Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 25
Verse 25. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
THese words are a confirmation of those immediately going before, that they were healed by Christ, by comparing their former state wherein they were, with their present state: They were once in a poor case, in a piteous taking, in a miserable and dangerous case; but now through Gods mercy they were come home to Christ, who most carefully did and would protect them to their Salvation: Before they came to Christ, their case was woful and dangerous (as is the state of all unregenerate persons) but now having taken hold of Christ, their condition was safe & happy, as its with all believers and penitent persons.
For ye were as sheep going astray;] Speak we first of the miserable state of all unregenerate men, of all men without Christ, they are as sheep going astray.
1. Every Natural man is like a beast,Every natural man is like a beast. who is therefore in Scripture compared to several sorts of beasts, for one ill quality or another; as to Dogs,Psa. 22. 12, 13, 16, 20. for their malicious barking and biting at them they live with; to Wolves, for their greedy devouring of the poor; to Lyons, for their cruel tyranny;Psal. 32. 9. to fat fat Bulls, for their proud abuse of their prosperity; to Hogs, for their rude and unreverent base esteeming of Spiritual things,Isa. 1. 3. as the Word and Sacraments, and Gods Ministers; to Foxes (as Herod) for their craft;Ier. 8. 7. so to Horses and Mules, for their ignorance and unruliness;Prov. 6. 6. yea, sometimes the beasts are preferred before them to shame them, and sometimes they are sent to school to them: nay, all Gods Creatures are more serviceable then Man, they obey God in their kind, and abide in their first estate; the Sun, Moon and Stars obey God in their courses, the huge Sea rageth, and is calm at his bidding; if he command it to stand as a wall, it doth so, to let Israel go through, and will return again upon the same warrant and drown Pharaoh; if God bid the Whale swallow Jonah, and cast him up again, it obeys him in both; if he forbid the Lyons to touch Daniel, they stir not, though very hungry, as the fire did not burn the three Children, &c. But man, that should be best of all, and for whom all were made, as he for God, yet walk stubbornly and rebelliously, omitting what's required of him, and doing what's again and again prohibited: therefore God calls all Creatures to witness against man;Isa. 1. 2. yea, they are many times to set themselves against us (as when the heavens become as brass,Deut. 32. 1. and the earth as iron, &c.) and to groan because of us, as being weary of doing any further service to such as we are.
O how ought this to humble all that be such,Use. that know no mark of conversion or change in themselves from their unregenerate condition, small cause hast thou to be proud; the Horse thou ridest on is far better then thou art, it doth that for which God did ordain it, but thou doest not that which the Lord requireth of thee; nay the Dog that keeps thy Yard, and ears bones under thy table is in a better case then thou art, its serves God in its kinde, thou never didst any thing that God set thee here for.
O humble thy self before God,Isa. 11. 6. 7, &c. & crave of him to work an alteration in thee, for he onelyonly can do it, and that by the Ministery of his word: Thus can he bring it to pass, delivering thee from thy brutish nature, & turning thee into a Christian man, renewing in thee his image, and working of grace, that so thou mayest serve him in a better maner then other creatures either do or can do; so shalt thou be more happy then they, for they as they have no pain, so they shal have no glory, but thou shalt go from hence to everlasting glory in the Kingdom of Heaven.
But as for all that continue in their Rebellion, as they are worse then beasts in their life, so shall they be in their end, for their death is but a beginning to eternal misery: O how happy were it for every man that shall dye in his sins, if he were turned this day into a Dog or Toad, and no further account to be taken of him!
