Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 20
Verse 20. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
THat which the Apostle said in the foregoing Verse, he doth in this amplifie by the contrary; and then repeats in the end of this, that he said in that.
In the first clause, speak we first of suffering for faults, then of patient suffering for the same.
For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, &c.] Here note, That
All suffering is not commendable nor comfortable,Al suffering is not commendable nor comfortable. to suffer for faults is a shame and matter to hang the head, for all sin hath shame belonging thereto:Matth. 5. 11, 12. Therefore when our Savior saith, Blessed are ye when men revile you, he addeth, for my names sake, and falsly; and Blessed are they that suffer persecution, he addeth, for righteousness sake: Whoso suffereth deservedly for his faults, is herein a companion with the Devil and Reprobates, a companion of the old world, Korah, Achan, Gehazi, &c. who were deservedly punished.
1. This condemneth them that boast of their sufferings without cause;Use 1. The Papists keep a book of Martyrs, executed here in England in the days of our late Queen and King; Woful Martyrs, the Devils Martyrs if they be any, like those which be hanged with us every Assiz, for Murther and Robbery, and the vilest things; they suffer for high Treason, for their bloody and devilish conspiracies against their Prince and State: They might be ashamed of such, if they were not devilishly impudent; its the cause, not the punishment, makes the Martyr; and as one saith, None can dye the death of a Martyr, but he that beforehand hath lived the life of a Christian; so did they never, they put to death hundreds, yea thousands in former times, both here and in other Countreys, onelyonly for not yielding to their blasphemous lyes, but not one of these hath suffered for Religion, but for their Treasonable facts; who if they had suffered for their Religion,Note. yet had been no Martyrs (for their Religion is lyes) and it had not been for Christ and the Gospels sake; and its possible for an Heretick to be as stubborn and impudent in maintaining a lye, as the childe of God can be constant in the Truth, yea, to dye also for a lye, though not with the like comfort as the other for the Truth.
2. Among our selves some will say,Use 2. I think I have as many troubles as any body, and have been as ill spoken of; but if it was for thy faults, thou hast no cause to boast: Hast thou got an ill name for a Company keeper, for suspition of uncleanness, for an oppressor, for an unquiet man with thy wife, for a proud person, rash, censorious, idle, and one that followest not thy calling (especially being a Professor) and hereof causest the people of God to speak with grief, thou hast cause to grieve and shame for giving them such cause, who would gladly they had not the cause to speak thus of thee: Yea, but the wicked speak ill of me, wilt thou say; But why? If it be justly and deservedly, whosoever they be, that's no matter, more shame that thou hast discovered thy nakedness to the Chams of this world to scoff at, and at the Gospel withal; fie upon it: Its too usual in these days, Christians give too much cause of offence; howsoever, the wicked speak not thus out of any hatred of the fault, but of ill will to the Gospel:1 Pet. 4. 15. O therefore take heed, let us not suffer as evil doers; look we so warily and narrowly to our conversation, that if they should watch us as narrowly as the Nobles did Daniel, Dan. 6. 5.yet they might finde nothing against us but in the cause of our God; yea, might be enforced with Saul of David, 1 Sam. 24. 17.to acknowledge our innocency: If they will needs speak ill of us, let it be falsly, and for well-doing. If any should be smitten by Sea or Land travelling on the Sabbath,On June 16. 1611. being the Lords day, there was such a grievous tempest of wind, as cast away many Vessels at Sea, amongst others, one Passage-boat toward Ipswich, with almost twenty persons; and on the 18. day were thirty two persons trodden to death and bruised at a Play in Norwith. or any lose their lives at a Play, no cause to rejoyce, no comfort in it. Note further, That
If there be no patience in suffering,Patience in suffering for faults, hath no reward with God. but when its deserved, its counterfeit patience, and hath no reward of God; its in comparison nothing, its that which reason teacheth; but to bear patiently for well-doing, is a lesson for an high scholler: Howsoever, being simply considered, its good and commendable; as for any being justly afflicted or punished by God or man,Mic. 7. 9. meekly to submit themselves, to confess their faults,Ier. 10. 19. and be desirous to amend thereby: Aaron held his peace, Eli and Hezekiah were submissive in theirs,See also Dan. 9. 7. the Thief at the right hand acknowledged that he suffered deservedly:Neh. 9. 33. Thus when Delinquents are punished by the Magistrate, people be rebuked of their Ministers for their sin, servants and children are of their Masters and Parents corrected for their faults, they must take it patiently, and learn to amend.
