men, how much more may we men, of mortal men like our selves? If he for you, then good reason you should suffer for him: That he did, was for a patern for us to follow, and that patiently as he did, his whole life was no other: Though our salvation come cheap to us, and of Gods meer gift, yet it came not so to Christ, he paid full dearly for it; Gods Justice, which would be satisfied, required the same: There was an infinite wrath due for our sins, which Christ did undergo.
1. If Christ hath suffered,Use 1. are not we to pledge our Master? if the servants do but what their Master hath done before, they have no cause to complain.
2. If Christ the Son of God most holy suffered,Use 2. is it such a matter for us poor miser sinners to suffer?
3. If he suffered for us his enemies,Use 3. should not we be much more willing to suffer for him, and think our selves happy, as who hath delivered us from the everlasting sufferings in Hell, by his suffering for us▪ and from reproachful sufferings that we might have had for some foul offences in this world, and hath turned them into a few glorious sufferings for his name.
4. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself,Use 4. lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes:Heb. 12. 3. Consider who he was, and what thou art, and it wil much take away the bitterness of affliction.
For you] (so some read) even for servants, for the meanest, with him is no respect of persons:Christ suffered even for the meanest. No rich nor poor, bond nor free in Christ; the one have as good right as the other, nay (though God have some of all) yet most of the mean are Christs,Iames 2. 5. they receive the Gospel.
This may make the mean of the world to bear their condition the more patiently,Use. and comfortably; they have part in Christ if fault be not in themselves, and may be heirs of grace: but for the most part, the poorest of all exclude themselves, and I know not how, the hand of God goeth out heavily against them.
Leaving us an example, &c.] We must not set Christ before us, and consider him as a Mediator and Savior onelyonly,Christ a patern for our imitation. but as a patern and example to follow, and that a most perfect one; we must labor to imitate him,Matth. 11. 28. and if we belong to him, we must walk as he walked; we must thus think with our selves when we are about any thing,1 Iohn 2. 6. what would Christ Jesus do if he were in my cloaths? So do thou and not otherwise; so do in thy calling, in patience, forbearance, &c. And in a doubtful case, ask what would Christ do in such a case? That may we know by the rule of the word, for accordingly would he do; this is a good image of Christ, better then Popish Pictures, and Crucifixes: Get we an image of Christ out of the Gospel, and accordingly live we thereby,2 Cor. 3. 18. and be we more and more changed thereinto.