5cs Aio^k f/L^^^-^V^^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/wholeworksofmost02leig THE WHOLE WORKS Of THK MOST RE V K REND FATHER IN GOD, ROBERT LEIGHTON, D.D., ARCHBISHOP OF GLASGOW. Til WHICH IS PREFIXED A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, BY THE REV. JOHN NORMAN PEARSON, MA. OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND CHAPLAIN TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUESS WELLESLEY. Out* 3-ewv kcc) av^Wa'wv 9-iZ/wv x«i iboai/tovuv (i'tos, a-7ra.Wtt.yri rav aXXeov tZv -rJjSc, /3/«s aviiBavos tZv t5;2s, tpuyh ftovou ir/M? f&ovov. — Ploti.m Ennead. 6, L. 9. c. xi. A NEW EDITION— IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOLUME II. LONDON: JAMES DUNCAN, 37, PATERNOSTER-ROW; HATCHARD AND SON; SEELEY AND SONS; AND J. NISBET, LONDON; PARKER, OXFORD; J. AND J.J. DEIGHTON, CAMBRIDGE. AND BELL AND BRADFUTE, EDINBURGH. MDCCCXXX. LONDON : Printed by William Clowes, Stamford-street. CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. A PRACTICAL COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. PAGE Chap. II. (from verse 21) . ... 1 III. ..... 51 IV. . . . . .271 V. . . . .397 MEDITATIONS, PRACTICAL AND CRITICAL, ON Psalm iv. . . . . .473 xxxii. ..... 496 cxxx. . . . . . 510 A FRAGMENT ON Psalm vii. . . . • .541 EXPOSITORY LECTURES ON Psalm xxxix. ..... 553 Isaiah vi. 587 Romans xii. ..... (>05 A PRACTICAL COMMENTARY VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. Chapter II. Verse 21—23. Ver. 21. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps ; Ver. 22. "Who did not sin, neither was guile found in his mouth ; Ver. 23. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not ; but committed himself to him that judgeth righ- teously. JL HE rules that God hath set men to live by, are universally just, and there is a universal obligation upon all men to obey them ; but as they are particularly addressed to His own peo- ple in his word, they, out of question, are particularly bound to yield obedience, and have many peculiar persuasives to it, not extending to others, which are therefore usually represented to them, and pressed upon them in the holy Scriptures. Thus the preface of the Law runs to Israel : Besides that / am JeJio- vaJt, and have supreme power to give men laws, it is added, / am thy God, especially thy deliverer from slavery and bondage, and so have a peculiar right to thy obedience. (Deut. vii. 6.) Thus, the Apostle here urgeth this point in hand, of inoffen- siveness and patience, particularly in Christian servants, but so as it fits every Christian in his station, For hereunto, says he, Vol. II. U 2 A COMMENTARY UPON ye are called. Whatsoever others do, though they think it too straight a rule, yet you are tied to it by your own calling and profession as you are Christians ; and this is evidently the highest and clearest reason that can be, and of greatest power with a Christian, namely, the example of Jesus Christ himself: For Christ also suffered for us, &c. So it is all but one entire argument, viz., that they ought thus to behave themselves, because it is the very thing they are called to, as their conformity to Jesus Christ, whose they pro- fess to be, yea, with whom, as Christians, they profess them- selves to be one. Hereunto were ye called.'] This, in the general, is a thing that ought to be ever before our eye, to consider the nature and end of our calling, and to endeavour in all things to act suitably to it ; to think in every occurrence, What doth the calling of a Christian require of me in this ? But the truth is, the most do not mind this. We profess ourselves to be Christians, and never think what kind of behaviour this obliges us to, and what manner of persons it becomes us to be in all holy conversation, but walk disorderly , out of our rank, inordinately . You that are profane, were you called by the Gospel to serve the world and your lusts ? Were you called to swearing and riot- ing and voluptuousness ? Hear you not the Apostle testifying the contrary in express terms, that God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness ? (1 Thes. iv. 7.) You that are of proud, contentious spirits, do you act suitably to this holy calling? No, for we are called to peace, says the same Apostle. (1 Cor. vii. 15.) But we study not this holy calling, and therefore we walk so incongruously, so unlike the Gospel; we lie and do not the truth, as St. John speaks (1 John i. 6) ; our actions belie us. The particular things that Christians are here said to be called to, are, suffering, as their lot, and patience, as their duty, even under the most unjust and undeserved sufferings. And both these are as large 'as the sphere of this calling. Not only servants and others of a mean condition, who, lying THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 3 low, are the more subject to rigours and injuries, but generally, all who are called to godliness, are likewise called to sufferings. (2 Tim. iii. 12.) All that will follow Christ, must do it in his livery ; they must take up their cross. This is a very harsh and unpleasing article of the Gospel to a carnal mind, but the Scrip- tures conceal it not. Men are not led blindfold into sufferings, and drawn into a hidden snare by the Gospel's invitations ; they are told it very often, that they may not pretend a surprisal, nor have any just plea for starting back again. So our Saviour tells his disciples why he was so express and plain with them in this, These t/iings have I fold you, that ye