An exhortation to a 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy, 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Chap. ii. godly conversation. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren; see that ye love one. another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man, as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, & the flower thereof falleth away; h But was manifest or appeared in the world, and was offered in these last times of the Mosaic dispensation, for you 25 But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you. CHAP. II. 1 He exhorteth them from the breach of charity, 4 shewing that Christ is the foundation whereupon they are built: 11 he beseecheth them also to abstain from fleshly lusts, 13 to be obedient to magistrates, 18 and teacheth servants how to obey their masters, &c. WHEREFORE, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and euvies, and all evil speakings, 2 As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,a that ye may grow thereby; 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: 4 To whom coming, as una Sincere milk of the word, the pure doctrines of the Gospel, b A living stone. Christ is called a living stone, because his spiritual church is composed of living stones or members of which he is the chief. Whereunto also they were appointed. This does not mean, as at first appears, that they were appointed to disobedience. The verse is elliptical, and to understand it, the deficiency must be supplied by what the apostle alludes to in Isaiah viii. 15. The verse would then read thus;-The disobedient stumble inst the word and fall, and they shall be broken or punished, to which punishment they verily were appointed. 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul: 12 Having your conversatione honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.f 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. The duties of 17 Honour all men., Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 18 Servants be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffetted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Chap. iii. wives and husbands. 8 exhorting all men to unity and love, 14 and to suffer persecution: 19 he declareth also the benefits of Christ toward the old world. LIKEWISE, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they may also without the word, be won by the conversation of the wives ;a CHAP. III. 1 He teacheth the duty of wives and husbands to each other, 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear; 3 Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart,b in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands; 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.c 7 Likewise, ye husbands,. tease from sin. Chap. iv. 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you; 5 Who shall give account to him, that is ready to judge the quick b and the dead. An exhortation to unto even baptism doth also now save usj (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. CHAP. IV. 1 He exhorteth them to cease from sin by the example of Christ, and the consideration of the general end, that now approacheth, 12 and comforteth them against persecution. 6 For, for this causec was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand;d be ye, therefore, sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.e 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let b The quick, the living. c For this cause, that is, to encourage you to suffer for Christ's sake, the Gospel hath been preached to the Gentiles, who were dead in sins, that although they might be condemned by men in the flesh, they might still live forever by God in the Spirit. d The end of all things. This is supposed to signify the end of the temple, of the law, and of the Jewish state. e Charity or love will pardon multitude of faults in each other. |