2. As a Sheep that wandereth is out of his way,Every unregenerate man is out of his way. so is every natural and unregenerate man quite out of his way, out of the way to Peace and Happiness:Isa. 53. 6. We were created in the right way, but in Adam all went astray;Rom. 3. 12. we have no minde but of wandering and roaming further and further the longer we live, till God take us into the right way; so that whosoever dyes in the way he was born in, and lived in first, must needs perish; its the way of ignorance, of sin, the broad way to destruction: Some go out of the way by ignorance, some by superstition, some by prophaneness, by hypocrisie, by trusting to civility, &c. naturally we do all go from God and Peace, to Hell and the Devil. Abraham was out of his way whilest he was an Idolater,Psal. 58. 3. so Paul whilest he was a Persecutor: The wicked they go astray even from the womb, they wander from every good work, and do nothing well or pleasing to God: They delight to wander and take pleasure in their sins; yea, that they thus wander, may appear by these signs,Reasons. They refuse instruction and reproof, whether publike or private, whereas the regenerate account those to love them indeed which tell them of their faults; they live even in known sins, they are altogether for the world, having no communion with God in holy duties; they have no love to good company, but associate themselves with others like themselves, and of their own stamp: If they do good duties,How they come to be misled. its for sinister respects, not out of conscience: Thus the Devil misleads some; Antichrist seduceth thousands by false Doctrine and miracles, as wicked Ministers by seldom or erroneous teaching and bad lives: So is the world a great deceiver by bad examples, by false reports of the servants of God, and by the profits and pleasures thereof; yea, a mans own heart is a great deceiver, as whereby many think they are in the way to Heaven, when they be in the way to destruction: Ignorance also of the Scriptures is a great cause of being deceived; Ye erre (saith our Savior) not knowing the Scriptures; nay, God in justice gives some over to believe lyes, as Ahab was seduced by false Prophets to his destruction:Psal. 95. 11. they may provoke God so long by their wandering, that he will never reclaim or bring them home, but swear in his wrath, they shall never enter into his rest; they may despise the means so long, as no Sermon shall do them good: These are in a fearful state, marked to destruction, as Trees to be felled.
This also should humble men (for what are they but stragling creatures?) and make them desire to get into the right way: But how few will take knowledge they be out of their way, thinking still their case to be good enough,… Ier. 8. 6. as the Lord complained by Jeremiah, I hearkened and heard, but none spake aright, no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, Prov. 14. 12.What have I done? &c. There's a way that seemeth good in a mans eyes, but the issues thereof are the issues of death: To those whom God means to save, he sends his Word and Spirit, and so opens their eyes to see that they be out of their way, and that not onelyonly prophane persons, but also some hypocrites, that have contented themselves with some common things, as Herod did, and sometimes civil persons, that thought their state very good, that God opens their eyes to see it to be woful, and make them hasten out of it, saying as those in the Acts, What shall we do to be saved? Acts 2. 37, & 26, 18.we finde we are in the way to damnation; but most men will not be perswaded of this, but go on with a liking of their way, though it be to their destruction: To this end Ministers must preach the Law, and shew men that be out of their way, & people must take out this lesson; and this is the first, till this be, nothing is.
3. As the sheep is most subject to wander,No natural man can of himself come home to God. but of all Creatures hath least wisdom to finde the way home again; so no natural man can come home to God alone: we can go further and further from God, but to come home one step we cannot; we are blinde and cannot see a step of the way, have no minde but to wander, All the thoughts of mans heart are onelyonly evil continually, Iohn 6. 44.& we cannot think a good thought; No man can come to me (saith our Savior) except the Father draw him.
If any be come home to God from his wandring state,Use. let him give all the glory to God, and know, that there was no difference between them and those that yet wander, if God had not sought them, and as it were fetcht them home on his shoulders; if God had not thus done for us, we had wandred to this hour, yea to our dying day, as well as others, therefore wonder and praise God: And for those that yet wander, let them not bless themselves, as if they could turn to God when they list, as many think, Oh, they will cry God a mercy at their end, &c. but while you have life and time with the means, entreat God to bless the means from Heaven to be mighty, to open your eyes, and to bring you home from straying, into the way that leadeth into eternal life.
