Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 3 · Verse 5
Verse 5. For after this maner in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands. Verse 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
HEre are Reasons to enforce the former Exhortations unto subjection, sobriety in apparel, and attiring themselves with grace, 1. From the examples of godly women of former ages and times,Reasons of the forementioned Exhortation. who were thus qualified. 2. From the example of Sarah, who thus behaved her self toward her husband, whose daughters all such women shall be accounted, as do imitate her, and that for conscience, doing their duties in a right maner as she did; such shall be counted among the Saints of God in this life, and in the life to come shall have the reward of such.
The former is amplified and strengthened by sundry circumstances:The amplification of either reason. 1. Of the number that so did, not one, but many women. 2. Such as are worthy to be imitated, as not being of the common sort, but holy women. 3. Their antiquity, not of yesterday, as though it were new, but ancient, in times past.
In the latter is set forth the maner how this duty is to be performed, namely, Not for fear of displeasure, but for conscience towards God, and love to their husbands.
For after this maner, &c.] From the force of the Reason, holy women have done so, therefore so must you. Note, that
The examples of Gods servants are to be followed in all their vertues:The examples of Gods servants are to be followed in all their vertues. The way of Gods Precepts is like an uncouth and bushy way, the way of examples a beaten way; and herein by setting up his servants as lights to direct us, God hath condescended to our weakness: Were it not thus,See Luk. 7. 32 we would say of precepts, Its true, we should do thus,1 Cor 10. 6. but who ever did so? God shews us every where who they were:Heb. 11. 4, 5. and 12 1, &c. All examples are written for our good, the examples of the godly (as Abels offering in Faith, Enochs walking with God, Noahs obedience, Moses his mildeness, Jobs patience, &c.) for our imitation; the examples of the ungodly and their punishment for our evitation; yea, even in our own times God presenteth divers unto us, that they which belong unto him may be drawn on by the light of precepts and examples together, as others left without excuse, who do not such and such duties, which are to their knowledge by others performed.
This rebuketh those that follow the evil,Use. but do not imitate good examples, neither are any whit moved by them: Those can make use of the frailties of Gods children mentioned in Scripture, to encourage themselves in evil; Did nor David commit adultery? was not Noah drunk? and did not Rebekah cause Jacob to lye? &c. will they say: Such wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction. So among our selves, if any be bad and licentious, they shall have enough to follow them; but as for the examples of the godly, they little prevail, nay, people are so far from following them, that they mock and disdain them, yea, term them Hypocrites, Precise fools, and the like: Well, let such make as light of them as they will, God will not lose his labor, and his light set up: They that make them not now their patern for imitation, shall finde them one day their Judges to condemn them,Heb. 11. 7. as Noah did the old world: As the Ninivites against the Israelites;Mat. 2. 41. so many a husband shall rise up against his wife on the day of Judgement, and many wife against her husband, as many a man against his neighbor; and justly, for its clear that those love darkness and to wander, which will neither be guided by precept nor example, whereas God might onelyonly give us precepts, and yet require obedience: Its true, all shine not alike; some have their light dimmed for a time, through some unbeseeming act; howsoever, there's not the example of any whereby we may not receive some profit.
In the old time,] The Antiquity of the examples, are an enforcement or inducement to follow them; but how, simply because they be ancient? No: but holy men did thus, and well they did, and that long ago; He doth urge them to follow examples onelyonly upon Antiquity, but because they were good also. Note then, That
Antiquity joyned with verity,Antiquity joyned with verity, is reverend, and to be followed. is reverend, and to be followed: If a truth in judgement or practice of life be ancient and gray-headed, its the more honorable, and to be followed; but if an opinion or practice be wicked, though never so ancient, its vile, and to be detested, and is not the better, but much the worse for the antiquity of it: The older, the more time it were quite banisht out of the Land, Town, House and Heart.
This condemneth the Church of Rome, Use.and all such as plead bare antiquity onelyonly, it hath been thus and thus long, will they say; ours is the old Religion, and yours is the new: No, ours is ancientest from the beginning, whereof were the Patriarchs, Prophets, Christ and his Apostles: Their stories mention when and how theirs began, encreased and grew, out of an heap of Ceremonies of the Jews and Gentiles mingled together, one Pope devising one thing, another adding another; Though error and wickedness may be very ancient, yet truth and goodness hath the start of it, the truth was before sin entred into the world, this therefore is no good rule; this is ancient, therefore its to be followed, nay, is it also good? Its else nothing: Many Papists have nothing to say, but thus did our Fathers and Grandfathers, &c. but they never enquire by the Word, whether they did well or not,1 Pet. 1. 18. whereas our conversation may become wicked through the tradition of our Elders: So among our selves, if any be reproved for this or that, they will answer, It hath been done thus these forty years; It was so ere you came, and will be when you are gone; If it be a wicked and unlawful custom, why plead you for it? Its more then time it were banisht, it stinks; because thus they did in darkness, therefore we should so do in the light, what folly were this? They will not do so in worldly things, as apparel, dyet, building. They were wont to go in hose and stockings all of one, and have no chimneys in their houses, who will now do thus? yet better retain those, then bad and unlawful customs.