be not offended (John xvi. 1) ; as if he had said, I have shewed you therugged- ness of your way, that you may not stumble at it, taking it to be a smooth, plain one. But then, where this is spoken of, it is usually allayed with the mention of those comforts that accom- pany these sufferings, or of that glory which follows them. The doctrine of the Apostles, which was so verified in their own persons, was this, That we mast through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God (Acts xiv. 22). An unpleasant way indeed, if you look no further, but a kingdom at the end of it, and that the kingdom of God, will tranfuse pleasure into the most painful step in it all. It seems a sad condition that falls to the share of godly men in this world, to be eminent in sorrows and troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psal. xxxiv. 19) : but that which follows, weighs them abun- dantly down in consolation, that the Lord Himself is engaged in their afflictions, both for their deliverance out of them in due time, and, in the mean time, for their support and preservation under them : The Lord delivers them out of them all, and till He does that, He keepeth all their bones. This was literally verified in the natural body of Christ, as St. John observes, (John xix. 3G,) and it holds spiritually true in his mystical body. The Lord supports, the spirits of believers in their troubles, with such solid consolations as are the pillars and strength of their souls, as the bones are of the body, which the Hebrew word for them imports. So He keepeth all his bones; and B 2 4 A COMMENTARY UPON tlie desperate condition of wicked men is opposed to this, (verse 21,) to illustrate it, Evil shall slay the wicked. Thus, (John xvi. 33,) they are forewarned in the close, what to expect at the world's hands, as they were divers times before in that same sermon ; but it is a sweet testament, take it alto- gether : Ye shall have tribulation in the world, bid peace in Me. And seeing He hath jointly bequeathed these two to his followers, were it not great folly to renounce such a bargain, and to let go that peace for fear of this trouble ? The trouble is but in the world, but the peace is in Him, who weighs down thousands of worlds. So, then, they do exceedingly "mistake and misreckon who would reconcile Christ and the world, who would have the Church of Christ, or, at least, themselves for their own shares, enjoy both kinds of peace together ; would willingly have peace in Christ, but are very loth to part with the world's peace. They would be Christians, but they are very ill satisfied when they hear of any thing but ease and prosperity in that estate, and willingly forget the tenor of the Gospel in this ; and so, when times of trouble and sufferings come, their minds are as new and uncouth to it, as if they had not been told of it before- hand. They like better St. Peter's carnal advice to Christ, to avoid suffering, (Matt. xvi. 22.) than his Apostolic doctrine to Christians, teaching them, that as Christ suffered, so they likewise are called to suffering. Men are ready to think as Peter did, that Christ should favour himself more in his own body, his Church, than to expose it to so much suffering; and most would be of Rome's mind in this, at least in affection, that the badge of the Church should be pomp and prosperity, and not the cross : the true cross and afflictions are too heavy and painful. But God's thoughts are not as ours : those whom He calls to a kingdom, He calls to sufferings as the way to it. He will have the heirs of heaven know that they are not at home on earth, and that this is not their rest. He will not have them, with the abused world, fancy a happiness here, and, as St. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 5 Augustine says, Beatam vitiate quarere in regione mortis — seek a happy life in the region of death. The reproaches and wrongs that encounter them shall elevate their minds often to that land, of peace and rest, where righteousness dwells. (2 Pet. iii. 18.) The hard taskmaster shall make them weary of Egypt, which, otherwise, possibly, they would comply too well with ; shall dispose them for deliverance, and make it welcome, which, it may be, they might but coldly desire, if they were better used. He knows what He does, who secretly serves His own good purposes by men's evil ones, and by the plowers that make long furrows on the back of his Church, (Psal. cxxix. 3,) makes it a fruitful field to Himself. Therefore it is great folly, and unadvisedness, to take up a prejudice against His way, to think it might be better as we would model it, and to complain of the order of things, whereas we should complain of disor- dered minds : but we had rather have all altered and changed for us, the very course of Providence, than seek the change of our own perverse hearts. But the right temper of a Christian is, to run always cross to the corrupt stream of the woi'ld and human iniquity, and to be willingly carried along with the stream of Divine Providence, and not at all to stir a hand, no, nor a thought, to row against that mighty current ; and not only is he carried with it upon necessity, because there is no steering against it, but cheerfully and voluntarily ; not because he must, but because he would. And this is the other thing to which Christians are jointly called ; as to suffering, so to calmness of mind and patience in suffering, although their suffering be most unjust ; yea this is truly a part of that duty they are