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Ver. 9. But ye are a chosen generation] A picked people, the dearly beloved of God’s soul; such as he first chose for his love, and then loves for his choice. A royal priesthood] Or as Moses hath it, Exodus 19:6, a kingdom of priests. Priests God’s people are in respect of God, kings in respect of men. The righteous are kings: “many righteous men have desired,” &c., saith Matthew, Matthew 13:17 “many kings,” saith Luke, Luke 10:24. Indeed they are somewhat obscure kings here, as was Melchizedek in the land of Canaan; but princes they are in all lands, Psalms 45:16, and more excellent than their neighbours, let them dwell where they will, Proverbs 12:26. A peculiar people] Gr. λαος εις περιποιησιν, a people of pu rchase: such as comprehend, as it were, all God’s gettings, his whole stock that he makes any great reckoning of. Show forth the praises] Gr. εξαγγειλητε, preach forth the virtues by our suitable practice. The picture of a dear friend should be hung up i n a conspicuous place of the house; so should God’s holy image and grace in our hearts. “ Vile latens virtus; quid enim submersa tenebris Proderit?” (Claud.) Jerome said that he did diligere Christum habitantem in Augustino, love Christ dwelling in Austin. So ought we to walk, that others may see and love Christ dwelling in us. He is totus desiderabilis, saith the spouse in the Canticles, Song of Solomon 5:16, all over desirable; and there is in him that which may well attract all hearts unto him.
Ver. 10. Which in time past were not] If Plato thought it such a mercy to him that he was a man and not a woman, a Grecian and not a barbarian, a scholar to Socrates and not to any other philosopher, what exceeding great cause have we to praise God that we are born Christians, not Pagans, Protestants, not Papists, in these blessed days of reformation, &c.
Ver. 11. As pilgrims and strangers] Excellently doth Justin Martyr describe the Christians of his time: they inhabit their own countries, saith he, but as strangers; they partake of all as citizens, and yet suffer all as foreigners; every strange land is a country to them, and every country a strange land. (Epist. ad Diog.) And strangers abstain] Thoughts of death will be a death to our lusts, Lamentations 1:9. Her filthiness is in her skirts, and all because she remembereth not her last end. As the stroking of a dead hand on the belly cureth a tympany, and as the ashes of a viper applied to the part that is stung draws the venom out of it; so the thought of death is a death to sin. From fleshly lusts] Those parts in our bodies that are the chiefest and nearest both subjects and objects of lust and concupiscence, are like unto the dung gate, 1 Chronicles 26:16 Ne 3:13, whereby all the filth was cast out of the temple. God hath placed them in our bodies, like snakes creeping out of the bottom of a dunghill, and abased them in our eyes, that we might make a base account and estimation of the desires thereof, as one well observeth. Which war against the soul] Only man is in love with his own bane (beasts are not so), and fights for those lusts that fight against the soul. And whereas some might say that other lusts fight against the soul, as well as fleshly lusts, it is answered that other lusts fight against the graces, bat these more against the peace of the soul. (Capell on Temptation.) Take we up therefore that motto of Otho II, Pacem cum hominibus, cum vitiis bellum; Let us quarrel with our faults and not with our friends.
Ver. 12. Having your conversation honest] Leading convincing lives, the best arguments against an atheist adversary. They speak evil of you] [See Trapp on “Mt 5:11”] Which they shall behold] Whiles they pry and spy into your courses (as the G reek word εποπτευοντες imports) to see what evil they can find out and fasten on. Ia the day of visitation] When God shall effectually call and convert them. [See Trapp on “Mt 5:16”]
Ver. 13. Submit to every ordinance] That is, although the ordinance or government in the manner of its constitution be from man, yet because of the necessity of its institution it is from God; submit to it, though of man, for the Lord’s sake. (Fuller’s Answer to Dr Fern.) For although it is called here man’s creature or ordinance, either in respect of man the subject, by whom it is exercised, or man the object, about whom it is conversant, or of man the end, to whose emolument it tendeth; yet it is still the gift and institution of God, the primary author and provident ordaiuer. A Deo sane est sive iubente, sive sinente, Of God it is surely, either so commanding or so suffering it to be, saith Augustine (contra Faust. Man xxii. 7.).
Ver. 14. Or unto governors] In the kingdom of Christ, this is wonderful, saith Zanchy, that he wills and commands all princes and potentates to be subject to his kingdom, and yet he wills and commands likewise that his kingdom be subject to the kingdoms of the world.