Holy women] There hath always been a company of holy women in the world as well as of men,There have been always holy women in the world as well as men. and why not? both were made after Gods image, at first equally good, and in the fall, both are equally corrupt, and the children of wrath, and in the recovery have equal right to Christ, to the Gospel, to Grace, to Sanctification and Holiness.Reasons.
Men have no priviledge this way; Grace had been as well bestowed on them, (as in the Old Testament, on Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Deborah, Jael, Hannah, Naomi, Abigail, &c. and in the New, on the three Maries, Elizabeth, Lidia, Dorcas, with sundry others) as on men.
Women also were as forward to maintain Christ, to follow him, to bury him, and Christ after his resurrection first appeared to them. Our own experience also
Sheweth,Why women are as forward as men. that in most Congregations women be as forward as men in frequenting the Word and Sacrament: And why not? 1. They are of a timerous nature, and so more easily wrought upon by the Word, and by Gods Judgements. 2. They keep at home, not seeing or hearing the abominations that be abroad. 3. They have many crosses and pains, sicknesses, and Childe-bearings, putting them in minde of death, and drawing them near to God, and so furthering their Salvation.
1. This serveth to stop the mouths of such idle heads as take pleasure to disgrace women.Use 1.
2. It serveth to encourage women and to comfort them:Use 2. There have been ever good women, women therefore must stir up themselves to encrease the number, especially having more means then those had in former times.
And needful it is that there should be good women as well as good men;Its needful there should be good women. 1. For their own sake, who have souls to save or destroy. 2. That there might be an holy seed to make up the number of the Elect; good Mothers bringing up their children well, and good Wives being helpers to their Husbands both in soul and body.
As for those women that be wicked, unclean, prophane and ungodly, notwithstanding the fearfulness of their nature, their keeping at home, and their manifold crosses, What would they have been if they had been men? They would have been monsters, and of such women-monsters, Hell is as full as of men-monsters.
Note further,Holiness is that which commends one That he saith not, wealthy women, fair women, but holy women; Here's the ground of his commendation: A little holiness is better then a great deal of riches and beauty;Prov. 31. 30. and 20. 15. That that is to be desired of a man, is his goodness; Beauty fades with sickness, wealth hath many ways to take it away, but grace holds ever to life eternal, and commends before God, Angels, and good men: Therefore when God threatned to take the wealth from the rich men of Jerusalem, Isa. 4. 3.and gay cloaths from the women, yet saith, he will make them amends, How? Every one shall be called holy; They shall so profit by their affliction, as where it might have been said, Yonder goes a rich man, yonder goes a fair woman, a woman in costly apparel; now, Yonder goes a godly man, a vertuous gracious woman: This is commendation indeed, and for this we ought to labor, that we may have our part herein.
Again,Marriage no hinderance to godliness. He calls them holy, though they were married; Marriage hinders not holiness, nor is single life more holy then it: Its the holy Ordinance of God,Heb. 13. 3. and the bed undefiled: The gift also of continence and single life, is sometimes given to carnal worldlings, and prophane persons, but denyed to Gods dear Servants, by whom he will encrease his Church and Kingdom.
This condemneth the Church of Rome; Use.Oh, they extol single life, and disgrace Marriage, as if it were a living in the flesh: O their vile hypocrisie! they would seem holy, and yet maintain Stews openly; yea, some of them have written in defence of Sodomy, and for Fornication and Adultery; the infinite skulls of murthered Infants (the fruit of their Whoredoms) found near the Dens of their abode, witness how unholy they are. The Pope would be Peters Successor, yet was he a married man: Till God call us to marriage, we are to live in single estate purely;Luke 4. 39. when we are married, soberly and holily: If we be single, we are not the more holy, or if married, the less holy.
But how could they be holy in those days?Holiness cometh by Faith in Christ. By Faith in Christ, whereby their hearts were purified, they severed from the world to the Lords use.
There's no Sanctification, no Salvation, but by Christ: Now Christ is more clearly revealed then he was in those days, more holiness is therefore now expected; all ignorant, unbelieving, impenitent, and unholy women are in a fearful case, especially considering the means. The Lord will one day present these holy women, Look you here, here be women, that in the dawning of the day saw Christ, and you have lived in the Sun shine of the Gospel, and have not believed.
He calls them holy,Holiness may be where there are weaknesses. though they had their weaknesses, as Sarah had; so that we are not to account those as not holy that have imperfections, for God accepteth of Believers in Christ, and pardoneth their imperfections.