called to, to maintain that integrity and inoffensiveness of life that may make their suffer- ings at men's hands always unjust. The entire duty here is innocence and patience ; doing willingly no wrong to others, and yet cheerfully suffering wrong when done to themselves. If either of the two be wanting, their suffering does not credit their profession, but dishonours it. If they be patient under deserved suffering, their guiltiness darkens their patience : and () A COMMENTARY UPON' if their sufferings be undeserved, yea and the cause of them honourable, yet impatience under them stains both their suffer- ings and their cause, and seems in part to justify the very injustice that is used against them ; but when innocence and patience meet together in suffering, their sufferings are in their perfect lustre. These are they who honour religion, and shame the enemies of it. It was the concurrence of these two that was the very triumph of the martyrs in times of persecution, that tormented their tormentors, and made them more than con- querors even in sufferings. Now that we are called both to suffering and to this manner of suffering, the Apostle puts out of question, by the supreme example of our Lord Jesus Christ ; for the sum of our calling is, to follow Him. Now in both these, in suffering, and in suffering innocently and patiently, the whole history of the Gospel testifies how complete a pattern He is. And the Apostle gives us here a summary, yet a very clear account of it. The words have in them these two things, I. The perfection of this example. II. Our obligation to follow it. I. The example he sets off to the full, J. In regard of the greatness of our Saviour's sufferings. 2. In regard of His spotlessness and patience in suffering. The first, we have in that word, He suffered ; and after- wards, at ver. 24, we have His crucifixion and His stripes expressly specified. Now this is reason enough, and carries it beyond all other reason, why Christians are called to a suffering life, seeing the Lord and Author of that calling suffered himself so much. The Captain, or Leader, of our salvation, as the Apostle speaks, was consecrated h\j suffering, Heb. ii. 10 : that was the way by which He entered into the holy place, where' He is now our everlasting High-Priest, making intercession for us. If He be our Leader to salvation, must not we follow Him in the way He leads, whatsoever it is ? If it be (as we see it is) by the way of sufferings, we must either follow on in that way, or fall short of salvation ; for there is no other leader, nor any other THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 7 way than that which He opened ; so that there is not only a congruity in it, that His followers be conformed to Him in suffering, but a necessity, if they will follow Him on till they attain to glory. And the consideration of both these cannot but argue a Christian into a resolution for this via reyia, this royal way of suffering that leads to glory, through which their King and Lord himself went to His glory. It could hardly be believed, at first, that this was His way, and we can as hardly yet believe that it must be ours. O fools, and slow of heart to believe! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory ? (Luke xxiv. 25, 26.) Would you be at glory, and will you not follow your Leader in the only way to it? Must there be another way cut out for you by yourself ? O absurd ! Shall the servant be greater than his master? (John xiii. 6.) Are not you fairly dealt with? If you have a mind to Christ, you shall have full as much of the world's good will as He had : if it hate you, He bids you remember how it hated Him. (John xv. 18.) But though there were a way to do otherwise, would you not, if the love of Christ possessed your hearts, rather choose to share with Him in His lot, and would you not find delight in the very trouble of it ? Is not this conformity to Jesus the great ambition of all his true-hearted followers ? We carry about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, says the great Apostle (2 Cor. iv. 10). Besides the unspeakable advantage to come, which goes linked with this, that, if we suffer with Him, we shall reign with Him, (2 Tim. ii. 12,) there is a glory, even in this present resemblance, that we are conformed to the image of the Son of God in sufferings. Why should we desire to leave Him ? Are you not one with Him ? Can you choose but have the same common friends and enemies ? Would you willingly, if it might be, could you find in your heart to be friends with that world which hated your Lord and Master ? Would you have nothing but kindness and ease, where He had nothing but enmity and trouble ? Or would you not rather, when you think aright of it, refuse and disdain to be so unlike 8 A COMMENTARY UPON Ilim ? As that good Duke said, when they would have crowned him King of Jerusalem, No, said lie, by no means ; 1 will not wear u vrown of gold icherc Jesus was crowned ivith thorns. '2. His .spotlessness, and patience in suffering, are both of tl*em set here before us;. the one ver. 22, the other ver. 23. Whosoever thou art who niakest such a noise about the in- justice of what thou suff'erest, and thinkest to justify thy impatience by thine innocence, let me ask thee, Art thou more just and innocent than He who is here set before thee ? Or art thou able to come near him in this point? Who did no sin, neither, was guile found in his mouth. This is to signify per- fect holiness, according to that declaration, (James