But if it be no great matter,Use. having done a fault, and then being punished justly, to bear it patiently; are not those to be condemned which be impatient under deserved corrections?Rev. 16. 9. Some being afflicted of God, fret, rage and boyl, curse, blaspheme, run to Witches, or use other unlawful means to get out: What a beast art thou? hast thou not deserved the same, and yet wilt not thou be patient? Is not this in effect to say, What hath the Lord to do to punish me? I have not deserved the same; if I can get out of his fingers any way, I will not abide to be thus used: thus take they the rod by the end, and pull it out of Gods hand; What do those but desire there were no God to see them, or that hated sin, or that would punish sin? Belike they would have God like, but he will be like himself, who at the beginning joyned punishment and sin together, and so will do to the worlds end; you will not get any thing by resisting, by humble confession, hearty Prayer, and promise of amending, you may. Again, there are others, who being punished of the Magistrates for their faults, do as well curse and rage against those their Rulers, as those that informed against them: Thus when honest men tending the glory of God, and good of the places where they live, knowing that Alehouses for the most part are Pest-houses, Devils houses, Breeders of all mischief, Receptacles of the scum of the earth, and means to encrease the number of sinners, complain of such ryotous persons, as would there keep Revel-rout, and endeavor to suppress the same; O how do drunkards and such others,See Eccl. 8. 4, 5 the friends of sin, rage and fume? would not such wish that there were no Law nor Magistrate to punish, but that all might do as the list? but this would bring all to confusion: Are there not some also who being reproved by their Ministers, fret and rail at them,1 King 2. 20. fall out with them, and with Ahab, account them for their Enemies? nay, sometimes will sue them at Law to their utter undoing? And are there not also such servants and children, which being corrected by their Governors, will murmure or resist, or run away, a sign of a proud minde, of a lewd heart, and far from grace: Such resist God, and shall receive to themselves condemnation; they provoke the Lord to take the rod, nay scourge in his own hand, or give them over into the hands of the Magistrates: whence it cometh often to pass,Prov. 29. 15. that not a few despising the rod and correction, which giveth life and wisdom, have been whipt, burnt in the hand, imprisoned, yea hang'd up, and that justly: Thus daily too many seek their own ruine.
But if when ye do well, &c.] Here's the praise of patient suffering for well-doing: There's a suffering wrongfully, and without cause, which yet differeth from that which is here laid down, namely, suffering for well-doing.