Ver. 15. Ye may put to silence] Gr. φιμουν, muzzle, or halter up, button up their mouths, as we say. [See Trapp on “Mt 22:34”] It is an old fetch of the devil to persuade the world that faithful people are anti-magistratical; these must be powerfully confuted by our contrary practice.
Ver. 16. As free] [See Trapp on “Ga 5:13”] As free, and not using, &c.] Free in respect of our consciences, exempted from human powers, and yet, as servants of God, bouud in conscience to obey him in obeying them, so far forth as he doth command us to obey them. (Downame.) For a cloak] Or cover. This were to put light not under a bushel, but under a dunghill. Beza thinks the apostle here alludes to that old custom at Rome, that those that were manumitted or set free should go with their heads covered, who before used to go bareheaded. Religion is an ill cloak of maliciousness; and will surely serve hypocritical libertines as the disguise Ahab put on and perished.
Ver. 17. Honour all men] As made in the image of God, as capable of heaven, and as having some special talent to trade with. Honour the king] i.e. the Roman emperor, who disclaimed the name of a king to avoid the hatred of the people, and yet sought the full right of kings, and so to destroy the liberty of the people. But kings that will be honoured must be just, “ruling in the fear of God,” 2 Samuel 23:3.
Ver. 18. To the froward] Cross, crooked, trample, foolish. Tortuosis, curvis. The Greek word σκολιος comes of a Hebrew word לכס that signifies a fool.
Ver. 19. This is thankworthy] τουτο γαρ χαρις εστι. God accounts himself hereby gratified, as it were, and even beholden to such sufferers, this being the lowest subjection and the highest honour men can yield unto their Maker. God will thank such, which is condescensio stupenda, a wonderful condescension.
Ver. 20. For what glory is it] In peace offerings there might be oil mixed, not so in sin offerings. In our sufferings for Christ there is joy; not so when we suffer for our faults.
Ver. 21. Leaving us an example] Gr. υπογραμμον, a copy or p attern. Christ’s actions were either moral, or mediatory. In both we must imitate him. In the former, by doing as he did. In the latter, by similitude, translating that to our spiritual life, which he did as mediator; as to die to sin, to rise to righteousness, &e., and this not only by example (as Petrus Abelardus held of old, and the Socinians at this day), but by virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection working effectually in all his people i not as an exemplary cause only, or as a moral cause by way of meditation, but as having force obtained by it, and issuing out of it, even the Spirit that kills sin, and quickens the soul to all holy practice. There is a story of an earl called Eleazar, a passionate prince, that was cured of that disordered affection by studying of Christ and his patience. Crux pendentis cathedra docentis, Christ upon the cross is a doctor in his chair, where he reads unto us all a lecture of patience. The eunuch, Acts 8:32, was converted by this praise in Christ. It is said of Jerome, that having read the godly life and Christian death of Hilarion, he folded up the book, and said, Well, Hilarion shall be the champion whom I will follow. (In Vita eius apud Surium.) Should we not much more say so of Christ?
Ver. 22. Who did no sin] St Paul saith, “He knew no sin,” 2 Corinthians 5:21, to wit, with a practical knowledge (we know no more than we practise); with an intellectual he did, for else he could not have reproved it. Neither was guile found in his mouth] Which imports that they sought it. The wicked seek occasion against the godly.
Ver. 23. But committed himself] Or, the whole matter. We also shall do ourselves no disservice, by making God our chancellor, when no law else will relieve us. And indeed the less a man strives for himself, the more is God his champion. He that said, I seek not mine own glory, adds, But there is one that seeketh it, and judgeth. God takes his part ever that fights not for himself. Yet. 24. Who his own self] Without any to help or uphold him, Isaiah 63:5; he had not so much as the benefit of the sunlight, when in that three hours’ darkness he was set upon by all the powers of darkness. Bare our sins] Gr. ανηνεγκεν, bare them aloft, viz. when he climbed up hi s cross, and nailed them thereunto. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,” Isaiah 53:4. He “taketh away the sins of the world,” John 1:29. That we being dead to sins] απογενομενοι, or, separated from sin, or uumade to it, cut off from it, the old frame being utterly dissolved. By whose stripes] Or, welts. This he mentioneth to comfort poor servants, whipped and abused by their froward masters. Sanguis medici factus est medicina phrenetici. The physician’s blood became the sick man’s salve. We can hardly believe the power of sword salve. But here is a mystery that only Christian religion cau assure us of, that the wounding of one should be the cure of another.
Ver. 25. As sheep] Than the which no creature is more apt to stray, less apt and able to return. The ox knoweth his owner, &c.