iii. 2,) If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. Man is a little world, a world of wickedness ; and that little part of him, the tongue, is termed by St. James a world of iniquity. But all Christ's words, as well as His actions, and all His thoughts, flowed from a pure spring that had not any thing de- filed in it; and therefore no temptation, either from men or Satan, could seize on Him. Other men may seem clear as long as they, are unstirred, but move and trouble them, and the mud arises ; but he was nothing but holiness, a pure fountain, all purity to the bottom ; and therefore stir and trouble Him as they Avould, He was still alike clear. The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. (John xiv. 39-) This is the main ground of our confidence in Him, that He is a holy, harmless, undefiled High-priest; and such a one became. us, says the Apostle, who are so sinful. (Heb. vii. 26.) The more sinful we are, the more need that our High-Priest should be sinless ; and being so, we, may build upon His per- fection, as standing in our stead, yea, we are invested with Him and His righteousness. Again, there was no guile found in His mouth. This serves to convince us concerning all the promises that He hath made, that they are nothing but truth. Hath he said, Him that cometh to me I will in no ivise cast out! (John vi. 37.) Then you need not fear3 how unworthy and vile soever you may be ; THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 9 do but come to Him, and you have His word that he will not shut the door against you. And as He hath promised access, so he hath further promised ease and souls'* rest to those that come. (Matt. xi. 30.) Then be confident to find that in Him too, for there was never a false or guileful word found in His mouth. But to consider it only in the present action, this speaks Him the most innocent sufferer that ever was, not only judicially just in His cause, but entirely just in His person, altogether righ- teous; and yet, condemned to death, and an opprobrious death of malefactors, and set betwixt two, as chief of the three ! / am, says he, the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley ; and the Spouse saith of Him, My well-beloved is white and ruddy (Cant. ii. 1 ; v. 10) : thus, indeed, He was in His death, ruddy in his bloodshed, and white in his innocence, and withal in his meekness and patience ; the other thing wherein He is here so exemplary. Who, ivhen he ivas reviled, reviled not again.] This spot- less Lamb of God was a Lamb both in guiltlessness and silence ; and the Prophet Isaiah expresses the resemblance, in that He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter. (Isa. liii. 7.) He suf- fered not only an unjust sentence of death, but withal unjust revilings, the contradictions of sinners. No one ever did so little deserve revilings ; no one ever could have said so much in his own just defence, and to the just reproach of his enemies; and yet, in both, He preferred silence. No one could ever threaten so heavy things as He could against his enemies, and have made good all he threatened, and yet, no such thing was heard from Him. The heavens and the earth, as it were, spoke their resentment of His death who made them ; but He was silent ; or what He spoke makes this still good, how far he was from revilings and threatenings. As spices pounded, or precious ointment poured out, give their smell most, thus His name icas an ointment then poured forth, together with his blood, (Cant. i. 3,) and, filling heaven and earth with its sweet per- fume, was a savour of rest and peace in both, appeasing the 10 A COMMENTARY Ul'ON wrath of God, and so quieting the consciences of men. And even in this particular was it then most fragrant, in that all the torments of the cross and all the revilings of the multitude racked him as it were for some answer, yet could draw no other from Him than this, Father, for (jive them, for they know not ivhat they do. But for those to whom this mercy belonged not, the Apostle tells us what He did ; instead of revilings and threatenings, He committeth all to Him who judgeth righteously. And this is the true method of Christian patience, that which quiets the mind, and keeps it from the boiling, tumultuous thoughts of revenge, to turn the whole matter into God*^ hand, to resign it over to Him, to prosecute when and as He thinks good. Not as the most, who had rather, if they had power, do for them- selves, and be their own avengers ; and because they have not power, do offer up such bitter curses and prayers for revenge unto God, as are most hateful to Him, and are far from this calm and holy way of committing matters to His judgment. The common way of referring things to God, is indeed impious and dishonourable to Him, being really no other than calling Him to be a servant and executioner to our passion. We ordinarily mistake Hisjustice, and judge of it according to our own precipitant and distempered minds. If wicked men be not crossed in their designs, and their wickedness evidently crushed, just when we would have it, we are ready to give up the matter as desperate, or at least to abate of those confident and reverential thoughts of Divine justice which we owe Him. Howsoever things go, this ought to be fixed in our hearts, that He who sitteth in heaven judgeth righteously, and executes that His righteous judgment in the fittest season. We poor worms, whose whole life is but a hand-breadth in itself, and is us nothing unto God, think