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PRACTICAL

COMMENTARY

UPON THE

FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF

ST PETER.

CHAP. III. ver. 13.

And who is he that will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good?

HIS the Apostle adds, as a further reafon of the

THE

safety and happiness of that way he points out, from its own nature. There is fomething even intrinfecal in a meek, and upright, and holy carriage, that is apt, in part, to free a man from many evils and mifchiefs that the ungodly are expofed to, and do naturally draw upon themfelves. Your fpotlefs and harmless deportment will much bind up the hands even of your enemies, and fometimes, poffibly, fomewhat allay and cool the malice of their hearts, that they cannot fo rage against you as otherwise they might. It will be fomewhat ftrange and monftrous to rage against the innocent; Who is be that will barm you? &c. Here are two things, 1. The carriage. 2. The advantage of it.

1. Their carriage expreffed, followers, &c. Or, as the word is, Imitators of that which is good.

VOL. II.

A

There

There is an imitation of men that is impious and wicked, taking the copy of their fins; again, an imitation, that, though not fo grofsly evil, yet is poor and fervile, being in mean things, yea fometimes defcending to imitate the very imperfections of others, as fancying fome comelinefs in them; as fome of Bafil's scholars, that imitated his flow fpeaking, which he had a little in the extreme, and could not help: but this is always laudable, and worthy of the best minds, to be imitators of that which is good, wherefover they find it. For that ftays not in any man's perfon, as the ultimate pattern, but arifes to the higheft grace, being man's nearest likeness to God, his image and refemblance; and fo, following the example of the faints in holinefs, we look higher than them, and confider them as receivers, but God as the first owner and difpenfer of grace, bearing his ftamp and fuperscription, and belonging peculiarly to him, in what hand foever it be found, as carrying the mark of no other owner, but his only.

The word of God hath our copy in its perfection, and very legible and clear; and fo the imitation of good, in the complete rule of it, is the regulating our ways by the word: But, even there we find, befides general rules, the particular tracks of life of divers eminent holy perfons, and thofe on purpose fet before us, that we may know holiness not to be an idle imaginary thing, but that men have really been holy; though not altogether finlefs, yet holy and spiritual in fome good measure; that there have been those who have fbined as lights amidst a perverse generation, as greater ftars in a dark night, and yet men, as St James fays of Elias, like us in nature, ouosoraters, and the frailty of it; fubject to like paffions as we are, James v. 17. Why may we not then afpire to be holy, as they were, and attain to it, although we should fall fhort of the degree? Yet not stopping at a small measure, but running further, preffing ftill forward toward the mark, Phil. iii. 14.; following them in the

way

way they went, though at a distance; not reaching them, and yet walking, yea, running after them as fast as we can: Not judging of holiness by our own floth and natural averfenefs, taking it for a fingularity fit only for rare extraordinary perfons, fuch as Prophets and Apoftles were, or as the Church of Rome fancies thofe to be, to whom it vouchfafes a room in the roll of faints. Do you not know that holiness is the only via regia, this following of good, that path wherein all the children of God muft walk, one following after another, each striving to equal, and, if they could, to outftrip even thofe they look on as moft advanced in it? This is, amongst many other, a mifconceit in the Romish Church, that they feem to make holiness a kind of impropriate good, that the common fort can have little fhare in almost all piety being fhut up within cloyfter-walls, as its only fit dwelling. Yet it hath not liked their lodging, it feems, but is flown over the walls away from them; for there is little of it even there to be found; but, however, their opinion of it places it there, as having little to do abroad in the world.

Whereas the truth is, that all Chriftians have this for their common task, though fome are under more peculiar obligations to ftudy this one copy. Look on the rule of holiness, and be followers of it, and followers or imitators one of another, fo far as their carriage agrees with that primitive copy, as writ after it ; Be ye followers of me, punto, fays the Apostle, even to the meaneft Chriftians amongst thofe he wrote to, but thus, as I am of Christ, 1 Cor. xi. 1.

Is it thus with us? Are we zealous and emulous followers of that which is good, exciting each other. by our example to a holy and Chriftian conversation, provoking one another (fo the Apostle's word is) to love, and to good works? Heb. x. 24. Or, Are not the most, mutual corrupters of each other, and of the places and focieties where they live; fome leading, and others following, in their ungodlinefs? Not re

garding

garding the course of those that are most defirous to walk holily, or, if at all, doing it with a corrupt and evil eye; not to ftudy and follow what is good in them, their way of holiness, but to efpy any the leaft wrong step, to take exact notice of any imperfection, and sometimes only charged on them by malignant falfehood? and by this, either to reproach religion, or to hearten or harden themselves in their irreligion and ungodliness, feeking warrant for their own willing licentiousness in the unwilling failings of God's children?

And, in their converse with such as themselves, they are following their profane way, and flattering and bleffing one another in it, "What need we be fo "precife? and, If I fhould not do as others, they "would laugh at me, I fhould pass for a fool." Well, thou wilt be a fool in the moft wretched kind, rather than be accounted one by fuch as are fools, and know not at all wherein true wisdom confifts.

Thus are the moft carried with the ftream of this wicked world, their own inward corruption easily agreeing and fuiting with it; every man, as a drop, falling into a torrent, and easily made one, and running along with it into that dead fea where it empties itself.

But thofe, whoni the Lord hath a purpose to sever and fave, he carries in a contrary courfe, even to that violent stream; and these are the ftudents of holiness, the followers of good; that bend their endeavours thus, and look on all fides diligently, on what may animate and advance them; on the example of the faints in former times, and on the good they espy in those that live together with them; and, above all, studying that perfect rule in the Scriptures, and that highest and first pattern, there fo often fet before them, even the Author of that rule, the Lord himself; Studying to be holy as he is holy, to be bountiful and merciful as their heavenly Father*; and in all labouring

* Τέλος ανθρωπος όμοίωσις Θεμ. Pyth.

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