4. As the sheep that is wandred is in manifold dangers,The natural man is in continual danger. so and much more certainly is every natural man in inevitable danger, if he so continue: He is out of Gods special providence, as the stray sheep is from the tendance of the Shepherd, his eye is not over him: He hath no certain abiding, as Cain, knows not what to do; he is separate from the company of Gods people, and what evil may not then befal him? As a sheep is in danger to be carryed away by diverse Lords, into whose several grounds he cometh; so is a natural man in danger of the Devil, the World, his own lusts, in danger to fall into every sin (what hath he to stop him?) into any plague or punishment that ever fell upon any (what promise hath he to the contrary?) yea, as sheep are apt to fall into the mouthes of Dogs and Wolves, so may the natural man fall into the paws of the Devil, and be turned into Hell, he knows not how soon: Is not he in danger that is naked in a field, and beset with Bills, Bows and Guns, all bent against him to destroy him?Prov. 4. 19. so is it with every wicked man, as being subject to all the plagues of God: Is not he in danger that hangs over a pit by a twig? so is every wicked man by the threed of his life over Hell: When a wicked man riseth in the morning, doth he know what may befal him ere night? can he tell but he may fall even into the foulest sins? can he tell but that the earth may swallow him, a thunderbolt may strike him through, he may have any curse befal him or his? can he tell but he may be in Hell ere night, and at night, ere morning? and is not this danger enough? Thus hundreds of this Land drop into Hell every day, and in every corner some, at one time or another, by one means or another the Devil lays hold on them.
This may make every wicked man weary of his condition,Use. and to have little joy of himself, till he be out of this state, who can abide to live in a continual danger? For them that be gone, and of whom Hell hath already caught hold, there's no hope or help: You that are alive, look to your selves, were you out of this condition, you could not be overcome, you could not be pluckt from God by Angels or Devils, all the world could not prevail against you, being under Christs keeping, he would keep you unto the end.
But are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.] Here's the safe state of Believers: They are now converted, not by any power or goodness in themselves, but by the mighty power and goodness of God, to the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls, Christ Jesus, who having redeemed them, will not now lose them, but safely preserve and keep them to life eternal both in body and soul. So that
All that are come to God in Christ Jesus,All Believers are in a safe condition. be in a most safe state; for besides that they have pardon of sin (the Robe of Christs righteousness being put on them) they have the Spirit to sanctifie them from the power of sin, and to enable them to please God in a new life: Neither can they fall from this estate, nor can fall into any sin unto death; theres no condemnation to them, neither the Devil nor World shall be able to draw them to their old state, Christ that hath redeemed them will never lose them; Who will lose a purchase dearly bought? but so are we to Christ; Who will not keep his Limbs? we are made Members of Christ; Will he suffer one to be pulled off? God forbid:Iohn 17. 11. Christ having redeemed us, commits us to his Fathers keeping, and who being under his protection, is not in a safe Castle or impregnible Fortress? Not onelyonly they are sure they can never, fall finally, but also Christ hath a care of every sheep, to keep him in the right way, to fetch him in when he wanders, to comfort him being heavy,See Psal. 43. 1. and 46. 4. and to binde him up being broken: What Christian findes not this by daily experience, that God preserves him daily by his grace from many falls, comforts him in many heavinesses, reduceth him from many wandrings?
1. Here's matter of unspeakable comfort for those that be come into Christs sheepfold;Use 1. If we look to our selves, or our Enemies being so strong, we have cause to fear, but as Elisha said to his Servant, There are more on our side, 2 Kings 6. 16.then they that be against us: We have much opposition against our good and standing, but we are not left to our selves; Our Salvation now is, not as it was in Adam, but its in Gods keeping, and we are by him kept as in a Castle, we are kept by his power, which is Almighty, above all power, but how long? for a few years, and then left to our selves? O if we were left the last year, last day, last hour, we would fall from God if occasion were offered, but kept we are by the power of God to Salvation, till we come to Heaven. O let us be thankful to God for this safe and happy state, and keep our selves close to him, and continually seek him, and commend our selves to his keeping, and then we be safe. Here is no cause indeed of security or boldness, for though we cannot fall finally, yet dangerously, and to our hearts smart we may, if we wax careless, as many times even Christians come to the sheepfold, yet keep not so close to their shepherds voyce as they ought, but are bold to be straying into one by-way or other; as of pride, covetousness, contention, and the like, and this costs them dear, who if they would have been ruled by their shepherds voyce outwardly in his Word, or inwardly in his Spirit, no question they might have spared this.