Suffering wrongfully,What it is to suffer wrongfully. is when men are accused of that they are not guilty of, or are punished without a fault, whether it be onelyonly in words, or proceed to deeds: David was unjustly censured of his brother when he came to the camp, Hanna unjustly censured of Eli, and John the Baptist of the Scribes and Pharisees; so Mephibosheth, Naboth, and Stephen were wrongfully both slandered and punished. Thus in these days days monstrous lyes and slanders are raised, especially against Christians and godly Ministers: Its an unrighteous world, calling the best of Gods servants, Proud, Hypocrites, and laying vile things to their charge, which they never deserved; as, that they are enemies to the State, would put down Kings, &c. Hence sometimes men are punished by Magistrates without cause, as also Children and Servants of their rash and inconsiderate Parents and Masters. In this kinde Papists are exceeding expert; what lyes have they spread of Luther, Calvin, Beza, Junius, and such others? And had their horrible villany in the Gunpowder Treason taken effect, the blame would have been by them laid on the Puritans. But as God hath at no time done wrong, but judgeth the world with righteousness, giving every man according to his works; so will he be revenged of them that wrong others: For them that sharply censure others, let them know, that what measure they mete to others, it shall be measured to them again. For Magistrates that punish any wrongfully, if it be wittingly, they prophane the sacred seat of Justice, and what in them lies make God a wrong doer: for nothing should be there done, but as God would; and lest they should fail of ignorance or through negligence, with Job, Iob 29. 16.they must search out the matter diligently: For slanderers that devise lyes of men,Prov. 10. 10. & 25. 18. they are fools; they are a Hammer, a Sword, and sharp Arrow; they are like the Devil, who both slandred God to Adam and Eve, Rev. 12. 10.and Job to God, and to this day is the accuser of the Brethren: Such shall not be established on Earth,Psal. 140. 11. & 15. 3. neither shall they come into Heaven, no place fit for them but Hell; yea, not onelyonly the devisers, but spreaders of Lyes (so common a thing) is fearful. Thou shalt not walk about with tales among thy people, Lev. 19. 16.saith God by Moses: The receivers also of a false report are excluded out of Heaven,Psal. 15. 3. and they that love lyes.Rev. 22. 15.
Oh! let none wrong their Neighbors any maner of way, Magistrates, Informers, or whosoever; Let none devise or spread abroad lyes, no nor truths to their Neighbors discredit, without a calling: But alas, what more common (all folks talk) then to talk of other folks matters, and many times of their faults, not at all of any good that's in them. We must not rashly believe what we hear against any, especially having before given good testimony of their goodness; yea, as we would have God deal with us and ours, we must not wrong any, do right even to our poorest servant.
For them that suffer wrongfully,What those must do that suffer wrongfully. its their duty to behave themselves patiently, looking up to God (as David did when Shimei railed) not fretting, or raging, or saying (as its usual) It would never have grieved me, if it had been so; rather say, It grieves me much less, because it is not so; I thank God for the same, it might have been, if God had not kept me; it was of him, and not for any goodness in me, more then in others; Ile bear it patiently, for though I have not deserved it of men, yet of God I have, even to be made a threshold for all to tread on, and a by-word; and though I have not deserved it of men in this, yet in some other things I have; I have been faulty towards my Neighbors good name, and now its come home to me, I pray God I may make a good use of it. Besides, it may be the Lord sees I might have faln into that or some other sin, and hath sent this to prevent it (preventing Physick is good) blessed be his Name, or he doth it to keep me humble, &c. Thus God, that brought light out of darkness, teacheth us how to bring good out of evil: Thus we may make use of a slander. Neither must we think, that because it is wrongul, we may fret and rage, and make a stir, and rail (so should we make our selves guilty, who were innocent before) but may open our innocency, and clear our selves, as Job; yea, if it should concern us nearly, but especially the Gospel, then may we have recourse to the Magistrate for redress. Thus of suffering wrongfully.
Touching suffering for well-doing,Its common to Gods people to suffer for weldoing. Abel, Isaas, Joseph, Micaiah, are pregnant Examples hereof: So David met with enemies, because he followed goodness; so our Savior Christ, so suffered the Prophets,Iohn 7. 7. Apostles, Martyrs: Thus many at this day, even for their goodness they are hated,1 Pet. 4. 3. and the better they be, the worse they are hated;Iohn 17. 14. They are not of the world, and the world hateth them: As sore eyes cannot abide the Sun, so cannot the ill lives and consciences of worldlings, who wallow in their works of darkness, abide the light of Gods Word, or the good conversation of godly men; it makes their wickedness the more seen, and they must mislike either themselves or the others; but themselves you are sure they will not, nay, so wretchedly minded are they, as to hate those that they know not, but as they have heard of their goodness, and rail on them; and its pity they live, or are suffered, will they say, who notwithstanding, if they were put to it, were unable to say one word justly against them. By this time the Gospel ought to have been so beloved, as that all that have shewed any good countenauce thereto, should have been the better thought of; but now (Oh fearful!) thats become a Reproach which should be every mans glory, Oh, you are a Professor of the Word, &c!