a few months or years a great mat- ter; but to him who inhabiteth eternity, a thousand years are but as one day, as our Apostle teaches us, in his second Epistle, ch. iii. ver. 8. Our Saviour, in that time of his humiliation and suffering, THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 11 committed himself and his cause (for that is best expressed, in that nothing is expressed but He committed) to Him ivho judgeth righteously, and the issue shall be, that all his enemies shall become his footstool, and He himself shall judge them. But that which is given us here to learn from his carriage to- ward them in his suffering, is, that quietness and moderation of mind, even under unjust sufferings, make us like Him : not to reply to reproach with reproach, as our custom is, to give one ill word for another, or two for one, to be sure not to be behind. Men take a pride in this, and think it ridiculous simplicity so to suffer, and this makes strifes and contention so much abound; but it is a great mistake. You think it greatness of spirit to bear nothing, to put up with no wrong, whereas indeed it is great weakness and baseness. It is true greatness of spirit, to despise the most of those things which set you usually on fire one against another ; especially, being done after a Christian manner, it were a part of the spirit of Christ in you : and is there any spirit greater than that, think you ? Oh ! that there were less of the spirit of the Dragon, and more of the spirit of the Dove amongst us. II. Our obligation to follow the example of Christ, besides being enforced by its own excellency, is intimated in these two things contained in the words: 1. The design of His behaviour for this use, to be as an example to us. 2. Our interest in Him j and those His sufferings, wherein He so carried himself. 1. That His behaviour was intended for an example, Leaving us an example, 8fc. He left His footsteps as a copy (as the word in the original v7ioy^a(j.iJ.ov imports) to be followed by us % every step of His is a letter of this copy ; and particularly in this point of suffering, He wrote us a pure and perfect copy of obedience, in clear and great letters, in His own blood. His whole life is our rule : not, indeed, His miraculous works, His footsteps walking on the sea, and such like, they are not for our following ; but His obedience, holiness, meekness, and humility are our copy, which we should continually study. The shorter and more effectual way, they say, of teaching, is 12 A fcdfofl^PfARY i n»\ bv example ; but above all, this matchless Example i* the hap- piest way of teaching. lie that fnl/mr.s w\ sayis our'Lord, shall not walk in darkness. (John viii. 12.) >« He that aims high, shoots the higher for k, though he snoot not so high as he aims. This is what' ennobles the spit-It of a Christian, the propounding of this our high pattern, the'tx- ample of Jesus Christ. The imitation of men in worthless things is low and servile ; the imitation of their virtues is commendable, but if we aim no higher, it is both imperfect and unsafe. The Apostle St. Paul will have no imitation, but with regard to this Supreme Pattern : Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Cor. xi. 1.) One Christian may take the example of Christ as exhibited in many things, in another, but still he must examine all by the original primitive copy, the footsteps of Christ himself, following no- thing, but as it is conformable to that, and looking chiefly on Him, both as the most perfect and most effectual example. (See Heb. xii. 2.) There is a cloud of witnesses and examples, but look above them all, to Him who is as high above them, as the sun is above the clouds. As in the Covenant of Grace the way is better, a living way indeed, so there is this advantage also, that we are not left to our own skill for following it, but taught by the Spirit. In the delivery of the Law, God shewed his glory and greatness by the manner of giving it, but the Law was written only in dead tables. But Christ, the living law, teaches, by obeying it, how to obey it ; and this, too, is the advantage of the Gospel, that the Law is twice -written over unto believers, first, in the example of Christ, and then, inwardly in their hearts by his Spirit. There is, together with that copy of all grace in Him, a spirit derived from Him, enabling believers to follow Him in their measure. They may not only sec Him as the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth, as it is, John i. 14, but, as there it follows, they receive of his fidness, grace fur grace. The love of Christ makes the soul delight to converse with Him ; and con- verse and love together, make it learn His behaviour : as men THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETEK. 13 that lifjp, muph together, especially if they do much affect one another, wiji insensibly contract one another's habits and .cus- toms, i I ,r,Xhe,,otlier thing obliging us is, 2dly, Our interest in Him and IJjj>, sufferings ; He .suffered for w.y. And to this the Apostle returns, ver. 24. Observe only from the tie of these two, that if we neglect His example set before us^ we cannot enjoy any right assurance of His suffering for us ;. but if we do seriously endeavour to, follow Him, then we may expect to obtain life through His death, and those steps of His wherein we walk, will bring us ere long to be where He is, V*r. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness ; by whose stripes ye were healed. I That which is deepest in the heart, is generally most in the mouth ; that which abounds within, runs over most by the tongue or pen. When men light upon the speaking of that subject which possesses their affection, they can hardly be taken off, or drawn from it again. Thus the Apostles in their writ- ings, when they make mention any way of Christ suffering for us, Jove to dwell on it, as that which they take most delight to speak of; such delicacy, such sweetness is in it to a spiritual taste, that they like to keep it in their mouth, and are never out of their theme, when they insist on Jesus Christ, though they have but named Him by occasion of some other doctrine; for He is the great subject of all they have to say. Thus here, the Apostle had spoken of Christ in the foregoing words very fitly to his present subject, setting Him before Christian servants, and all suffering Christians, as their com- plete example, both in point of much suffering, and of perfect innocence and patience in suffering ; and he had expressed their obligation to study and follow that Example ; yet he cannot leave it so, but having said that all those His sufferings, wherein He was so exemplary, were for us, as a chief consideration for 14i A COMMENTARY. UPON which we should study to be like Him, he returns to that again, and enlarges upon it in words partly the same, partly very near those of that Evangelist among the Prophets, Isaiah, (ch. liii. verse 4. And it suits very well with his main scope, to press this point, as giving both very much strength and sweetness to the exhor- tation ; for surely it is most reasonable that we Avillingly con- form to Him in suffering, who had never been an example of suffering, nor subject at all to sufferings, nor in any degree capa- ble of them, but for us; and it is most comfortable in these light sufferings of this present moment, to consider that He hath freed us from the sufferings of eternity, by suffering Him- self in our stead in the fulness of time. That Jesus Christ is, in doing and in suffering, our supreme and matchless example, and that He came to do so, is a truth ; but that He is nothing further, and came for no other end, is, you see, a high point of falsehood. For how should man be enabled to learn and follow that example of obedience, unless there were more than an example in Christ ? and what would become of that great reckoning of disobedience that man stands guilty of? No, these are notions far too narrow. He came to bear our sins in his own body on the tree, and, for this pur- pose, had a body fitted for him and given him to bear this burden, to do this as the will of his Father, to stand for us in- stead of all offerings and sacrifices ; and by that will, says the Apostle, we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. (Heb. x. 9.) This was His business, not only to rectify sinful man by His example, but to redeem him by His blood. He was a Teacher come from God: as a Prophet, He teaches us the way of life, and as the best and greatest of prophets, is perfectly like His doctrine; and His actions (which in all teachers is the liveliest part of doctrine), His carriage in life and death, is our great pattern and instruction. But what is said of his Forerunner, is more eminently true of Christ : He is a Propjiet, and more than a Prophet, — a Priest satisfying justice for us, and a King THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 15 conquering sin and death for us ; an example indeed, but more than an example, — our sacrifice, and our life, our all in all. It is our duty to walk as He walked, to make Him the pattern of our steps (1 John ii. 6) ; but our comfort and salvation lie in this, that He is the propitiation for our sins (v. 2). So in the first chapter of that Epistle, (v. 7,) We are to walk in the light, as He is in the light ; but, for all our walking, we have need of that which follows, that bears the great weight, — The blood of Jesus Christ cleans eth us from all sin. And so still, that glory which He possesseth in His own person, is the pledge of ours : He is there for us, He lives to make inter- cession for us, says the Apostle (Heb. vii. 25) ; and, / go to prepare a place for you, says our Lord himself. (John xiv. 2.) We have in the words these two great points, and in the same order as the words lie : I. The Nature and Quality of the sufferings of Jesus Christ ; and, II. The End of them. I. In this expression of the Nature and Quality of the suffer- ings of Christ, we are to consider, 1. The Commutation of the persons, He himself— for us. 2. The Work undertaken and performed, He bare our sins in His own body on the tree. 1. The act or sentence of the Law against the breach of it standing in force, and Divine justice expecting satisfaction, Death was the necessary and inseparable consequent of Sin. If you say, the supreme Majesty of God, being accountable to none, might have forgiven all without satisfaction, we are not to contest that, nor foolishly to offer to sound the bottomless depth of His absolute prerogative. Christ implies in his prayer, (Matt. xxvi. 39,) that it was impossible that he could escape thai cup ; but the impossibility is resolved into his Father's will, as the cause of it. But this we may clearly see, following /' the track of the holy Scriptures, (our only safe way,) that this way wherein our salvation is contrived is most excellent, and suitable to the greatness and goodness of God ; so full of wonders of wisdom and love, that the Angels, as our Apostle tells us before, cannot forbear looking on it, and admiring it :■ for all their exact knowledge, yet they still find it infinitely 16 A COMMENTARY UPON beyond their knowledge, still in astonishment and admiration of what they see, and still in search, looking in to see more ; those cherubim still having their eyes fixed on this Mercy- Seat. Justice might indeed have seized on rebellious Man, and laid the pronounced punishment on him. Mercy might have freely acquitted him, and pardoned all. But can we name any place where Mercy and Justice, as relating to condemned man, could have met and sinned jointly in full aspect, save only in Jesus Christ? — in whom, indeed, Mercy and Truth met, and Righte- ousness and Peace kissed each other (Psal. lxxxv. 