2. Let those that be yet wandring,Use 2. hasten to come home to Christ, and be in this most safe and happy estate; let them confess, and humble themselves, and seek for pardon, and listen to the voyce of their blessed shepherd Christ Jesus, who calls them to him; if they so do, they shall make a happy change: But when we require this of a number, they set light by it, and think they are well enough, and better already; now they may have their will, and be merry, and speak what they list, and do what they list, and get gain as they can, but if they should be convert, and be ruled by the Preacher, they should then be tyed too short, as they should do nothing, have no liberty, but be in bondage, &c. O poor Creatures, that think that liberty which is deadly bondage; little do those consider, that their sweet meat (Sin) will have with it a great deal of sowre sawce: And the service of God is perfect freedom, tying from nothing, but from sin, and to nothing, but that which is good and holy, to our comfort here, and Salvation hereafter, and doth not this shrewdly hurt us? Do not therefore let the foolish and beastly pleasures of sin keep you from turning to God, for it will be woful in the end: If we saw a man going to Execution in brave apparel, with musick, and his companions bringing him bowls of wine, would we delight herein, or count him happy? would we not rather pity him for all this? more need have they of pity that will needs run on in sin, and following their lusts and pleasures, refuse to return unto Christ the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls.
Shepherd, The Ministers of the Word are Shepherds under Christ.&c.] Christ performeth the office of a Shepherd and Bishop to his people, outwardly by the Ministery of his Servants, the Ministers of the Word, and inwardly by his holy Spirit: His Ministers be the inferior Shepherds, under the chief Shepherd Christ Jesus; He useth them to feed his people with green Pastures, to lead them to the still waters of comfort, to fetch home the wandring, &c. who are therefore called Watchmen, Ezek. 32. 7. 34, 8.and Shepherds. Its the duty of all Ministers that have the charge of souls,Their duty. to be most vigilantly watchful, and exceedingly careful over the people committed to their care: As watchmen must be careful in keeping the City from their Enemies; as those shepherds to whom the Angels appeared in the Gospel, were watching over their Flocks by Night; yea, as Jacob in tending his Flocks, endured both the cold by night, and the heat by day; so much more must they,See Act. 20. 28. in Preaching in season and out of season, praying, holy living, and by all means seeking to gain men to God, fetching home the stray ones, binding up the broken, comforting the feeble, &c.
1. This rebuketh those Ministers,Use 1. that in stead of watchmen, are blinde, and careless, sleepers, that delight in sleeping, in stead of shepherds are wolves, devouring the flock, eating the fat, & cloathing themselves with the fleeces: Those as either they cannot feed, or come not at their flock to feed them; so do they not care to fetch home them that are astray, but rather by their ill example keep them from returning; and so far are they from comforting the weak, and binding up the broken, as they have no skill herein, or list hereto, but rather set themselves against such: There are but few that make Conscience to hear the Word abroad, when they have it not at home, yet those are more baited at for going to the Word, then all they that sit in Aleho…ses, or are gaming or ryoting on the Lords-day: Those are also to be reproved that feed with froth in stead of sound meat, as those that are negligent in feeding, feed them to halves, and half starve them: O Lord, what shall become of those, when the great Shepherd Christ Jesus shall come to Judgement? where shall they stand? for even they that have been most careful, yet are far short; of all mens answers that I know, I would be loathest to have the answer of a wicked and unfaithful Minister to make.
2. As the Ministers must do their duties,Use 2. so ought the people like sheep that wander, suffer themselves to be brought home into Christs flock and sheepfold, and not let the Ministers labor with them year after year, and yet they never the nearer being brought home to Christ: And those that be brought home to Christ, must be careful that they be led out still, and fed in the green Pastures, that they listen to their shepherds voyce, and follow it carefully, that so the Ministers may yield up their account with joy, and not with grief, and that is good for the people, Heb. 13. 17. Thus if we do, God shall have the glory, Ministers the comfort, and the people shall save their own souls; And the great shepherd shall say to us, Come ye blessed of my Father, and set a crown of immortal glory upon our heads.
CHAP. III.
THe Apostle proceedeth in his special Exhortations,The Contents of this Chapter. belonging to special persons, namely, to Wives and Husbands, shewing the duties which they owe each to other, from the beginning unto the eighth Verse: Thence unto the eighteenth, he heapeth up divers general Exhortations to sundry Christian duties, belonging to all Christians: Thence unto the end he entreateth sweetly of the Passion and Sufferings of Christ, with the benefits redounding thereby, not onelyonly to us, but to the Church in former Ages.