For those that thus hate men for their goodness,How fearful their condition is that are hated of others for their goodness. its as dreadful a sign as can be: They be like the Devil, are in darkness, shall not enter into Heaven; they are of Cains generation, and Ishmaels brood. God loves men because of goodness, and the Angels rejoyce at a sinners conversion; but these hate them for their goodness, and so are unlike unto God. If such as give but a cup of cold water unto a disciple, in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward, shall not they be extremely punished which mock and despise them, which hate and persecute them, and that for their goodness? They that do the least wrong to them in that respect, or eo nomine, shall not go unpunished: For they that will smite with the tongue now, would with the fist if they might, yea carry to the Prison, and to the Stake, if times would give leave: Well, let them know, the persecutors reward belongeth to them, and how hath God from time to time dealt with such? The examples of Cain, Ishmael, Ahab, Jezabel, Herod, &c. witness the same. Besides, when they would be glad to have part with the Children of God, they shall be banished, and have their portion with Devils and Reprobates, and that in a fearful maner: For if they shall stand on the left hand,Mat. 25. 42. and hear that dreadful sentence, Go ye cursed, &c. that have not given them meat and drink, &c. What shall become of them, and what place shall they have in Hell, that take away their meat and drink, that cast them into Prison, and do there deal cruelly with them? The Papists are notable in this kinde,2 Thess. 1. 6. who have even been drunk with the blood of the saints: God will recompence tribulation to them that thus trouble his.
For those that are hated and punished for well-doing,Such as are hated for well-doing must bear the same patiently let them learn to bear the same patiently; Its not without Gods will, that hereby they might give glory to him, and a seal to his truth: We must not flinch away when trouble comes, as many and most have done, and so save themselves whole, and leave Christ and his cause to shift for it self; the world count them fools that will suffer any thing for his cause, and themselves wise that can carry themselves so as they will be for all assays; but Moses was not of that minde, He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, Heb. 11. 24.then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: These will prove fools at last, that for a few days of short life in pleasures and profits transitory, have sold away their part in that which is eternal:John 12. 25. For he that saves his life, shall lose it, and they which deny Christ before men, them will he deny before his heavenly Father.
When we suffer for well doing, we must not suffer frettingly, with raging against them, and with ill speaking, as it were with revenging our selves, but in meekness commend our selves, and the cause to God: Its a fault in some Christians that being hated at some hands for their profession, and forwardness (and yet some need not be so much if they would walk more wisely and discreetly) they then fall to taunting of them again, & calling them by… names, and thus use this carnal weapon of the world; this becomes not Christians: what would they do if they should suffer great matters? The Martyrs gave no ill language, Christ and Steven prayed for their Enemies, we must (abating our ranco…) imitate them: neither must we write bitter & enveighing things against them in a carnal, scoffing or railing maner, as Martin Mar-Prelate; but behave our selves patiently, yea joyfully, we are Gods witnesses, an high honor, few called thereto: Is not the Gospel the truth? Is not the Word of God the onelyonly true Religion?Acts 5. 41. we must then testifie the same to the world,Rom. 5. 2. and set our seal to it, yea to dye for it: O its a great advancement,1 Thess. 1. 6. and so have Gods children acknowledged it!Phil. 1. 29. Its a token of Salvation to them that thus suffer,Mat. 5. 12. Great is their reward in heaven: Rev. 6. 9.The souls of them that are slain, lie under the altar: The holy Martyrs went singing to the stake, and thought that there they were as in a sweet bed of roses; and St. Paul boasted of his Chain, and of the marks of the Lord Jesus.