10) ; yea, in whose person the Parties concerned, that were at so great a distance, met so near, as nearer cannot be imagined. And not only was this the sole way for the consistency of these two, Justice and Mercy, but take each of them severally, and they could not have been manifested in so full lustre in any other way. God's just hatred of sin did, out of doubt, appear more in punishing His only begotten Son for it, than if the whole race of mankind had suffered for it eternally. Again, it raises the notion of mercy to the highest, that sin is not only forgiven us, but for this end God's own co-eternal Son is given to us, and for us. Consider what He is, and what we are ; He the Son of His love, and we, enemies. Therefore it is empha- tically expressed in the words, God so loved the world [John hi, 16) : that Love amounts to this much, that is, was so great as I to give His Son ; but how great that love is cannot be uttered. In this, says the Apostle, (Rom. v. 8,) God com- rnendeth His love to us, sets it off to the highest, gives us the richest and strongest evidence of it. The foundation of this plan, this appearing of Christ for us, and undergoing and answering all in our stead, lies in the decree of God, where it was plotted and contrived, in the whole way of it, from eternity ; and the Father and the Son being one, and their Thoughts and will one, They were perfectly agreed on it ; and those likewise for whom it should hold, were agreed upon, and their names written down, according to which they THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 17 are saicj to be given unto Christ to redeem. And just ac- cording to that model, did all the work proceed, and was accomplished in all points, perfectly answering to the pattern of it in the mind of God. As it was preconcluded there, that the Son should undertake the business, this matchless piece of service for His Father, and that, by His interposing, men should- be reconciled and saved ; so, that He might be altoge- ther a fit person for the work, it was resolved, that as He was already fit for it by the almightiness of His Deity and God- head, and the acceptableness of His person to the Father, as the Son of God, so he should be further fitted by wonderfully uniting weakness to Almightiness, the frailty of man to the power of God. Because suffering for man was a main point of the work, therefore, as His being the Son of God made Him acceptable to God, so His being the Son of man made Him suitable -to man, in whose business He had engaged himself, and suitable to the business itself to be performed. And not only was there in Him, by his human nature, a conformity to man, (for that might have been accomplished by a new created body,) but a consanguinity with man, by a body framed of the same piece, — this Redeemer, a Kinsman, (as the Hebrew word. astures meant, and the still ivaters that he speaks of. And thus we may judge whether we are of his flock. Are we led in the paths of righteousness ? Do we delight ourselves in Him, and in his ways ? Are they the proper refreshment of our souls ? Do we find His word sweet unto our taste? Are we taken with the green pastures in it, and the crystal streams of consolations that glide through it ? Can we discern His voice, and does it draw our hearts, so that we follow it ? (John x. 27.) The Shepherd and Bishop.~\ It was the style of Kings, to THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 49 be called Shepherds ; and is the dignity of the Ministers of the Gospel, to have both these names. But this great Shep- herd and Bishop is peculiarly worthy of these names, as su- preme : He alone is the universal Shepherd and Bishop, and none but an antichrist, who makes himself as Christ, killing and destroying the flock, will assume this title which belongs only to the Lord, the great Owner of His flock. He himself is their great Shepherd and Bishop. All shepherds and bishops who are truly such, have their function and place from Him ; they hold of Him, and follow His rule and example, in their inspection of the flock. It were the happiness of kingdoms, if magistrates and kings would set Him, His love, and meekness, and equity, before their eyes in their govern- ment. And all those who are properly His bishops, are under especial obligations to study this pattern, to warm their affec- tions to the flock, and to excite a tender care of their salvation, by looking on this Arch-bishop and Arch-shepherd, (as our Apostle calls Him,) and in their measure, to follow his foot- steps, spending their life and strength in seeking the good of His sheep, considering that they are subordinately shepherds of souls, that is, in dispensing spiritual things; so far the title is communicable. The Lord Jesus is supremely and singularly such : they