This therefore correcteth the over harsh spirit of those,Use 1. which cry down our Church as unholy, and a Synagogue of Satan, and no Church, because of some blemishes: Our Savior did not so, but more charitably calleth Jerusalem, Rev. 11. 2.The holy City, which indeed was the Church, though stained with many blots of error and bad life.
It comforteth also those that be truly sanctified,Use 2. and upright in heart, notwithstanding their imperfections and failings, God accounts you Saints and righteous persons.
Adorned themselves, &c.] Of those duties which they did perform, I have already spoken; observe we onelyonly this, how they came to do their duties thus; he sheweth they were holy and godly women, and so performed the same. Note then, that
Wives cannot perform their duties aright,Wives cannot perform their duties aright, unless they be holy. unless they be holy; no being a good wife, till a good Christian; no building of a godly life on any foundation, but upon Faith in Christ: Whoso would do their duties aright, to Gods glory, their own comfort, and anothers good, they must fetch and draw grace from Christ by Faith; they that think to do otherwise, build in the Ayr, build that which will fall on their heads, and which will never hold or continue.
Even as Sarah] He speaks of many,Why more good men be mentioned in Scripture, then good women. and yet names but one, yet such a one as they could not but acknowledge worthy of imitation: Though more good men be mentioned in Scripture then women, that was, because of Genealogies, and their publike places, not that their number was greater then the others; yet of neither of both are so many named by multitudes, as were in all those ages: God said, he had Seven thousand which had not bowed their knee to Baal; and its said, That at our Apostles Sermon Three thousand were converted, yet none are particularly named.Heb. 11. 32. In Heb. 11. some are named, with their actions and commendations, but that there were multitudes of others, is there also implyed.
When therefore we read the Scriptures,Use. we must not think that there were no more good people then we finde there named: Oh! there were many thousands more; onelyonly so many are Registred as might be for our good,Simil. all could not: As when we come out of a City or great Town, looking back, we see the tops of a few Steeples and great houses, but when we were near we saw a great many more; so when our backs are turned upon an Age, alas, its but a few we can see then, in comparison of them that lived in that age: Howsoever, be we of men remembred or not, if we be holy men and women, we shall not be forgotten of God; our Names are Registred in Heaven, whether one day our bodies shall come, as well as our souls.
Obeyed Abraham, Gen 18. 6.calling him Lord,] That she obeyed him, the story shews; for whithersoever he went and flitted, she went with him; and when she was bid make ready for the strangers, it was done, and that speedily, not a word against it; and her calling of him Lord, is here mentioned as an usual thing done by her, proceeding from a reverend regard she had of him, as her husband appointed her of God.
In all things lawful,Wives must imitate Sarahs obedience and reverence. wives must be like Sarah, therein (though haply somewhat against their minde) they must frame themselves to their husbands disposition: They must not speak to them snappishly, currishly, curstly, nor over familiarly, calling them by their Christian Names, but respectively and reverently.
Whose daughters ye are, Reasons hereofas long as ye do well,] Such women as live godly, purely, be subject, adorn themselves with grace, and are patient and meek, they shall not lose by it, but shall have peace to their Consciences, and a good Name in the Church, as Sarah, and be heirs of Heaven, as she is; being like her, they shall speed as she did: As men Believers are called, The Sons of Abraham, he being the father of the faithful; so all godly good wives, The Daughters of Sarah that holy Matron, that had a good Name in the Church while she lived,Use. and is now in Heaven.
Let this be a provocation to women to perform these duties: I hope we give you no bad counsel, neither wrong you, in requiring of you but what Sarah did, and to do what may make you like her here and hereafter; what answer shall those make that are no whit moved hereby? ungodly, impatient, immodest women are not daughters of Sarah, Neh. 7. 64.but of that wicked one the Devil, and with him shall have their portion: As they that could not prove their Pedigree had no portion in Canaan, so they that fetch not their Petigree from Sarah, and be not her daughters in subjection, pure conversation, sweet speech, quietness in spirit, are not good wives, nor shall have the blessing of such.
And are not afraid with any amazement.] It may be Christian wives were afraid, that if they did not set out themselves in bravery of apparel, their unbelieving husbands would not care for them, but seek after others: For this the Apostle prescribes a remedy; let them not yield to do evil for avoiding that, but trust in the Lord, not being afraid with any amazement.Its not enough to do duties, but we must do them in a right maner.
Its not enough to do duties, but we must do them in a right maner; that makes or mars. Hence many in doing duties to God, do them not; in praying, they pray not; hearing, they hear not, because not from the heart, in Faith, but out of custom, and in ceremony and formality: Wives must not be dutiful, because else they should lead a woful life, their Husbands would cut them short in their will, &c. These are carnal respects for Heathens to be moved with; but Christian women must be dutiful, out of conscience towards God, and love to their Husband, as they whom God hath appointed to be their heads.