under Him are shepherds of souls, because their diligence con- cerns the soul, which excludes not the body in spiritual re- spects, as it is capable of things spiritual and eternal, by its union with the soul. But Christ is sovereign Shepherd of souls above all, and singular, in that He not only teaches them the doctrine of salvation, but purchased salvation for them, and inasmuch as He reaches the soul powerfully, which minis- ters by their own power cannot do. He lays hold on it, and restores, and leads it, and causes it to walk in His ways. In this sense it agrees to Him alone, as supreme, in the incommu- nicable sense. And from His guidance, power, and love, flows all the com- fort of his flock. When they consider their own folly and Voi . II. K 50 A COMMENTARY UPON weakness, this alone gives them confidence, that His hand guides them ; and they believe in His strength, far surpassing that of the roaring lion. (John x. 28 — 30.) His wisdom, in knowing their particular state and their weakness, and His tender love in pitying them, and applying himself to it. Other shepherds, even faithful ones, may mistake them, and not . know the way of leading them in some particulars, and they may be sometimes wanting in that tender affection that they owe ; or, if they have that, yet they are not able to bear them up, and support them powerfully : but this Shepherd is per- fect in all these respects. (Isa. xl. 11.) The young and weak Christians, or the elder at weak times, when they are big and heavy with some inward exercise of mind, which shall bring forth advantage and peace to them afterwards, them He leads gently, and uses them with the tenderness that their weakness requires. And, in the general, He provides for His flock, and heals them when they are any way hurt, and washes them, and makes them fruitful ; so that they are as that flock described, Cant. iv. 2 ; they are comely, but their Shepherd much more so: Formosi jyecoris custos, formosior ipse. They are given Him in the Father's purpose and choice, and so, those that return, are, even while they wander, sheep in some other sense than the rest which perish. They are, in the secret love of Election, of Christ's sheepfold, though not as yet actually brought into it. But when His time comes, wheresoever they wander, and how far off soever, even those who have strayed most, yet He restores them, and rejoices Heaven with their return, and leads them till He bring them to partake of the joy that is there. That is the end of the way wherein He guides them. (John x. 27, 28.) They hear my voice and fol- low me. And they shall never repent of having done so. To follow Him, is to follow life, for He is the life. He is in that glory which we desire ; and where would we be, if not where He is, who, at his departure from the world, said, Where I am, there they shall be also ? To this happy meeting and hea- THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. 51 venly abode, may God, of His infinite mercy, bring us, through Jesus Christ our Lord ! Amen. CHAPTER III. Ver. 1 . Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands : that if any one obey not the word, they also, without the word, may be won by the conversation of the wives. The tabernacle of the sun (Psal. xix. 4) is set high in the Heavens ; but it is so, that it may have influence below upon the earth. And the word of God, which is spoken of there immediately after, as being in many ways like it, holds resem- blance in this particular : it is a sublime heavenly light, and yet descends, in its use, to the lives of men, in the variety of their stations, to warm and to enlighten, to regulate their affections and actions in whatsoever course of life they are called to. By a perfect revolution or circuit, as there it is said of the sun, it visits all ranks and estates ; its going forth is from the end of Heaven, and its circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat of it ; it disdains not to teach the very servants in their low condition and employments, how to behave themselves, and sets before them no meaner example than that of Jesus Christ, which is the highest of all examples. So here, the Apostle proceeds to give rules adapted to that relation which is the main one in families, that of Husbands and Wives. As for the order, it is indifferent ; yet, possibly, he begins here at the duties of wives, because his former rules were given to inferiors, to subjects and servants ; and the duty he commends particularly here to them, is, subjection : Like- ivise, ye wives, be in subjection, &c. After men have said all they can, and much, it may be, to little purpose, in running the parallel between these two estates of life, marriage and celibacy, the result will be found, I con- ceive, all things being truly estimated, very little odds, even in E2 52 A COMMENTARY UPON natural respects, in the things themselves, saving only as the particular condition of persons, and the hand of Divine Provi- dence, turn the balance the one way or the other. The writ- ing of satires against either, or panegyrics on the one in preju- dice of the other, is but a caprice of men's minds, according to their own humour ; but in respect of religion, the Apostle, having scanned the subject to the full, leaves it indifferent, only requiring in those who are so engaged, hearts as disen- gaged as may be, that they that marry be as if they married not, &c. (1 Cor. vii. 29, 31.) Within a while, it will be all one ; as he adds that grave reason, For the fashion [